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Anti-D or SSRIs
- Thread starter tripleV
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I have taken prozac, have one sister on celexa and the other on paxil - think there might be genetic problem here??? I had to try several before I found one I could tolerate and so did my sister so don't give up if the first one they give you doesn't work. One made me to where I couldn't even concentrate long enough to read a magazine. Zoloft made my sister feel terrible. I had no sides from the prozac, it just made me feel better. Just stay in close contact with your doctor until you find one that works for you.
Umm, I know this isn't the answer your wanting, but dosage etc... is best decided by your physician. There is a wide variety of response to dosage of many antidepressants and it often takes a while to find the optimal dose for YOU. Which antidepressant you take will also dictate what kind of side effects you can anticipate (and what dose range). Even within the SSRIs there is a lot of variation in side effects between different specific drugs and individuals. Wellbutrin seems to have the least impact on sex drive, if that's a concern.....
smallmovesal
New member
standard dosage on effexor (what i've been taking) is 225mg for the average person.
effexor is quicker acting than most and supposedly less sides. no sexual sides for me... but i tend to sweat (ewww) at night, which is common.
go to your doc - just don't let them give you paxil!
effexor is quicker acting than most and supposedly less sides. no sexual sides for me... but i tend to sweat (ewww) at night, which is common.
go to your doc - just don't let them give you paxil!
Prozac didn't do much for me. I had my doses increased until I was on the max amount they'd let me take-- it totally killed my sex drive. Paxil did the same thing. I tried paxil to help with anxiety but I don't think I ever got my dosage high enough for it to really work for me. It's frustrating because it takes weeks for most of these drugs to kick in and I've spent like 4-6 months just increasing doses in hopes of helping myself.
The only SSRI I've ever done well with was celexa. If I take it on an empty stomach it makes me really sick-- and it keeps me up all night, but other than that, I've liked it. There are SO many options out there so don't just settle for a drug that isn't working well for you. If you're having problems or disliking the sides, just let your dr. know. My mom is on zoloft and that's worked well for her for a few years.
I'm not currently taking anything and I'm sort of surprised that I'm doing well with my life in general. I've been on and off of anti-depressants for about 5 years. I have a bad habit of quitting them as soon as they kick in. I tend to piss of my dr's by doing that and then when I think I should go back on, I'm sort of scared to tell them that I quit for the millionth time.
If I were to go on meds again, I'd like to try wellbutrin. I've heard a lot of good things about it....but they don't like to prescibe it for people with a history of eating disorders so I'm somewhat doubtful that my dr. will let me have it. We'll see I guess.
The only SSRI I've ever done well with was celexa. If I take it on an empty stomach it makes me really sick-- and it keeps me up all night, but other than that, I've liked it. There are SO many options out there so don't just settle for a drug that isn't working well for you. If you're having problems or disliking the sides, just let your dr. know. My mom is on zoloft and that's worked well for her for a few years.
I'm not currently taking anything and I'm sort of surprised that I'm doing well with my life in general. I've been on and off of anti-depressants for about 5 years. I have a bad habit of quitting them as soon as they kick in. I tend to piss of my dr's by doing that and then when I think I should go back on, I'm sort of scared to tell them that I quit for the millionth time.
If I were to go on meds again, I'd like to try wellbutrin. I've heard a lot of good things about it....but they don't like to prescibe it for people with a history of eating disorders so I'm somewhat doubtful that my dr. will let me have it. We'll see I guess.
wyst said:
What I wish I'd known about paxil before I started taking it is that it has a very short half life and some people get really sick when they miss doses or stop taking it. Most people go off of it slowly, decreasing their doses or taking it a few times a week to minimize the risk of getting sick when going off of it. It was awful.
Raina - that kind of suprises me. My doc has had me doing the "as needed" thing for years. I was on for two years straight but then it got to where I needed it less and less. Now I am maybe on an anitD 3 weeks out of a year.
MS - I do have a question for you. Without starting the whole anorexia thread thing again - is there an anorixic response in some people to SSRI celexa in particular. My sis is on it to help her cope with some pretty severe trauma. At first I thought the starving thing was a reaction to what had hapened to her but now am wondering if the drug isn't contributing to the problem. She has tried going off of it and that doesn't work at this point.
