Has anyone on here had positive experiences with antidepressants?

Vistaril, very short term for anxiety and tension.

Well, I got my prescription for Prozac today. Lowest dose.

I'm not going to start till after Christmas though cause I know the side effects might be bothersome for the first week or two.

Thx everyone for the advice and your experiences. I'll let you know how it goes.

I started on Effexor but my insurance wouldn’t pay for two pills per day and that’s what it took. My doctor switched me to Cymbalta. I have had no side effects from it. Shortly after I started on it approval for the treatment of Fibromyalgia was granted. It has help me tremendously. Good luck.

gershun - I am surprised that you hear nothing but bad reviews about antidepressant. Depending on what we are looking for we can find many different answers on the internet. One person's experience with a particular antidepressant does not guarantee the same experience for someone else. Have you googled "good results from antidepressant use"? My dd has tried several and is delighted with the combo she has now. She does not gain weight and feels much happier and less anxious than she has in years. It took a lot of time for her to arrive at the combo she has now. She gets her prescriptions from a psychiatrist who is better equipped to manage these meds than a GP. Re insomnia at one point he added a little elavil which counteracted the insomnia well. Dd reports her reactions to the meds and then she and the doc work out what is best for her.

I gather from your post you don't have much confidence in your doctor. Perhaps trying a different one would help. I don't think any dr is just going to throw a pill at you, For any patient, finding the right anti-d is a trial and error process. Every anti-d, indeed every medication, has negative side effects. That's life.

I am delighted with the anti-d I am on which deals with fibromyalgia pain and also has a very slight anti-d effect. At this low dose I don't have problems with side effects.

Wishing you the best results for your current search.
I have much sympathy for you and your ongoing depression and anxiety. Prayers for a good solution. ((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))

I have been on Effexor with fine results. From reading responses here it sounds as though Elavil would help with migraines and sleep both of which I can have issues with at times. However a doctor I saw yesterday said weight gain was a more likely side effect. Does anyone who might have used this medication know of that as a significant side effect? The doctor I saw yesterday felt it was a more significant effect than Effexor causing possible same. Thanks for any input.

Dear Gershun, I'm sad to see that you see "toughing it out" as an option when there is help available. Unfortunately, it appears that people react differently to the different antidepressants. I've read that there's some research being done to try to figure out how to tailor the choice of antidepressant to the patient, but I don't know anything more about that. I did read somewhere that it takes the average (depressed) person four tries to find one that works, which is kind of a painful process since they take so long to kick in. According to my nurse practitioner, nobody knows why it takes so long for the SSRIs to take effect since the brain is immediately flooded with serotonin. She pointed out that someone could become very wealthy by designing an antidepressant that works immediately! One reason I don't want to stop the zoloft is because going back on it was such a horrible process. It does make me realize that I must have been VERY sick to be willing to go through that.

Yes I started Zoloft 8 weeks ago . I feel so much better, I am thinking more clearly, sleeping much better , not forgetting things as easily. My anxiety is completely gone I was having anxiety everyday. I have tried many antidepressants over the years , al of them had terrible side effects on me. I am so happy I started taking Zoloft

Dear Gershun...
I am a living miracle. I am an empath intuitive and was on 325 mgs of Effexor for more than 10 years. Oh... the weight gain! Fast forward to June 2019. Life was going really wonky... work, looking after my mom, my living situation. I found a wonderful new doctor! What a god send! I had read long ago on another forum that a woman successfully got off the Effexor, bead by bead and then transitioned to Prozac. So, I talked to my doctor and he guided me. Over a period of time, I was released from the clutches of Effexor and am now living beautifully with only 40 mgs of prozac a day. I dropped 25 pounds! I am an intuitive who meditates and lives a very conscious lifestyle. Another helpful component during all this, is that I also took cannabis. It is legal here in Canada. I floated effortlessly through all the storms at that time and found such deep insight during my meditations. What a huge miracle! Now I am helping others do the same. I send you love and light. Bless you!

