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Mental Health Why as a significantly depressed person do antidepressants do nothing for me?

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AdBenz

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Mar 16, 2014
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I've suffered with serious depression for quite a while and have been prescribed serotonin-effecting antidepressants (Zoloft) as well as norepinephrine/dopamine re-uptake antidepressants (Wellbutrin), both for months which should be long enough for them to start working, and neither of them do a god damn thing. Is this abnormal? To be honest I can't figure how anything that doesn't have immediate euphoric effects can be an effective antidepressant but pharmacological research maintains that they can. I'm just wondering if anyone else out there feels that antidepressant meds are useless because for me they seem to be just that.
 
There are other antidepressants than Zoloft and Wellbutrin. Typically, someone depressed has to go through a lot of medicines that don't work before finding the one that will work.

Try another one. May they be SSRIs, SNRIs or tricyclics, some work and some don't, depends on each person's brain wiring. Good luck.
 
Bluesbreaker said:
Typically, someone depressed has to go through a lot of medicines that don't work before finding the one that will work.
Click to expand...

That's pretty much it. There is a lot of trial and error in finding a medication that works well for you. Typically you'll give the medication 1-2 months before deciding if they're working for you and then talking to your doctor about switching.

Brain chemistry is a complicated thing, there's no single solution.
 
paxil and other SSRIs basically turned me into a somewhat content sluggish bubble...i wasnt happy or sad but in the middle, i just didnt care..plus, i wanted to just sleep the days away..sex drive was non-existent..

Welbutrin helped motivation and energy for the first few weeks but petered out and it caused a quite noticeable increase in anxiety..

i havent found any anti-D that works for the low motivation and general lack of enthusiasm that depression causes..

hard exercse has helped much more than any anti-depressants but the duration of effects is garbage
 
I believe I read somewhere that antidepressants are only about 60% effective for people so you're not alone. Prozac worked the best for me but like the other ssris I didn't care for the sexual side effects. Remeron was pretty good for stabilizing my mood but that made me want to sleep all day and also gave me weird dreams/night terrors. Also, antidepressants don't work right away. Can take up to a month or so to get the benefits, although it differs from person to person. I think it took me 1 1/2 - 2 weeks to feel the Prozac working.
 
Any knowledgable psychiatrist will tell you modern anti-depressants are less effective than pre-1970 drugs. First-line treatment is always SSRI'S, which are a placebo at best or an emotion dumb downer at worst. SSRI'S have been rebranded so many times, that when I go the dr's now the list of things he is able to prescribe contains only them and a few others that in trials not done by the makers of the drug proved to be ineffective. I go threw bouts of severe depression and anxiety were I'm scared to even answer the phone, the only thing that has helped is being surrounded by positive understanding people, and borrowing a little of there positivity, but even this only works for a while fortunately now I am able to recognise triggers when one of my bouts is about to kick in, changing my diet helps, when I had the motivation jogging worked better than anything, but most people find it hard to get the motivation.

If your in the US your more fortunate than me as dr's will write off-label scripts an old-Skool anti-depressants are still prescribed to a certain extent.

I'm just wondering what you are expecting from AD's, you mention euphoria these meds aren't ment to get you high, there 'supposed' to keep you stable.

I hope you can find something that works for you hopefully something will, my journey through the a-z of tablets made me more unstable at times an an apathetic robot at others, after that I learnt about self-awareness an self-actualisation and these have proved more effective than any smarty the dr was gonna give me.
 
^^
I don't fully agree with some aspects of that, the studies I've seen on SSRIs specifically are inconsistent. My uneducated view is that depression describes a set of symptoms and not a single condition so inevitably specific treatments work for some and not others.

I've tried a wide range of ADs, amongst them 4 SSRI's which all gave unwanted and very unpleasant side effects, a TCA I tried gave no side effects but wasn't effective in helping me with my depression. I was on Vanlafaxine ( Effexor) for a couple of years which did help me through a difficult period but the side effects seemed to get worse over that time, I came off and initially felt much better as the relentless insomnia and other side effects subsided but the depression started to get significantly worse.

With o other options being offered to me I went back on the Venlafaxine, the side effects returned almost immediately, I'm now taking Amiltriptyline, I have few side effects but I'm unconvinced it's having much of a positive effects and my aim to to try to be AD free at some stage.

Based purely on my experience I'd agree that certain ADs work for some people at some stages, it seems that the balance of brain chemistry and it's relation to depression is very much an individual thing so finding the right drug for the right time isn't always easy.

It does sound like it may well be worth trying some alternative ADs, it's not an easy process and it can take a long time to find one that provides positive effects, good luck:)
 
I have tried SSRI's and many other types of antidepressants and they have never helped lift me up, not in the slightest. All I've noticed with them is their side effects, none of them pleasant. SSRI's give me erectile dysfunction, antipsychotics make me instantly somnolent and / or drunk, in a bad way, as do tricyclics with a different but equally horrible sensation, and Venlafaxine makes me shiver uncontrollably. I have read, literally for decades, things like that book by Dr Larry Kramer, about how SSRI's have helped people become "more than themselves", and I wonder if I'm living in some alternate dimension where these chemicals have magically lost their efficacy.


