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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

What SSRI/SNRI has worked best for you?

I swear by Lexapro. Been on it twice (once from July 2006 to December 2007, and now I'm currently on it again since 2 monthes ago). I take 10mg daily in the mornings.

The negative side effects are mild and go away in a couple weeks, it starts working fast, and I feel so much better when I'm on it. I feel like the same person, just with a totally different attitude on life. I know people who aren't crazy about it, but my expierence with it has always been great. I know the attitude of relying on meds to be happy isn't a popular one, but I seriously would NOT be the same person without it. I love it.

It helps so much with both my depression and GAD. I'm always a bit of a worrier, but when medicated I really don't get freaked out about things unless they are really important (a sick relative, a big test, etc.)


dragonslayer428 said:
Unfortunately, I will have to take an SSRI or SNRI for the rest of my life. Anytime I have tried to get off of them, I become a nervous wreck and a constant worrier. I have accepted that I need medication, which sucks, but what else can I do? Counseling alone doesn't help. After trial and error, I've come to the conclusion that I have a chemical imbalance. I know I may get people claiming that is BS, but wondering what other people's thoughts are.

Just simply out of curiosity, does anyone else agree that some people have a chemical imbalance (that require medication) that causes depression and/or anxiety?
Click to expand...

I ABSOLUTELY believe that. Therapy is a big help (I do that on and off), but nothing replaces meds. I get the same way as you when I'm not on my medication... I tried quitting it for awhile, but recently decided to get back on it because I just wasn't as happy and functional as I could be. It's worth taking a pill everyday to feel normal... I have no shame about that.

I think a lot of people have this "anti-medication" stance without any merit behind it. I don't doubt that many people have genuinely tried medications and they just didn't work for them.. but people who try meds for a few weeks and then get frustrated when they aren't working don't seem to understand that it takes TIME. And people who have never had depression\anxiety and never been medicated cannot say shit about it, IMO, because they have no idea what it's like and that's an ignorant opinion.
 
Celexa hands-down for mild depression and anxiety. Sinequan (Doxepin) is really helpful for sleep, but will make you feel like a fucking zombie. Celexa had next to no side effects for me, a rather benign SSRI imo. I also had no problem switching over from celexa to doxepin, even though I was only on celexa for 3-4 months prior.
 
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Awesome input, thaidie4. I am thinking of trying Lexapro next. Does it make you anxious when you first start taking it? (meaning, as a side effect?) I really want to get off Paxil. I feel it hasn't had that same effect after I went off it, then back on.
 
I've taken Effexor, Prozac, Buproprion, and Luvox in the past, all were TERRIBLE!
Then I tried Zoloft, after 3 weeks of awful side effects, Life started to feel better, and my low points are kind of 'softened'.
In combination with my perscriped benzodiazepines and D-amphetamine, it seems to enhance the effects of both, and reduces the side effects of both (IE Dex crash).
Zoloft works well for my Depression, and well for anxiety (it doesn't touch panic attacks :/)
Don't knock ssris, they can work for many! I personally think benzos should be perscribed along with them for the initial three weeks anyways, my doctor is a firm believer in that.

2 cents

~Alex
 
Celexa & Prozac worked well for me. Celexa being more effective. Lexapro didn't work too well for me. SSRIs are a big trade off for me though...yes they make me feel better, but in a drugged sort of way, and there are too many side effects.

What really worked for me was Emsam, which is an MAOI in a transdermal patch form, so at the lower doses there's no need to avoid certain foods. It improved my mood & energy without making me feel drugged up, and I didn't notice a single side effect. It increases Serotonin, Norepinephrine, and Dopamine. There are a lot of drugs (recreational and otherwise) that can be dangerous if taken with it, so it might not be a good choice for many bluelighters. I had to stop it because it didn't help my ADD at all and it can't be taken w/ stimulants. But if you're willing to avoid taking certain drugs, I strongly recommend trying it instead of an SSRI/SNRI.
 
Hi guys,

I enoyed reading your reporta but i far know that most some antidepressants work only for some people.
Now 1 think i have a tremendous benzo tollerance due to and old abuse habut that didnt seem to chahe since even 2mg ox xanax seems like a sugarpill.

I've had psychological brakedown year ago and thats when i started to abuse Clonazepam (which is a good aid in and antidepressant tretment but my benzo rollerance i sky high) however my depressiion started long ago and never saw anyone for it, in fact i rnded up doing all sort of drugs and drink unmoderately.

Now my depression went from a recluded,anxious,desperate,apathic,pesimistic depression to numb,catatonic depression that is really making my like 'nothing' literally 'nothing'.
The worse part is i have absuluely no creativity, almost no interest and i'm starting to feel some cognitive impirment(some amnesia,dificulty concentratin, slight dislexia...)

Still i help my self but I'm undecided between SXRI or antypsychotics both seem to be more effective in some way.
For my general weakness was thinking of Effexor, but I heard some remarkable results from Paxil.

peace
 
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dragonslayer428 said:
D00ber, I see your point. However, I often wonder how a doctor treated someone like me (with GAD and panic disorder) say...75 years ago. I imagine they ended up in mental institutions. Modern medicine truly amazes me.
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75 Years ago you would have been on barbiturates.