Just curious.
MS - I do have a question for you. Without starting the whole anorexia thread thing again - is there an anorixic response in some people to SSRI celexa in particular. My sis is on it to help her cope with some pretty severe trauma. At first I thought the starving thing was a reaction to what had hapened to her but now am wondering if the drug isn't contributing to the problem. She has tried going off of it and that doesn't work at this point.
Just curious.
smallmovesal
New member
paxil for the reasons that raina said... my sister was on it and she gained a ton of water weight and coming off of it she was really sick.
i know that if i miss a dose of effexor i get really dizzy though.
i know that if i miss a dose of effexor i get really dizzy though.
Celexa (like many of the SSRIs including Prozac) can cause changes in appetite. Paradoxically it it may increase some folks appetite, but decrease others. Wellbutrin is more likely to decrease appetite, which is why the recommend that people with EDs avoid it. Obviously many people with EDs seek it out because of this recommendation!
I will stress that everyone is different, and I will also point out (despite the bells and whistles that the manufacturers blow on their own behalf), that even the "best" antidepressants only have a 30-40% success rate above the placebo effect. This means that 60-70% of the people given an SSRI will either not get benefit from it (only side effects), or they improve, but would have improved even with out drug intervention. Don't expect miracles in the first few weeks of SSRI treatment. Or maybe you SHOULD expect miracles since the placebo effect can be so strong (if you believe in the drug enough) that it can lift you out of your depression.
I will stress that everyone is different, and I will also point out (despite the bells and whistles that the manufacturers blow on their own behalf), that even the "best" antidepressants only have a 30-40% success rate above the placebo effect. This means that 60-70% of the people given an SSRI will either not get benefit from it (only side effects), or they improve, but would have improved even with out drug intervention. Don't expect miracles in the first few weeks of SSRI treatment. Or maybe you SHOULD expect miracles since the placebo effect can be so strong (if you believe in the drug enough) that it can lift you out of your depression.
luvs2workout
New member
3V -
I have 2 friends on Celexa - they both love it, no sexual sides...I have another friend whos been on wellbutrin for 6 wks and still no sexual sides....I tried the Zoloft - over a year 1/2 ago and after a few wks quit it b/c of the sexual sides and many others...it sucked...I would definately agree w/others as far as Paxil is concerned - I have witnessed someone go from slight depression to fricking nuts on that shit.....
I battle depression often ----highs and lows---- think it has something to do w/our age????? I was just discussing this w/a friend - I am the only woman I know who IS NOT on something right now (even though I probly need it the most..hehe) the reason Im not on is strictly b/c I dont want the wieght gain or any sexual sides - that in itself would make me REALLLY DEPRESSED!!!
I have 2 friends on Celexa - they both love it, no sexual sides...I have another friend whos been on wellbutrin for 6 wks and still no sexual sides....I tried the Zoloft - over a year 1/2 ago and after a few wks quit it b/c of the sexual sides and many others...it sucked...I would definately agree w/others as far as Paxil is concerned - I have witnessed someone go from slight depression to fricking nuts on that shit.....
I battle depression often ----highs and lows---- think it has something to do w/our age????? I was just discussing this w/a friend - I am the only woman I know who IS NOT on something right now (even though I probly need it the most..hehe) the reason Im not on is strictly b/c I dont want the wieght gain or any sexual sides - that in itself would make me REALLLY DEPRESSED!!!
Loved celexa - but I as trying to lose weight while on it. It didn't make me gain, but I couldn't budge with losing. So my DR put me on Wellbutrin which made me very angry. Am on Ananvar right now and am trying no anti-depressants. Will go back on Celexa after this cycle.....
I have looked into antidepressants A LOT!! I have been on Paxil for anxiety attacks- hated it. Weight gain and turned me into a zombie. Withdrawal from Paxil is horrible. Effexor has some pretty bad stuff going for it too.
I am currently trying Wellbutrin. It is not an SSRI. It works with dopomine and not seratonin. So far, I love it the best. It is supposed to have the least amount of sides.
Everyone reacts differently though.. You may have to try different things.
Wellbutrin gets the best rating from me. It often makes women lose weight too. No sex sides either..
