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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Maria01 on October 1, 2007, at 20:58:35
Hi All-
I am dealing with a pretty pervasive case of depression...rapid cycling unipolar. My T has suggested meds, but I have had such horrible side effects in the past that I found there are none I can tolerate...
I'm considering trying again; what meds do you take for depression? How to you deal with the side effects, if any? HOw long before you notice a difference? I'm asking here because I don't trust the promotional literature from the drug companies..they really gloss over a lot of the "real life" experience that people have had on meds.
Thanks so much
Posted by Phillipa on October 1, 2007, at 21:10:50
In reply to Anyone on SSRI's for Depression?, posted by Maria01 on October 1, 2007, at 20:58:35
I take luvox most sedating SSRI doesn't do much for me but I take it in doses too low as I am like you. Lamictal is supposed to boost an ad or help with bipolar in higher doses. What are you currently on or tried? Phillipa
Posted by mav27 on October 1, 2007, at 21:54:26
In reply to Anyone on SSRI's for Depression?, posted by Maria01 on October 1, 2007, at 20:58:35
I can't tolerate the SSRI's, side effects are just horrible and they leave me feeling too drugged up in the head.
I found the tricyclics much more tolerable, different side effects but they didn't bother me in the same way as ssri's.
I'm now on Nardil and it works better for me than any of the others with the only side effect being insomnia.. of course nardil has a few risks with it though.
Posted by Maria01 on October 1, 2007, at 22:05:31
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression? » Maria01, posted by Phillipa on October 1, 2007, at 21:10:50
In the past, I've been tried on Norepinephrine(caused a blood pressure spike, so I got a trip to theER out of that)Prozac(cardiac arrhythmia, fatigue, really nasty GI effects) Elavil(sleep disturbances, nightmares, daytime dedation, motor impairment, more nasty GI effects). Unfortunately, due to my line of work(vet tech) I have to be fully functional because of all the procedures I assist with...I can't be assisting with sutures, blood draws, etc. and be either too sedated or too wired. That's why I'm really fighting the idea of meds...who has time to play Musical Meds? I'm somewhat considering one of the newer SSRI's, but still unsure...
Posted by Phillipa on October 1, 2007, at 22:14:54
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression? » Phillipa, posted by Maria01 on October 1, 2007, at 22:05:31
Maria why not start at a really low dose and as you adjust to it up the dose ever so gradually. What do you think of this? Phillipa
Posted by Wittgenstein on October 2, 2007, at 4:23:10
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression? » Maria01, posted by Phillipa on October 1, 2007, at 22:14:54
Hi Maria,
I had a similar reaction to Prozac. I now take Citalopram (Celexa). I began taking 10mg and built it up gradually - now taking 60mg a day. Having had really unpleasant effects from the Prozac (heart palpitations, tremors, constant nausea and found it very difficult to eat, extreme thirst etc. etc.) I've not noticed any problems with the Celexa. It's a far more 'gentle' SSRI and might be worth trying in your case.
Witti
Posted by Phil on October 2, 2007, at 8:50:43
In reply to Anyone on SSRI's for Depression?, posted by Maria01 on October 1, 2007, at 20:58:35
My first thought would be Lexapro but really a pdoc needs to do this job..not us.
Posted by Maria01 on October 2, 2007, at 9:35:14
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression?, posted by Phil on October 2, 2007, at 8:50:43
Phil-
Hearing "real life" experiences from others goes much farther in my book than getting the recommendations from a pdoc that has a)never taken the meds themselves and/or b)writes the prescriptions based on either what the drug rep. brought thru that day, or based on what the pharmaceutical literature says. Sure, a pdoc can sometimes help determine whether someone should take an SSRI, tricyclic, MAOI, etc.,but unless they've been on those meds themselves, or have a lot of patients on certain meds, they don't have any direct experience with them and their side effects. That's where hearing real-life accounts from others comes in handy.I get my medical care through the county, where the quality of such ranges from horrible to crappy, so in my case, doing my "homework" is a must.
Posted by Maria01 on October 2, 2007, at 9:40:08
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression?, posted by Wittgenstein on October 2, 2007, at 4:23:10
Hi Witti-
I had heard about Celexa as being one of the "newer" SSRI's. When I first tried Prozac a few years ago, I had never been so sick. Makes me doubly hesitant this time around. Hearing from others helps so much. =)
Posted by Phil on October 2, 2007, at 10:58:15
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression?, posted by Maria01 on October 2, 2007, at 9:35:14
Good point Maria. I know about those county systems from hell.
And I'm one to talk. I've been doing my homework here for many moons. Good luck to you, I hope you find something that works w/o making life miserable.
It's no easy task tackling this cluster f*** of diseases.Phil
Posted by seldomseen on October 2, 2007, at 13:59:10
In reply to Anyone on SSRI's for Depression?, posted by Maria01 on October 1, 2007, at 20:58:35
I take prozac and the only start up effects that I had was some pretty intense anxiety - with the tremors and palpitations that you had, but that mostly passed. I still have a slight high frequency tremor that caffeine just sends into overdrive - to the point that it is hard to do any precise work with my hands.
I tried wellbutrin to quit smoking and it just made me horribly nauseous.
Whatever SSRI or med you end up on I would highly recommend laying off the caffeine.
My mom had some outrageous GI effects on paxil. I know a lot of people that take zoloft to lose weight and, in my opinion, it just makes them manic.
Although it is intended as an anti-anxiety med, have you considered buspar? I have a friend who takes that (yes I hang around in a heavy pharmaceutical crowd) and have improved dramatically.
Seldom.
Posted by Maria01 on October 2, 2007, at 18:34:07
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression? » Maria01, posted by seldomseen on October 2, 2007, at 13:59:10
Hi Seldom-
Yep, my crowd is pretty high-pharmaceutical, too...LOL..the vet I work for is even taking something for anxiety!
Wellbutrin scares the crap out of me...it can drop seizure threshold in some users, and with my luck with poor tolerance/side effects...yeah, well..you get the picture. :/
thanks for the warning re: caffiene. This will be tricky; I'm hooked on the stuff!
I will ask about Buspar..this go-round seems to have brought forth a lot of anxiety/irritability for some reason, so Buspar might be one for me to consider..waiting to get pdoc authorization, so hopefully I will end up with one who will acutually listen when I describe the assorted features of this episode before breaking out the rx pad. ....There is a pdoc in my area that is great about making sure her patients participate in their decisions as much as possible...the downside? I cant' afford her fees =(
Posted by Phillipa on October 2, 2007, at 20:34:37
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression? » seldomseen, posted by Maria01 on October 2, 2007, at 18:34:07
Luvox is gentle on the sytem an SSRI and I have a neice and sister on zoloft who love it. Maybe a benzo if your anxiet is really bad? Don't have to take it forever but in my opinion only stay away from the antipsychotics as they are very popular today for anxiety. Phillipa
Posted by rskontos on October 5, 2007, at 15:26:26
In reply to Re: Anyone on SSRI's for Depression? » Maria01, posted by Phillipa on October 2, 2007, at 20:34:37
Maria, my neuro just gave me lexapro to try. I am being very cautious because I had a nasty experience with cymbalta. And who ever said the part about wellbutrin and seizures is right. She warned be about that one. My family has a seizure history so I have to be careful. Zoloft is out too. I need one for anxiety so she wants me to give Lex a try. So I guess I will. I need something badly. Hope you find something. I am also on topamax which we are lowering but that is for migraines and seizure control.
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