Medication

[Tirnanog]

I saw a new prescriber today (previous prescriber moved to New Zealand) and he prescribed the anti-depressant Effexor to treat my anxiety symptoms, OCD symptoms and mild depression. I was wondering if anyone else has tried/is taking this medication and if they wouldn't mind sharing their opinion/experience with it.

It took me a long time to try any medication because I felt like I needed to be responsible for changing my own behavior and not look for a pill to "fix me." I have a masters degree in special education and applied behavior analysis (applied behavior analysis or ABA is defined as "the science in which the principles of the analysis of behavior are applied systematically to improve socially significant behaviors" basically it is similar to behavior modification) I am a teacher and I have worked with kids with special needs, autism, developmental disabilities and behavior disorders and my job involved developing behavior plans to help some of these kids change or improve their behavior. I felt like I had the knowledge to change/improve my own behavior and it was frustrating the hell out of me that I couldn't. I could help to change or improve other people's behavior but not my own. I just couldn't get out of my own way (e.g. negative patterns of thinking and over analyzing everything.) It still frustrates me! :banghead:

Anyways, I finally tried celexa about two years ago (primary care physician prescribed it) and I can't say I noticed any significant change in the way I thought or felt.

This past summer was very difficult for me and I finally decided to try counseling (huge step for me.) My counselor connected me with a new prescriber/psychopharmacologist (the one who just moved to New Zealand) and she added Abilify which has worked okay for me (I am actually sleeping at night! I don't lie awake for hours replaying things in my head. I used to only sleep for 3-4 hours a night and now I am able to fall asleep at a decent time without tossing and turning and without as much obsessive thinking.) I was initially very reluctant about the Abilify (it is classified as an atypical anti-psychotic and just seemed a little heavy duty to me but it is often prescribed to make anti-depressants more effective) but now I am a little more comfortable with it. I was weened off the celexa and just took the abilify for the past couple of months. No difference without the celexa so I'm guessing the celexa wasn't all that helpful for me.

That prescriber moved to New Zealand and today I saw the new prescriber who picked up her caseload and he suggested I try Effexor. I am a little nervous to try another medication. I struggle with my weight as it is and don't want to deal with the possible side effect of weight gain (common with anti-depressants) or any other possible side effects. He also prescribed a higher dose of the Abilify but gave me permission to reduce it again if I felt like it was too strong or making me too "groggy." I am still not completely comfortable with taking medication. I definitely do not want this to be a long-term thing.

Anyone have any thoughts or similar experiences? Sorry this post was so long! I totally rambled!

 

[krystina]

Nope I only take Zoloft and I like it a lot.
Just try it and see how it works.
You might like it a lot.
The only side effect I have is getting really hot after taking it. I could go outside right now and I wouldn't be cold.
It only happens after I have taken it though.

 

[Sammie]

I had major problems with sweating while on Zoloft and still gave it over 6 months to see if it helped. That was years ago. Now, I'm on Prozac and Klonopin, and usually take Ativan at least once a day (it's PRN).

I'm going to post in a new thread about meds for sleeping. I haven't found one that works well without making me extremely tired during the day.

 

[Hlost]

Medications are truly a personal decision. I had a severe break down and they medicated me with everything they could throw at me, I was a walking zombie. I went off everything and I was bouncing off the walls, unable to sleep, eat, or stop moving around, I was a mess! It took me years to find a formula and be in a place where I felt ready to work on my issues. You are already working on your issues so you are in a MUCH better place than I was. I am not a dr but I would strongly suggest you do your homework on medications and what you think you are needing and why. Not being educated on them is like walking blind in a world of "let's over medicate the mentally ill". I don't mean to sound like doom's day, I'm just saying it's in your best interest to know your needs are and be in charge of your therapy, and hold your ground.

