Antidepressants

GotYR06
GotYR06 Posts: 30 Member
in Motivation and Support
I have been very blue again and always get like this the same time every year. I have much to feel thankful for and just don’t understand where all I want to do is sleep and cry. I have tried Prozac but made me so sleepy I stopped the first week cause o couldn’t even function. I have taken Celexa but it made me not care about a thing and feel numb. And Wellbutrin made me so mean and angry. I never have any of them a chance because I hate taking pills and all the side effects like headaches and teeth grinding are horrible. But I want to feel better and don’t want an antidepressant that will make me gain weight because I’d be even more depressed. Please no nasty comments of just “walk it off” because I do and if that were possible to alleviate these feelings there would be no shrinks and antidepressants. Just would love to hear experiences! Thanks 🙏🏻
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Replies

  • michael1976_ca
    michael1976_ca Posts: 3,488 Member
    i'm on meds there not to bad but they help and you have to give them a chance. if there one thing i would do different would be. find something to keep yourself busy be it a hobby, volunteer some where, or get active sports. learn something new. but stay active. this time of the year is hard for most people who lose a family member or what ever brings you down
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    I’m on prescription amitriptyline for my anxiety, depression and ptsd. I also take OTC ashwanganda. The combination of the two works miracles.

    Good luck! 🍀
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    Is it partly vitamin d? Have you had it tested?
    And lights.
    If you tend to stay in bed rather than get up, make yourself get out of bed and don’t lie on the sofa. Make yourself sit up or stand or walk when you wake up. (If you can, it may help).
  • IAmTheGlue
    IAmTheGlue Posts: 701 Member
    Wellbutrin

    I am not currently on antidepressants but when I was Wellbutrin is the one I could take without a crapton of side effects
  • katermari
    katermari Posts: 137 Member
    edited November 2019
    GotYR06 wrote: »
    I have been very blue again and always get like this the same time every year. I have much to feel thankful for and just don’t understand where all I want to do is sleep and cry. I have tried Prozac but made me so sleepy I stopped the first week cause o couldn’t even function. I have taken Celexa but it made me not care about a thing and feel numb. And Wellbutrin made me so mean and angry. I never have any of them a chance because I hate taking pills and all the side effects like headaches and teeth grinding are horrible. But I want to feel better and don’t want an antidepressant that will make me gain weight because I’d be even more depressed. Please no nasty comments of just “walk it off” because I do and if that were possible to alleviate these feelings there would be no shrinks and antidepressants. Just would love to hear experiences! Thanks 🙏🏻

    I have been on anti anxiety and anti depressants for 21 years, what I can say from my experience is, they do not make the sad go away but they do help you cope, or as my doctor says " keep my wheels in the right lane"
    find things that spark joy in your life, weather it be a song or taking a bath, or doing art.
    what ever sparks joy in your life for those few moments that help make the next few bearable. also around this time of year is is important to take vitamins and get into the sunshine.

    [Edited by MFP Staff]
  • rdkdm7
    rdkdm7 Posts: 34 Member
    I'm sorry. I don't do well on antideppressents. I take anxiety meds. I hear you. Just taking something that will make you fat is going to make you more depressed too. Understandable. Makes sense to me.
  • nighthawk584
    nighthawk584 Posts: 2,023 Member
    I've been on celexa (citalopram) 20 mg for several years. How much did you take a day? It never made me feel numb or not caring. When my parents died, I upped it to 40 mg for the funerals...at that dose I could really feel the effects of the drug. 20 is about right for me to function with no side effects.
  • Cali1105
    Cali1105 Posts: 29 Member
    Wellbutrin did me dirty too! Made me super angry and anyone that knows me knows that's not how i am! I have been taking Zoloft for years and it seems to be the only one that works for me.. Sorry you are feeling blue! it is definitely not fun! Have you had something happen recently that may be causing it? Good luck to you and hang in there! (I will try to take my own advice ;) )
  • katermari
    katermari Posts: 137 Member
    Cali1105 wrote: »
    Wellbutrin did me dirty too! Made me super angry and anyone that knows me knows that's not how i am! I have been taking Zoloft for years and it seems to be the only one that works for me.. Sorry you are feeling blue! it is definitely not fun! Have you had something happen recently that may be causing it? Good luck to you and hang in there! (I will try to take my own advice ;) )

    I have been on Zoloft for 21 years, it is AMAZING
  • JRtheNutbar
    JRtheNutbar Posts: 9 Member
    I've been on both Pristiq and Cipralex (with a break in between). I had to stop Pristiq at first because the dreams were so vivid/weird/exhausting that I was actually afraid to go to bed (my favorite time of the day which suuuuucked). As much as they helped me get to where I am today, they did give me some side effects that I still get on a regular basis (migraines & nausea).

    So in the end, I'm happy that I had them when I needed them, since they helped initiate life changes that were better for me (got a job in a non-toxic environment, moved in with partner instead of sibling, got a kitty). Eventually with the Cipralex, I got to a place where I didn't feel like I needed to take them anymore (especially with the changes that were made) and my doctor wasn't even mad that I weaned off on my own.

