I take Lexapro 30mg, it helps with my obsessive health anxiety and anxiety in general, but, doesn't really motivate me beyond that. I have been on it for 8 weeks or so. No major side effects, a little nauseous, no increased appetite to speak of. I am trying to see if there is any pattern of one AD working for most women vs another. I realize we are all different. But, just curious if there is one that is more prominent as far as success rate which for me would be, no anxiety/panic or markedly less, obsessive thinking, ability to interact in your own life, feeling of well being, not being depressed, feeling even a little bit of joy. Obviously there are many levels of success for each person depending on what they are looking to improve in their day to day living. Would love to hear all experiences with an AD. Thanks ladies. Take care, Mich

I'm glad you started this thread. I just started Celexa the day before yesterday. My psychiatrist is starting me out low and slow as I am very sensitive to meds. I'm starting at 5 mgs and going up 5 mgs every week until I hit 20 mgs, which is what most people start at. I've been fighting taking an AD for so long, but I think I've finally come to the point where I just want to feel better. I can't wait to see what everyone else posts.

this is a great question. i am having the same problem with remeron and i am looking for the same positive results you are. paxil made me feel good but could not take the sexual dysfunction. so, like you, i am curiuos to know what people are trying successfully.

I hope this thread gets lots of activity. If you have just started an AD if you would be willing to post and let us know what you are experiencing that would be great also. Lexapro initially had some sexual side effects (no "O"s) but that did subside to a degree. I was able to more easily achieve a few now it takes a bit more to get one but it's enough, lol. Sorry if TMI, but, this is the stuff some want to know. I realize even with each indiv. success story it doesn't mean that it will work the same for everyone. But, as I said wondering if one seems more predominently (sp?) more effective overall for more women. Thanks again, Mich

I could have written your post! I have been fighting taking an AD for years. I took them for many years in my 30s and had mixed results - sometimes I was flying hypomanic and sometimes I was drinking like a fish and sometimes I was feeling just right. Seems like I took them all: Prozac, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Celexa, etc.

I just started Celexa 5 mg two days ago and already feel an energizing effect. I'm going to stay at the 5 mg for a while because I am prone to getting "too happy" on ADs - hypomanic - and I don't want to get that way again.

Like you said, I just want to feel better! I have high hopes but I need to manage my AD intake very carefully. Best of luck to both of us!!

ZOLOFT 5O MG GOING ON TWO YEARS NOW AND WORKING GREAT!!!!

I fought taking an AD for YEARS!!! The STUPIDEST thing I have EVER done, besides marrying the biggest butthole ever!!

I won't ever go off of them if I don't have to! They gave me my life back!!!

Started on Lexapro, then went to the generic Celexa, which works just as good at a fraction of the cost.

Your telling me Lexapro is SOOOOO expensive. Were you able to just transfer to Celexa without weaning off of Lexapro first? I have had no real side effects other than nausea and some drowsiness. Was the transition from one to the other pretty seamless? Thanks, Mich

Yep, michuganna, not even a nich in the transition!! That's because Lexapro is the mother of Celexa. Or visa versa. Don't know which. Celexa is Lexapro with an added component. Ask for Citalopram, which is generic for Celexa. The cost at Wal-Mart is $10.00 for a 3 month supply or $4.00 for 1 month.

Hope this helps!!

Thanks so much. Can I ask how many mgs you are taking? I'm going to ask my psyche Dr. about these.

20 mgs from the very beginning. Tried to up it one time, but didn't do very well, so went back to 20 and have been just fine since.

Sometimes I have situational anxiety, but it does not tend to last long.

I am very pleased with the Citalopram.

i feel so fustrated because i dong feel my 60 mg of remeron is working as much as i would like it to but i switched from paxil to remeron because of sexual side effects. so here i am still not having orgasms and feeling sort of depressed. i dont want to go back to paxil but maybe lexapro could be an aption. i feel stuck. any suggestions? thank you

I am on Celexa 20 mg. I started low and went up slow... It has helped a ton with my panic anxiety and the depression that resulted from the anxiety. For me, I have a hard time getting on...lots and lots of side effects, physical and mental as my body got used to it, which mostly all passed. But I was on it once several years ago and knew I would feel worse before I felt better.

I feel I sleep lighter of Celexa--lots of vivid dreams that I remember and lots of waking, but this could just be peri stuff.

I have thought about switching to Lexapro--supposedly the "cleaner" version as celexa does cause me--ahem--sexual dysfunction. I also feel a bit lazy on it--I am a freelancer and don't feel quite as much hustle. But I am so much happier and relaxed than I was these are minor complaints...

my moms on lexapro with no side effects....

