Does anyone have experience with SSRIs?

[hiitdogs]

Hi everyone:
I haven't been posting for a while but lurking around every now and then. Now however, I have a questions for you guys. I know noone here is a doctor and can give medical advise, however, maybe some of you have some experience with antidepressants. I was told yesterday by my doctor that she feels I have had an underlying depression for most of my life, that it "increased" in the past few months due to stress and that I should be taking SSRI (like prozac or celexa). I did some research on it yesterday and found out that those pills have some serious side effects (seizures, fatigue, slow reaction etc.). What really threw me off, however, was that most people using SSRIs showed a significant weight gain. Now, I do not need that at all! I am already struggling with my weight, fighting it off pound for pound. If I am gaining 10, 20 or 30 pounds, talk about depression then! She, however, says I will be loosing weight if I take them. Now that contradicts everything that I have heard and read about it. Whereas I agree with her that I am mild to moderately depressed, I feel this is like shooting canonballs at small birds. So, my question for you is, does anyone have experience with those SSRIs, good or bad? Did any of you ever try the "natural" approach (exercise, diet, St. John's wort, etc.) and what is your experience with that? Needless to say that my eating and exercise habits are pretty bad at this point in time. I will go to a naturopathic physician this week and see what she says. Just wanted to get as much info or input as I can possibly get before I say "yeh" or "neh". Thanks guys!

Carola

 

[[email protected]]

I take Prozac, and I probably will the rest of my life. It has worked very well for me. I have really bad PMS, and I was very depressed, and it has been a lifesaver for me. As far as weight gain, I weigh about 15 lbs. more than when I started, but I think the gain is more from poor eating than Prozac. I quit smoking, and on weekends, I tend to comfort myself with food instead of cigs. I am finally getting it under control, and am losing a little. I also have alot more muscle than when I started taking it, thanks to Cathe. I hated the thought of taking PROZAC, but it has made my life so much better. I was health conscious when I started taking it, and my diet and exercise habits were good.
Lori

 

[Lilysmom]

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON May-02-02 AT 06:35PM (Est)[/font][p]I've been on Prozac for the past year. It's helped tremendously with my depression and PMS and I have not experienced any side effects. I still have PMS, but it's definitely more bearable. Not only have I NOT gained weight on Prozac, I've actually lost weight. But I wouldn't say the weight loss is because of Prozac -- I give Cathe credit for that!

I did try St. John's Wort a couple of years ago. It wasn't enough for me -- I've had much better results on Prozac.

 

[hippychick]

Hi Carola,
I have been taking zoloft for the past four years and it has changed my life. I have what is known as dysthymia or continuous low-grade depression...very common in women...probably due to female hormones. I am working on a nursing degree and plan on going into psychiatric work. If your doctor is seeing signs of depression please listen to her...with any drug it is possible that you will gain weight and I think many people convince themselves it is the antidepressants, when in fact it is aging, lack of exercise, and poor nutrition. When you first start taking them you will probably experience some dizziness and fatigue, but don't quit because this wears off in about three weeks with ssri's. Also don't count on family and friends to support you as people have odd opinions about things they don't understand. I have a joy for life and actually antidepressants have helped some of my compulsive behavior regarding food. I also believe that counseling can help...and everything I have read states that exercise can be just as effective as medication for depression, so keep up the exercise as well!!!! Best to you, Holly

 

[clareMc]

Hi Carola:

I was put on Zoloft for starters last Feb, after diagnosis of depression amd PMDD (chronic PMS) which I do not quibble with. It gave me terrible dizziness, nausea, and worst of all, a series of panic attacks.

I was then switched to celexa which took me a while to get used to: I was always so tired, could never stay awake at night to get my work done (I am a grad student), but after several months, I was seeing a lessening of the PMS symptoms.

However, i did not at any time see any weight gain.

I came off the drug on my own this past December after a serious disagreement with my physician who tried to blackmail me into going into therapy in order to get my prescription renewed. I disagree both with the bullying tactics, with the assumption that we will all respond to therapy like Woody Allen --no thank you-- and with this doctor's stated belief that all women taking SSRI's for PMS are actually dpressed anyway, i.e. PMS does not exist as a separate condition, it IS all in the mind of women. I was furious with her. I am also irate at the link between SSRI usage and gender: so many more women than men are dosed up, for many, unnecessarily, for symptoms that refer straight back to an inability to deal with the stress that results for women from the multi-tasking lives as mothers, spouses/partners, housewives and working outside of the home, all roles that we are expected to perform perfectly.

I came off the drugs because I realized that I did not want to be on them for the rest of my life, that they were treating the symptom and not the cause and that they proved that my life, as I was currently then living it, had become untenable. The solution for me was a re-appraisal of how I live my life, what I want from it, what brings me joy and what brings me to the self-destructive negative behaviour and thinking that made me resort to the Celexa in the first place. I have been involved in this for a year now. After a serious mental shut down around Christmas time, I decided I could no longer continue dosing myself in order to face the day and that I had to find ways of dealing with my stress, ways of living that I could continue for the rest of my life.