Send, I don't have OCD as far as I know, just some depression and anxiety.

Recently trying Viibryd. So far so good. It has helped with my adjustment to my mother’s dementia and rage periods. Although she is not living with us, we are in the same retirement village. So, it’s hard to remove myself sometimes.

Zoloft is said to be good for OCD symptoms, but I would check that out with your doctor.

Thx so much you guys! I truly am grateful for these responses. My dr.'s appt is on Wed. and I still am not sure what to ask, to do etc.

I don't have health insurance and although we do have government healthcare here I don't think it covers psychiatric care. So while I agree it would be better to be prescribed something by a psychiatrist it may not be a viable option.

I'm still undecided about the antidepressant but you've all given me food for thought.

By the way, I did try the ashwagandha and it was sort of helping but then I noticed it was causing blurry vision so I stopped it and the blurriness stopped so it was definitely that.

Anyways, I've got to think about this more and make a decision one way or the other whether I try another pill or keep toughing it out on my own. I've been praying about it. God will give me the answer.😊

Should also report that I haven't had insomnia for many years. I sleep like a rock. I used to get up in the night to pee several times, but now even if I wake up I don't care & just roll over & go back to sleep. I attribute this to the Zoloft (it's an anxiety reducer as well as an antidepressant--in my case the depression and anxiety go hand in hand).

2003 severe major depressive disorder episode. Started on 10 mg Lexapro & experienced severe mood swings--terrible anxiety in the mornings & euphoria in the evenings. Dr. switched to Zoloft (sertraline). Started at 25 mg. Increased by 25 mg every few weeks, each new dose created morning anxiety which subsided in a few weeks. At 75 mg had a sudden moment of feeling OK, knew it was beginning to work. Stabilized at 100 mg. No negative side effects. Very weird to feel "okay". Meanwhile cognitive therapy w/good therapist, don't see how I could have gotten better without therapy. Ok by 6 months. Took for a year & a half. Decided to see if I could go off it. Decreased by 25 mg once a year. At 50 mg I recall saying to my husband "I think I have more access to negative emotions". To 25, then to zero. Within a few months (2007) had gone into another severe episode of MDD with extreme anxiety. Went back on Zoloft, anxiety increased at first, up to 200 mg, started grinding my teeth and shaking, backed off to 100 mg, Dr. prescribed Valium for insomnia, took small dose at bedtime for a few months, which made it possible to sleep for a few hours at night, Zoloft began to kick in, withdrew slowly from Valium. This was in 2008. Now on 100 mg Zoloft. The tooth-grinding was solved with a dentist's designing a "deprogrammer" appliance but not before I broke a tooth. I'm aware of a certain tendency to tap my foot or some such rhythmic action at times which I ascribe to the Zoloft but I have no intention of even considering stopping it while I'm a dementia caregiver! I can tell that it keeps me from falling into a real depression, because my thoughts still start to want to go there, but it's not so compelling. I'm very grateful for it. Before the actual diagnosis I'd been falling into a black hole for a long time without even considering that there might be pharmaceutical help. Please note that depression is also a big threat to your health & increases the risk of developing dementia, among other things (like suicide).

Everyone has different reactions. But I've been on Zoloft for six months and have, to my awareness, no side effects.

As others have said, individual reactions to antidepressants vary so much that it’s like asking someone to recommend a perfume or underwear for you! The DNA testing can point a psychiatrist in the right direction, but even that is not perfect.

Unfortunately, they are not fast acting so trial and error can take months and be very frustrating. Don’t give up, though. Once you find one that works, it can be a life changer.

Make sure you are working with a psychiatrist or a neurologist who knows pharmacology. Don’t be like my sister who got her prescription from her OB/GYN!

Good luck!

