Hi. Suffering from depression and anxiety. Have tried many SSRI’s but never gets better. Any other meds that might help?

[CapstoneUA]

I’m wondering what is the best antidepressant for women in their 40’s with fewest side effects? I’ve been on quite a few with little help. Thank you!

[purplewatermelon]

You could try an MAOI like EmSam! i’d start out at 6mg as anything above that you’ll have to change your diet to avoid any tyramines. It’s a patch and it helped my severe anxiety and depression that put me in the hospital 5 times and either didnt react or reacted badly to pretty much any other medications.

[CapstoneUA in reply to purplewatermelon]

Thank you so much! I have literally tried everything and now my Seroquel has stopped working. I will look into your suggestion. 👍🏼

[Strongheartforever]

If you are NOT on antidepressants you can take 5-htp. It’s completely wiped out my anxiety and depression. This may be temporary. And I read to only take it for 12 weeks at a time (possibly to avoid serotonin syndrome, too much serotonin). I tried all kinds of ssri’s for years. None worked. Then I found out my hormones were a mess, no progesterone or testosterone in my system at age 40. Estrogen dominance. This is so common and yet many don’t know about it! Got BHRT (bio identical hormone replacement therapy aka the “best antidepressant for a woman over 40”!!!) and felt brand new. I’ve since scaled back on those (still rub a little BHRT testosterone on my inner wrists now and then, and take Vitex to help w progesterone) and tried 5-htp (Natrol brand 100mgs twice a day with food, it also has b6, b12 and magnesium). If you can find a compounding pharmacy they’ll steer you toward a good doc who can help you balance out your hormones. Your thyroid could also be a problem so get that checked too. Also, cortisol and adrenals need to be checked. Antidepressants are a band aid for many. At some point, the placebo effect wears off or your liver says “enough!!”....There are underlying issues that mimic anxiety and depression like hormone imbalance, hypothyroid, leaky gut, adrenal burnout and food sensitivities like gluten intolerance that must be addressed to really find peace. Dr Christiane Northrup has lots of good wisdom and Dr Mark Hyman is also one to watch. Functional medicine gets to the ROOT of the medical issue and treats it with natural as opposed to synthetic meds.

Best of luck!

[Zazzel]

Completely agree with Strongheartforever. She gave you lots of things to try and consider.

Here are a few other natural therapies to try. First, look into any food intolerances you might have. Food intolerances are different than actual allergies which have immediate reactions such as hives or ytoubke breathing. Food intolerances can build up over time from eating foods you are sensitive to and can cause a range of medical issues including depression and anxiety. Gluten caused me to be sleepy, and depressed in addition to other physical problems. Sugar is another culprit which can cause an immediate seratonin "feel good, " but a big crash and burn. Eating small amounts of protein throughout the day can help balance out mood swings. The Mood Cure by Julia Ross discusses this as well as some of the things Strongheartforever discussed.

The second thought is practicing mindfulness through daily meditation and or yoga. Centering yourself, practicing the habit of giving thanks throughout the day for little positive things in your life such as a washing machine to wash your clothes, food in your fridge, water that you don't have to walk a mile to drink, all helps to reset your brain naturally.

Thirdly. This is tied into the second thought, but deals with nighttime and sleeping. Firstly, make sure you get enough sleep and if you suffer from insomnia, you could have a melatonin deficiency. You can use a Melatonin supplement which you can get at your local health food store. Thus can help you get a more restful night sleep. Secondly, night hypnosis helps to retire your brain with positive thought patterns. There are many people offering free sessions on YouTube. I am Partial to Thomas Halls sleep hypnosis for anxiety and depression. I can honestly say his sleep hypnosis changed my life. You need to try it for about a month on a nightly basis. I bought night Bluetooth earphones so I wouldn't disturb my husband.

Good luck! Let us know if you find something that helps.