Well for the longest time I have tried zoloft, celexa, lexapro, wellbutrin and effexor.  I could have sworn that every med except effexor med me more depressed.  I kept trying to tell the two different pdocs that i was seeing, this. They both looked at me like I was crazy.  and I thought i have to be wrong.  Well  I just added topomax into my mix and once I tried to up my dose the same thing happened.  Really I was much worse.  My doc couldn't believe me.  She said that was odd she has never heard anything liek that.  

I feel so odd and alone.  Can these meds make you worse? Is it a side effect that will go away or should  this be a big warning for me.  I evan became sucidal on one.  Which the doc know but she said it was the depression not the med.  Now remind you I was never sucidal until that med.  And once of the med I was fine.  I dont know what to do. I am now tapering of my current med. Once i get down to the smallest dosage then I am suppose to start my new med.  But I am tempted to wean all the way off and see how i feel.  I am actually feeling better now than I have since the meds.  But it could just be pure luck.  I have been on the meds for almost three years now.

So anyways I just read the FDA thing saying that the meds could possibly cause depression to worsen or someone to have sucidal thoughts. But of course there is not that much evidence to this.  I am a big believer in meds so I am not knocking them, but I am wondering if it is just me or if it could be causing this side effect for me.  I am stuck in a bad situation.  I mean I have not been symptom free at all seens starting the meds.  And to be honest I went on the meds for panic attacks and I didnt noticed the depression till I was on the meds.  They said the anxiety covered the depression.  I really wondered now. I have been dealing with this for over three years and I  just want a symptom free day with no emptiness.  And like I said since I have been tapering off I feel so much better.  Anxiety is coming back but mood is better.  

I wonder if the older meds would work better.  Any advice.     Any one else ever in a situation like this.  Docs really look at me like I am nuts.        :mad1:

Hi, Hope,



I think everything you said makes perfect sense.  Your last sentence summed it up very well.  Doctors do not always have the answers.  You are your best advocate.  If your doctor is not giving you support, nor willing to work with these important issues, maybe a second opinion is in order.  At least be firm with him/her about how you feel and don't let your opinion be dismissed as "crazy".

Are you in therapy?  Meds can be very effective, but therapy can provide coping skills to combat anxiety and depression for the long haul.  Please don't doubt yourself.  You are your own best friend.

Take care  

- Bluebird

Thanks Bluebird.  Yes I am in therapy.  My therapist really believes me about the whole thing.  I have been with her since this crap started.  And two weeks ago when I walked in her office she told me how different I seemed, and how happy i have been.  Well I only have five days left on this med.  I have had 4 syptom free days.  Oh i dont know what to do.  I know that if I get bad there are always the meds.  But I truly believe that the meds were causing the emptinyess feeling in me.  Like I mentioned I never had it till the meds.  Plus that feeling makes me feels so  hopeless.  Oh well I quess soon I will see.                  :taz:

Hope
it is very possible that what you describe is the feeling that some people get when they take ADs.  Some therapists believe that ADs and other related meds can cause us to have problems with getting in touch with our feelings and emotions.  I think this is the emptiness that you are feeling.  Some are more susceptible to this than others.  

Keep on with the therapy.  

Eilleen

I have had bad reactions to two different meds I have tried. I felt much worse, and one of them made me feel suicidal, much worse than usual. I can put up with lots of side effects, but I can also tell when a med is not going to help at all.

If your doc won't listen to your concerns, maybe it's time to find a new one, if your situation allows it.

This topic was moved from DC.

I'm assuming you are diagnosed with depression and anxiety.  Antidepressants are also dangerous for those with mood disorders who are misdiagnosed with depression.  They can bring on suicidal thoughts.

I'm not saying you have a mood disorder; it may be something to look into, though. :;):

You are most definitely not alone. I've had the experience of feeling more depressed on some ADs.
It's not all that uncommon - I'm surprised your pdocs haven't come across it with any of their other patients.
It's certainly worth trying other, older types of ADs, like the TCAs. And, if you react poorly to ADs and if anxiety is really the only main issue for you, an anti-anxiety med (like BuSpar or a benzo) might be something to consider. I have separate problems with anxiety, but sometimes my depression also shows itself by my feeling more anxious than usual.
There are lots of other options, if your docs are willing to look 'outside the box'.

QUOTE(Hope @ July 17 2004,23:19)

Well for the longest time I have tried zoloft, celexa, lexapro, wellbutrin and effexor.  I could have sworn that every med except effexor med me more depressed.  

The difference between effexor and the other meds you mentioned (except Wellbutrin) is that it can work on other chemicals in your brain along with serotonin (like norepinephrine and dopamine).

I agree--thinking outside of box with your doctor could definitely help you find the right medicine for you.  Maybe a TCA could help.  

