Which antidepressant has worked best for u?

[Anon54]

yeah lost my script for zyprexa. so been taking seroquel instead. but still waking up several times a night & find it to cause me to feel heavy. (200mg)
have tried over 250mg of seroquel but started to cause weird mild delerium
I think zyprexa was better. I still feel depressed.
Tried mirtazepine was little luck. stopped it within a few days. did not help me sleep
thinking of maybe going back in lexapro with the zyprexa. im a bit worried to try effexor (I have a script for both effexor & lexapro). i found tramadol (which worked ok) fairly easy to stop using aftert months of use.
I know lexapro is a safer option but id assume effexor to be stronger. yet with more addiction problems.

im seeing a new specialist soon. i was taken off benzos a while ago. but i am not sure if i should start down that road again. but ofcourse they did help me get along with my ever dy activities without so much worry.

Spamual: what dose of seroquel do u take? How u sleeping?
how is the Mirtazepine going?

 

[Moredopamine]

I'll just compile a list of what I've tried and how it affected me. I find these types of list most useful from others, rather than exclusively listing what does or does not work. I have thus far refused to take SSRIs/SNRIs due to fear of the withdrawal syndrome among other reasons. I'm quite tempted to give sertaline a go however.

I've taken quite a few obscure agents, so hopefully this is of use to someone.

Amisulpride (50mg/day) -- it may have improved my ability to socialize oh-so subtly

Bupropion (450mg/day) -- no effects

Tianeptine (37.5mg/day) -- no effects taking 37.5mg/day, however taking 100mg+ at once gives a mild opiate-like high.

Inositol (12g/day) -- no effects (some studies found inositol at 12-18g a day helps with depression/anxiety)

Modafinil (100-400mg/day) -- has an excellent euphoriant effect that lasts approximately 1-2 hours. This can be prolonged and enhanced with the use of grapefruit juice. Unfortunately, it exacerbates my insomnia.

Adrafinil (300mg-1200mg/day) -- The mood boosting properties aren't nearly as pronounced as in modafinil (adrafinil is a modafinil pro-drug) and it doesn't worsen my insomnia, though it's so weak it's virtually worthless.

Selegiline (10mg/day) -- no effect. I realize I used a MAO-B selective dose.

Fish oil -- can't say it helps my mood, though I continue to take it for its general beneficial properties

Creatine (5g/day) -- no effect, one study found creatine has anti-depressant properties

Opipramol (100mg/day) -- pretty strong sedative effect along with an opiated sense of contentment. I took it at nighttime and the next-day grogginess wasn't worth the trouble.

Lithium -- Kept suicidal thoughts at bay. Not particularly life enriching, too many side effects.


No magic bullet as of yet unfortunately.

 

[spamuel]

I'm only taking 25mg of Seraquel twice a day, it's mainly been prescribed for anxiety and paranoia, until they have some EEG results.
My sleep is hit and miss, sometimes I'm out for the count early, and other nights I'm not sleeping.
I've been on 15mg mirtazapine for 24 days now, my mood seems to have been more erratic, though there is still time from it to kick in.
Got to go back the hospital on the 19th for a review with the psychiatrists, so my meds will probably be adjusted then. Still no date for the EEG yet though, so I still won't be diagnosed.

 

[cdubb10]

How long have you been suffering these problems? If you have caring people around you, I would suggest that you could try to beat your problems without medication. I almost lost my mind when I stopped taking all my meds (tramadol, lyrica, benzos,weed), but afterwards it was worth it. I got my life back while thinking things sober.

Nowadays I use small doses of Clonazepam, Codeine, Lyrica and Tizanidine when needed. Good luck and I hope that you find the right solution for you. Exercise in all forms was my solution.

I hope you don't call yourself sober taking those...

I have been on Paxil 20 mgs and Klonopin (3mg) with ambien (10mg) for the past 10 years. I have tried Lexapro and Sarafem (prozac for PMDD) briefly, but didn't give them time to work. I did try Wellbutrin twice but it caused extreme crying fits both times. I'm not sure if this was from Paxil withdrawal, since the two are different compounds. I've always stuck with Paxil because it worked. It doesn't give me the overly social benefits as it did in the first years of taking it, but it also keeps my social anxiety at tolerable level. IMO, paxil works best for me and I have weaned myself off a few times with no problems. Although, I freak out if I go 3-4 days without it (cold turkey). It helps with my depression, social anxiety, PMDD and panic attacks.
Three years ago, I added Adderall (up to 80mgs a day). This has been a curse and blessing. Adderall at a normal dose worked great for depression, lethargy and socialbility. However, I started to abuse it and use it recreationally, sometimes taking up to 15 (20mg) pills a day. This went on for at least 2 years. I lost a ton of weight (which I liked), but I became very manic, obsessive, agressive and reclusive. I recently had to move home and allowed my mother to administer my medication to me, because I couldn't manage them on my own. I still take all the medication listed, with the 80mg adderall daily. But I have to admit that the adderall only treats depression at a low dose, maybe 20-30mg a day.
But like most people taking meds for depression, I am always interested in finding something else... even if my current regime is working just fine, there's always a urge to feel "just a little bit happier".

Suffer from a little depression/anxiety. thinking of giving ADs a go.
Only really taken Tramadol for a few months for it's SNRI properties. All the others I started, I stopped as soon as a felt any kind of side effects. So I really havn't given them a proper try.

On the subject of Tramadol - I was on that for a year (with no prescription) and it did WONDERS. It elevated my mood, making me more outgoing and energetic. Of course, tolerance kicked in, or my tendancy to overdo pills and I was taking more than I could afford. The withdrawals were absolutely horrible. It's not an opiate, but the withdrawals are the same, I've read... some chemical reason that is greek to me...

I have taken tramadol here and there over the past year, swiped from my father, and I have to say that it does treat depression better than anything else. It's not like other painkillers (vicodin and oxy) where it is euphoric or gets you high. But it IS still a painkiller, so how in the world would a psychiatrist prescribe that for depression? I would love to ask mine for it, but she is already aware of my addiction history.