I abhor the arrogance of psychiatrists and therapists so much that I regret I wasn't born a Scientologist. They threw drugs at me like the proverbial candy and when I told one lady that the Effexor wasn't working but just made me feel cold and shiver-y (among other things), she told me I needed to take two or three times the dosage and the side effects would go away. I never took her challenge. The best of them are humble about how the drugs actually work, or avoid prescribing to me altogether and just talk to me. But therapy never helped me, ultimately. There is a horrible attitude in the medical industry that they are the only ones with the knowledge to cure you, even when they haven't the slightest clue. They feel it is their duty and prerogative to act like they know what they are doing, which is what makes them so much more hateable. If the doctor in front of me would actually talk to me like an equal (god forbid, since I'm no millionaire) and tell me they weren't sure, tell me they made a mistake, tell me they're just guessing, I would actually trust them. So, forgive me my rant.
 
what OP meant by euphoria is in his experience he hasnt found anything that alleviates his depression that also isnt a recreational drug like cocaine, alcohol, opiates..many people echo his experience..
 
im thinking dr Larry Kramer has been paid off by big pharma in order to make statements like that..i have yet to see in real life, people actually become 'happier' on ssris..i have seen people become less anxious but due to becoming more apathetic which isnt a good thing as these people also balloon up in weight, care less about sex and can be fine with sleeping the day away..maybe some people will deem this a success but i dont..
 
I have watched my severely depressed sister try every single SSRI on the market over her lifetime (from early prozac onwards) while her depression continues to get worse. She has been convinced that her depression is "chemical" and has nothing to do with her life. Not one doctor has ever prescribed therapy, analysis or self help treatment. Imagine if you had a physical ailment and you had been given a certain class of medications for over 40 years that not only did not work but your symptoms kept worsening--what kind of medical professional would continue the same course of "treatment"?
 
I would recommend cognitive behavioral therapy with any drug, as well as meditation.

I've tried prozac, zoloft, paxil, celexa, wellbutrin, and am currently on the glorious selegiline. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are frequently the only drugs that work for the depression of many. These include selegiline (moai-b at lower doses) as well as nardil and parnate. If you've gone through four or so drugs that don't work anymore or have never worked I strongly suggest asking your doctor about one of these three. In my case it barely feels like I'm "on" something and I have a lot more energy and willingness to produce and live in the world. Good luck.
 
There are studies showing a/d's are much more efficient/effective with therapy. Most psychs here don't rx on the first visit.
I've tried a few SSRIs, none of which helped. I could still get erections but ejaculation and sex drive were out of the equation.
I manage to talk my doctor into not making me try a second SNRI, but I became "sexually depraved" on it. I was desperate for gratification and it was harder to attain, so I went to further lengths.
Then I tried Moclobemide, a RIMA. It had some affect, but it wasn't really helping me. After reading about a study with higher doses, I changed my dose from 600mg to 900mg but it wasn't doing it. I went up to 1.05g to 1.2g and even 1.5g but the overload of NE/SERT was very uncomfortable.
After that I tried Mirtazapine, a TeCA that acts as an NaSSA. Easily the worst I've tried, I became extremely lethargic and ate many more calories than I previously did (I'm already fat and apathetic about it, to show the effect)
It wasn't even a physical hunger or a mental craving, idk how to explain it. The main problem was the lethargy, I would be useless all day.
Then I tried combining moclobemide and mirtzapine out of desperation to no avail.

New studies have put Tianeptine on the top of my list once again, but it's not prescribed here.
Amineptine is unscheduled here, so there's always that option too I guess.

Going through the psychiatric system, I feel as my only option is Tranylcypromine. My last psych didn't feel comfortable prescribing it, and why would he when dextroamphetamine has a better TI/interactions/side effects? But oh no, you can't throw amphetamines at the depressed patient!! I would rather just order some 2-FA than fuck around with another psych, but it'd be smarter to import something that's not illegal first.


As for you OP, just do a bit of research and give things a good chance. Nobody in the world can tell you what you will respond to best.
 
When I was very depressed (though not my worst phase) I went to the doctor to defeat my depression and help me quit drugs.


I was first put on abilify and lamotragine (lamictal) along with klonopin and methylphenidate for always being fatigued(drug withdrawls and insomnia) and needed tonbe alert for school. Also ambien for sleep.

honestly abilify and lamotragine helped a lot. By a lot I mean I could actually stave off a lot ofnthe cravings and actually feel decent...

then I was put on lexapro. Shit was great. Really bees knees made me feel pretty good. Almost normal happy. But my dick didn't work. So he switched me to celexa. Libido went back up and still worked pretty well.

But eventually I got off all drugs. I eventually started hating the fact I was on these medications that change my brain...just my opinion but I didn't like it.

it definitely helped though foe the couple of years I took it though to this day to a certain extent I guess.
 