Effexor XR rocks! Been taking it for about 2 years now (had a bit of a break when I lost my insurance and couldn't afford it) and it has made a world of difference for me. My panic attacks were through the roof and I was having them daily. It takes about two months for it to fully kick in, but you can start feeling better in as little as four days. I tried Lexapro for three days and it made my symptoms exponentially worse -- it was so bad I thought I was dying. Not to mention that it gave me suicidal thoughts. Effexor did none of that. I would recommend it to anybody.

Wow, you're already feeling the effects! That's great. I wish I could say the same, but so far I'm still popping the xanax to keep the anxiety down. I am hoping that eventually I'll be able to stop the xanax and just take the AD and feel good. We'll have to let each other know how it's going, okay.

i am just curious. those of you that say you feel good on the antidepressant you are taking can you describe what feeling good is to you. remeron makes me sleep well and sure eat well and my concentration is good but i am still absessive and i do not feel confident and optimistic. so i am curious to find out if any of you who are happy with your AD feel optimistic, because for me it is not enough to just not have panic attacks or anxiety i want to feel hopeful and more confident. is this too much to ask from an AD? thank you for your response.

For me, I went from waking up feeling scared about what the day would bring to feeling more calm and positive. I also started to enjoy the things I always loved again and be able to again be "in the moment"--this all may be because I was more anxious than depressed and removing the anxiety meant that I could get back to living my life.

I have heard that the purpose of antidepressants is not to turn the person into a giant happy face but to get you to the state that you are capable of working on your problems--you have energy, can get out of bed, can focus, can face daily stresses etc.

sissyl
thank you for your feedback. waht you are describing is what i want back in my life. i know that AD's are not suppose to just make you happy. i just want to get some joy and peace into my life. for example i woke up this morning feeling dread and apprehension. had a fight with someone, cried, and still feel low. thank you. you make me feel hopeful.

I feel lazier too on Lexapro. That's the only thing that bugs me. I'm not really what I would consider depressed, but, feeling like not wanting to do much feels kinda the same. I'm not weepy or anything. But, as I said I had to up my Lexapro to 30mg because the health anxiety felt like it was coming back and I have had no noticeable side effects at all. Though I am noticing a little bit of an appetite increase, not much, just a bit. I was able to up the dosage like it was nothing which is good I guess. I also don't sleep without having to take Xanax to get to sleep.

I'm wondering has anyone had to up their Lexapro from the typical 20mg and how much did you have to up it to get effective results? Is it normal to have to up dosage on Lexapro from standard 20mg or should 20mg typically do the job? I've tried Prozac, which increased my anxiety and Wellbutrin made me nutty.

Thanks,
Michele
Mich

Dear Mich
As I mentioned before I have been on 20 mgs Prozac for quite a long time.It does the job but it did highten my anxiety at first.I also needs the occasional Xanax when I have hightened anxiety.
Everyone of us is Physiologically different so different ADs are effective whilst others are not or have adverse side effects.Also dosage needs do differ.Some folks are good on 10mgs others need to go up a whole lot higher.
The main thing is how you feel both physically,emotionally and mentally.It often takes time to really know how we feel as individuals.
So try to relax, monitor yourself and if 30mgs seems better than so be it.
Don't forget to keep in close contact with your prescribing Physician.
And also keep us posted
God Bless,my dear
Elizabeth.

Dear 'praia'
It is not so much feeling good on an AD as being more optimistic and having better coping skills with life in general.Usually it is a case of finding the right AD to suit you at the correct dosage.
This of course means finding a caring and compassionate Psychiatrist who will work with you.This OCD is very disturbing and certain ADs are better at controlling this symptom more than others..
Usually,after discussing all your symptoms and having a complete physical,the Doctor will prescribe what he feels might best suit your case.Generally it is better to start with smallest dose possible and then,with the Doctor's consent,the dosage can be raised to where you start to feel the benefits.
Remember too that it might take up to three months or longer to feel better so patience is needed.Also anxiety may increase for a while so it is possible you will be given a small dose of Anti Anxiety Med to go along with it.
Personally I do feel ADs have their place if used correctly and monitored well.It can be the difference between dragging yourself around,hounded by compulsive thoughts etc. to enjoying a better quality of life.

So search around and hopefully you find someone to help you.
Please keep us posted!
All the Best
Elizabeth

The effects for me mainly is no more panic. No more feeling scared all the time, just waiting for the moment that I'm going to drop dead. No more making funeral plans in my head. No more terror of things that go bump in the night. No more constantly dwelling on my health, knowing that the next chest pain, the next headache, the next anything is going to be the one that kills me.

