Anti-depressants?

[StrongerToday]

Hello. Just wondering if anyone had advice on anti-depressants and their side effects?

I went GFDF in August, and while it was not fun I did feel great. I was sleeping well, happy, making plans w/ friends etc. Ever since Thanksgiving I have not been doing great. While I fall asleep quickly, I wake around 4:30 and now am so anxious about it I can't get back to sleep. I've had a few stress issues come up (work related, and my daughter was very sick for a couple weeks) but those are mostly over and I'm still feeling very anxious.

I keep thinking if I could get some good sleep, I"d be ok again - but I admit I"ve been taking Xanax and Ambien at night and still not doing so well. I'm wondering if my next step is to consider an anti-depressant? I really don't want to take one - I am SO afraid of the side effects - but would like to hear other's thoughts.

Thanks!

[lovegrov]

It depends so much on the person.

I was having terrible anxiety attacks and depression after my daughter died not quite a year ago. Zoloft helped me become functional again and I've had no side effects that I know of. I've also had some counseling and try to exercise (something I need to do more of). As I approach the anniversary of her death I'm regressing some, but I expected that. Zoloft has been important for me, but these medications affect different people in different ways.

richard

[Canadian Karen]

Antidepressants have been a godsend for me personally, but I agree with Richard that it is different for every person. I have struggled with depression for a very long time, and have been taking anti-depressants for almost a decade now. This time of the year is absolutely brutal for me (from November to February) due to Seasonal Affective Disorder, and anti-depressants have changed my life and made it much more bearable during this time......

Hugs.

Karen

[jerseyangel]

It depends so much on the person.

I was having terrible anxiety attacks and depression after my daughter died not quite a year ago. Zoloft helped me become functional again and I've had no side effects that I know of. I've also had some counseling and try to exercise (something I need to do more of). As I approach the anniversary of her death I'm regressing some, but I expected that. Zoloft has been important for me, but these medications affect different people in different ways.

richard

Richard, Please accept my sincere condolances on hearing about the death of your daughter. I can not imagine what you have been through this year. Please know that my prayers and my thoughts are with you and your family.

[Guest missyflanders]

I currently take cymbalta and it has been wonderful for me. Before I was depressed and in a lot of physical pain from it. Now I don't hurt and am a much happier person. I have not noticed any side effects from it either. I have tried many others but this is the one that works best for me. Zoloft made me sleepy. Lexapro worked great for awhile and effexor just did not work for me.

I also exercise to help my mood and attend therapy on an as needed basis.

Missy

[Guest BERNESES]

Richard- I am so sorry to hear about your daughter. The one year anniversary is especially difficult. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

I have been on anti-depressants for over 15 years now and they have helped tremendously (actually, I would credit them with saving my life the first time I got depressed). But, like Richard said, it depends on the person. Each person reacts differently to different medications. My sister takes Lexapro and it makes me sick as a dog ( but I also have other friends on it and they LOVE it). If you feel as though your moods/sleep are affecting your life and it goes on for more than two weeks you should see a doctor. And in my opinion, you should see a psychiatrist. Many primary care doctors are more than willing to prescribe these medications, but because so little is known about the brain and how they actually work, it's best to see someone who has a lot of experience with these medications so they can figure out which one is right for you.

Other options to try, if you don't want to go that route yet, are fish oil (it has been proven to be good for heart and mood) and i've heard that SAM-e and St. John's Wort work well for some people, although I don't have any experience with them myself.

The side effects really vary with drug/person. I have literally no side effects whatsoever from the medication I'm on (Celexa). Really! It's hard to believe because I have had side effects from other ones I've tried, but this one has been really good for me. Keep us posted on how you're doing.

Best, Beverly

[StrongerToday]

Thanks for the responses. Richard, I am so sorry - I'm glad you're doing better now.

I did go the the dr., I've been dealing with this too long. He's started me on Paxil, took the first one last night. Now I'm just hoping I'm one of the lucky ones who don't feel too many side effects. I'm axious to get my anxiety over with (ha!)

Thanks...

[Guest BERNESES]

My brother-in-law took Paxil for anxiety and it worked wonders for him. He had no more anxiety and no weight gain or any side effects that he ever complained about. Keep posting and let us know about your progress. Best, Beverly

[StrongerToday]

My brother-in-law took Paxil for anxiety and it worked wonders for him. He had no more anxiety and no weight gain or any side effects that he ever complained about. Keep posting and let us know about your progress. Best, Beverly

Well, Paxil doesn't seem to be my friend... jitters, headache and I'm more sick to my stomach now then I ever was - including pregnancy! I called my dr who had my cut my dosage, but still no luck. So tomorrow I try Lexapro... I've heard good things about it... keep your fingers crossed!

[Mahee34]

The dr. put me on neurotrythipalyne...........definately not spelled right but i don't have the medicine near me to spell it correctly....it's a mild anti-depressant/anti-anxiety that they give to people for IBS...I've been having a lot of stomach issues as of late and he put me on it as a trial basis, so far so good....it even helps with my anxiety about going out and my obsession with having to know where a bathroom is at all times. i tell you what, with this disease you learn to have no shame......if i had a penny for every sketchy bathroom i've stopped at on road trips i'd be a rich person.

[floridanative]

One of my closest friends, my assistant and my sister are all on Lexapro. They all love it. No one has any side effects that they've complained about except my assistant says her sex drive is really low on it but her appetite is too which she likes. My doc likes natural remedies when possible so when I went off the pill and had horrible mood swings, I started on St. John's Wort. Well it did the trick along with some other supplements but if ever stops working, I'd go on Lexapro too. My doc actually read a recent study that she says shows that Lexapro is one of the safest SSRI's you can take.

Richard - please accept my sincere condolences regarding your loss. You're very strong to get through something like that.

[tarnalberry]

I agree - it depends on the person and why you're not doing well. Depression itself can be caused by a lot of things, and hence there are a number of different treatments. The gluten free diet may not be helping you at this point (with respect to depression - I'm not suggesting you go off it!), but you note that it was in November this happened, so I wonder if SAD (seasonal affective disorder) is a part of the problem here. A change in exercise habits, or even the situational pressure of extended following of the gluten-free diet could be problematic. It could be purely chemical as well, of course - either brain chemistry or vitamin/nutritional issues. While I would ordinarily suggest counseling (to help determine if this is more of a situational thing) to start with (along with regular moderate intensity exercise (which really is a chemical treatment, but a pretty natural one)), anti-depressants can help a lot of people.

I personally believe that GP's are far too eager to prescribe them without their patients properly being evaluated - they won't help everyone, and they've got enough side effects, they're not necessarily a good first-line attack for most people. But they have their place.

[BB22]

If you want to try this route. (anti-depressants) You have to be willing to try. The first or second might not be right, but if you double the third's dosage that might be just the ticket.

A doc doubled my dosage about 3 weeks ago. Gluten-free Casein-free & soy free + anti-depressants have changed my life. Now, that the pain has abated, perhaps I can address the rest of my life.

BB22

[Canadian Karen]

BB22,

It sounds like you are on the right track and that's very good news. There is no feeling quite like it in the world when you finally see that light at the end of the tunnel.

I have been on Prozac for almost a decade now. The last few years, a small dose of Wellbutrin has been added to restore a sexual desire that took a nosedive. It works.

Karen