Anti-depressants are poisen

[Sim882]

Earlier this year (Feb) I started taking an SSRI (lexapro), and a lowish dosage at that.

Immediately I lost strength - my bench dropped from 110kgx5 to 85x5; weighted dips from 5x50 to 5x20; and similar drops on other exercises.

This was pretty devestating. Whilst I'm by no means large (although I'd gained 5 kilos), I thought I was lifting pretty good weights at 68kg with 10 months of training and a natural lifter taking no sups, and had to see this all go down hill last year. At 5'6, all I wanted was a ripped 73-75 and to be extremely fit, and I was failing miserably this year.

7 days ago I quit the lexapro, and within one week, I've regained 50% of the drop in weights.

I've realised bulking was pointless on lexapro.

Just writing this post in case anyone else is thinking of trying a SSRI! Don't unless you have to. The last 6 months was a lost of opportunity and I hope never to regress like this again!

 

[blueta2]

I think meds have their place, but yes I agree, AD's are poison.
As are many meds. There are alternatives that work just as well

Sorry to hear you're not feeling great...Keep the faith

 

[beefybull]

The only antidepressant I believe most people should mess with is WELLBUTRIN.
It is a cathinone-derivative and a weak stimulant. Dilates your eyes. No sexual side effects.
It's chemically unrelated to all the other antidepressants.

Other than that...fuck ADs

 

[xrsist]

good that your off them mate
scientific reason for loosing strength??

 

[Tatyana]

1500 mg of St. John's Wort/day is just as effective as as a few commonly used anti-depressants, this has been proven in clinical trials.

I also think that making sure you have good quality fats in your diet, as the brain is mostly lipids, and depression has been on the rise since we did change the types of fats we consumed approximately 40-50 years ago.

Cognitive behaviour therapy has also been found to be highly effective for moderate depression, as has exercise.

 

[Sim882]

1500 mg of St. John's Wort/day is just as effective as as a few commonly used anti-depressants, this has been proven in clinical trials.

I also think that making sure you have good quality fats in your diet, as the brain is mostly lipids, and depression has been on the rise since we did change the types of fats we consumed approximately 40-50 years ago.

Cognitive behaviour therapy has also been found to be highly effective for moderate depression, as has exercise.

Thanks Tat. I've always eaten a lot of salmon, so I think I'm OK on the omega 3 intake (indeed, for a while I was anal about my diet and normally hit on average 1:1 omega3/6 ratio).

It was purely a matter of having to deal with new daily persistent headache (a particularly acute form of chronic daily headache) and demands at a top tier commercial law firm. Basically, 2.5 years ago I woke up dizzy, in a lot of pain, and feeling dumb, and this has never ended. While I'm exercising is when it feels best which is why I exercise so much. I've been to several neuros, tried all sorts of treatment, but it is not a condition where patient outcomes are positive.

I was at the end of the law degree when this hit, so my GPA wasn't too effected (I went from being top 1-2% to a lot (top in the year proceeding the problem), I had one shocker immediately and then finished the degree with easy subjects I could still do well in). However, it unfortunately makes working as a lawyer close to impossible - and meant the end of my recent job (unfortunately, the dream job at perhaps Australia's best law firm became the job from hell as you imagine). Dealing with it is what made me depressed and anxious - I will try cognitive therapy though.

At the moment though I also have to determine a new career - I'm considering law academia, which I could probably still do.

I may try the John Worts, but after leaving my last job, I haven't seemed depressed so I'm going to try without any drugs/herbs for a while.

I think I gained some fat eating more crap whilst depressed this year - so I'm dieting for a month to get back to 10% bf, and then will aim to bulk again

 

[Blane]

This is not meant as a joke.

Are you masturbating regularly?

 

[Sim882]

This is not meant as a joke.

Are you masturbating regularly?

Not particularly - once a week or fornight.

Why?

 

[Spartacus]

The only antidepressant I believe most people should mess with is WELLBUTRIN.
It is a cathinone-derivative and a weak stimulant. Dilates your eyes. No sexual side effects.
It's chemically unrelated to all the other antidepressants.

Other than that...fuck ADs

I agree

 

[Blane]

Not particularly - once a week or fornight.

Why?

the anti-depressants may be reducing your sex drive....

i know i get depressed when i dont shoot enough.

Find a way to shoot atleast once a day. twice a day is better..........

 

[blueta2]

AD are poison. I agree 100%

I suffer depression and refuse to take meds that alter my mind. There are so many other ways to regulate the chemicals in the brain.