I am currently trying Wellbutrin. It is not an SSRI. It works with dopomine and not seratonin. So far, I love it the best. It is supposed to have the least amount of sides.
Everyone reacts differently though.. You may have to try different things.
Wellbutrin gets the best rating from me. It often makes women lose weight too. No sex sides either..
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Bunnymt - prozac doesn't zombie everyone out or kill everyone's sex drive. I function great on it. It is a very individual thing. It actually improves my ability to focus for long periods of time which is necessary with my job. IMO if you have severe depression then help from an SSRI or the like is something you should pursue. For those that are so depressed that they are suicidal it is may not be possible to "live" without them.
bunnymt
New member
Temple01 said:
agreed. However, I do believe that doctor's nowadays prescribe far too many anti-depressants to people. Understandable if you are severely depressed or suicidal. However, I have heard of instances where doctors are prescribing these serious drugs to young children having the normal growing pains.
thebabydoc
New member
Thanks for the good info in the first paragraph but you just blew the placebo effect for the others!!!!MS said:
BTW, Prozac is one of the only drugs that has been shown in studies to help with severe dysmenorrhea and premenstrual syndrome. It is marketed as Sarafem for Premenstrual Mood Disorder. Usually you start with 10mg and can work your way up to a max of 40mg/day.
angel_eyes
New member
Been there, tried a lot of different ones. My major illness was Hypothyroidism, which can cause severe depression.
First did the Paxil thing, complete nightmare. Made me sick, made me a worse wreck than before. Also added some Lithium to the mix...they seemed to think I might have been bi-polor. All those mood stablizing drugs made me a zombie.
Switched to Effexor, same problems, plus had severe withdrawal from stopping Paxil.
Then they added some Depakote the the Effexor. Quit the Depakote and put me on Remeron...could not move for days.
Stayed on Effexor and finally moved to Zololft. Zololft with Synthoid for my thyroid disorder helped quite a bit.
Now the zoloft does not seem to be working, and have been bumped up on the synthoid. So I am going to try Wellbutrin and see how it goes.
Thyroid is still wacked out and they don't want to mess with the dosage anymore, so....what do you do???
First did the Paxil thing, complete nightmare. Made me sick, made me a worse wreck than before. Also added some Lithium to the mix...they seemed to think I might have been bi-polor. All those mood stablizing drugs made me a zombie.
Switched to Effexor, same problems, plus had severe withdrawal from stopping Paxil.
Then they added some Depakote the the Effexor. Quit the Depakote and put me on Remeron...could not move for days.
Stayed on Effexor and finally moved to Zololft. Zololft with Synthoid for my thyroid disorder helped quite a bit.
Now the zoloft does not seem to be working, and have been bumped up on the synthoid. So I am going to try Wellbutrin and see how it goes.
Thyroid is still wacked out and they don't want to mess with the dosage anymore, so....what do you do???
I have a general question related to women who suffer from depression. I have been reading most of the threads that all of you ladies have been posting for some time now, on a wide variety of subjects.
It is my observation that all of you exude various combinations of intelligence, common sense, ambition, assertiveness, wit, empathy and humor.
Above all I am impressed with your dedication and focus regarding training and nutrition. All of you also express abundant self-confidence with respect to disregarding the stereotypes, societal notions, and downright beligerence towards women that train seriously with weights.
My first generic question is: Absent a genetic/diagnosed biological condition, or an recent temporal emotional trauma, what do you believe to be the cause of your depression ?
I tried to think about what existentially has changed in society or the lives of women in general that would cause such an increase in the use of anti-d's.
I'm 42, and I remember the crap my mother had to put up with as a professional women in the medical field dominated by men. She was told by her professors that women didn't belong in the sciences. She faced harrassment and a glass ceiling.
Birth control was limited until the late 60's, and abortion was a taboo. In short a woman didn't really have control of her body.
Women of color faced legal discrimination.
We are in the 21st century and while society still have some impediments that need to fall relative to women's issues, for all practical purposes over the last 40 years the prospects for women to control their bodies, their educations, their careers, their finances, and their lives in general have improved markedly.
What is it ? Has the problem always been there, but now it's accepted to talk about depression ? Am I overgeneralizing and each women's depression is her own and is no reflection on any purported imputation of cause that can be attributed to society.