I take it you live in the US (because you mentioned the FDA).  If not, you could also check out Reboxetine, which works on straight norepinephrine, like effexor without affecting serotonin.  I live in the US, but I ordered this med over the internet last year, and it is definitely a different feeling than and SSRI, although it was more a motivational push.  Maybe others in the forum have more experience with it.   BTW --Strattera (for adhd) is a watered down US equivalent to Reboxetine.  

Good luck-
jf

have you ever tried maclobimide? its marketed under two other names as well. there is a thread on it here as well. its a reversible MOIA. also known as a RIMA.

SSRIs dont work at all for me. not one bit. i tried paxil and celexa and prozac and...etc....

maclobide was my miracle AD while i was on it. I am now AD free. but i loved maclobimide. i could not beleive how much of an improvement i saw in myself after a year of trying all these other SSRIs and having none of them work, or hardly work and watching myself go down hill.

maclobimide helped my depression and my social phobia as well.  And I had no weight gain on it. I actually lost weight.

It might be a thought to try, or another drug in the same category. maclobemide is reversible and so it does not have the food restrictions that other MOIAs have. you can eat whatever you want (except for alcohal and what not, and i would still watch the really ripe cheeses just to be extra safe).

If you are running out of options, it might be somthing to try, right?  What can it hurt if you are watched closely?

best of luck to you,

Take care.  :)

Yes, AD's can make people worse.  I got suicidal on prozac.  

I don't want to alarm you, but I have heard that if you consistently due worse on AD's that you MAY be bipolar II.  It doesn't mean you ARE, it just is a possibility worth looking into with your pdoc.  Although, I think you mentioned topomax, which is a mood stabilizer, so maybe you have already been diagnosed?

If you don't think your pdoc is really listening to you, it may be time to try a new one.  Although, listening has never been any of my pdocs strong suit, in my humble opinion.

Oh, it is just so hard isn't it.  I am still trying to find a med that works for me!

I have to agree with hope, I never wanted to post about it for the longest time, but Paxil made me very suicidal feeling, it put me in the worst fog ever.  I am currently weaning off of it and have 5mg's to go.  

It also made me irritated all the time, cranky, rage, panikcy, jittery, LOST, anti social (i am the opposite), that is just a few bad things that happened while I was on it.

I craved alcohol like chocolate...it was disgusting the amount I could drink on it...

I made stupid decisions while on it.  I never did the stuff I did until I was on Paxil...I was severely depressed too...on it...made my depression 100% worse...and I tried to stick it out...


If you find that your Dr doesn't believe you and in you...then you need a new Dr and find one that will have your health at heart!!!

Cakies:)

Hi Hope,

My boyfriend is going thru the same situation as you are - all the ADs he took actually made him feel worse. Finally he went to a new Pdoc that diagnosed him as rapid-cycling bipolar, and started him on Abilify. Altho we're now going thru the usual dosage adjustments, I'm feeling that maybe we're on the right track.

As Ravenstorm mentioned above, you might want to try discussing this with your Pdocs. ADs make those who are bipolar feel much MUCH worse.

Good luck, let us know what's happening.

Gayle

Just thought I would give an update.  NO change and still struggling.  Doc is still convinced that I am not bipolar.  This stinks.  I tried Lamictal, but that also affected my mood for the worse.  I just dont understand this.  Why is this happening.

For those who know, I also heard that people who get worse on antidepressants can be bipolar 2.  Does this mean the mood get lower, not manic.  Just curious.

i hope i'm not just adding to your confusion... probly i'm not very qualified on this field... i've only heard that bipolar can get into mania from AD.
and i've heard that people who get worse on AD can have a PD.
well i'm pretty much confused too.
looks like different docs tell different things?
and it's sad that some docs don't believe what a patient tells but just say i've never heard this...or even that it can't be. i have no idea how to deal with that :(

In answer to your question, Hope, you may become manic from taking AD's.  This may cause a change in your mood... not necessarily higher or lower...

they make me depressed (or appear to be), what they're really doing to me, is making me manic.  I'm inwardly hostile and irritable, causing me to hold my tongue at all times, therefore, not saying a word to anyone for fear of exploding at all times.  Making me APPEAR to be sullen and sad.  When, in fact, I'm usually angry, upset, despondent, and a multitude of other negative feelings...  It all escalates until I become withdrawn and self-loathing, and sometimes self-harming, and insomniatic. (not to mention, losing significant amounts of weight that I don't need to lose).  Expansive, financially wrought, and do a multitude of manic-like things that I'd rather not go into. :(
All of these things can be directly attributed to the AD's, time after time.
This, for me, is mania.  And it's not fun.
I stay away from AD's at all cost.  I have learned, and so have my pdoc, to recognize my mania... as mania, NOT depression... although it manifests itself with similiar symptoms at times.

We don't usually treat my depression with true AD's... I'm on Abilify and Topamax, and although Abilify has AD properties, it's not a typical AD, it's treating my mania.  And we keep the dose low. At a higher dose, I tended to not do well.

Anyway, I hope I answered part of your question.

Good luck.

Cat