Advice on Meds

Wellbutrin has worked great for me! I haven't noticed any side affects either. Prozac, zoloft, and paxil always gave me side affects.

Sorry about the med trouble- it's a tough- but once you find something that works for you- life is so much better. I am on Zoloft and I love it but my sister hates it and so she takes lexapro (I used to take lexapro but it made me tired) so maybe since Zoloft doesn't work for you then lexapro will. the other one I tried for a while and like was celexa.
I was just talking to my OB today about my meds (I have depression and anxiety, and after the birth of my 2nd son I had severe PPD) I am off them now because it is better for the baby (I guess they can have withdrawls after brith if the mother is taking them while pg) and he plans to put me back on the zoloft right after the baby is born.

Good luck finding one that is right for you... just remeber to give the meds a few weeks to see if they are a right fit.

take care,
K.

Hi!
I know it can be frusterating when you can't find the one that works for you. I didn't like Zoloft either, it made me totally spacey. I am taking Celexa now and so far I like it. I have known people who like lexapro and wellbutrin, I've heard mainly negative things about paxil. It's hard to say because every medicine reacts different with different people. The good thing is you are looking... Good luck!!!

J.

First of all, please don't be embarassed to ask. There is nothing shameful about depression.

Also, the eating healthy and exercising will help!! But sometimes you just need medicine. Also, certain things in the diet are good, and others not so good. I'm not an expert in that area, but you should be able to find some books with good suggestions on diet do's and don'ts. Exercise is really good, because it naturally stimulates the chemicals in the brain, like dopamine, that help you feel better. So keep that up!!

Medication-wise, it can take a while for them to kick in, so make sure you don't give up on something too soon. Ask the doctor (they should tell you) how long it'll take to really work. And then, it sometimes takes a while to find the right medication for you. It can be really frustrating, but when you find the "one" for you, it'll truly make a difference.

I am no longer taking this, but what worked for me was Effexor XR (XR just means "extended release", so I only had to take one per day). I think I tried Zoloft once, that one gave me worse insomnia than I already have. I was lucky and was given Effexor right away. Everyone is different, and what might work for me, well, that might be the really, really wrong one for you. Anti-depressants really helped me. I took them before I got pregnant, and weirdly enough, didn't need to go back on them after I had my son, about 20 months ago. *knock on wood* So far, so good.

Having a great doctor helps. One who you feel comfortable with, you can really talk to, and who is going to keep working with you, especially if it takes time to find the right medicine.

Best wishes!!

I'm wondering if you tried adding more B vitamins to your diet with the diet and exercise. My older sister had PPD after the birth of her first child. The doctor wanted to put her on drugs first and they didn't want to go that route. He said well then you could try B vitamins. I would check into some more natural ways and see if that works for you. It may not but it's worth a try.

Hi, I to have had a history with meds and neither prozac or Zoloft worked for me. It is interesting to hear you say that Zoloft made you clech your jaw because I had a similar reaction. My doctor questioned me at length about taking anything else because according to her it was not a known side effect. i guess my question would be, do you suffer from true depression or anxiety and panic attacts? If it is depression then I sujest trying Wellbutrin. If it is anxiety or panic attacks, I did well with Xanax. I was able to take it only as needed and control how much I needed. I hope this helps and wish you luck.

Whatever you do, don't let them put you on Effexor! I went on it last March. I immediately started having problems at school (I was a 3.80 student in nursing school), was moody, was depressed, broke up with my boyfriend, and had overall bad judgment. If I missed one pill, I was crazy by the afternoon-crying, my brain would "shake," it was awful. In November, I decided to go off of it and went through a living hell. I cried nonstop, I was angry all of the time, mean to my boyfriend, irritable with my daughter-I basically hated who I was. It took two months to completely wean off of it-I gained 30 lbs and only left the house alone twice. I was changed to Wellbutrin which did pretty well for me but I still needed to the Seratonin so he added Zoloft to if. I had been on Zoloft alone in the past and it just didn't work for me. Cymbalta was also ok for me, but expensive. Prozac would work for a few months then quit. Try to stay on an SSRI-they all work through different mechanisms and sometimes it just keeps trying until you find something that works for you. Good luck!!!

