anti depressants

[Lotus]

after simply tossing the various brands of anti depressants my psychs been trying to get me on for the past 4 yrs I decided fuck it i'll give them a shot for once. its called celexa or citalopram hbr. I started today with 20mg but i'm supposed to take 40mg after 7 days. the reviews of side effects scare me. I am also prescribed 4x 1mg xanax a day and 3x 30mg adderall ir a day. can anyone with experience with anti depressants give me some advice. i'm nervous about the weight gain and losing my sex drive.

or maybe we can exchange numbers cause I need someone to talk to. thanks much love

[Gilly]

Celexa actually helped me when I was getting out of drug rehab and super lost in life, it's not a super miracle happy drug, it gave me just the little teeny tiny extra edge to get out of bed and not feel hopeless about my future; interestingly enough, I have to credit it with helping me lay the base for the optimism I have derived from non-college-career-path life. This is really saying something considering I have been on everything from Wellbutrin to lithium carbonate and various cocktails of antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, and antidepressants in between, which did nothing but make me feel numb and hold a paper sheet just far enough above my smoldering angst, and have been diagnosed at one point or another with a good chunk of the mood disorders in the DSM.

I have talked to one other person who took it, who says it was the only psych drug that ever worked at all for her.

Can't hurt to try.

[anndelise]

after simply tossing the various brands of anti depressants my psychs been trying to get me on for the past 4 yrs I decided fuck it i'll give them a shot for once. its called celexa or citalopram hbr. I started today with 20mg but i'm supposed to take 40mg after 7 days. the reviews of side effects scare me. I am also prescribed 4x 1mg xanax a day and 3x 30mg adderall ir a day. can anyone with experience with anti depressants give me some advice. i'm nervous about the weight gain and losing my sex drive.

or maybe we can exchange numbers cause I need someone to talk to. thanks much love

When the dr asked if you do recreational drugs, did you answer honestly?
Does s/he know which drugs you partake in?
One of the things that annoys psychiatrists and drs is when they are expected to consider the interactions between drugs, and how a drug might influence the person's system for creating benefits...is when the patient lies about the other drugs that might negatively impact the prescription and/or their efforts to help the patient.

[Hot Scalding Gayser]

I've been on so many pills. Nothing worked for me. But that was in the late 90s/early 00s and so maybe they are better now. I wish they had a pill for social anxiety though, it sux. I've tried exposure therapy/'getting used to it' but I'm still bothered by social situations. I 'know' to take people's advice on the subject but something in my brain doesn't know how. They really should fix this genetically somehow...

[Gilly]

I've been on so many pills. Nothing worked for me. But that was in the late 90s/early 00s and so maybe they are better now. I wish they had a pill for social anxiety though, it sux. I've tried exposure therapy/'getting used to it' but I'm still bothered by social situations. I 'know' to take people's advice on the subject but something in my brain doesn't know how. They really should fix this genetically somehow...

lol you should hang with me

[Pookie]

Adderall will pretty much ensure that you won't experience much weight gain. Xanax sort of has the opposite effect of Adderall in away, Adderall gets you moving and Xanax makes you a bit lethargic. So it's weird to me that they would cross-prescribe them. Adderall before work and Xanax afterwards might help make the best of their natural effects, and possibly diminish the lessened sex drive attributable to adderall. Since you know, you'll be working and not sexing at that time anyway.

I dont have experience with the others, but good luck.

[jessica129]

Just about any substance you put into your body will effect your sex life. Antidepressants just made me a mess...I don't think they got my dosage right or something but I lost a lot of weight, never slept and had very bad anxiety on them. But yeah, adderall should keep your appetite in check. I know when I take it, the thought of food makes me sick but I'm sure you know that already. I was considering trying going back on benzos again as my anxiety has been thru the roof lately. Just know the withdrawal from these pills is potentially extremely hellish. It's awful. Have you ever tried natural things?

[Beautiful sky]

or maybe we can exchange numbers cause I need someone to talk to. thanks much love

I won't take them again. I started taking them when I was in college after my dad had a heart attack and had surgery. I had to take care of him for several weeks and I got really depressed. Zoloft gave me increased sex drive, but I switched to other brands so that side effect want away rather quickly and the other ones caused unfavorable things, so eventually, I stopped because none of them worked and started making me much worse than I was on them.

[ScarlettLux]

I'm actually on 40mg of Celexa and have been on it for about 5 years now... started at 20mg, went up to 40mg 2 years ago and to be honest, I think it's helped quite a lot. Message me if you want to talk more Allie

[jessica129]

Yeah the majority of everyone I know has been prescribed something, it's ridiculous.

[Saberstorm]

Oh my god guys. Are there any Americans on this forum who haven't been prescribed psych meds? I've heard about antidepressant overprescription in the US, but didn't expect it to be this extreme... culture shock moment for me.