So, I started exercising again that week and have not stopped since. I credit regular exercise with Cathe and select others (at least four one hour sessions per week, preferably six) with keeping me feeling optimistic about life. Yes, it relieves the stress, it is also relieving the PMS symptoms, it is time only for me when I don't have to focus on performing any role for anyone else and therefore do not need to be evaluated ( as student, teacher and "good enough" mother) on my performance or lack of it. And since it also means wonderful things for my general health, it really is a no-brainer. I have not felt this good since I was 21 and left college. I am 37 in three days time and I am brimming with energy and feel-good emotions.

Maybe you need SSRI's, maybe you don't. Maybe you just need the help they can give for a little while to help you over a slump, however long it lasts. They can give you peace of mind for a while, make you calmer while you re-appraise your life, obstacles to happiness and alternative solutions. One solution does not fit all. You should not feel obliged to take these medications. Whether you do or not depends upon the reasons for taking them, the diagnosis, how serious your symptoms are, your personal feelings about taking medications of any kind, and your support network.

Personally I have always maintained a sceptical attitude towards the medical profession, particularly in the US where multiple areas of public life are conducted as a business (coming from the UK where health care is free, this raises ethical questions for me), and I never deliver myself up to any doctor to do with as she or he wills. You do not have to accept that any doctor can know your body and mind better than you. This is absolutely not so, but you can be advised by them. Therefore, you can take this doctor's diagnosis, recommendations, etc into consideration while you ask yourself if the recommendations really make sense for you.

I would start by asking some serious questions of myself: what has lead me to this place? What is it in my life that has made me reach this road block? Depression is a sign that the ways in which we have been living our life are no longer viable: what does that mean for you if you apply it to your life, particularly in light of the recent added stress you mention?

There's a great new book out there thatI recommend: Andrew Soloman "the Noonday Demon". I am not sure of the author's name, but the title is correct. Check it out.

Last but not least, I do not mean anything I say here to be taken as critique/judgement of the testimony and experience of any other individual who has given or will give you advise here on the Cathe forums. My words here are only worth as much or as litle as theirs. As I said above, there are different solutions for different people. Now, you have some different personal stories to guide you.

Carola, and to all who lurk here who also deal with issues of depresion and PMS, my thoughts go with you as you journey along the road to wellness, health and happiness, whatever path you take.

Clare

 

[db5]

Hello,
I'm not a doctor but I am a physician assistant and I have been on Paxil which is an SSRI for about 8 years now. I have not experienced any side effects other than dry mouth early on. I haven't had any weight gain either. Most people who gain weight on SSRI's do not gain it because of the drugs but usually because of some other reason. If you have any additional medical questions just ask. Debi C

 

[hippychick]

Clare, I agree with everything that you said. When I got up and walked out of my Doctor's office I told her that she was in the wrong business and that it is a buyer's market. No one has the right to talk down to another person and good for you for not putting up with it. I would like to add however that it is a fact that women are more prone to depression as well as other diseases such as breast cancer and thyroid problems, whether you agree or not the medical evidence is there and it is not all societal pressure as we ultimately are responsible for our own decisions. No one makes us have kids, it is our choice and let's face it we go in knowing that we will probably be the primary caretaker. The answer to depression is not always to just,"suck it up." Medication has it's place. I have cut my medication by a third due to exercise and diet, but when I quit the medication I experience exhaustion. Many people commit suicide because society tells them to "suck it up" when what they need is to get help. Obviously it is not just that people are lazy or doctors, physicians assistants, lawyers, homemakers, and all kinds of wonderful people would not be taking these medications. Peace, Holly

 

[jillybean]

I was on Zoloft for 3 years and it was great. I was very very sad. Suicidal, maybe. But Zoloft (and my wonderful family) saved me. I am bipolar and have OCD so this was really a great tool. I was also on Clonopin and Zyprexa, but those just made me kind of like a zombie. Zoloft also, as Holly said, helped me with my obsessing over food, calories, weight, etc. I didn't even obsess about the fact that an antidepressant might make me gain weight! It really was wonderful. I hope whichever method you chose makes you feel better. Take care!

 

[Bobbi]

I respect my doctor a great deal and would not stick with one who didn't make me feel that way. I took Paxil on her recommendation to get through a depressed state. I did therapy in combination and it was sucessful for me. Over time I weaned off the drug and focused on exercise and diet as a means of controlling depressiveness. Each of us is different. Drugs are a godsend for many and there's nothing wrong with using them long term if that is what you need. Depression steals your life from you. You need a doctor you can communicate with and who is willing to do what it takes to get you well on your terms. I did not gain weight on Paxil. It enabled me to begin to start taking care of myself again through exercise. Good luck and God Bless whatever you decide to do!

Bobbi http://www.plaudersmilies.de/chicken.gif Chick's Rule!