Is it age/decade specific ? For example, I tell all the women that I know that are in there 20's that you couldn't pay me to be a women in her 20's, because most of the guys are emotionally arrested and are soley interested in getting laid.
I would sincerely appreciate any help you ladies could give me in answering these questions.
It is my observation that all of you exude various combinations of intelligence, common sense, ambition, assertiveness, wit, empathy and humor.
Above all I am impressed with your dedication and focus regarding training and nutrition. All of you also express abundant self-confidence with respect to disregarding the stereotypes, societal notions, and downright beligerence towards women that train seriously with weights.
My first generic question is: Absent a genetic/diagnosed biological condition, or an recent temporal emotional trauma, what do you believe to be the cause of your depression ?
I tried to think about what existentially has changed in society or the lives of women in general that would cause such an increase in the use of anti-d's.
I'm 42, and I remember the crap my mother had to put up with as a professional women in the medical field dominated by men. She was told by her professors that women didn't belong in the sciences. She faced harrassment and a glass ceiling.
Birth control was limited until the late 60's, and abortion was a taboo. In short a woman didn't really have control of her body.
Women of color faced legal discrimination.
We are in the 21st century and while society still have some impediments that need to fall relative to women's issues, for all practical purposes over the last 40 years the prospects for women to control their bodies, their educations, their careers, their finances, and their lives in general have improved markedly.
What is it ? Has the problem always been there, but now it's accepted to talk about depression ? Am I overgeneralizing and each women's depression is her own and is no reflection on any purported imputation of cause that can be attributed to society.
Is it age/decade specific ? For example, I tell all the women that I know that are in there 20's that you couldn't pay me to be a women in her 20's, because most of the guys are emotionally arrested and are soley interested in getting laid.
I would sincerely appreciate any help you ladies could give me in answering these questions.
crab3535,
That is a good question... I have often wondered what causes depression and if there is a higher rate now than years ago..
I think "maybe" people today are more prone to depression/anxiety because of modern lifestyles. I see people walking around will cell phones, pagers, computers etc... We do 10 things at once.. I don't think are bodies were really wired for all that constant stimulus. This may cause more depression and anxiety. It's your bodies way of saying heyyy!!
It would be interesting to find out.. Antidepressants are sure prescribed more today. I'm not sure that is always the answer if you are not willing to examine your lifestyle along with it..
That is a good question... I have often wondered what causes depression and if there is a higher rate now than years ago..
I think "maybe" people today are more prone to depression/anxiety because of modern lifestyles. I see people walking around will cell phones, pagers, computers etc... We do 10 things at once.. I don't think are bodies were really wired for all that constant stimulus. This may cause more depression and anxiety. It's your bodies way of saying heyyy!!
It would be interesting to find out.. Antidepressants are sure prescribed more today. I'm not sure that is always the answer if you are not willing to examine your lifestyle along with it..
There is not a doubt in my mind that I have a genetic predisposition to it. My grandmother used to "take to her bed" for weeks at a time. I myself was a bit surprised at the prevalence of it on the board until I thought about it and I believe that you have to be a bit obsessive/ compulsive to get into bodybuilding and stay with it. OCD sufferers are more prone to depression so the fact that most of the women here have dealt with it at one time or another is no surprising. I also think that with the choices that we have comes more stress and leads to more depression.
Anyway that's just my .02
Anyway that's just my .02
I think a lot of mental illness is genetic and finally people are feeling more comfortable seeking treatment. The psychiatric drugs available today are nothing short of miracle workers when administered correctly. Many are able to lead normal lives because of these drugs. But normal isn't good enough for some people.
We've become a hectic fast-paced society who wants a pill for every ill. Some normal people think they can be even better with a pill. Feeling stressed in a stressful environment is not mental illness, it is normal, much like many other "conditions" which could be cured by simple lifestyle changes. But some don't think they have time for lifestyle changes or therapy (or the HMO won't pay), so they demand a script for the latest drug, oftentimes which doesn't work and causes side effects due to improper diagnosis.
