Overall opinion of anti depressants

Hi: what is everyone’s overall opinion of taking anti depressants? I suffered a trauma 2 years ago and have been struggling ever since. Don’t sleep well and feel like I am just going through the motions of life. Have tried Zoloft, lexapro and mirtrazapine. None have really helped the depression and have at times made me more anxious. I was perfectly ‘normal’ before all of this occurred. I know I need to do something just not sure what. Thank you,

[Sunnidayz1]

Have u consulted with a therapist? I would recommend that first. Then look for a psychiatrist. Antidepressants work but it's not one med suits everyone. It's trial and error depending on side effects and/or the right med for symptoms expericienced. Everyone is different. Good luck to you. Everyone here is to help.

XxSunni

[Hidden in reply to Sunnidayz1]

I have been seeing a therapist and I did see a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist prescribed the mirtrazapine and my general practitioner had prescribed the Zoloft and the lexapro, both of which made me hyper. Just trying to get a general feeling as to what experience people have had on these drugs. Can anyone say that they saved their lives, ruined their lives or at least made life manageable?

,

[Sunnidayz1 in reply to Hidden]

Well I can tell u this: if the majority of people on antidepressants didnt feel better on them then there wouldnt be millions of people taking them and the manufactuers would not be currently making a gazillion dollars. Taking a med is a need not a want.

So I can say with certainty that most people feel better. People who dont feel better on the meds are the minority. Most people do feel side effects

If you are feeling adverse effects to certain meds just keep trying something different until u find the right one. If u need it take it. That is my opinion.

If u cant find the right one or u are not a good candidate for meds bc of adverse effects then there are diiferent ways of coping.

[Hidden in reply to Sunnidayz1]

All very true...I am 61 and never needed anti depressants until trauma struck. Part of my problem is denial. Thank you

[Sunnidayz1 in reply to Hidden]

Ok and that's fine. A lot of people can say the same thing. It's all about educating yourself and getting to know who you are. You can reach your goals by learning about whats ailing you and continuing on with talk therapy. It's great that you have the awareness that u r in denial. It's one step closer to feeling better.

Continue to do what you are doing. Try to be patient with yourself. You will be OK.

XxSunni

[Tinkabeller in reply to Hidden]

Hi I've not tried the ones you have mentioned I have spent many years on venlaflaxine but kept getting the dose put up until I felt like I had no emotions (like I'd want to laugh at things or cry at things but I just couldn't) so I am trying stiriline and I have had cbt and am on waiting list for intensive cbt have tried many other things over the years but pills have and do help you just have to find what is right for you and doseages as you don't want to be emotionless either as that's not nice so it's about finding the right balance talk to your GP and see what you can try. Good luck x

[ker_ism]

I have had a similar issue and my best choice was Celexa. It’s not a fix all but definitely helps manage my depression and anxiety!

[lillyofthevalley37]

I think that anyone who goes to the doctor with deppression should have their serotonin levels checked - there is no blood test for serotonin but there should be - if someone is low in serotonin then maybe a short course on an SSRI ( selected serotonin reuptake inhibiter) could help but to dish out SSRIS the way they do is a scandal in my opinion. Serotonin is a downer there have been many suicides from SSRIS

[Hidden]

Agree...wish there was such a test. What do you mean when you say that serotonin is a downer?

[cortisolqueen]

I know what you are going through. Depression and anxiety are truly awful and cannot be understood by those who have never suffered. I was 57 years old when I had my first panic attack. I too had never been depressed or had anxiety a day in my life. After many ER visits, multiple doctor visits and every test they could possible run, I was told there was nothing wrong with me except anxiety and depression. I was given Lexapro, Remeron, and Klonopin. I have been on these for almost 4 years and I still suffer daily. I have tried several times to cut back on the meds because I felt like they were not working, but each time the anxiety and depression would get much worse. I will probably never be able to come off them. I guess that means they are working some, but not as much as I would like.

[Hidden in reply to cortisolqueen]

Sorry to hear this. Did a life event trigger all of this

[cortisolqueen in reply to Hidden]

I had a bout of terrible vertigo. I woke up around 2am and the room was spinning, I could not stand and went down on all fours and started throwing up. My husband got me up and rushed me to the ER. I watched my mother die 13 years ago and she pretty much had the same symptoms. Mom had a stroke which caused her death and I immediately assumed that is what was happening to me. That night along with large doses of prednisone given to me by the ENT brought on panic attacks. I don't know if you have ever had one but it is the worse thing I have ever experienced. I started having them multiple times a day and night. Each time I was convinced I was dying. That led to 10 ER visits that first year. The last one put me in the psyche ward for 8 hours because I admitted to the doctor that I had thoughts of self harm. By this time I had been suffering for a year and had lost 30lbs, my hair was falling out by the handfuls, and yes I thought the only way out was to die. I was having panic over fear of panic. Like a vicious cycle. I would be on the constant lookout for anxiety and of course that would cause more panic. I finally saw a GI doctor who took one look at me and said he thought I had celiacs disease. I was tested for that and sure enough I was positive. Celiacs can cause anxiety and depression so I am not sure if that brought all this on or the vertigo.

[NeuronerdDoaty]

Consult your doctor. Everyone knows that antidepressants don’t work on everyone. There is a trend moving toward psych and Neuro meds but therapy with coping techniques, CBT, and DBT were very helpful to me. Remember there are two kinds of depression; clinical and situational. Matching the meds can be like a puzzle and it takes time. Best of luck to you.

[Hidden]

My depression is situational in the sense that it occurred as the result of a trauma that occurred 2 years ago. I assume that this needs to be treated differently. ??

[Kat63]

They were one of the best things that ever happened to me.

[Hidden in reply to Kat63]

How long have you been on them? Was it for situational depression or clinical?!

[Kat63 in reply to Hidden]

I’ve been on them for 30 years, for clinical depression.

[Ragdoll15 in reply to Kat63]

Which one are you on if you don't mind me asking as I am looking for one that could work for me. I also suffer with clinical depression!

[Kat63 in reply to Ragdoll15]

I have been on SSRIs. What happens with me is that I do well on some SSRI for maybe three years, but then it becomes less effective. So my doctor switches me to a different SSRI, and then I get better again.

One doctor had me on Wellbutrin briefly, but that was bad for me. I know it works for some people, but not me. No medicine at all was better than that stuff.

[Ragdoll15 in reply to Kat63]

I get bad side effects from them then awful withdrawals coming off them, but at the moment feel I need to take something as depression is really bad. Thank you.

[kenster1]

hi short term seemed to be working well but now seem more of a hinderance to me and its very difficult to come off them.