I took Effexor for 4.5 years but discontinued it due to negative side effects. I've been doing research online and hear nothing but bad reviews for every single SSRI that exists it seems.
I have a Dr.'s appt. scheduled for next week and would like to have some possible positive feedback on something before I go so I at least could be armed with information before he just throws any pill at me.
Has anyone out there had a good experience with one. One that causes minimal weight gain, no suicidal thoughts, doesn't cause insomnia, etc. etc.?
But I am still appreciating all your guys input. Thanks!😊
My daughter takes Prozac and has had no side effects from that medication either.
Good luck........I hope you find relief with a medication that works!!! But don't forget, ALL medications contain a list of warnings as long as a roll of toilet paper. Don't let that stop you.........keep trying until you find something that works for YOU!
On the down side, it has destroyed my libido, but I've been unpartnered since my divorce so it hasn't really mattered much. I probably do gain weight more easily, but that could be due to aging, menopause, a lot of things. I'm still able to lose weight if I limit my calories. I can't speak to insomnia since my sleep issues predated my SSRI use. It probably hasn't made them any worse.
Good luck! I would not suffer with depression or anxiety without at least trying to get relief through modern medicine.
Ah, I was wondering why my OCD was pretty much a "whatever" attitude now instead of being high strung on trying to put the world on a level balance. The Paxil helped me not worry about pictures hung on a wall that were a tiny bit crooked, or re-shelving items at the grocery store :)
I don't know what I'm going to do. Do I just stay how I am or risk taking something and risk possible weight gain etc.? I know some would say who cares if you gain a bit of weight if you feel better. In my case as a former anorexic the thought of gaining weight just makes me even more depressed. I don't want to be fat and happy. I want to be slim and happy. Is there such a thing with antidepressants? Doesn't sound like it.
As I said I tried Effexor. It didn't cause too much weight gain but caused post nasal drip which just became intolerable. I think I did try Wellbutrin and it caused insomnia so I discontinued that shortly after I started it. So..........don't know. We'll see I guess.
But thx again for the answers.
The Wellbutrin made me feel calm, organized and capable again. Didn't gain any weight , a little insomnia. Stayed on it from 2013 until 2017 then I felt it's benefits kind of plateued out for me. I went off it and have done ok until recently when I too am considering an antidepressant again. Still on the fence. Some days I do ok and others are utter darkness. Therapy, meditation, yoga, friends, my dogs all help. Good luck to you- I hope you find something that helps.
My husband has had good experiences with Prozac and Wellbutrin; one of my dear friends had a major depressive episode two years ago and what worked was ECT and Seroquel.
Good luck; and I agree about the combination of meds with talk therapy, especially with someone who does Cognitive Behavior Therapy or Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
The side effects that are hard for me are weight gain (I used to be very thin, now I am just fat) and feeling tired all of the time (I have to take naps during the day in order to function)
But I have been on the meds since I was 24, I have had to do the try different meds things since I was 21. Effexor was the best for me, despite the PITA side effects. It's not a 100% cure all medication. All anti-depressants are like that.
My suggestion is to try different meds and see how you feel, if anything improves. Not everyone can take the same anti-depressants, everyone is different. Just because one person has success with one anti-depressant doesn't mean an another person will have the same success. I would ask about the herbal supplements (like St John's wort) with a doctor before taking them. Better safe than sorry.
If you need to ask questions about this matter, you can always private message me.
PS: There are some anti-depressant manufacturers that are coming out with no weight gain meds. I did hear of one, but can't remember the name. There may be more coming out, but I would give it time with that.
Just recently under physician’s recommendation, I’ve been taking St. John’s Wort and Deplin (actually a non prescriptive generic of Deplin readily available on Amazon). This combination has been very helpful for me.
I have developed sort of a technique for isolating my depressive thinking- (My depression is NOT me) and although this approach may seem simplistic, it actually helps me show my depressive thoughts who’s boss (ME!😊).
Hope you are able to find the approach that gives you maximum support. Caregiving is certainly hard enough to deal with without depressed perspective as part of your personal la escape!
dint let that scare you . Please take care of yourself !
I hope this helps. Anxiety and depression can beat you down.
I have to keep reminding myself they’re not magic pills. Truthfully, they work better if you also go for counseling in addition to taking the medication. They don’t make the stress or other causes of depression disappear. They do, if they work, help you handle things but don’t make them go away. And the “enhancers” like Abilify aren’t generic and are prohibitively expensive as well.