Anti-depressants and side effects

JetzGurl

I've recently been diagnosed with moderate depression, general anxiety disorder and mild OCD. I've most likely lived with the depression most of my life, but have always been able to cope with it on my own.
Last June, my step dad died very suddenly from an undiagnosed cancer and it seemed to be the straw that pushed my depression over the edge. I was struggling in my marriage, my friendships and my professional life.
I started to see a therapist that my husband and I had used and he quickly validated what I had already suspected. He felt that, with a little bit of cognitive therapy, I could pull out of the depression, but that I was too deep to start and wanted to see me on some anti-depressants to help bring me back to a level that I could function at. He didn't want to use meds to treat the anxiety as he thought it would improve as the depression improved.
I went to a Dr that worked in the medical center my therapist worked out of and he put me on a low dose of Citalopram and, aside from a nagging headache the first few days, I saw immediate results and was very optimistic. Unfortunately, I was unlucky enough to be affected by the lack of libido side effect. We toughed it out for several weeks in hopes that it would work itself out, but no luck. With a marriage "under repair" this was not an acceptable side effect for me.
Last week we made the switch to Wellbutrin (Bupropion XL). My libido is back , thank goodness, but so are my symptoms. I'm giving it some time as I know anti-depressants can take weeks to build up, but I'm worried that if we up the dose that I'll encounter the same side effect.
It's not that I'm a sex crazed woman, but intimacy has always been a very important part of how my husband and I show our love and I'm medicated to help my problems, not cause more.
Has anyone been on these or other meds and encountered similar circumstances? If so, how did you handle it and has it worked out for you?

Thanks,
Kristi

vittix

I've recently been diagnosed with moderate depression, general anxiety disorder and mild OCD. I've most likely lived with the depression most of my life, but have always been able to cope with it on my own.
Last June, my step dad died very suddenly from an undiagnosed cancer and it seemed to be the straw that pushed my depression over the edge. I was struggling in my marriage, my friendships and my professional life.
I started to see a therapist that my husband and I had used and he quickly validated what I had already suspected. He felt that, with a little bit of cognitive therapy, I could pull out of the depression, but that I was too deep to start and wanted to see me on some anti-depressants to help bring me back to a level that I could function at. He didn't want to use meds to treat the anxiety as he thought it would improve as the depression improved.
I went to a Dr that worked in the medical center my therapist worked out of and he put me on a low dose of Citalopram and, aside from a nagging headache the first few days, I saw immediate results and was very optimistic. Unfortunately, I was unlucky enough to be affected by the lack of libido side effect. We toughed it out for several weeks in hopes that it would work itself out, but no luck. With a marriage "under repair" this was not an acceptable side effect for me.
Last week we made the switch to Wellbutrin (Bupropion XL). My libido is back , thank goodness, but so are my symptoms. I'm giving it some time as I know anti-depressants can take weeks to build up, but I'm worried that if we up the dose that I'll encounter the same side effect.
It's not that I'm a sex crazed woman, but intimacy has always been a very important part of how my husband and I show our love and I'm medicated to help my problems, not cause more.
Has anyone been on these or other meds and encountered similar circumstances? If so, how did you handle it and has it worked out for you?

Thanks,
Kristi

I've been on Bupropion xl for 8 years. It made me very shakie and i would mildly stutter, but it did stettle down. Ive never issue's with my lidido with it. I was on Zoloft for a long time and took my self off. No sex drive at all but the person i was with was thought depression is made up. Thankfull Im with someone who is understanding about meds and depression. He will also be the 1st person to tell me that my mood is low. Im thankful for that. I feel me being open about my moods and what my dr thinks and his understanding have helped us thur some hard times. When your mood is low you don't want to do anything or be around anyone. The things you enjoy seem so far away. I hope your new med change helps it can take up to 6 weeks. I hope your huband can be understanding of that. Even if you need to take him to your Dr's so he can hear it from them.

clydethecat

i'm on a handful of drugs for my bipolar disorder and it has left me with no sex drive at all. heres the thing tho, i'm not going to deprive my husband and i of the very healing effects of sex. just because i'm not in the mood doesnt mean we dont have sex. i have sex with him whenever he wants and that has kept us close. we are very close and loving with each other, we spend every afternoon watching the news and just holding each other. we make out a lot, we are just in general very sexual with out necessarily having sex. when we do have sex, i love the closeness it gives us,and a lot of my joy comes from knowing my husband is being fulfilled.

as for the drugs, you know your body.. there are a lot of drugs out there. talk to your doctor. i give any new med i try one month. it takes about two weeks for it to build up enough and then i give it two more weeks to see if my mood has changed for the better or worse. i've been on a 12 year battle getting my symptoms to improve.. i know my body and i know what works and what doesnt. but give it at least a few weeks.

i wish you all the luck in dealing with this.. its not easy, but it will be rewarding when you find what works and you get out of the depression. also, cognitive therapy helped me so much, its worth trying.