| JMD1970
Starting Member
35 Posts
Gratitude: 1
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 Posted - 11/16/2006 : 13:42:33
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I realize that nobody has been on this thread since May, but I found it very interesting to read. I didn't realize that so many people reacted so differently to the drugs you've all mentioned.
Both my therapist and my psychiatrist feel that I have been chronically depressed since my late childhood. Unfortunately, the psychiatrist I saw after my father died was only dealing with my reaction to his death, and nothing else. After several sessions, he sent me on my way telling me I was the most normal teenager he'd met (I was 17). There was no mention of depression of any sort, so he no longer felt the need to treat me further.
Now, 19 years later, I find out that this depression has been effecting me my entire adult life, but I was unaware of it until the last few years. The GP, therapist & shrink were very surprised that I lasted as long as I did without seeking help. My therapist summed it up after two sessions: I was too stubborn to realize I needed help. My biggest problem was that I "sucked it up" and tried to "get over it" for far too long.
6 months ago I was diagnoses wtih dysthymia, a social disorder, and a case of "situational" depression (not to mention discovering that same week that I have an over-active thyroid to blame as well). I was already well aware of the nonexistent self-esteem issue, so that came as no surprise. Talk about a basket case. I tell people that I'm certifiable, and have the certificate to prove it.
I'm taking Wellbutrin and Celexa. The Celexa (20 mg/day prescribed just last month, 40 mg starting tonight) will deal with the "situational" depression, while the Wellbutrin will hopefully help with the dysthymia. As for the thyroid, which is contributing to the milder depression, I'm on the meds for that as well. The social disorder really isn't treatable until we get the two depressions under control, so in the meantime, I'm taking Ativan to help with the anxiety attacks. As of tomorrow, I'll be taking 9 pills a day.
Am I feeling better yet? Honestly? Not really, but I'm not such a loose cannon anymore.
I've been on Wellbutrin for 5 months, at 300 mg/day for the last two. I'm not feeling much better mentally, but the angry tirades that came out of nowhere have decreased dramatically, and I no longer have hysterical crying jags if the cat coughs up a hairball.
Any side effects? Mild nausea, and extreme drowsiness. But that lasted only a few days.
When I started taking the Celexa I discovered that I have to take it five hours before bedtime. No warning at all; one minute I'm wide awake, the next I'm so tired I can't function at all. The upside was that I haven't slept that good for years (I'm also an insomniac). This side effect only lasted a couple of days until I got used to it. Now it wears off after two hours, so I end up staring at the ceiling for the rest of the night.
After reading what everyone said about Wellbutrin, which wasn't the preferred drug of choice for anyone, I gotta put in my vote. I'm happier with this than I am with any of the others.
Prozac - gave me horrible nightmares, contributed to my insomnia, and made me as nervous as a cat in a roomful of dogs.
Zoloft - got rid of all emotions to the point I was dead inside. Nothing, not anger, not contentment, not excitement, not even sorrow. The only emotion I could still recognize was fear. This drug scared me because I had no sense of anything. If someone close to me had died, I would have felt nothing.
Effexor - anxiety attacks, nightmares, headaches and stomach cramps.
Paxil - rashes, nightmares, and nausea
I have to say that the Wellbutrin works the best for me. Not only is it gradually helping to control the mood swings, but I'm much more relaxed then I was, certainly less stressed, and thanks to the Celexa, I'm able to see these changes.
My shrink has warned me that because my seratonin levels are virtually non-existent my return to "normal" will take a very long time. But, I'll have to live with the dysthymic mood swings for the rest of my life. Fortunately, the other depression can be beaten, and the thyroid meds will help with that as well. Once I can get that depression under control, I'll be able to work on the social disorder.
Thanks to Wellbutrin and Celexa, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel...if I take off my sunglasses. 
Joyce
If you're going through Hell, keep on moving, don't slow down; you might get out before the devil even knows you're there. |
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| doons
Starting Member
1 Posts |
Posted - 12/26/2006 : 20:05:07
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The best medication I have taken is moclobomide (aurorix) in Australia, and (manerix) in Canada. I have previously been on lexapro (horror of a drug), and zoloft, and both have been unbearable, ie: apathy, anorgasmia, increased anxiety to name a few so thankfully, I changed my doc, and she told me that I was unsuitable for ssri's and put me on moclobomide. I haven't looked back, and great thing is, it has actually increased my libido and sensitivity during sex!!!
Doons |
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| Chihuahua
Starting Member
1 Posts
Gratitude: 1
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Posted - 02/06/2009 : 20:08:40
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Hi everyone. I just want to say how brave you all are.
My best medication was Nardil, 30 years ago. The old nardil corrected my overeating disorder. It corrected my anxiety, my depression, and also it gave me heaps of mental and physical energy. I was happy to go out and socialise. I slept less, but was always refreshed by the sleep I received.
Sadly, a psyciatrist took me off Nardil because of his own personal fear of MAO inhibitors.
So for the last 30 years, I have struggled along using every other antidepressant which came on the market.
In the last month , I have been fortunate enough to find a general medical practitioner who restarted me on Nardil. Sad to say , the oriiginal formula of Nardil pill composition was changed to a cheaper compounding when a big pharmaceutical company took over Parke
Davis.
I am very disappointed in the " new nardil" as many 1000's of others also are disappointed. The absorption and activity on the brain is very different. The energy levels on new nardil are poor, I am very hungry. I am more self isolating.
In all honesty , though, I have always enjoyed my own company. I love reading and art.
So it may be far too much to ask any antidepressant to give me a new outgoing personality. |
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| Jerry1949
Incredible Member (2000+ posts)
3117 Posts
Gratitude: 175
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Posted - 02/11/2010 : 11:28:01
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 Where to start I am on Bupropion and Fluoxetine for depression and Clonazepan for anxiety plus Zolpinden Tartrate to get to sleep. In the last fifteen years have been on or tried the following meds Trazodone,Paroxetine,Lorazepam,Alprazolam,Venlafaxine and Mirlazapine. I think that is all but I could have forgotten some.
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pills!