We've become a hectic fast-paced society who wants a pill for every ill. Some normal people think they can be even better with a pill. Feeling stressed in a stressful environment is not mental illness, it is normal, much like many other "conditions" which could be cured by simple lifestyle changes. But some don't think they have time for lifestyle changes or therapy (or the HMO won't pay), so they demand a script for the latest drug, oftentimes which doesn't work and causes side effects due to improper diagnosis.
FitFossil,
I completely agree with you. I think genetics plays a big part in depression/anxiety. If you are genetically prone for depression it is more likely to manifest because of your lifestyle.. I also think people's diets today influence the onset of depression.
People who are genetically prone to depression/anxiety are more likely to experience problems following surgery or childbirth. Everyone goes through depression- some people just can't snap out of it.
It's good that the stigma is going away. Depression/anxiety is nothing more than a physical illness with psychological symptoms.
I completely agree with you. I think genetics plays a big part in depression/anxiety. If you are genetically prone for depression it is more likely to manifest because of your lifestyle.. I also think people's diets today influence the onset of depression.
People who are genetically prone to depression/anxiety are more likely to experience problems following surgery or childbirth. Everyone goes through depression- some people just can't snap out of it.
It's good that the stigma is going away. Depression/anxiety is nothing more than a physical illness with psychological symptoms.
"Everyone goes through depression- some people just can't snap out of it. "
This is the bottom line. In a society where depression is now openly talked about, accepted and treated (compared to the not too distant past) it is very much easier for people to seek drug treatment, even if they would have (in the past) "snapped out of it" all by themselves given time. There is also no longer such strong pressure to recover quickly. We no longer live in conditions of moment to moment survival. Long term unipolar depression is a very real disease with a genetic component which has always been crippling to sufferers. But I think the majority of people on antidepressants today do not suffer from this type of depresssion. There are a lot of people who have just gotten the blues, are having trouble with sleep, food, work, money......and get put on anti-D's. It's a lot like most of the other diseases of modern society (obesity, heart disease, diabetes...) in that the gene pool has not changed dramatically, only the environment/lifestyle.
This is the bottom line. In a society where depression is now openly talked about, accepted and treated (compared to the not too distant past) it is very much easier for people to seek drug treatment, even if they would have (in the past) "snapped out of it" all by themselves given time. There is also no longer such strong pressure to recover quickly. We no longer live in conditions of moment to moment survival. Long term unipolar depression is a very real disease with a genetic component which has always been crippling to sufferers. But I think the majority of people on antidepressants today do not suffer from this type of depresssion. There are a lot of people who have just gotten the blues, are having trouble with sleep, food, work, money......and get put on anti-D's. It's a lot like most of the other diseases of modern society (obesity, heart disease, diabetes...) in that the gene pool has not changed dramatically, only the environment/lifestyle.
angel_eyes
New member
I know genetics plays some role, my mom was always bi-polar and believed people were out to get here, etc. She would go through major ups and downs.
I never had a problem, then symtoms gradually started building over 6 months or more that would not go away. Yes, I was under a huge amount of pressure at work, and home. Pushing myself constantly and spreading myself way too thin.
My depression was most likely brought on by a combination of many factors plus with my Thyroid being so low, that could have contributed as well. Hard to say.
I never had a problem, then symtoms gradually started building over 6 months or more that would not go away. Yes, I was under a huge amount of pressure at work, and home. Pushing myself constantly and spreading myself way too thin.
My depression was most likely brought on by a combination of many factors plus with my Thyroid being so low, that could have contributed as well. Hard to say.
N
new@gettinbig
Guest
I agree w/ MS I think we all deal w/ depression at some point in our lives....everyone goes through stress and shit.....I personally think a healthy lifestyle and lifting Iron is a good medication for all of this....I personally have never taken any medications and I really don't plan on it..I have seen friends take them and it ends up causing other problems in the end..so I dont see the point...I think 90% of life is how you react to it..how you deal w/ it...some are more emotional than others.....I find my life really down in the dumps if my diet is not on and if I am not in the gym.....then I am tired...and down...But I also believe everyone deserves happiness and to go through life as happy as they can...and if that calls for taking something to help, then you should do it...but sometimes I think we look to medications and things to make ourselves feel better...when it starts with becomeing happy with ourselves and who we are....am I way off here....I will probably get my head bit off for this thread....just another perspective I guess....
