2 hours ago, I was in an awesome mood. It's a beautiful sunny day, and I went out to lunch with a couple of friends, had a nice meal and conversation. Suddenly, in a split second, on the way home, my mood totally changed----now I feel like a stupid ugly idiot and I hate myself. I just feel like I want to crawl into a hole and never come out. Nothing in my reality changed at all, but I feel absolutely miserable all of the sudden.

I've been having these episodes (rapid-onset severe mood swings) for several weeks now. Last week, in the throes of a "downer", I called my shrink and set up an appointment for tomorrow to talk to him about maybe going on an antidepressant. I am already on Neurontin for anxiety disorder, and that seems to be helping--I haven't had a panic attack in a long time. But these very sudden deeply depressed states are out of control. 2 hours ago when I was feeling great, I was thinking how I didn't even need to go see him tomorrow, that I felt great...now I can't wait to get there. It's so weird.

I have had no luck with antidepressants in the past, due to my inability to handle side effects. Paxil: gave me horrible panic attacks, Wellbutrin: made me feel like I was going to pass out every time I moved, Lexapro: technicolor gory violent nightmares about mutilation and killing every night that I couldn't get out of my mind during the day. Those were all years ago, though.

I've been taking Sam-e the past couple of weeks, trying to get lots of exercise in and taking a good multi-vitamin, but it doesn't seem to be helping much, if at all. Did anyone else ever have to try several different antidepressants to find one that works for them without horrific side effects? I'm afraid my shrink is just going to tell me there's nothing he can do, and I'll have to struggle with this the rest of my life :-(.

Hi Maybelline, sorry that you are having such a difficult time... You might want to have your hormone checked if you haven't...especially thyroid. The thyroid, especially hashimotos disease can cause you to go from hyper to hypo...causing mood swings... In that case, psych meds may not work... I, too, had a difficult time with psych meds...

Hope you get everything straightened out...

TJ

Maybelline
I too cannot find the right AD. I've been on Lexapro for 3 months- no side effects- just didn't work. Now I'm on Paxil for 7 weeks and seems like the anxiety is geeting worse. My doctor wants me to try Prozac but I'm so nervous about that one. I also feel like this is the way I'm going to feel from now on and that scares me. I don't have time to keep trying new meds, it's frustrating. Enough is enough!
Has anybody out there have luck with Prozac with no side effects?

I took Prozac years ago in the late 80's and didn't have any problems with it. It was the first SSRI out there and if you look in a drug handbook you will notice it has the shortest list of side effects of all of them. At least it did several years ago, I've not checked it since. I've noticed less people complaining about Prozac than any of the others. Once the doc tried switching me to Zoloft and it made me feel awful, so I didn't stay on it.

I've not been on any AD since back then, though.

That't interesting Sariah, I think I read that Prozac actually helps to convert T4 to T3 or something like that so it actually has an impact on the thyroid... Wouldn't it be interesting if those people who found it most helpful actually had a slight thyroid imbalance. Just some food for thought!

TJ

Dear'chaotichar'

So sorry you have had no succes with your ADs.It is amazing how everyone responds so differently

I have had total success with Prozac for many years now.The initial side effects were increases in anxiety which I zapped with Xanax.It takes up to two months to really kick in so patience is the key.Also start with lowest dose possible till you build up to the best dose that suits you.
I really wish you great success and hope it works out for you.

Keep us up to date

Best Wishes
Elizabeth

Dear SKEEWEEAKA

that is very interesting as the Thyroid is a little Devil in terms of causing Mental and Emotional as well as Physical problems.Am going to read up a bit more on it

There was a time when I felt so ashamed for taking an AD but have got over that now!

Best Wishes
Elizabeth

Dear'maybelline'

From what I know it often takes quite a time to find the right AD that works for you but you should never give up hope.And no way should you have to live with depressive mood swings for the rest of your life.

Prozac,along with exercise and Yoga has worked for me.It did after about the first three months of going on it.I started with a low dose and was upped gradually to 20mgs. which seems to work for me.

Have you ever thought of trying St.John's Wort which is Herbal and appears to be very effective for many.Of course,check with your Doctor first.

Really hope things get better

Warm Wishes
Elizabeth

Hi TJ.
Yes, you are right, it does assist in the conversion of T4-->T3. But then again, so do other, more natural things, such as nourishing the adrenals, zinc, selenium. On the other hand, it is also a flouride-based med, and the halogens like flouride, chlorine, and bromide are known to bind to iodine receptors and inhibit thyroid hormone production. There are many people who feel that while the Prozac helped, in the long term they feel it caused the thyroid problem. More studies need to be done on this.

correction--flourine, chlorine, and bromine

I too was on prozac for 8 months about 5 years ago, it helped be get through a rough time. Initially it increased by anxiety but after a few weeks it started helping. Weaning was not a problem, perhaps because by this time I was on supplements that helped my thyroid and adrenals and also on bioidentical hormones.

Plumeria

Wow! I have to say that is the ONLY psych drug that I have never been on. I refused to take it for personal reasons...mostly media related!

TJ