Dont be embarassed. We usualy reccommend Effexor or Effexor XL (which is more effective, but not generic, so it costs a little more and since it is new, only a few insurances will except it. Since you have tried others though, it will most likely be covered.) It is more effective, less side effects and last longer then other medications inits class.

I think you should try Effexor. It gives you a bost of medication when you need it. I 'm even on it as we speak. I've been on Effexor for three three years and it works great for me. I wouldn't trade Effexor for any other medication.

I have heard from quite a few people (including my mother) that St.Johns Wart was a safe and natural anti-deppresant used for people with mild depression. I don't know the level of your depression, only you can determine that with your doctor or psychiatrist. I only know that a handful of people that I know take St.Johns Wart and they have felt a pleasing change in their problem with depression. I too, like you have tried Zoloft and a few others that didn't work. My problem was a chemical imbalance that we finally pinpointed and I now take Abilify. God bless you in your search for the right match in a medication for you. It takes a few tries somtimes until you find the right match for you. I know it's frustrating and can seem hopeless during this jouney. The main thing to remember is to not give up no matter how hard it gets and if any of these medications make you feel worse than before, please don't hesitate to tell your Doctor right away! Peace be with you! H. L. Kain

There are alot of options..it's not uncommon for people to have the best results when taking two different antidepressants, another SSRI's is Wellbutrin.

Hi S.,
I have been on many different anti-depressants over the years(zoloft until it quit working for me after 5 years and then I have been on Effexor XR for the last five or more years also.) Other things that sometimes help can be getting extra sunlight I just started going tanning and it has made a big difference, it has started turning things around for me. I lost my mom about 3 and 1/2 months ago and my doctor was trying to take me off effexor and put me on wellbutrin which wasn't working for me. So I am going back on effexor which I have had good luck with. The reason my doctor was trying to take me off of it was because my blood pressure was a little high and she wondered if it was due to the effexor since that can be a side effect. Just know that you are not alone and that depression is not something to be ashamed of. The more we talk about the fact that we have it, the more support we can get. Depression is a chemical reaction in the brain that there are times we have no control over. I suffered from it in high school even when I was exercising A LOT five days a week. So, sometimes the only thing you can do to help it is to use medications. L. M

Hello:
I read your question and I take lexapro for depression...my daughters dad is a real jerk and I was really sad when he left and it has helped me alot....I have had no probs with it:)
J.

HI my name is C. and I recently went on Lexapro. It is the fastest acting and has the least side effects. That's what my doctor told me. I felt better the first day I took it. I would ask about Lexapro. I hope you feel better. Feel free to ask me any more questions about it.
C.

Hi S., don't be embarrassed. you would be surprised at the level that people are depressed. ask your doctor its astonishing. I take cymbalta 60 mg and it works great for me.I have tryed the others, zoloft, lexipro, wellabutrin and a couple of others. they either took away the sex drive like zoloft or if you miss one pill it made you feel real sick. and since i have been on cymbalta I have had no problems. I have even missed a dose and felt nothing, you just have to find the right one for you. I have tryed so many and cymbalta was the only one that works for me. good luck.

Lexapro worked for me for a while. I am now back on Prozac which is working just fine. I had tried several before I found one that worked. I started on Prozac took something else for a while and now back to th Prozac again. Hope that helps.

It's been a few years since I was on antidepressants, but when I was, I took one called Celexa. It worked great for me, and I was able to be off of it in 6 months.