I have been taking Prozac successfully for many years. I also take Wellbutrin to boost its effectiveness. I have Major Depression which is mostly under control with the above medication. Although, it wasn't until I started on brand name thyroid pills that I felt much better. The generic didn't work for me, which I found out after years of being on it. This was a common reaction for many people in my family. I take my medication not only for me but for my family's sake. Quality of life does matter and how my illness effects my loved ones matters equally. I understand your concerns about weight gain but and maybe other side effects but how I function matters more. Pray about it to the Great Physician in any case. Don't give up.

I’ve tried many meds for bipolar depression but most recently have mbeen maintained on bupropion and aripiprazole. I also take oxcarbazepine but that’s a mood stabilizer.

I had “baby blues” after my 3rd child was born and went on a low dose of an older antidepressant. It really helped me to get out of the pit! After I began feeling better (probably nearly 2 years on it), I asked my family physician to help me wean off the medication, which I did. So far, I haven’t needed to go back on any medication, but if I ever did, I would be willing to do so.

My mom was on a low-dose, older generation antidepressant in the last years of her life. She had struggled with depression for much of her adult life, but I think she was too ashamed to let her doctor know. Once she was diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I had a discussion with her medical doctor and we determined it would benefit her to be on a low-dose, daily medication. I don’t recall the name of the medication since that was more than 8 years ago.

After my mom passed away, my dad was feeling overwhelmed and depressed. He had lost everything—his wife, his home, and his independence. He had been diagnosed with Prostate cancer that had spread to his kidney and bones. Because he could no longer drive, his doctor encouraged him to move into Assisted Living and then shortly thereafter, he ended up in full-fledged nursing care. The antidepressant was used probably less than a year, but it did help him when he was at his lowest time. Dad remained sweet and kind to all of his nurses and the staff of the nursing home, and when he passed, they genuinely missed him.

Antidepressants aren’t for everyone, and may be over prescribed; however, they are for some folks and sometimes for short duration and other times for a longer duration. You and your doctor may have to work on finding the right medication at the right dosage. Once you start feeling better, I always encourage people to reach out to others and help them with their needs. Getting out of ourselves is important and gives us something better to live for.

When I started Menopause, I learned that Cashews will help with depression - as few as 6 whole cashews will bring me back to happiness.

I refused to go onto anything prescribed without at least trying something natural and was advised to use Ashwagandha and I have been using it for over a year and almost never feel any depression and very little stress. Gaia was the brand recommended to me, but there are a lot of brands of Ashwagandha available. I was being awakened hourly by my DH to assist him in voiding, and the Ashwagandha allowed me to return to sleep and to awaken feeling rested.

Prescription drugs might be cheaper, but I worry about the side-effects and I suffer none with the Ashwagandha and the only side-effect with Cashews is I have trouble stopping at only 6. 😀😂

Yes, I have been very happy with my anti-depressant and my mother has done much better with hers. There are so many different medications. It was hard to accept the fact that the medications err needed, but then I thought about it as something my body needed - like insulin. If we give the body what it needs the person living in the body is usually happier and healthier.

I have been taking Cymbalta for many years and have not have any side effects. Cymbalta has the benefit of relieving chronic pain also. If you notice depressive symptoms are exacerbated in the winter months, seasonal affective disorder may be a factor. An artificial light mimicking sunlight is quite beneficial. Non pharmacological interventions such as exercise help too. Good luck.

Had a so-so experience with Lexapro. 10 mg did nothing. 20 mg re-set my negative thoughts, rumination and despair.

Lexapro also brought calmness. As others have noted - too much calm. Lackadaisical spells at work. Paying bills late for no reason. Housekeeping took a nosedive. Etc.

Lexapro immediately killed my libido. Zero desire. Zero orgasms.

My Lexapro weight gain was steady and unacceptable. With no change in lifestyle or eating habits, I gained 35-40 lbs. (I’m short. On my frame, this was dramatic.) No amount of diet modification or exercise made a dent.