But for my anxiety level, I would not mind that at all.
 
dragonslayer428 said:
Unfortunately, I will have to take an SSRI or SNRI for the rest of my life. Anytime I have tried to get off of them, I become a nervous wreck and a constant worrier. I have accepted that I need medication, which sucks, but what else can I do? Counseling alone doesn't help. After trial and error, I've come to the conclusion that I have a chemical imbalance. I know I may get people claiming that is BS, but wondering what other people's thoughts are.

Just simply out of curiosity, does anyone else agree that some people have a chemical imbalance (that require medication) that causes depression and/or anxiety?
Click to expand...

I know that this post is quite old. I just wanted to add my two cents :)
*I absolutely agree that there are individuals in this world who were born with a chemical imbalance, Myself being one of those people. When i was young, I always felt a lil anxiety, I just didn't know what it was and I was young, so i didn't pay it much mind.....or at least I would try my hardest to avoid it. But as I got older the techniques I use to use to avoid intense situations just quit working! I remember everything gave me anxiety. Going to the store & runnin in to someone, being pin pointed by the teachers in the class rooms......IDK, It seemed as if everything gave me anxiety! When I was 18, my Dr. put me on Celexa, which did not work at all. I was also put on Prozac, and that seemed to make me worse......or maybe that was in my head! Then my Doc put me on Paxil. He started me out on a low doser and slowly worked me up to 20mg and ever since then I have felt like a completely normal person. Like the kid i was before i ever felt anxiety. I have been on Paxil for quite a long time now. Both my sister and I have been on Paxil for nearly10 years....8 years to be exact. And Paxil has not in the least stopped working for me. It works as well for both my sister & I as it did when when we were firdt prescribed it -8 years ago. Some people don't have as much luck w/Paxil As my sister and I do! I feel lucky that Paxil makes the chemistry in my brain work just fine. lol. -But something that I want to add is that maybe I wasn't actually born w/a chemical imbalince!?! Maybe some of the situations my sister & I were put in as little girls caused a lot of things in our brains chemistry to get a little outta wack. lol. IDK, I just think It has to do with both the factors. The chemistry in our brains when we were born & 2. The way we were raised from birth on.....
But honestly, I believe that Paxil saved my life. Before Paxil, I was getting so lost inside of myself and my mind.
K so, sorry for the ramble i just let lose on a thread that was actually quite old :)
 
I just got started on Zoloft (100mg/day) and Trazodone (1-2 x 50mg prior to sleep). It's only been two days, but I am anxious to feel some relief in my life soon.

How long does Zoloft normally take to work? Has anyone tried Beta-blockers alongside of any SSRIs for those 'panicky' situations (interviews, etc)?

I've got situational anxiety, where I can not take control of my body prior to any big events; tests, interviews, large social crowds, etc .. This morning my roommate had to grab my hand to make it stop shaking before I was on my way out the door for a job interview. I didn't even notice it was shaking until I looked at it, and it was THROBBING. This, coupled with excessive sweating and face turning red is my normal response to any of these 'situations.' These are the things I NEED to get under control! They are ruining my life!
 
norwegian said:
I just got started on Zoloft (100mg/day) and Trazodone (1-2 x 50mg prior to sleep). It's only been two days, but I am anxious to feel some relief in my life soon.

How long does Zoloft normally take to work? Has anyone tried Beta-blockers alongside of any SSRIs for those 'panicky' situations (interviews, etc)?

I've got situational anxiety, where I can not take control of my body prior to any big events; tests, interviews, large social crowds, etc .. This morning my roommate had to grab my hand to make it stop shaking before I was on my way out the door for a job interview. I didn't even notice it was shaking until I looked at it, and it was THROBBING. This, coupled with excessive sweating and face turning red is my normal response to any of these 'situations.' These are the things I NEED to get under control! They are ruining my life!
Click to expand...

I had a friend put on Zoloft 50 mg's. At 1st I thought she was doing excellent. Than all the sudden she upped her dose to 200mg's and @ that point she seemed a little strange. And now, after she quit Zoloft, she was like "WTF was I thinking? So much was going on in her life at the time anyway, IDK if she even needed med's!?! I think she just needed to work through her problems! Other than that, I have heard good things about Zoloft. I have also heard it can take up to like 20 day's for the medicine to kick in. When I started Paxil, It took about 2 & 1/2 weeks for me to feel relief from it!
 
/navarone/ said:
Generallt, Paxil (paroxetine) how hasit ben for most of you considering that my depression went to a catatnic creativeless state?
Click to expand...

How long were you on Paxil for and at what dose? My sister was started @ 20mg's and then moved to 40mg's, and then to 60. At 60mg's my sister seemed a little zombie like. She wouldn't admit it though. But after my mother and I talked her into lowering her dose down to 40mg's, she did end up telling us that 60 was way to high. She just didn't want to ever feel the way she did prior to Paxil before! Now though @ 40mg, my sister is very content. just as i am very content at 20mg's. I also take Xanax from time to time along w/Valium at times. The Benzo's tend to be taken recreationally more often now than not!
 
