Experience with antidepressants

[SeekingSerenity]

Hey all

What is your experience with antidepressants? I've been on Lexapro for over a year now and I still hate my life and want to die. Does anyone else feel the same way? Or am I just the only one?

 

[ithappens]

I took Lexapro after being discharged from the hospital. Took it for a long time and still felt depressed, then had a sudden dip into anhedonia that made me not feel much of anything. Went back to the hospital and told the psych who prescribed it and was immediately called a liar as she tried to force me to take the same med despite it not working and giving me nausea. Do I trust the psychological profession now? No. No I do not.

 

[MsMaudlin]

Over the years I have tried all kinds of antidepressents and I have never noticed any of them helping. My serotonin levels must have grown back from my clubbing days by now!
❤

 

[Red87]

I'm on Lexapro now I hate it it makes my heart beat fast gives me insomnia I have heart palpitations doest make them and better

 

[so tired or manic]

I was hallucinating on Lexapro. everyone says that shouldn't be possible, but we'll not give it to you because that's generally a bad thing to have happen.

 

[cantgetoutofbed]

I was on lexapro for years and had terrible rage and the worst insomnia imaginable.
Have also tried a ton of others. Nothing has worked.

 

[SSlostallhope]

I have been on roughly ten different anti depressants in 6 years . My doctor changed it again yesterday but I don't hold up much hope of them helping

 

[Wisdom3_1-9]

Lexapro (escitalopram) was the absolute worst for me. After a month, my doctor switched me to a different SSRI - Zoloft (sertraline) and that worked for a couple of years. Now I'm on an SNRI - Cymbalta (duloxetine).

 

[JGT]

Have tried the SSRI's snri's and maoi antidepressants. Prozac worked for a bit and that was it out if all of them. Is anyone having annoying side effects from them

 

[Abgrundanziehung]

I've had, on balance, negative experiences. First one I tried gave me a severe allergic reaction because I kept taking it according to Dr's advice, even though I could tell it was hurting me. They usually make me high and numb, but can't touch my existential depression. I had a very recent psychiatrist appt where she said maybe they could find a way to see if my insurance (medicaid) would cover transcranial magnetic stimulation or TMS, since I'm treatment resistant.

 

[JGT]

I wonder why ad's are pushed so much by the pharmaceutical Giants. Must be a lot of profit to make!!

 

[Serenity]

I've taken Lexapro. Am technically still on it, but am slowly tapering off without telling anyone. I hate how it ruins my sex drive - I feel completely numb down there. It also wasn't really doing anything for me except increasing my appetite and making me gain weight. I was still depressed. Though the withdrawal symptoms are the worst - I absolutely hate the brain zaps.

 

[SSlostallhope]

Lexapro (escitalopram) was the absolute worst for me. After a month, my doctor switched me to a different SSRI - Zoloft (sertraline) and that worked for a couple of years. Now I'm on an SNRI - Cymbalta (duloxetine).

Duloextine is what my new medicine is. How are you finding it?

 

[Wisdom3_1-9]

Duloextine is what my new medicine is. How are you finding it?

I guess it's going okay so far. I'm not having anxiety attacks as much, and I can get through my day at work, which I wasn't able to do a few weeks ago. I'm feeling pretty low today, though.

 

[SSlostallhope]

I guess it's going okay so far. I'm not having anxiety attacks as much, and I can get through my day at work, which I wasn't able to do a few weeks ago. I'm feeling pretty low today, though.

Sounds like a bit of an improvement then. I have only just taken my second pill I'm hoping for these to work it's my last shot at feeling better

 

[thethatsitboy]

I am just new to antidepressants, less than a year. I am on escitalopram since then, i think it is really weak. About +6 months ago I am on escitalopram and lithium carbonate. It helped a little bit, but i hope i get something better

 

[so tired or manic]

trintellix has worked wonders for me as long as I remember to take it.

the only other meds where I feel this helps was lithium and lamictal, but they're mood stabilizer and not antidepressants.

 

[DetachedDreamer97]

I had done Lexapro for a couple days during my stay in the crisis unit. It gave me a panic attack. Stopped taking it afterward.

Switched to prozac, which I only took one dose at the last day before discharge. It wasn't enough to change. But I eventually decided to take the pills months later. It didn't help; all it did was give me heartburn (which was somewhat only alleviated by taking it with milk instead if water and make me even more irritable and on edge. It got to the point my hands were shaking. Had to stop taking it. And the doc had me switch to Zoloft.

Zoloft: I took only one dose of 50 milligrams and the next thing I know, it gave me serotonin syndrome (in hindsight, I think prozac was giving me that considering the shaking and anxiety). I had muscle tremors and rigidity... felt like someone was tickling me all over... especially the neck. I was hyper. I was kinda nauseous with the feeling in my throat. My coordination was wack. And my eyes were fucking dialated as if I took LSD.
I had to go to the ER to get checked out. I'm better now, thank god.

I no longer take SSRIs, but my psych nurse is gonna have me try SNRI next.

Oh yeah... I almost forgot to mention that with all that, I lost weight. Started from 133-135lbs and dropped down to 127lbs. I'm now a bit underweight.

