Question about antidepressants...please answer

Ok, so I've done plenty of reading up on them and all, including erowid experiences, and I have a pretty good idea of what they do for you. But I would like some first hand info. I'm aware that they make it so that you don't get too hung up on unimportant issues, or feel depressed for no apparent reason and all that...but in your words, what would you say that antidepressants do for you? How do they make you feel? I think I may be a candidate for anxiety/depression problems. Either that, or bipolar because it seems that I can alternate between feeling great and confident, and ready to take on the world; and having feelings of despair like "nothing matters for shit" and having zero motivation to do the things I like...it sucks. I have taken xanax before and that helps with the anxiety I guess, but I'm thinking that maybe a good SSRI or something would cover all the bases. Thanks...

 

yeah man... lexapro has helped me tremendously in some areas, but it's not without it's downfalls as well. Still, it beats the terrible dreams i had on xanax every night for a while. SSRIs seem to be the best thing for depression, but anxiety is a questionable issue as it is, but that's why i'm on them in the first place. I was diagnosed as OCD a lil' while back, and they gave me lexapro, which helps me to "not care" but it effects me in other strange ways... it's kinda iffy, but i'm only on week 5 or 6

 

I was on Paxil for years. The only side effect I had was a VERY prolonged ejaculation time. Now I am on Lexapro, with no side effects.

SSRI's help me stay calm. They help me handle stress better, I don't get angry so fast, and I don't feel like life is so hopeless. I will take them for the rest of my life. I LOVE them, life is too short not to use every tool available, IMHO.

They kinda take the edge off. They allow you to make better decisions for yourself. They kinda un-cloud your brain...take away the fog. Does that make any sense?

They are GREAT for depression AND anxiety AND OCD, despite what the Flow says.
If you are truly bipolar, they can induce mania...SSRI's are generally used in bipolar patients, though, but in combination with other meds to help stabilize your mood.

 

Yeah gra that makes sense, about the "fog" deal. Sometimes I just feel like I'm not functioning anywhere near my total potential because of bullshit reasons, and I just can't help it usually.

So if I should decide to go on an anti-depressant, which would you most recomend? The lexapro? I don't want that "takes 2 hours to bust" side effect, and I've heard that about pretty much every antidepressant. So you don't get that w/the lexapro?

 

so what happened? Did you try an antidepressant?

 

Well I lost my job a couple months ago, so I don't currently have insurance. I'm at a new place right now, but it's probabably going to be a couple months or so before I can get insurance coverage...I'm assuming that I wouldn't be able to afford a prescription, would I most likely be right? Also, if I were to just pay cash money to a psychologist to get a script, would it just be a 1 time relatively small fee to get the prescription do you think?

 

You would have to see a Psychiatrist or family doc for a script. A family doc would be cheaper, especially if you are not a new patient. I would guess that a family doc office visit is about $65. They could probably give you samples of an antidepressant, though, at least for a few months. A script for an antidepressant, depending on what it is, how much you take, and where you get it, would be anywhere from $50 to $125 for an SSRI. Lexapro 10mg, 1 daily, #30, would probably be around $85, but, it is being heavily promoted, so your doctor should have tons of samples.

A psych appt for a new patient is probably $150.

Did you look into those web sites that offer an online consultation?

 

Yes I did...I can probably get a prescription for about the price you said, give or take. Possibly a bit cheaper, but I would have to look into it. I would probably feel better about just getting a legit script and visiting a pharmacy to get the meds though, as opposed to dealing through the internet and all. I think what I'd be most interested in is lexapro (this is one the best as far as side effects right), and if you say that 10mg a day is probably what I'd be taking, I can use that info to get an idea how much it will cost me.

 

I'm impressed that all of you had such great results wtih lexapro... it made me increadbly sick... As for Anti-depresants though... I dont know ive never had one that worked for me becasue since im bi-polar they make me increadbly manic... right now im not on anything but ive been on all sorts of ssr's and maoi's... Generally maoi's just make me numb and I would rather deal with bi-polar than not feel anything... as for being bipolar... you definatly need to see a shrink to diagnos that. but good luck and i hope you start feeling better and finding soemthing that works for you

 

Wellbutrin made me sick to my stomach. Prozac didn't do much. Zoloft did absolutely nothing. Paxil made me gain weight. So then they realized I was bipolar. I started taking lamictal, it helped some once they upped the dosage. I have to take sooo much medicine though, so I stopped taking it. I don't like medicine. I'm still supposed ot take it, though.

 

Im curious...what is it like to have a manic episode exactly?

 

I'll feel a lot better about myself, spend tons of money on nothing, sometimes lose weight or gain weight, go out and be really social, be a lot louder, that's what it is for me atleast, I do a lot of stupid stuff I regret thoughl

 

This is a pretty good explanation:

Mania describes a medical condition characterised by severely elevated mood. Mania is most usually associated with bipolar disorder, where episodes of mania alternate with episodes of depression. (Note: not all mania is bipolar disorder, other diseases can cause mania - however bipolar disorder is the 'classic' manic disease).


Hypomania refers to a less severe variant of mania, where there is less loss of control.


Symptoms


Although 'severely elevated mood' sounds pleasant, the actual experience of mania is usually unpleasant and sometimes frightening for the person involved, and may lead to behavior that they may regret later. It can also often be complicated by the sufferer's lack of insight into their condition leading to manic patients being some of the most belligerent patients to arrive in emergency rooms.


Other manic symptoms include irritability, reduced need of sleep, hypersexuality, religiosity, hyperactivity, talkativeness, flight-of-ideas, and grandiose plans. In manic and less severe, hypomanic cases, the afflicted person may engage in out of character behaviour such as questionable business transactions, wasteful expenditures of money, risky liaisons or highly vocal arguments they had not been known for previously, potentially creating great stress in existing personal relationships.

 

SSRIs can actually precipitate a manic episode in people who have Bi Polar. There are other drugs for Bi Polar, not SSRIs or traditional antidepressants. Robo, your condition is complicated, and you REALLY need a doctor, someone with an MD, to help you choose a medication that will be best for you.

Good luck.

 

Hey,

I took 10mg of Celexia a day for half a year. It helped me controling my outbursts, and everytime somthing little happend, I didnt get depressed over it. I still felt like shit in my life, but I didnt have an episode or a suicidal low.

 

I'm on 40mgs of Celexa a day and it works wonders. I used to have bad anxiety and depression and now I'm pretty much O.K...except for almost short bursts of bad depression and panic attacks rarely and that damn drymouth, but its way better than before. Maybe that'll help?