    I kinda wish I never took Pristiq, and that I maybe did more research before going to my doctor asking for something.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    Counseling with CBT and meditation have made significant improvements for me. I haven't been on meds for years, but they can be a valuable part of a treatment plan. I did need to push through the first week of feeling really gross with them though.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
    It can be a long process of trial and error. Some meds are better tolerated then others, depending on the individual and dosing.
  • petitchatnoir41
    petitchatnoir41 Posts: 56 Member
    I have been on lexapro and abilify for years. They make it harder to loose weight but I did not gain weight because of them. Having bad feelings can make the motivation to work out, eat healthy or do much of anything WAY HARDER. It may take time to find the right medication and dosage you need so I agree that you should get the advice of a psychiatrist.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    It took me 10 years and about 7 medications to find the right one for me. Finding the right one has made all the difference in the world (I have been taking Viibryd for the last 4 years). You really can't make a decision if one is working for you until you have been taking it for about 6-8 weeks, which makes the process a PITA.

    I have both gained and lost weight on antidepressants and found out that non of them MADE me gain. Some did make me a bit more hungry so I needed to pay better attention to my food. The right one put me in the frame of mind where I was able to lose weight. Having my emotions on a more even keel gave me the incentive to do more shopping and cooking, as well as getting out of the house more which raised my activity level.

    I hope you are seeing a Psychiatrist instead of an MD for these prescriptions. They have so much more experience and can switch them around depending on your side effects and how effective they are.

    Also, as others suggested, it wouldn't hurt to have your vitamin D levels checked. In addition to the AD I take 5,000 IU of D because of SAD.
  • ladyzherra
    ladyzherra Posts: 438 Member
    edited November 2019
    Hey there. Sharing stories like this takes courage. Thank you, and you are not alone in this.

    I do not take medication, and I do not judge anyone who does. My reason for not medicating is that I have a curiosity to really feel my sensations and to understand them. I like to see what working through darkness feels like. For many years, it just felt dark, especially when my daughter died.

    I have found that I really need at least one person of light -- meaning positive energy who believes in something loving in this world -- in my corner. This helps me a lot to have a touchstone. I actually hire someone, a light worker.

    I have also found that ritual -- I am not religious but just like having a symbolic ceremonial to emody my fears, envision my best self , feel supported, ask for guidance, step outside, looks inside, etc. -- has been invaluable

    I do not feel that I can conquer my spurts of depression or anxiety in this life completely. Perhaps this is a part of our experience as humans in this existence. But I am learning tools to support me and to reshape my world because everyone I have met is struggling...no exceptions. I try to ask the darkness how it can aid me to be more fearless and kind and open. I try to not judge myself so harshly for not being perfect or needing light or just needing rest, or to cry or scream, for needing space, or not even knowing what I need.

    There is an opportunity in everything, even dark things. I have always felt since I was a child that light is worth fighting for, and to do that I have felt that I need to experience the dark, too
  • jon2412
    jon2412 Posts: 61 Member
    I’m on Venlafaxine....it works and it helps me. I was feeling very down, quite complex issues related to surgery, chronic pain, stress and so on. I was particularly worried because I always feel low in the winter months but I started getting bad over summer...

    They do help, but I find that whilst I don’t feel quite so down it’s also not so easy to feel very excited about stuff, it’s like the top-and-tail of the highs and lows have been cut off.

    For me that has meant exercise - which was my go to stress busting feel good thing - didn’t have the same effect and I stopped going to the gym. The tablets also can encourage weight gain, add into that comfort eating/mindless eating and such like and I’ve put on weight...which is also a horrid cycle of getting bigger, feeling bad and then comfort eating again (sabotage my own diet basically)

    I have now got back to gym. I’m logging what I eat again. I’m forcing myself to be a bit more active and I’ve got follow ups with my Dr. So, it’s not all doom and gloom. Without the pills I’d be much worse off!

    It’s not great when the ‘black dog’ comes to visit and sit by your side each day. But you can treat it like an ‘old friend’, and in that you can learn, with support, how best to manage it and have it behave, sometimes it goes away and maybe never returns, for some in wanders back and forth. Maybe a bit weird, kinda works for me
  • Katmary71
    Katmary71 Posts: 7,069 Member
    petitchatnoir41 wrote: »
    I have been on lexapro and abilify for years. They make it harder to loose weight but I did not gain weight because of them. Having bad feelings can make the motivation to work out, eat healthy or do much of anything WAY HARDER. It may take time to find the right medication and dosage you need so I agree that you should get the advice of a psychiatrist.

    I'm on a similar combination and find losing is slower for the amount of calories I eat and amount I work out. It also increases my hunger signals, I have to really watch what I eat.

    I tried Wellbutrin when I was younger and all my hair fell out, it grew back when I stopped it. Not a fun time! Finding the right medication if needed sometimes takes awhile.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    I have been on Celexa and Wellbutrin for years. Wellbutrin caused a mild form of seizures...,so I have been only on Celexa for the past two years.