 

[Lostandlooking]

I tried a couple of different ones;
- seroxat (paroxetine)
- efexor (venlafaxine)
- nortrilen (nortriptiline)
- cymbalta (duloxetine)
It never helped my depression or anxiety. At best nothing would happen, more often I would get awful side effects. I have tried these over a period of 5 years. Doctors were really convinced they would start working at some point. Tried adjusting the dosage many times. Trying to quit these medications is hell. Even if done carefully and slowly. Absolutely gruesome.

I know a lot of people who have been helped by antidepressants though.

 

[Wisdom3_1-9]

Trying to quit these medications is hell. Even if done carefully and slowly. Absolutely gruesome.

This is so true! I had horrible withdrawal symptoms when I weaned myself off Zoloft.

 

[curiouskitty]

I was on an SSRI and an MAOI. The SSRI did nothing but kill my sex drive, and the MAOI made me sleep for 14 hours.

The only thing that did help was psylocibin, at least it made me sleep better and lifted my mood slightly. I am still suicidal, but that's mostly due to philosophical standing. It's legal in my neck of the global woods, so if you can easily acquire it, I'd recommend it.

 

[LADY007]

Hey all

What is your experience with antidepressants? I've been on Lexapro for over a year now and I still hate my life and want to die. Does anyone else feel the same way? Or am I just the only one?

I've tried a long list of them.....they work at first then wear off. Very frustrating. Not everyone has this happen....but a good number of people have this reaction.

 

[Worthless_nobody]

I had a very bad experience with antidepressants. I was put on Zoloft as a young teen and it did absolutely nothing. It's not my brain or lack of serotonin it is ALWAYS my terrible situation that makes me suicidal. Getting off of it was complete hell and I'm left with permanent anhedonia (been off 6ish years no improvement with anhedonia) These are things the Drs don't tell you they just push antidepressants like candy.

 

[Darrenloses]

Only been on Fluoxetine at 20mg then 40mg, didn't do much of anything really...

 

[Jumper Geo]

Hiya,

I have been researching my symptoms after coming of Risperidone I haven't taken so much as an aspirin in 15 months, I have no energy or motivation so anyway I have been waiting for them to contact me to put me on AD to see if that makes a difference but what I realized if I recount all my symptoms,

No energy
No motivation
Brain Fog
ED
Insomnia

So anyway Risperidone blocks the dopamine levels and the side effects are above so technically I need to increase my dopamine levels to become normal again.

WARNING

I'm not a doctor and I have no professional experience in this field but I am going to ask them to prescribe me Monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors now these do come with side effects some people could turn into sex addicts, compulsive shoppers, gambling addicts and there is a long list of other side effects in the documents linked below, please read the 3 documents below if you intend to ask for this treatment, but it also say's it's an old drug so may only be prescribe to people with Parkinson disease. Oh no they say don't booze with them, gutted.

If anyone has first hand knowledge of taking them any feedback would be great.

Free NHS prescription delivery

LloydsDirect works with your NHS England GP to take care of your repeat prescriptions. Sign up and get your medicine delivered, for free.

www.echo.co.uk

Do dopamine drugs lead to compulsive shopping?

"Drugs for restless leg syndrome cause gambling, hypersexuality, and compulsive shopping," Metro reports. A US study found that the dopamine receptor agonists class of drugs carries the rare but severe side effect of encouraging compulsive behaviours…

www.nhs.uk

Parkinson's disease - Treatment

There's currently no cure for Parkinson's disease, but treatments are available to help relieve the symptoms and maintain your quality of life.

www.nhs.uk

Cheers

Geo

 

[sarahlouise]

I've been on too many to list , Prozac helped me because it numbed some of the painful emotions that come with having BPD and lifted my mood a little but coming off them is hell in my experience and I don't do well on them without a mood stabilizer of some sort .
There are some good groups on FB that have helped me with tapering I dont know if I'm allowed to mention them or not

 

[Belit667]

My experience is that they just simply don't work. The only drug that actually helped me is Xanax. Works wonders but it's addictive, so...

 

[idontevenknowanymore]

I've been on 3 different antidepressants in the past (almost) 2 years and none of them helped me. I'd even go as far as saying I'm worse now than before I started medication and therapy.

 

[jameslb72]

I had effexor/venlafaxine for over two years, it was fantastic very powerful antidep, it tends to make you not care rather than motivate you and long term use( i would say after a few months) you begin to gain weight that cant be explained by any increase in food intake- from 1999 to 2001 i gained ten inches around my waist from 34 to 44. I also had water retention problems. I stopped the venlafaxine but the weight didnt come of naturally, a little did but not much. I had to do a severly calorie/sugar restricted diet that was very unhealthy. I reduced my waist to a 32 inch but at the age of 32 i was left with looose skin around my middle. Not alot but ill never have a tight stomach naturally without some surgery. I dont know how the situation is now but back in the 90s when SSRIS were being prescribed no one mentioned the weight gain. I read somewhere they weight gain is caused because the ssRI after a while shuts down your metabolism . There was an antiodote to this- i cant remember exactly but it was to take a combination of a pharmaceutical grade fish oil and vitamin e and this countered the weight gain. Of course there are also the sexual problems and the constant sweating, even in the coldest of temperatures my ujnderarms were always soaked while on the SSRI. THis is why now I self medicate, id never take and SSRI long term . Im in the UK we had were here called tricylics like amitrypiline but i dont think docs prescribe them now. THere are aslo MMRIS ive never had them or known anyone on them, i know you cant have certain foods while you take them.