What is your opinion of SSRI's? [Archive]

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angrymissy

03-25-2002, 09:45 AM

Horde,

What is your opinion on SSRI's (paxil, prozac, zoloft)? I am on 40mg of Paxil daily for anxiety. I was also just prescribed Ativan to take as needed. The problem is, I have noticed that after starting on the Paxil, The anxiety has gone down, but I am feeling incredibly depressed all the time. I haven't felt this way since I was 16. Also, I missed my dose once and went through withdrawl symptoms from the Paxil and almost went to the hospital. Do you think that SSRIs are worth it? Considering the side-effects and withdrawl symptoms? I am condisering going off of the paxil and going into therapy and just keeping the ativan for when my anxiety gets bad... I don't know if I can stay on the paxil, it seems to screw with my moods. Any advice from anyone who has been on an SSRI or benzo (ativan, xanax, valium) is also welcomed

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Christy

03-25-2002, 10:12 AM

I desperately need something soon ... Paxil, Zoloft, something!

I was on Paxil for about a month and slowly stopped taking it because it made me terribly tired ...

I have never tried therapy before ... maybe I should ..

AngryMissy ... I wish you the best .. depression and anxiety is a horrible thing to live with ... good luck in whatever you choose! But please speak to someone .. don't be like me and keep it all inside ... it's not healthy to do! Good luck sweetie! ;-)

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HordeKing1

03-26-2002, 05:53 PM

Just a reminder that I'm not an MD. Questions about specific symptoms or side effects about any drug you're taking should be directed to the prescribing doctor.

SSRI's or selective seretonin reuptake inhibitors are a remakably effective class of psychoactive drugs used to treat a wide variety of symptoms.

Although all SSRI's work in the same basic way, for some reason that isn't quite understood, one SSRI may be effective for one person and completely ineffective for another. Often, several drugs must be tried before the most effective one (or combination) is found.

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Yerdaddy

03-26-2002, 06:36 PM

I second HK's statement that SSRIs effect people differently.

I've taken all three of the SSRI staples - Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil, and here, briefly is my experiences with them:

Prozac: Took that one first. It kicked in right away and felt like amphetamines. At first I loved it because I was too wired not to be. It was also like a second puberty, (morning wood every day, and at every stiff breeze. This was my favorite thing about Prozac.) I was drinking while I was on it, and I think it may have increased the progression of my alcoholism. My drinking became more escalated, as I was too euphoric from the Prozac to care about the warning signs of alcoholism. (I later went into recovery for alcoholism and now have 5 years sober.) I was not sleeping and after I started having lucid dreams, (basically halucinations), I went off the stuff.

This is considered to be the strongest of the main three SSRIs, and should be taken after trying the others, in my opinion. Also, take very seriously the warnings of drinking alcohol with all antidepressents. Although it's not clear why, there is ample evidence that you may end up with more problems than just depression/anxiety.

Zoloft: After being off Prozac for over a year, I tried Zoloft. Simply put, I didn't notice that I was even on the stuff until, after two weeks I noticed that I hadn't been depressed in two weeks. Eventually, (after about 6 months), I begin to have occaisional depression, but nothing like without the drug, and I feel it was triggered by my own bad behaviors stemming from a lifetime of depression.

Paxil: I started taking Paxil a couple months ago because it is more often reccommended for OCD and anxiety, and Zoloft, while being very effective for the depression, seemed to do little for my compulsiveness. It hasn't been long enough to make a conclusive decision yet, but I think I'm a little more eratic than I was on the Zoloft. I suspect what I will do is give Paxil a couple more months and go back on the Zoloft. For the compulsive behavior, I'll be starting Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

This is only my experience with three meds, (there are at least 4 new SSRIs as well.) Your doctor will have heard many more experiences, and can make reccommendations. Probably, he will suggest that if one is not working, then switch to another and see. That's the way it goes. Hopefully one will work for you. I would say, don't give up all together, just because one doesn't work. Also, follow the doctor's instructions on weening off the meds slowly. Don't just stop taking them, or you can crash hard. I've done that, and it was bad.

Good luck, and I hope you don't give up on yourself. Depression is treatable, it just takes a little work.

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Gvac

03-27-2002, 02:16 AM

Paxil has proven remarkably effective for me, but only until my Doctor upped the dosage to 40 mgs. a day. I haven't had an anxiety attack or any bouts of depression since...but it kicks my ass. I pass out by 9 o'clock every night, and have had considerable weight gain since I began taking it.

Since I'm doing so well, my MD is going to start weaning me off of it (going down to 30 mgs. a day, then 20, etc.) and I hope I don't suffer any "relapses."

I'll keep you posted.

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Christy

03-27-2002, 09:22 AM

Paxil has proven remarkably effective for me, but only until my Doctor upped the dosage to 40 mgs. a day. I haven't had an anxiety attack or any bouts of depression since...but it kicks my ass. I pass out by 9 o'clock every night, and have had considerable weight gain since I began taking it.

Since I'm doing so well, my MD is going to start weaning me off of it (going down to 30 mgs. a day, then 20, etc.) and I hope I don't suffer any "relapses."

I'll keep you posted.

Good luck, GVAC!

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