I am currently taking Cymbalta which has work wonders for me. I had very serious depression and have tried almost everything out there and this has been the one that has worked great for me.
____@____.com

Try Lexapro or Effexor XR, they worked ok for me when I was taking them last year! I also have tried WellbutrinXR as well and it was ok, but the Lexapro worked best at the time! I think everyone has different reactions and different hormones and you just have to find what works best for you. The doctor will suggest a different one if you have bad reactions or don't like it. Don't get discouraged too easily cause if you need it, then use it! It's ok, hun, a lot of people are taking anti-depressants nowadays, I think. Just keep trying until you find the right one! It's almost like finding "Mr. Right" the way I see it! LOL! I will probably be back on them soon again too. Good luck and have a good weekend,
R. in Alaska

You could always try St John's Wort. It is an herbal pill that is a natural anitdepressant. It works for me, sort of keeps me focused instead of anxious and worried about everything. I take 1 a day, 2 on bad days, or none if I don't need it or forget. It's sort of a self-medicating thing. I think you can safely take 6 a day, I just don't need that many! I have not tried RX pills though have gone through stages of thinking I might need to (undiagnosed PPD). I am a little scared of the side effects, especially while nursing. Most of your replies so far mention them!

It is not anything to be ashamed of. I was surprised at how many people I know are on medication for depression. It came up one time in a local online forum, someone asked your question about which one works best, and MANY moms answerd with their words of wisdom! Some whom I thought had it all together, so you never know who needs help. At least they knew they needed it and got the help, so I still think they have it all together. ;)

Yes I don't like to say it. But i started to take Paxil, after both my kids were born. I take 40mg. and i seem to smile daily. I also take mine in morning. i tend to get a little grumpy in morning. so it helps me out alot more. well i hope i could have been a help to you. talk to you later.

There are many many many different medications for depression. You just have to fine the right one for you and your body. Sometimes if anyone else in your family (close blood relative) has responded well to a drug, it may work for you as well. I went through five different meds before I found the ones that worked for me. Mine was actually a combination of Welbutrin and Effexor. Usually a Psychiatrist can work with you more in depth on finding a medication best suited for you. I'm not sure I would have found the right combo if I hadn't made the move to see a shrink. I just want to warn you about the process of switching and taking these medications. Follow the doctors advice very carfully on how to come off of the medications and when to introduce the new ones. I cannot stress this to you more! I saw below a woman speaking about Paxil. Paxil is used for anxiety mostly and when I was coming off of that medication I became extremely suicidal and had very bad withdrawls (and I was on one of the lowest doses)! There is also a law suite against the makers of Paxil. Some women who had taken the med while pregnant their babies ended up with heart problems. Be very honest about your symptoms with whomever you are working with. I am sorry that you are feeling the way you are feeling. It's no picnic, I know. Just remember that you are NOT alone!
***hugs***

J.

I have been on Welbutrin for many years and it has worked very well! I also liked Serzone, but it gave me dry mouth.

Medications work differently for different people. You just have to keep trying different ones until you find the one that works.

Don't be embarrassed to ask....that's how you get help! Good luck to you and hang in there!

Those medications are serotonin based. Wellbutrin is dopamine based, so that may help. Effexor is another choice that is norepinephrine and serotonin based. Cognitive behavioral therapy, and fish oil (omega 3 fatty acids) can be helpful in addition to meds. I would have doctor check your thyroid if it has not been done. Good luck.

I have tried lexapro, celexa and zoloft. I liked the zoloft the best, though I haven't needed any in a while. The lexapro made me feel oblivious to the world...like if my kids lit eachother on fire I would be like "oh, cool". Not good!! The celexa worked OK, but I had no sex drive on lexapro or celexa. The celexa made me tired and I took it at night to help me get to sleep. I had anxiety really bad when my hubby would be gone to work at night and I would be home alone with the kids. My sister took paxil and that worked great for her. My sister took Cymbalta and she said it made her feel loopy. I don't know why she doesn't just go back to paxil since it worked for her!

It is kind of a trial and error. I know that you have to consistantly take it for about 2 weeks for it to fully get into your system. Your Dr. will have several you can try. Most offices offer samples to try before they write you a prescription. I wish you luck. Keep your chin up :)

K.

Cylexa...? I'm not sure how you spell it, but it's mild.