If you even mention any (and I mean any) difficulty that you are having with any (and I mean any) form of behavior to an American medical doctor they will prescribe you an anti-depressant. Insomnia = anti-depressant, difficulty thinking = anti-depressant. Talk to an American doctor, you get drugs ASAP.

[Simon Ssmall]

Oh my god guys. Are there any Americans on this forum who haven't been prescribed psych meds? I've heard about antidepressant overprescription in the US, but didn't expect it to be this extreme... culture shock moment for me.

Yeh, it always makes me feel uneasy when I see how many people get prescribed these. Here you really have to be fucked up to get something prescribed.

[FDG]

Jesus christ, that looks like a load of stuff to be on. What's the purpose of combining speed and xanax?

[Saberstorm]

The celexa takes the edge off the adderall.

[jessica129]

Jesus christ, that looks like a load of stuff to be on. What's the purpose of combining speed and xanax?

I was sort of thinking the same thing but I guess for people who actually have ADD, maybe it doesn't act like speed? I dunno...it just seems really dangerous to me to combine and upper and a downer like that. At one point, had I actually listened to my doctor, I would've been on an anti depressant, a tranquilizer AND sleeping pills...when I voiced concern over that, its like they look at you like you're overreacting and that it's completely fine. But ever since that heath ledger thing, I gave up on all that stuff lol.
When you actually stop and look at all the chemicals you're putting into your body, it's just not good.

[Pookie]

Oh my god guys. Are there any Americans on this forum who haven't been prescribed psych meds? I've heard about antidepressant overprescription in the US, but didn't expect it to be this extreme... culture shock moment for me.

i definitely wasnt prescibed any of the drugs i've taken.

[FDG]

The celexa takes the edge off the adderall.

Okay, but what's the point then? Given that our brain is "aimed" towards homehostasis, combining such chemicals just seems like a good way to screw up your brain chemistry pretty much...forever.

[Gravolez]

Lol, in capitalist America drugs take you.

[Gilly]

Okay, but what's the point then? Given that our brain is "aimed" towards homehostasis, combining such chemicals just seems like a good way to screw up your brain chemistry pretty much...forever.

Except that it helps some people.

Our brains don't need to be "homeostatic." Plenty of people take drugs every day and are high-functioning and happy and healthy.

[FDG]

Except that it helps some people.

Our brains don't need to be "homeostatic." Plenty of people take drugs every day and are high-functioning and happy and healthy.

I was talking about a big combo of drugs, not just something specific.

[Gilly]

I was talking about a big combo of drugs, not just something specific.

Well for example I know plenty of people who have healthy active lifestyles despite consuming caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol/THC daily

[Roro]

Oh my god guys. Are there any Americans on this forum who haven't been prescribed psych meds? I've heard about antidepressant overprescription in the US, but didn't expect it to be this extreme... culture shock moment for me.

I have never. Then again, I also refuse to admit that I'm feeling bad most of the time, and refuse to go to the doctor. I feel like, for the most part, I can handle my own problems if I try hard enough.

[Gravolez]

Here it's the opposite of what's in the USA. People with problems refuse to accept that they need medical help because they'd be labelled insane.

[FDG]

It's a complementary synergy—Xanax inhibits the negative β-adrenergic side effects of Adderall (jitters, etc), so you basically get the same focus/motivation sans anxiety.

Ah, I see now, makes sense, thanks.

Well for example I know plenty of people who have healthy active lifestyles despite consuming caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol/THC daily

Yeah, of course. However say Xanax is stronger than the typical doses of caffeine-nicotine-alcohol-THC etc.

[Creepy-pokeball]

I think we are using a lot of broad terms here, for which do not always relate.

With that said, we have went from a social taboo to a social norm, which I think stems from having such a strong public system to aid in social control.

[Gilly]

Ah, I see now, makes sense, thanks.



Yeah, of course. However say Xanax is stronger than the typical doses of caffeine-nicotine-alcohol-THC etc.

Eh...depends on the type of alcohol or THC, lol...I mean yeah xanax is pretty potent, but to someone who doesn't smoke, so is a couple tokes of really super skunk ass weed. In fact it can be stronger, enough to make you pass out, puke, hallucinate, have a panic attack...shall I go on?

And yet even many regular people, professionals, working class, corporate, etc do this along with liquid speed aka caffeine, and nicotine on a daily basis, and have zero problems.

[Capitalist Pig]

Oh my god guys. Are there any Americans on this forum who haven't been prescribed psych meds?

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

[Creepy-bg]

i've never been prescribed psych meds, although i'm sure they'd want to now. I was actually one of the few people who didn't get them in rehab (so I guess I was pretty normal at 17 (or I was better at faking it)).