I havent taken pxil but a lot of pople reccomended it to me.

Whithout acting like a victim i suffere fromdevere depression mostly due to some fucked up mind who used to constantly make theories and schemes on the world and what not, then apathy came along and now im simply catatonic.

NSFW:
However my bigest problem is my family, there isn;t one of them who isn't dum or compltely insane, my house is filled with psychs, i live (with my dad alone and that bitch who with a angel face tried to convince my dad tht im worth nothing, that he should send me into boarding school so that she can live the way she wants to, filling the house of photos when she was young and attractive, covering our living rooms with dolls and stuffies bla bla bla......shes fucking insane but i dont have the means to get out and live on my own so i jut need somehing to put me out of mu suicidal emotions and get stright again.


I've been using many drugs yes, but i guess its mostly the psychologial stess, apart from depression im having terrible confusions, amnesiasm, flat affect, uninterest in anything, no motivation nor ambitions.

I know the best way would be to get da hell out of of my insame-retarded fam which is my major problem, but for now i need something that can helpme study, work and have proper social relationships instead of being frozen like a stone thinking of nothing and looking at nothing.

I hope you guys understnad me.
Thanks for listening

BTW my initial ideas where effexor for my lethargic sate and ir/paxil for my mood'.
 
Citalopram - Didnt help me at all
Prozac - Worked wonders at first and made my mind pretty much pain free for the time I was on it, thought I was cured so come off and then made a slippery slope back into crippling depression.
Then I was put back on Prozac and sadly it didnt work like it did the 1st time.
Mirtazapine - Currently on Mirtazapine and it helps but in all fairness im still as negative, cynical and full of shame and guilt as per usual. Its just it helps ease the pain of it all.

IMO I think some people are just destined to be depressed until the day they die, which isnt too hard to believe when you think we live in a corrupt world where it's literally a dog eat dog mentality and *alot* of people are obsessed with money, greed and power.
 
Then there is Adderall.
I get adderall for my treatment-resistant depression.
30mgs IR 2xday.

This is a lost cause kinda thing.
If nothing else in it's entirety works, then you must not give up.
Try even non-conventional treatments, something is bound to work.
 
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/navarone/ said:
I havent taken pxil but a lot of pople reccomended it to me.

Whithout acting like a victim i suffere fromdevere depression mostly due to some fucked up mind who used to constantly make theories and schemes on the world and what not, then apathy came along and now im simply catatonic.

NSFW:
However my bigest problem is my family, there isn;t one of them who isn't dum or compltely insane, my house is filled with psychs, i live (with my dad alone and that bitch who with a angel face tried to convince my dad tht im worth nothing, that he should send me into boarding school so that she can live the way she wants to, filling the house of photos when she was young and attractive, covering our living rooms with dolls and stuffies bla bla bla......shes fucking insane but i dont have the means to get out and live on my own so i jut need somehing to put me out of mu suicidal emotions and get stright again.


I've been using many drugs yes, but i guess its mostly the psychologial stess, apart from depression im having terrible confusions, amnesiasm, flat affect, uninterest in anything, no motivation nor ambitions.

I know the best way would be to get da hell out of of my insame-retarded fam which is my major problem, but for now i need something that can helpme study, work and have proper social relationships instead of being frozen like a stone thinking of nothing and looking at nothing.

I hope you guys understnad me.
Thanks for listening

BTW my initial ideas where effexor for my lethargic sate and ir/paxil for my mood'.
Click to expand...


Are you seeing a psycologist(sp?)? I am almost positive that you have Clinical Depression. You really need help! I once had all the same thoughts as you. My mind was insane. I went and saw a psycho therapist and he really helped me. Do you have any insurance? If not, would you be willing to go get county medical help. IDK where you are from but everywhere offers some sort of medical insurance for at least temporary times. I think you should specifically ask for Paxil, because it covers so many of the "different kinds of anxietys" Also talk to them about a Benzo. One such as Xanax. even if they give you a low dose, I think it will give you extreme relief at the times when you feel like exploding! Benzo's can be VERY addicting, as I"m sure you have heard before, but I do believe that you need something that you can take to help calm you in intense situations......or at least until the Paxil kicks in. And remember....all anti depressants take more than just a few days to start working. Also, I have been on Paxil for so long, IDK what other ones have came out to treat people like us. There might be better ones now days.....IDK? Just talk to your Dr about the best for you.....and if he doesn't prescribe Paxil and the one he does prescribe to you ends up not ever really helping, then thats when you should specifically ask for Paxil! I swear it changed my life! But I had to go through quite a few other kinds before I told my Dr that I absolutely wanted Paxil
Good Luck! I hope I did more help just now than I did rambling. lol;)
 
started lexapro, doc stated that it is a better version of celexa and is quicker acting. I hope it works quickly, I am really sick of feeling this way.
 
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