Anti-depressants anyone?

Aussienurse2 · Oct 4, 2002

Wow! I just feel so sad for you guys! I don't even know anyone on anti-depressants! Hang in there! would hate to think of anyone here hurting with problems like this! If I have a bad day I can just take it out on the punch-bag down stairs, couldn't imagine what you must be going through to need these kinds of drugs!:kiss

Katnip, RN · Oct 4, 2002

I have used Wellbutrin, and am going back on soon. It looks like I'll be a lifer. Iv'e used Prozac, and it stopped working after a while (I did lose weight for a while on it though). Paxil did nothing for me, and Effexor helped with the depression but made me sick all the time.

Wellbutrin is the very same thing as Zyban, which is marketed for smoking cessation, so it is used to stop smoking. They use a different name, because many people don't like to think they're taking antidepressants. My doctor says his paitents on Zyban report how much happier they feel when they're on their smoking cessation programs with Zyban. He hates to tell them it's the antidepressant effect, lol.

mintyRN · Oct 4, 2002

Sandra Took,

Effexor is also being used for chronic back pain. My grandmother is currently taking it along with oxycontin for back pain. Right now it is too soon to tell, but we are hopeful.

terrina · Oct 5, 2002

did you ever wonder why so many nurses are on antidepressants? Are we just so much more open to telling that we are depressed? Or is it the access we have to MD's who may understand the work situation we face? Lately I have thought that we may be facing an almost abusive environment: being chewed at from the administrative point of view about time management and adding to our already overloaded plate, or the patients who expect us to provide almost 1:1 care when we have 4-7 other patients to tend to. The MD, parmacist, OT, PT, OR all want our time spent tending to their expectations as well. Lest we forget family members who want an immediate update on their relative when they decide to call. Reading billboards along the highway which depict wide grins on nurses faces and herald that "service" at their facility is the best: hidden meaning : "we will pile this extra PR burden on the already overwhelmed Nurse". In order to deliver the whole package with a smile, the nurse needs the "lift" that the antidepressants give, otherwise we would all walk out! Please respond with your thoughts on this.

KeniRN · Oct 5, 2002

Was on Paxil for several months. Worked well for the depression but killed the libido (which does not help the relatonship--hummm,be depressed and not want sex or be on antidepressants and not want sex...) and the Paxil made me yawn a lot which is an extremely rare s/e. Wasn't tired, just yawned A LOT. then switched to Prozac. Happy to say finally maintained on 10mg/day and 20mg/day during PMS week (was up to 50mg/day)

iamme457 · Oct 5, 2002

I just started taking Zoloft for depression which is related to menopause hormone changes. I have been on it for about 2 weeks now and have noticed a drop in appetite and I am sleeping a little better. I have been exercising a bit more for the last week and have lost a few pounds. I took Prozac 5 years ago for about 6 months and gained weight.

Youda · Oct 5, 2002

My doctor put me on Zoloft, and it is doing wonderful things. We had to keep upping the dose, but I think now it's where it needs to be. I'm sleeping better. I feel like doing things again. And, heavens! Here's the kicker: I'm acutally feeling HAPPY for a change. It's been so long since I felt HAPPY that I almost didn't recognize the feeling!