I found I do better on mood stabilizers than anti-depressants, for one thing I tend not to gain weight and another it's far easier to drop down on doses, which I'm in the process of doing. I used ADs for years with little to no help at all. I struggled with weight gain and withdrawals. I still found that in the end I had my break down. With the mood stabilizer, I'm on,Trileptal, I do much better and use Ativan only prn and usually to help me get to sleep at night with a small dose of Seroque. Eventually I'll see if I can go off my FM meds, which I'm cutting down at this time and I've already cut down my mood stabilizer by a daily dose. However, let me point out that even being on these medications I still have flashbacks, emotional flooding, and bouts of depression, I'm just not going into the hospital these days.

I'm telling you this not because I think what I take is right for everyone but because it works for me. I was taking a slightly higher dose when I was completely dissociated and all that dropped and I landed back in my body without a change in dose. So it was not the meds that kept me from reality, it was me. Make sense??

I hope this helps.

Hlost

 

[Sammie]

I responded to this but put it in a new thread. It was in response to what Hlost wrote but didn't fit with the general theme or what nsifib was originally talking about.

 

[kimba]

Just started generic Celexa. Real name I have a hard time with-Citalpram maybe? Anyway, only on day two but it keeps the anxiety from making me crazy. Very tired today after sleeping 101/2 hours last night-but I woke up a few times to write down dreams I'm finally having again. Real dreams of ordinary events like going to a dog show. No nightmares or weird/partial dreams for two nights now. Maybe I am lucky I am very sensitive to drugs. A couple of memories visited, but didn't stay.When memories come that cause anxiety, I feel it in my stomach, but it's like it doesn't get to my head to mess me up. I can look at it and not experience it. I know the anxiety is still there under the surface and I'll deal with it in therapy. I keep a daily journal too.

 

[jadebear]

I was prescribed effexor today by my GP for anxiety. I'm afraid to try it though. I was told(by my T) to never take another antidepressant because of the severe reaction I had last time I tried one. I don't know who to listen to.

My T wants me to try ambien, but I know one of the side effects is 'sleep driving'. I'm afraid to try that too because I already do weird things and walk in my sleep, I couldn't imagine adding something like that.

I'm not allowed xanax or klonopin because of abuse potential.....so I'm not exactly sure what I'm supposed to take.

 

[Nyx]

What reaction did you have when you tried anti-depressants? Have you ever tried mood stabilizers? From what I know they are good for anxiety too.

 

[jadebear]

Well I had hallucinations, became very suicidal, physically sick, and a whole list of horrible reactions. It was one of the worst experiences of my life. It lasted a week after stopping the med.

I haven't tried a mood stabilizer....yet.

 

[Nyx]

I take Carbamazepinum and it has helped me a lot. It's true I take it along with anti-depressants and that might be a huge plus. I'm sorry you're in such a dilemma. But my bielief is that you haven't found the right medication and you should try looking further.

The first time I was on antidepressants I was prescribed Bromazepam and Paroxetine and it was crazy for me too. I had hallucinations and was dizzy and sleepy all the time and at night I would go into states of deep confusion. But now I tried these other ones and haven't had a single side effect from them.

Do you have a psychiatrist you trust?

 

[cherryblossom]

Medication choices are totally individual.

Do you feel like you need a medication to help with your anxiety? Do you feel that your anxiety is so bad that you need medication?

If you do, then I would say, try it for a short while. But take serious attention to your mood, while you trial it.

The thing is, that everyone reacts differently to medication. I've tried numerous antidepressants - I'm still not convinced that any of them were particularly affective. But some I had bad physical reaction to, others were better tolerated.

I suppose, unless you try, you don't know. But equally, do you feel there is a need to try in the first place?

 

[zzxxzz]

I am taking Zoloft (depression) , Lamotrigine (mood stabilizers) and Xanax. The medications help take the edge off of things, but I still need to find the right medications for me. My negative intrusive thoughts have subsided. I think it you should try medications to help if nothing else is working for you/