Naturally, one can take L-Theanine or SAMe, but diet change, exercise and talk therapy is usually a sure way to overcome.

 

[OneBreath]

I'm trying to taper off lexapro right now. I feel the same way. Any adverse reactions to quitting cold turkey OP?

I've tried it before and when the anxiety hit i started popping them again. It could all be mental i suppose lol.

 

[blueta2]

I'm trying to taper off lexapro right now. I feel the same way. Any adverse reactions to quitting cold turkey OP?

I've tried it before and when the anxiety hit i started popping them again. It could all be mental i suppose lol.

I have my friend withdrawaling off Wellbutrin by using L theanine.
You can try other amino acids to help with the withdrawal, but L theranine is probably the best one.

Quitting cold turkey is not recommended. It's hard on the body and will cause chemicals in the brain to spiral causing major anxiety. Ween off and replace with alterantive

 

[the_alcatraz]

1500 mg of St. John's Wort/day is just as effective as as a few commonly used anti-depressants, this has been proven in clinical trials.

I also think that making sure you have good quality fats in your diet, as the brain is mostly lipids, and depression has been on the rise since we did change the types of fats we consumed approximately 40-50 years ago.

Cognitive behaviour therapy has also been found to be highly effective for moderate depression, as has exercise.

Awesome info. Thnx Tat

 

[Rage-Of-Sparta]

I have a friend who recently starting taking Pristiq. He says his workouts are better and he is more focused and positive during his training

 

[OneBreath]

I have my friend withdrawaling off Wellbutrin by using L theanine.
You can try other amino acids to help with the withdrawal, but L theranine is probably the best one.

Quitting cold turkey is not recommended. It's hard on the body and will cause chemicals in the brain to spiral causing major anxiety. Ween off and replace with alterantive

I have never heard of using aminos to come off. I will give this a try. Many thanks.

 

[OneBreath]

I have my friend withdrawaling off Wellbutrin by using L theanine.
You can try other amino acids to help with the withdrawal, but L theranine is probably the best one.

Quitting cold turkey is not recommended. It's hard on the body and will cause chemicals in the brain to spiral causing major anxiety. Ween off and replace with alterantive

Do you have any dosing recommendations? Time of day to take? Thanks!

BTW, i started at 20mg, then did 10mg for 2 months, and now am on 5 mgs. I have 6 more days and then its nothing. I just looked up some info on Theanine and will order some today.

 

[blueta2]

Do you have any dosing recommendations? Time of day to take? Thanks!

BTW, i started at 20mg, then did 10mg for 2 months, and now am on 5 mgs. I have 6 more days and then its nothing. I just looked up some info on theranine and will order some today.

Here is a great site with info about it

http://web-us.com/l-theanine_anxiety_reducer.htm

I've been taking 300 mgs a day. You can tell the difference as soon as you take it
It's also very important to keep the body's PH in check when depressed.
Depression/anxiety means chemically, the body is unbalanced.
A good way to keep the PH at a healthy level is to drink lemon (real lemons) water a few times a day

 

[Sim882]

Sorry I didn't realise more was said on this thread

TAT:
I had tried John Wort's before Lexapro, but it didn't do anything for me. I had read the wikipedia article saying similar to what you had said first. Basically, trying to deal with chronic daily headache and starting at a top tier law firm (comparable demands to an Allen and Overy - who my firm is on a "best friends relationship" in UK) was giving me an anxiety disorder so I had to take something, and the doctor said this was well tolerated.

OneBreath:
No adverse reactions to cold turkey quitting, but this may be unusual and I didn't get doctor's permission to do so. However, I feel if I quit in my former job I would have had more stress reactions. My advise is quit when your in the least stressful situation possible - perhaps an easy time at work, a holiday etc. Don't quite if your starting a new job etc.

Blane:
I have always had a very low sex drive - even before any depression - so I don't think lack of sex or masturbation is causative of my issues, although I'm sure it contributes in many cases.

blueta2:
I do know people who say taking Anti D's was the best thing they ever did, and these people have since discontinued them. A friend of mine whose mother died prematurely for example; another friends who turned out to be a closet homosexual and almost killed himself over it (strange reaction in Australia given very little prejudice exists - more typical I suspect in the US).

I guess for me they were poison in terms of muscle growth anyway.

Humorously enough, I think I'm about to go on "ace-inhibitors" for headaches - and according to this forum, that could improve my body fat! Further, I think beta blockers (for headaches also) were worse than the lexapro for me, because i couldn't even run on those

 

[EnderJE]

1500 mg of St. John's Wort/day is just as effective as as a few commonly used anti-depressants, this has been proven in clinical trials.