So yeah, Lexapro mitigated my depression. A long time coming. 20+ years of “toughing out” my bleak, low-function spells. Then came a cluster of all-at-once life changes that made “toughing it out” ineffective and impossible. So I finally sought help.

Over time, my treatment became my problem.

Two years into the Lexapro, my asexual fat slob persona was a price I was no longer willing to pay.

After an in-depth consultation with my doctor, I switched from Lexapro to Wellbutrin. The change was amazing.

Altho - discontinuing Lexapro triggered the “brain zaps.” Yes, they are real. If I hadn’t educated myself about Lexapro withdrawal, the “zaps” would have scared the sh*t out of me. Instead, it was just a weirdness that I learned to live with for a month or so.

Initially, Wellbutrin made me a bit amped-up and agitated. It also increased my focus at work - which was welcome and immediately rewarding.

After a couple of weeks, I realized that Wellbutrin had increased my sensitivity to caffeine. My lifelong normal of 4 or 5 cups of coffee per day was now too much for my system. I tapered to 1 cup per day (1st thing in the a.m.) and the agitation subsided.

My extra weight did not magically come off. BUT with Wellbutrin, my body was able to respond appropriately to weight-loss efforts. Over time, I worked down to my original weight.

Wellbutrin made me so..... normal! Normal mood. Normal motivation. Normal metabolism. Normal libido. 😃

I had typical (manageable) ups and downs. Low points, for sure. That’s life. Wellbutrin kept me from sliding into the pit of despair too deeply. Or for too long.

I went off Wellbutrin for a few years. Because I felt so good, bla bla bla. I was able to self-manage my emotions — until caregiving kicked my azz.

Back on the Wellbutrin for 5+ years now. I have no intention of discontinuing.

Well, that’s my story!

I have family members on different antidepressants who have very limited side effects. The key is finding the one that is right for you. Don’t give up because untreated depression can cause many more bad symptoms than a medication that fits you will. Two have done well on Wellbutrin for a long time ( sp?) , I don’t recall what the other one takes but it’s like any other med, they all have side effects so you need to use the one best for you personally. Don’t go to a PCP, go to a psychiatrist.

My doctor prescribed a low dose (300 mg once a day) of Bupropion and it seemed like something just “clicked into place” in my brain. It keeps me out of the pit of negativity and if I forget it one morning, by noon I know what I’ve done and take it before I slide any further. I think it is for combined depression with anxiety. My depression is pretty mild compared to many, but it’s still strong enough to take over if I don’t counter it with the Bupropion. It’s my little ally in the fight to not drown in the helplessness and despair caregiving often generates.

My husband takes sertraline which has helped with no side effects. I use St. John’s Wort but not for long length of time. If you try it make sure you ask your pharmacist our dr. gave my husband permission to try it. I asked the pharmacist and she said no it would mess up the prescription medicine he was taking. Good luck!
DL

Have used Prozac for many years. No side effects. Twice tried reducing dosage with doc's okay, but the black cloak of depression quickly came back. In my mind, Prosac keeps me "normal" and I view my situation as a chemical imbalance. It helped me immediately when I first started taking it. Did not have to wait weeks to feel better.

Then, just this year, I started having bouts of major sadness. Doc added a small dose of generic Welbutrin. The combination works wonderfully.

I have been on Citalopram for some years now (CELEXA). I have literally NO side effects and it has really helped me. I take it in the evenings. I don't recommend Zoloft; had to go off of it because I couldn't sleep.

I was on Lexapro once due to PTSD and anxiety from a car accident and I never noticed a weight gain but then I’ve always exercised. By the way, exercise in itself is recommended for depression. So I don’t know if you do any form of it, but you should...even walking is helpful.
a friend of mine takes Cymbalta and she said it really helped with her dark thoughts. My dad is on it now and I can tell a difference from when he was on Celexa and before that he was on Zoloft.

I was on Prozac for a few months. Can't say they helped much if any so, we discontinued them