I have bipolar disorder and the depression side of it is a big problem for me and it get's 10 times worse in the winter. I found most anti-depressants to either have horrible side effects and not work or just not work at all. I have tried the SNRI venlafaxine, Mrtazapine which is a atypical anti-depressant that does not appear to act much as a reuptake inhibitor, amitriptyline which is a tricyclic that is basically a SNRI with anti-cholinergic side effects, wellbutrin and trimipramine which is another tricyclic anti-depressant that along with acting as a Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor also has some anti-psychotic properties. As for Venlafaxine aka Effexor all it did was cause really bad mania, make it very hard to eat, give me really shitty sexual side effects, constant headaches and give me the worst withdrawals from any drug I've taken. Good thing i was only on effexor a month and a half because i couldn't imagine coming off it after being on it at high doses for years. Mirtazapine didn't really do anything for me depression wise but it did increase my appetite alot which is a good thing for me when I'm depressed and it helped me get good sleep without leaving me feeling hungover or anything the next day. Amitriptyline worked great for my depression as well as being one of the best sleep aids I've ever taken. Too bad it crapped out after about 2 years of being on it :\ . Wellbutrin usually works good for me but sometimes i can do without the stimulant side effects that i sometimes get from it. Trimipramine seems to work pretty good for me but it has a reputation of being among the worst of the tricyclic anti-depressants for causing sedation. It doesn't cause bad sedative effects for me but it knocks some people right on their ass after only 12.5mg's and the usual anti-depressant dose is 50mg to 150mg's. Tricyclic's usually aren't used in treating bipolar due to the risk of Mania but i didnt find them to be any worse then the rest of the anti-depressants i tried.

I am also on lamotrigine (the only drug besides Lithium that's a true mood stabilizer that helps both the mania and depression though some atypical anti-psychotics seem to do this too) and seroquel to help control my bipolar and i have to say that they work pretty good against bipolar depression. The seroquel seems to be better at controlling the depression side of things then the manic side actually atleast for me. The only other anti-psychotic I've had that worked good for bipolar depression was zyprexa but unfortunately it's not covered for me and it costs a fortune so i am stuck with seroquel instead even though i get more side effects and it doesn't work as good as the zyprexa. Lamotrigine is also used as a add on to treat unipolar depression and so is Lithium. Seroquel is also used for this purpose either as a add on or by itself.

You have only tried 2 different meds yet so it's hardly time to even think about giving up. Since you got no luck from a SSRI and a NDRI maybe trying a tricyclic anti-depressant such as amitriptyline, Nortriptyline, Imipramine, Doxepin, Trimipramine, etc would help. I found the side effects from tricyclics to be far more tolerable then the side effects from newer anti-depressants. You have to put up with anti-cholinergic effects from most tricyclics such as drowsiness, dry mouth, sometimes constipation and a few others. Plus amitriptyline and Trimipramine both helped me get a good nights sleep.

MAOI's are generally used as a last resort but they are often effective when nothing else is. Parnate, Nardil, Selegiline (in low doses it's a selective MAO-B inhibitor and in high doses it's used in the Emsam transdermal patch which means you don't have to worry about the cheese effect), Moclobemide (which is a reversible MAO-A inhibitor thus it does not generally cause the hypertensive crises caused by Tyramine containing foods known as the cheese effect) among others are all still used when nothing else works.

The bottom line is that everyone reacts to medications and especially psychiatric medications differently so there is alot of trial and error. It took me a few years of trial and error to find the med combo that worked for me but as a rule unipolar depression is easier to treat depending on who you ask of course but atleast you don't have to worry about triggering mania
 
Shamefully inadequate, never helpful, often harmful has been my experience w/ TCA's, SSRI's, SNRI's, MAOI's, Emsam, etc;...and I've tried almost all of them over many decades of refractory major depression that never, ever lifts. Shrinks are frauds IMHO. Sorry if I have offended anyone.
 
I was on anti-depressants from 14-17 years old and honestly, I don't think they helped at all, I only stayed on them because I feared I'd get worse if I quit taking them. I'm glad I chose to stop cold turkey, I wouldn't suggest it to others because you can have a seizure but I was thankfully just fine. I was taking Effexor XR and Cymbalta daily before I quit and really, I feel like my mood improved after quitting them. I once even had what I'd consider a psychotic reaction while on them combined with heavy cannabis use and I tried actually killing myself, now tell me that the SSRI's helped me then, yeah right! I think that sometimes doctors prescribe anti-depressants to people who are suffering from depression but it's depression caused by shitty life situations, not by a lack of the right chemicals in the brain, I'm pretty sure that's what happened to me.
I think someone needs to start a thread about people who have taken anti-depressants and either had horrible side effects or they just didn't work and it'll be a list of all the misdiagnoses of depression that are made and the risks of taking them. I feel like it's one of the most over prescribed classes of drugs in the US and when prescribed to the wrong person, they can be really, really dangerous!
 
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