sphinx, BSN, RN · Oct 5, 2002

I've been on soooo many antidepressants, along with other meds to augment them. Some just pooped out, some never worked, others had side effects. I took Nortriptyline after each of my kids was born....hardly helped, but made me a walking zombie, dried me out in every way, esp constipation. yuck. Was eventually switched to Zoloft which was "ok", but I never took a dose higher than like 50mg, was being managed by my PCP, who instead of upping my dose just switched me to prozac. Prozac is one that has actually been fairly helpful. It always poops out, and I need a dose of at least 60MG, but usually no big side effects. Once I started seeing a psych doc, there was less switching of meds and more dose increases, before jumping the gun and switching. We'd only switch for side effects or poop out. Let's see, Was on Zoloft 2 more times, and both times required dose of like 200mg, and at that dose caused some pretty bad bruxism.Clenched my jaws so bad, my right side would start to pop out of joint.But I do this when anxious too, so lets say a high dose of zoloft makes me edgy and anxious. Paxil made me tooooo tired, and never seemed to help. Remeron made me a freaking walking zombie, caused weight gain....yuck. Celexa never helped much, neither did Serzone. Effoexor worked for a while, but pooped out. This was the only drug that affected my libido negatively.......depression negatively affects it way more than the pills to treat the depression, in my case. Lithium made me weird, flat affect, shakes, real bad......retaining water big time despite watching my diet (and this was below therapeutic level!), depakote made me hungry 24/7 and I refused to take it, as I'd gained 40 lbs in my adventures with antidepressants/mood stabalizers and the like. Zyprexa actually didn't cause weight gain, like it is notirious for, but I'd just joined weight watchers. This in combo with the wellbutrin (which I've taken the longest and has helped the most, at least with another med to augment it) I was doing great for some time. Than, alas it pooped out. Neurontin helped too, but made me gain weight, at least 25 of the 40lbs I'd gained. Tried buspar for anxiety, no effect. Was on prn xanax which helped, I was always judicious in its use, one bottle lasted 3 months, UNTIL I had a crisis and finished the bottle up with a chaser of alcohol and was hauled into the ED and hospilaized for 3+ weeks.......was on a med for ADD once, gosh, can't remember the name, starts with a C, not one of the newer ones, it'll come to me. I take trazadone for sleep, which helps, but gives ya vivid dreams along the way. EVERY med I've taken has made me a little constipated, or a lot. Opposite of how I ever used to be. I started taking Topamax, which they've recently started to use as a mood stabalizer with good results, which unlike depakote et al, not only does not cause weight gain, but can actually cause weight loss. So now I take a total of 450mg Wellbutrin XR each day, along with 200mg Topamax, which was recently increqased due to me having an exacerbation in my depression, and Trazadone to sleep. Plus some other stuff for IBS. So there's my list. Ugh. Tires me just to think about it. I never want to switch again, but some time, it will. Oh, and my husband takes Effexor (used to take zoloft which pooped out after 3-4 years), which has been working great. He's always sweated a lot, but recently had been sweating waaaay more than normal. His doc is r/o infection, and if negative will take him off his effexor.

Basically, these meds react differently with everyone. Some help one person and not another. Some cause a certain side effect in one person and not another. The trick is, we all know that exercise can benefit, but if you are in a severe state of depression, you often can barely get out of bed-shower-eat, let alone take a walk. If the meds can help you do those things, then you can do what ever else needs to be done to help yourself. I tell my son the same thing about ADD....that the pills don't make him smarter, or better....that they just make it easier for him to think straight so he can let his smarts shine through.

Dave ARNP · Sep 16, 2003

Originally posted by inSANE
My son's father takes Paxil, I guess to keep from killing others, and the sexual side effects sucked. (HOFH...hard on from hell) Ya could have beat it up against the bedpost before anything would have happened. "Honey, if ya smell smoke, it's because you have caused a small pube fire from friction..." Sorry, probly a TMI but the sexual side effects are the worst...I think.
A friend of mine takes Effexor and has lost 30lbs. She says it is the only thing keeping her family alive today. Just a thought on that med.

So should I give Paxil in place of Viagra, and Effexor in place of Adipex?

Just looking for input on my prescribing pattern :rolleyes:

David Adams, ARNP

-ACNP, FNP

Trixie01 · Sep 17, 2003

I have tried alot of the SSRI's too and my main complaint is the same one - they make me feel strange and drowsy. I know that sounds dumb - but its true. I recently tried Wellbutrin, but it made me yawn all day and I felt tired. I hated the side effects so I stopped imm. plus going to work like that scared me. I may have tried taking it at night - but some of these willkeep you up as well.

Its very frustrating, as I have dealt with depression for quite some time. But some of mine is due to external circumstances.

Maybe someday, I will try them again. Good luck.

Ps- they say if you can handle the s/e long enough they will prob. go away. 3-4 weeks? If you can handle it. I couldn't.

LauraLou · Sep 17, 2003

I have taken Wellbutrin for over ten years. It is the only antidepressant that has worked for me. It can cause insomnia, especially the first month or two, so take it early in the day, not at night.

I don't remember any weight loss but I have been on it so long, if I lost any weight at first, I may have forgotten.

This is one of the few antidepressants that doesn't kill your sex drive. A definite plus when you are taking it long term.

teeituptom, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2003

Why not just pass it out like candy or appetizers at a party nowadays. Seems to be the general attitude. Then you watch all those commercials on the idiot box called TV.Are you unhappy. is life getting you down, do you need a pick me up, then go and take drugs and you wont have to deal with it anymore. Just take it like you take your vitamins.

Next thing you know they will be handing out Paxil, and Prozac, and welbutrin, ativan, xanax and others instead of treats when your kids go trick or treating.

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