[Lotus]

wow thanks for all the feedback. @ def: xactly what ashton said. adderall makes me anxious and my heart races so I need xanax to focus better on it or I get distracted by the need to chain smoke and it helps me come down and actually sleep

it's day 2 now. already feeling strange side effects but i'll.give it some time. I can't stop yawning, my head feels weird, as well as some nausea. I took a xanax and drank a 24oz yuengling and that took the edge off a bit. I havnt taken adderall, it's more of an as needed thing for me.

[Codie]

I started taking omega 3 fish oil supplements in Febuary at quite a medium dose (1-2g per day) for a month and it was literally like a dark cloud went away. I've been doing geat since and I only took one bottle. I don't know if it would have the same effects for you depending on your level of depression & circumstances but it's sure worth a go. I was thinking about going on meds but I was very weary of the side effects so I decided to try out omega-3 first because I read up on it... super good for you and helps regulate seratonin (I dunno the chemistry behind that).

[Saberstorm]

I started taking omega 3 fish oil supplements in Febuary at quite a medium dose (1-2g per day) for a month and it was literally like a dark cloud went away. I've been doing geat since and I only took one bottle. I don't know if it would have the same effects for you depending on your level of depression & circumstances but it's sure worth a go. I was thinking about going on meds but I was very weary of the side effects so I decided to try out omega-3 first because I read up on it... super good for you and helps regulate seratonin (I dunno the chemistry behind that).

Chia Seed Oil does the same, but is less likely to go rancid on the shelf, and you need only one pill per day, and if you burp, your breath does not smell like fish!!!

[Codie]

Chia Seed Oil does the same, but is less likely to go rancid on the shelf, and you need only one pill per day, and if you burp, your breath does not smell like fish!!!

Chia Seed only contains ALA which is converted to EPA and DHA in very small amounts by the body... no it's not half as effective as fish oil in treating depression, which they now sell with lemon flavour aswell. Nordic Naturals is the best brand.

[Lotus]

the thing is, I don't feel like i'm depressed. I feel anxiety but I believe I have the ability to handle it. I just work a lot and keep busy an it goes away. I am only dpimg this because so many psychs have said they think I have depression despite me telling them i'm happy. plus I get really dizzy when i'm asked questions about my past and I can't see or remember where I am so I guess i'm repressing something.

it must be buried deep or something cause not even spiritual drugs like acid, chroma, or dmt bring it out of me. i'm too in control, so I figured I didnt need pills

[Pookie]

There are monetary incentives to get you on pharmaceuticals.

[marooned]

I actually do have Major Depressive Disorder and wondering whether or not one is depressed or if how one feels actually is depressed and those kinds of questions seem odd to me because my experiences with depression are this total engulfing black hole and there is little question what the black hole is and how it feels. It's also very debilitating and so is noticeable in the sense of not being able to accomplish things, get up, leave the house, so on. The only problem that may affect my ability to realize it's depression is that I may not notice at first that my mood has been distorted as I perceive through it (however this has now happened enough times that I'm pretty quick to pick up on the signs).

Anyway I remember when I watched this program (http://www.pbs.org/thisemotionallife/) I found it very relateable regarding my own experiences with depression. I intuitively see my own depression as indeed a brain disease and based on my own experiences would agree that the longer it goes on (isn't kept on top of) the more actual real damage is occurring in the brain (it's degenerative). When I was a teenager when I first encountered the black hole, it was mainly mood related... but now it is also related to mental functioning, concentration, memory, ability to carry out detailed tasks and so on.

It also makes intuitive sense to me that the feeling of the black hole may be how it feels as damage is being done in the brain... and that when I was first put on meds the bright feeling where I felt I was coming back to life probably accompanied brain cell birth. Anyway it could turn out this isn't true, but it makes sense to me.

I personally think that meds are very helpful for debilitating depression, though by themselves they will probably not be a long term solution. But when it gets to the point where you flat out cannot function, unless someone is there with you to make you do things that will eventually benefit your brain, meds are a way to restore functionality. I first started taking them after my first experience with debilitating depression because I didn't want to flunk out of school/ruin my GPA. I couldn't focus and I felt so down that I couldn't get my school work done. And I think that this sounds like something simple unless you've actually experienced it. I also know that my dad suffered from severe and untreated depression and although I can't know precisely what he felt, I'm pretty sure it was quite similar to how I feel off meds. If he had taken an effective antidepressant consistently it very well might have saved his life.

The way I see these meds is that they can knock you back on track, but then you must do work. It's like any other mental disorder in that you are simply more sensitive to things bringing it on again and you have to be careful not to fall back in. I have done a bad job at this.

Edit: The other thing I forgot to mention regarding long term med use is that I don't think it's all pluses. I suspect that there are negative consequences. I take sertraline and I'm pretty sure it creates problems of its own in the long run. But I don't actually know anything that would back that up. It is though a really strong suspicion. It's a goal of mine to eventually get off of it, if possible. I think that exercising would help me get off of it if I would just do it.