I also think that making sure you have good quality fats in your diet, as the brain is mostly lipids, and depression has been on the rise since we did change the types of fats we consumed approximately 40-50 years ago.

Cognitive behaviour therapy has also been found to be highly effective for moderate depression, as has exercise.

Really? I found myself angrier on St John's. I guess it works for some, but not for all.

 

[drsketch]

agree

 

[goku_kakarot77]

i was on AD and notice decreased performance, i stopped them and feel great in gym now

 

[OneBreath]

I'm going to be completely off in 4 days. I've got L-Theanine on order and i'm hopeful this time will be it.

Thanks for all the good info in this thread.

I'll update on how i feel in a week or so, if i haven't lost my mind lol. No more crazy pills!!!

 

[blueta2]

good stuff, keep us posted. Though I don't think you should go cold turkey from the AD's.
Ween off slowly using the L Theanine

Let us know, good luck

 

[nimbus]

you ever get your test levels checked?

 

[nimbus]

btdubs, SSRIs can supposedly rape your T levels

 

[Sim882]

How's this for a recovery - bench back up to 105X5 (kilos) in a couple of weeks!

Standing Overhead press, never one of my strengths, had fallen from 55x5 to 35x5. Now its back to 50x.

And what's more - this recovery has been through a week of cutting period whilst cutting the anti-depressant gained fat (in one week of cutting, my abs look like they have gone from 13% to 10-11% bf which is suprising to say the least, and they almost look like the avatar again)

In 3 weeks, once I'm happy with bf, I can't wait to bulk on less cardio - I've stopped comp tennis/squash - and no anti D's.

I'm hoping I can beat my father's PR's for bench (150kg) and chins (his own bodyweight attached) within 12 months (he was 5'6 and a 75 kg top 3 natioanl judo player at the time)

 

[beefybull]

The only antidepressant I believe most people should mess with is WELLBUTRIN.
It is a cathinone-derivative and a weak stimulant. Dilates your eyes. No sexual side effects.
It's chemically unrelated to all the other antidepressants.

Other than that...fuck ADs

5-HTP is much more effective. than St. Johns Wort.
Serotonin is always euphoric.

Dopamine is only euphoric to a point.
Thats why X is always cool, but coke can turn people into paranoid assholes.

Wellbutrin is also sold as "Zyban". It helps people quit smoking.

 

[Sim882]

bench now 110x5kg - back to original PB.

So I have gained 40kg on my bench in 3-4 weeks since taking lexapro. At 70 kg, this translates into 57% of my bodyweight.

I'm pretty excited now about the next year in weights.

For the next 2 months, I will not run, because my squats have always lagged (same as bench), and it's pretty likely than an hour of daily cardio (squash, running, tennis etc) is the reason for the fact that my squat weight has never developed like other body parts.

I still can't think of the reason for why lexapro fucked me over so much. I mean clearly I didn't lose that much muscle, because i regained the strength so quickly. It was as if my brain couldn't get them to work or something.

It would be interesting to get my testosterone checked, given I have an incredibly low sex drive, but I'm not sure how I could convince a doctor to try to get this medically subsidized.

 

[OneBreath]

Well, i pussed out. I tapered down and then after a 1 1/2 weeks of nothing i felt a terrible crash. I have a ton of stress right now at work and i had that empty bottle just sitting in my drawer. Damn if i didn't call in the script.

Ok, progress is 2 steps forward and 1 step backwards i guess. I'm going to re-group and plan another date. I have my L-Theanine and i'll continue to take that so i keep a constant supply in my bloodstream.

I'll report back when i have some definitely plans but for now i had to man up and admit what i did.

 

[desmond]

I am Sim882 - changed user name to my nickname from friends.

Just reporting that bench is now up to 120kgx5, so that is a 45kg increase in 5 weeks.

I can't tell you how happy this makes me. No SSRI ever again

 

[EnderJE]

1500 mg of St. John's Wort/day is just as effective as as a few commonly used anti-depressants, this has been proven in clinical trials.

I also think that making sure you have good quality fats in your diet, as the brain is mostly lipids, and depression has been on the rise since we did change the types of fats we consumed approximately 40-50 years ago.

Cognitive behaviour therapy has also been found to be highly effective for moderate depression, as has exercise.

I found that my drugs worked better then St John's Wort. I'm sure it works for some, but it didn't work out well for me. I wish it did. It's cheaper.