YOU ARE NOT ALONE - A companion online community discussion board for The Mental Illness Happy Hour podcast with Paul Gilmartin

Hi, here's some info on the meds I've been on and am currently on and how they work/don't work.

Zoloft (Generic)
-I was on this when I started counseling for the first time in 2006. I started at 50mg but I had the best counselor in the world and that was all I needed to feel 75% than I was before. I was on it for 3.5 years. As I "graduated" counseling, I went to 100mg but then it just stopped working for me. My primary doctor switched me to Celexa. BAD BAD BAD withdrawal. Brain zaps galore, agitated, tired, frustrated, you name it.

Celexa (Generic)
When I stopped Zoloft, I started Celexa 20mg. It worked fine, maybe a little better than Zoloft. Honestly, it's been so long it's hard to tell anymore. I went from 20mg to 40 mg to 60mg and back to 40mg because the 60mg did nothing different. I guess it keeps my content baseline a little higher than it would normally be otherwise. I'm still on 40mg but looking to get off Celexa and SSRI's because I think that after about a year or so they stop working. Same withdrawal issues. I've noticed sexual side effects but going down in mgs from the 60 to 40 helped a lot.

Wellbutrin XL (Generic)
My third counselor and psychologist added the Wellbutrin XL to the Celexa. Wellbutrin is awesome. It energizes me and gives me more of a drive and passion. I had some pretty bad sweating issues during the summer, so much so that I went down in mgs. I think I was on 200 or 300mg to start then went down to 150mg, which I'm still taking today.

Unfortunately, I've gone through a bunch of insurance changes and issues with my meds that I know very well how withdrawal works and feels. My worst symptom is tiredness, agitation, and brain zaps. So I'm a little scared of going off the Celexa, but I know it'll be worth it . Hopefully.

Wellbutrin XL (Generic)
My third counselor and psychologist added the Wellbutrin XL to the Celexa. Wellbutrin is awesome. It energizes me and gives me more of a drive and passion. I had some pretty bad sweating issues during the summer, so much so that I went down in mgs. I think I was on 200 or 300mg to start then went down to 150mg, which I'm still taking today.

My sister was put on that a few years ago and it seems to have been working very well for her too! I'm considering changing from Prozac to that since after the past year or so on it I'm beginning to get apathetic. (Which I've read is a common side-effect)

I used Zyban (Wellbutrin) to quit smoking, while I was in therapy for depression. I noticed it really helped with my depression/anxiety. When I stopped after I managed to quit smoking, I felt sooooo low. My doctor put me on Celexa (from 10-60 mg at the end) which helped, but the sexual side-effects where very frustrating for me. I was since put on Cymbalta (60mg) and that problem has subsided. It really helps with the crippling, can't get out of bed depression and anxiety. Apparently it's a relatively new anti-depressant... it's not an SSRI, but something very similar I can't recall at the moment.

Heya, for several years I've been on Cymbalta - a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It's also called duloxetine, however there is no generic of Cymbalta available in the USA (surprised?). This medication is supposed to help levels of hormones in addition to serotonin. It's also being advertised to help Fibromyalgia symptoms. I'm currently on the max dose of 90 mg.

This medication is highly recommended for those with long-term chronic depressive disorder or dysthymia. If you're on this medication, you're in it for the looong haul - possibly the rest of your life. That may sound scary but if no other medication has worked and your depression has lasted longer than five years, THEN consider it.

When comparing meds and depression with my friends, I have to agree that Cymbalta might NOT good for people who are one or more of the following: diagnosed with PTSD, in their 20s, bi-polar, fond of drinking alcohol, currently experiencing grief, fans of sun exposure or only had depression for a few years.

Withdrawal symptoms include the classic head-shocks, dizziness, headaches and nausea. For me they were quite debilitating to the point where I needed a cane when standing. This was when I tried to switch over to Prestiq, another newer SNRI that didn't get the chance since my body is used to (addicted?) to Cymbalta. Eventually, my psychiatrist increased the dosage to where it is now and things have plateaued.

Switched from Lexapro to Wellbutrin a month ago and it has been a lot better. Lexapro gave me bad insomnia and didn't seem to work at all while Wellbutrin has been doing a lot better with no side effects I'm aware of.

I was on Zoloft for 2 years, starting at 50mg, then 100, 150, and finally 200mg. 200mg worked well and really stabilized me but after the 2 years it stopped working and my shrink weaned me off it. This led to me withdrawing in a bad way: nausea, dizzy spells, sweats, tremors...you name it, I went through it.
Now I'm going without meds. I exercise, meditate, and volunteer around town. I feel better and more alive than when I was on Zoloft. I think some people just aren't suited for meds and have to deal with their depression in their own way. Talk therapy is also a good thing.
Good luck!

My wife and two kids were all on Zoloft a few years ago. Like you it worked well for a while but my son started to get disoriented and even fainted at school. There are much better anti-depressants. All three have now been on Cipralex for years - fantastic stuff, although the initial side effects were a little unpleasant but not too bad. The other two drugs you mentioned, i don't know, but "brand names" tend to be different in different countries. My kids are in Australia and my wife and I am in the Middle East.

I have been on Celexa for about 2 years now and may be starting to plateau. I was on Zoloft for years maybe 10 years ago and remember the horrible withdraw, the zaps, the flu like weakness and fatigue. Hope I can get back to the normal course of things soon..

My friend started using Welbtrun and she indeed love it cos she's getting very active however, she hates the part the she's soaking wet in sweat?

Have been on Effexor XR for years, with Wellbutrin to fill up the other neurotransmitters. Doing well, functioning well enough that I am starting to say "no" to new projects and clients, so of course I did what everyone does eventually, and tried to decrease the Effexor. Wow, the discontinuation effects really suck! It is not addiction, I'm not going to rob a bank to have a fix, and I am not continuing to use despite negative consequences ( part of the medical definition of addiction), but I'm gonna talk to my psychiatrist about the best ways to relive symptoms and how long they last with each stepdown. I thought I knew alot about meds and their effects, but the intensity of withdrawal really suprised me with going from 225 to 150 mg. Experiencing it teaches me much more than reading aboutit, or the minor withdrawals I've had when switching SSRI's. Not sure I'll suggest Effexor to others again.

one way of coming off an SSRI like celexa or zoloft or paxil is to bridge with Prozac for a few weeks (decr doseof one while incr dose of the other). since prozac has a long half life and allows for the seritonin levels to readjust to less support, the discontiniation / withdrawal is less intense. (From the medicaljournal review articles in family medicine).