[Raver]

I found that fish oil in combination with ginkgo biloba really helped my anxiety and depression. It was like night and day.

Apparently combining the two is a bad idea as it can cause internal bleeding at least according to the fine print in the gingko bilboa bottles I have read. I've taken both by themselves though and they both work great, but if I had to choose though I'd say the fish oil is superior. I prefer to combine vitamin D and fish oil and they work pretty well in tandem.

Anyways, the best anti-depressant for me has been exercise as it quickly brings up my mood to a good level for the rest of the day and meditation added in makes it even more effective. I've personally never taken any medication ever as I've found natural alternatives worked for me. I'm sure for some people it might be necessary to take pills, but I think generally most people are over prescribed medications, which natural remedies should be able to take care of effectively.

[Bardia]

If you don't feel depressed, don't listen to some doctor. Go through the criteria Herenowthis posted if you need some help figuring out if you are depressed or not. If you are going to be taking the antidepressant and other prescription drugs you need to stop with recreational drug usage that could be fucking up your neurochemical balance. Drinking alcohol and taking antidepressants is a bad idea, it has a warning label on the bottle for a reason. I don't know what your current drug usage is but before diagnosing someone with a mental disorder you always want to get them clean off of every substance for a while to make sure the symptoms aren't substance induced.

I was prescribed an SSRI for anxiety but it made me feel worse in so many ways that I threw it away after a week and a half and I haven't tried another one since. I take holy basil everyday and them helps a bit. It's not like I never feel any anxiety anymore but it helps. Like Ashton said, therapy might be a good tool for you from what it sounds like.

[Lotus]

I gave up in therapy when therapy gave up on me. I thought I was getting somewhere with one guy but during the second session he kept pushing for me to end it early because he said it was clear I had a lot of things going on in my life and he didn't want to keep me and said I should probably go back to class and immediately referred me to a different psych that would be "better" for me. of course I felt like shit and too fucked up to handle so I never went back.

as far as other drugs go, lately it's only been pot, multivitamins, birth control, occasionally lsd and coke once in a blue moon. I haven't done much else as I work A LOT and I prioritize that first.

it's just that major depression runs in my mothers side of my family and it's be naive to think i'm the only lucky one I guess. my sister can't leave the house. my mom has been on celexa since her dad died 3 yrs ago, her sister also cang leave.the house and no longer speaks to anyone in the family.

I was in the hospital in and out several times last month and saw multiple doctors for this severe pain in the right side of my body from my chest, under my ribs, and occasionally it went down. to my hip. I had a white blood.cell count triple the avg. count but other than that they found nothing. sometimes it got so severe I couldn't move out of bed i'd be sobbing cause breathing hurt so bad. they pumped me full of morphine and dilaudid and antibiotics. tests for sti's and hiv were all negative so they couldn't figure out what mysterious infection my body was fighting. one doctor thought it might be stress that was killing me. I astarted taking the benzos again regularly and the pain stopped. but my doctor said benzos are.only a bandaid for anxiety, hence why i'm trying this celexa shit now.
I feel like a mess. it's day 3 all I wanna.do is sleep thru the day until work at 6pm tonightht. my brain feels weird I don't know what to do with myself constant headaches etc. I need xanax and a beer to make me feel sonewgate normal. but then I just get sleepy. last night I wanted to go out but realized in this state I can't imagine what joy could feel like so I didn't bother

[blackburry]

I get really really bad chest pain on my right side when I'm beyond stressed out. I feel like I'm actually having a heart attack. I could be feeling fine...but I was probably really stressed out a few days before or a few moments before.
I've had chest xrays, stress tests, etc and my heart and lungs are fine..it's just stress (my white blood count was raised as well), so pretty much. I deal and try to put everything in perspective: it's not *that* big of a deal. and most of the time i was stressed at work b/c they run me like a dog sometimes and the patients are annoying as shit. and drama with the ex caused horrible anxiety. but I refuse to take anything. since I don't feel like I actually need anything, I'm not depressed I just get stressed out once in a while, but fuck yeah it seems like a lot of people here are on meds. I workout, write stuff down, sleep when I'm feeling really bad, and fuck, if it's a really bad day I work, I walk off the floor and come back in 30 minutes.

You're home life sucks and that's gotta add a ton of pressure. I give myself routines to do when I'm super super stressed, organizing or doodling to let my mind kinda roam free and vent to whoever's around.

I'm here to talk too if ya need it.

[Lotus]

I really appreciate that, thanks. but damn it sounds like we experienced the same thing. if stress internalizes into severe pain so commonly then why the fuck did they let me repeat the same expensive test over and over again... MRI's, chest xrays, catscans, ultrasounds, etc.