    Zoloft, amitriptyline, Wellbutrin, and Celexa -- and a Lexapro thrown in. Lexapro gave me vivid dreams which I found disturbing. A psychiatrist diagnosed me bipolar II disorder -- major depression and mild bipolar (compulsive eating, smoking, and drinking -- that's what Catherine Zeta-Jones has). I think Bipolar II is quite prevalent in the world right now,

    It's a depression-bipolar world, and you must be your own advocate.
  • jo_nz
    jo_nz Posts: 548 Member
    I have just recently weaned off amitriptyline, which was prescribed for depression/anxiety & chronic migraines.

    The side-effect of drowsiness was a huge plus for me as I was in a terrible cycle of not sleeping which made me feel worse, and then anxious thoughts would be spinning round all night long and stopping me from sleeping...

    Almost as soon as I started amitriptyline I was sleeping so well and waking feeling, I don't know, at peace with the world or something. It was great, and I actually looked forward to heading off to bed at night (which I was previously dreading because I felt like I was just stuck there with my thoughts whirling, worrying about anything and everything).

    I started slowly and increased to what was a helpful dose, and then recently weaned off even more slowly. I was on it for about 18 months or so.

    Sure, exercise is great, and now is an important part of my overall wellbeing...but that for me came after I got the depression under control. Anything I tried before made me just feel exhausted and more miserable, and it was hard enough just dragging myself through the days without that. Now that I am feeling better, I have found head room for things like diet and exercise, plus other hobbies and interests.
  • hjlind25
    hjlind25 Posts: 17 Member
    I'm currently on effector (it was great for a little bit) then now im trying to wean off it to do a more of a mood stabilizer like lamrotigine. Effexor is horrible to get off of, I would not recommend it to my worst enemy. If you haven't seen a physicist, I'd suggest it, and keep going until they get it right.
  • prissycarrot
    prissycarrot Posts: 5 Member
    Like many have said, finding the right medication is a matter of trial and error. My suggestion is not to write off the medications that may cause a bit of weight gain. I used to take one that is notorious for weight gain, but because I ate mindfully and exercised every day, I actually lost weight while taking it. It's not impossible. Good luck!
  • prissycarrot
    prissycarrot Posts: 5 Member
    hjlind25 wrote: »
    I'm currently on effector (it was great for a little bit) then now im trying to wean off it to do a more of a mood stabilizer like lamrotigine. Effexor is horrible to get off of, I would not recommend it to my worst enemy. If you haven't seen a physicist, I'd suggest it, and keep going until they get it right.

    Effexor made me dizzy and destroyed my appetite entirely. I had to stop it, too.
  • lorijotrautman
    lorijotrautman Posts: 2 Member
    I have just started Prozac and I do understand I may be wonky for a few weeks until it settles in. I had been on Lexapro before but the weight gain and feeling like a zombie...even on 5mg!...encouraged me to get off it. My doctor suggested Prozac and I hope it works for my anxiety. If you feel like this every year at this time, do try a sun lamp! I have heard they work well for many people. Vitamin D is also crucial.. maybe your doctor can check your levels? I do go to the gym a couple times a week and do yoga at home. But I find I do need some help via anti-anxiety meds. Good luck to you!!

  • Womona
    Womona Posts: 1,770 Member
    It’s amazing to me that different people have such wildly different reactions to the same medication!!!!! Wow. The trial and error is worth it when you find the right one though.

    As for weight gain, honestly I’d rather be a little heavier and happy then at my thinnest and a mess.
  • mom23mangos
    mom23mangos Posts: 3,069 Member
    My son tried many different things and failed on them all and now qualifies for deep TMS and Ketamine. He's doing an inhaled version of ketamine, but people that have done intravenous have shown significant improvement in as few as 3 treatments. He's had about 6 treatments with the inhaled and has said that he notices a difference and actually looks forward to going. Once you go through the initial treatment cycle, you only need boosters once a month or so. It's been proven to be effective in 75% of people with treatment resistant depression.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Womona wrote: »
    It’s amazing to me that different people have such wildly different reactions to the same medication!!!!! Wow. The trial and error is worth it when you find the right one though.

    As for weight gain, honestly I’d rather be a little heavier and happy then at my thinnest and a mess.

    My brother is a critical care nurse supervisor and we had a conversation about how different drugs affect each person differently. He said it is common with heart medications too. When they get a patient in, they sometimes have to try 3 or 4 things to stabilize him/her. The main difference is that they see results within minutes or hours whereas with psychotropic medications actual results don't become known until several weeks or even months have passed.

    I kind of stumbled onto the one that works for me. I tried the usual suspects (Paxil, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Zoloft, and another one or two I don't remember) but still wasn't on an even keel. In the meantime, I became unemployed and uninsured so my Dr. sampled me Viibryd plus the manufacturer has a great PAP where I could get it free. I have been on it for 6 years now, even after I got insurance, because it is the best one for me. Looking forward to it going generic in 2021.

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