Hello

I went to the Drs just before Christmas and was give Mertazapine antidepressants - felt awful over christmas, panicky etc but it evened off after a couple of weeks but found i was putting on alot of weight. I went back to the Drs three weeks ago and was prescribed Citalopram, since taking them i have felt awful - my husband had some sort of virus so originally i though i'd just caught something off him but now i'm not so sure. In the last few days i have felt quite weezy, sore throat and incredibly itchy especially around my nose and face and am so lethargic and feel quite tearful. Could it be an allergic reaction after taking them for three weeks - wouldn't any symptoms like that have shown up when i first started taking them.

I think i probably have moderate depression - i have been on antidepressants a few of times in my life. I take antidepressants -feel ok then come off them slowly then usually after 6-12 months feel really anxious and tearful again. Wondering if St Johns Wort would be a good alternative to anti-depressants.

Would be interested in peoples thoughts about it all - am going to the Dr on Firday but think she might just think i am some kind of hypochondriac!!

Thankyou
Jayne

i dont think you r doc will think that. you are having symptoms of something .symtoms dont neccesarily show up right away . It is best to let your doc help you figure out whats up as many things can have similar symptoms. Also dosage can effect you and you may just need an adjustment . dosages will differ from person to person ,whats right for others may not be for you. It hard to tell until you try it out. I have been on citralopran (celexia ) for about 2 1/2 months (20 mg) and it took the better part of a month to get rid of most of the symptoms but i feel good now except for stuffy sinuses. Be care about taking herbals ,they are medicines too and need to be regulated .Talk to your doc about st johns before taking it or any thing else that may interac with the medication she prescribes eg (there may be interaction between antihistomines and celexia) It is best not to self medicate and to inform the dr about everything .Remember, you are not the only one she has prescribed this to and not the only one to have symptoms .She wont think your crazy. hope you feel better soon and good luck mizplaced

hello iam new to this board and i just wanted to know if anyone here has had side effects from depression meds???? please help

I self medicate. I take st. Johns Wort in a product called positive thoughts.
It has been really good to me. I also take 5-HTP. Also I take very low doses. Like me most of the time, it's 1/3 the recomended dose. My body is real sensitive to meds. I took Paxil, and it was TOO good at first, leveled off, and horrible comming off it.

Talk to your doctor, or see a naturopath, they're usually real good.

Hello. Seeing your GP I think is wise. They do, on the whole seem to be more understanding these days. I used to be down there all the time thinking this and that, but I have realised that depression can also feel very physical. Maybe you do have an allergic reaction it can happen. The other thing I can suggest is, stay on the AD's if they make you feel better. I have learnt over the yrs to do just that. There is no shame if we were diabetic we would have to medicate everyday. It's just other people that don't understand. Take Care and good luck with GP. :wave:

Hello. Seeing your GP I think is wise. They do, on the whole seem to be more understanding these days. I used to be down there all the time thinking this and that, but I have realised that depression can also feel very physical. Maybe you do have an allergic reaction it can happen. The other thing I can suggest is, stay on the AD's if they make you feel better. I have learnt over the yrs to do just that. There is no shame if we were diabetic we would have to medicate everyday. It's just other people that don't understand. Take Care and good luck with GP. :wave:

hello its me again do any of u have sexual side effects from meds??????please help

hello its me again do any of u have sexual side effects from meds??????please help

You should start your own thread and be specific about which specific medication you are asking about. I'm sure people will respond to you.

Hello
Just wanted to say thankyou all for replying - still feel awful but feel a bit better about feeling awful!! - so thanx

Antidepressants are notorious for their side effects and they really run the gamit from the most common, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, hypertension, to bruxism, tinnitus, movement disorders, memory loss, heart problems and paradoxical effects of an even worsening of depression or anxiety. It's common for those who take antidepressants, to be diagnosed with other "mental disorders" when the AD's are really at fault.

AD's can't be compared to insulin at all. There is no way to diagnose chemical imbalance or for any doctor to know what the heck any particular drug is doing in a patient's brain. Chemical imbalance as being a cause of depression, is still mere theory. Drugging those with emotional problems is pure guesswork as evidenced by all of the problems and the constant switching and adding of meds.

"I went to the Drs just before Christmas and was give Mertazapine antidepressants - felt awful over christmas, panicky etc but it evened off after a couple of weeks but found i was putting on alot of weight. I went back to the Drs three weeks ago and was prescribed Citalopram, since taking them i have felt awful..."

I meant to add that, if you quit taking Mertazapine when you switched to Citalopram, what you may have experienced, is withdrawal symptoms. That's very common. Is there any way that you can help yourself naturally? Counseling, therapy, dietary changes, daily aerobic exercise, etc., could all be a source of help. Do you do any other drugs that could be causing or exacerbating your problems, like nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, etc.? They all affect our brains and, for some of us who are particularly sensitive, they can make life miserable. Even sugar can cause us to feel down.

I hope that you can get this figured out and feel better soon. Psych meds are not all they're cracked up to be and don't "work" for many people. I took Paxil for awhile and, after my experience, would never touch another bogus psych med again. If it were just a matter of trial and error, that would be one thing, but the side effects and withdrawal problems, just aren't worth the huge risk.

It sounded like you were doing better with Remeron (Mirtazapine). I was curious as to why you went off of it. I have been on it for about six months and it has helped greatly with minimal side effects (except for weight gain). Maybe your weight gain was just temporary and may have leveled off. I have heard of people gaining weight on Remeron and then some people don't. I think what is most important, is that it does it's job and takes the depression away. I would much rather put on weight then live a life with sadness and despair. Can you talk to your Doctor about Klonopin or Xanax for anxiety and panic? Maybe trying the Remeron (Mirtazapine) again if it helped? Were you on 15mg 30mg or 45mg?

Hello again

Have been reading your comments with alot of interest. To continue the story went to the Drs yesterday - she said that the symptoms i have are a virus.She examined me & said that my glands were up & ears blocked etc but when i said i'd felt more depressed & anxious lately she said it could not be the tablets as they are a treatment for anxiety. She also said that I must be depressed as the Mirtazapine had been working for me. I'm not arguing that i'm not depressed but surely as you've all said different tablets work in different ways. Got the impression she does in fact think i am a hypochondriac. I came off Mirtazapine ( i think it was quite a low dose)because of the weight gain - i do concede that it is better to be fatter and happier but i was getting very obsessed by my weight, which was occupying most of my waking moments. If i am honest i don't want to be on AD's at all but cannot face the thought of feeling so desperate again.

Would also be interested in your thoughts about sleep- or not having any. I have always had sleep problems but have been much worse lately- have had sleeping tablets from the Dr -yesterday was given Temazepam 10mg and had about 3 hours sleep last night after taking one. Have only got 2 weeks worth anyway so what do i do then? Feel that I would feel alot better if i wasn't so exhausted. Everything that you can take seems to be addictive and makes sleep problems worse in the long run and do feel that the Citalopram is aggravating the siuation. Has anyone tried melatonin?

Thankyou for your thoughts
Jayne

Just as an add on
What you (spin444) were saying about diet & exercise- i was doing really well on diet & exercise but have felt so bad over the las few weeks that it's all gone to pot- i don't take any drugs and fall asleep at the whiff of alcohol!! I have been to counselling in the past and feel i have a fairly good understanding of why i am the way i am but still cannot escape the feelings of wondering what the point of it all is.