I've been taking an AD for just over a year. I am no longer exhibiting obsessive behavior. Am much more balanced than I have ever been in my entire life. Could definitely have used the AD much sooner, but I was very stubborn about taking meds. Anxiety is gone for the most part. I do have some situational anxiety, but nothing like before.........and I can deal with it much better now.

Thats my experience thus far, I don't obsess nearly as much about my health (though I do have occasional tweaks of it, anxiety way more manageable, sleep is still hard to come by, have to xanax at night which I'm ok with. I just started my upped dose 3 days now, I almost can't tell I'm on an anti depressant at all even when I upped it, just a bit drowsy but not really sleepy. I just want to get up and feel connected to life, I definitely don't like going outside all that much. Perhaps I just have created a bad habit that I will need to break and has nothing to do with depression or anxiety. Though I did have my husband drive me to the store and I didn't get anxiety actually but I barely had any interest in going down the aisles like I usually would. Usually things catch my eye like a little crow, but, not now. I got what I needed and wanted to leave, go back home. That's the part I want to get past. As I said that may be something I myself have to make an effort on. AD's are not miracle workers, but, I was kinda hoping for a sort of feeling of peace and contentment and balance that would help me WANT to make those changes. I guess I will give it more time, I just don't want to have to change meds again.

joyceveronica

thank you for your sweet words and feedback. i am seeing my psychiatirst next week. i will work hard to minimize my symptoms so that i can have a enjoyable life. maybe i just need aq small adjustment to bring above my baseline. thank you

I started on Prozac a few yrs ago. Started at 10mg then went to 20mg...tried 40 but decided it didn't do much more then 20 so I dropped back, but it took over a yr to find my right dosage. I'm on Wellbutrin now, the sexual side effects were more then I wanted at the time.
But for me, Prozac seemed to help bring me out of a down feeling I was having all the time. I had dropped to the bottom with no interest in life anymore, just really didn't care about anything and wasn't motivated at home for anything. I was a person I didn't know!!!
I'm good, but I still deal with low dips...those are what I'm trying to learn to deal with now!
I am finding that although its a tough road at times, I have learn to be patient and to keep trying.

I took an AD for the first time this summer b/c I was overwhelmed by health issues (gallstones and inner ear imbalance) and I began to have unrelenting panic attacks. It was worst when I was driving and so I got to the point where I dreaded driving...having two small kids in school I HAVE TO DRIVE so it was time to get some help. My OB GYN gave me some samples of pristiq and I took it VERY hesitantly. I was SO afraid it was going to do something weird to me...it I think I had a panic attack the first few mornings after taking it. However, I think it was by day 5 I felt SO much better. I felt like myself again. I was smiling. I stayed on the pristiq for about 4-5 weeks and then went off it ONLY b/c I was still kinda scared about side effects (I read too much online)....here's what I experience on the pristiq:
Waking up in the middle of the night (but then going back to sleep fine)
Waking up in the morning feeling like I couldn't lay in bed but had to get up right away and move (almost like restless legs...)
Slower to climax but not impossible
I had one episode of heart palpitations. That was enough to scare me off it. I have had palpitations a few times in my life and I HATE them.
I had very little appetite...so I lost weight which wasn't a bad thing Food tasted good I just didn't crave it.
I did feel a little bit like a guinea pig b/c there is not much information out there about how people have done on the medicine. I did a lot of looking on the internet.

Other than that I had no problems with pristiq... I also had no problems going off of it. Of course I was only on it for a little over a month. I cut the pills and took a fourth for a few days and then just was done.

Fast forward two weeks or so....I feel the panic beginning to creep back in a little bit. Talk about discouragement!! Here I thought I was done with all of this. There was no way I was going down that dark road again so I immediately went to see my general doctor and he put me on 20 mg of prozac. He felt comfortable with an older medicine (I do too...although I am still kinda freaked out that it might make things worse). 3 days into it I feel okay....not great today but my allergies are acting up too. I haven't noticed any side effects. I am sleeping very well...except for some reason this morning I woke up at 5am (I hope that is not a sign of things to come). A friend mentioned today that the increased anxiety lately COULD be the pristiq finally leaving my system?! Made some sense.

I'd like to hear more about prozac. My doctor says he takes it every day and has for years with no problems. I am still wondering if I really need to be on an AD but I just can't put up with the panic and don't want it to come back. Xanax is my FRIEND. I always keep a half pill in my purse/pocket in case I need it. I rarely have more than a half pill a day....on the pristiq I had many weeks with no need for xanax.

Sorry I kinda rambled.

I took an AD for the first time this summer b/c I was overwhelmed by health issues (gallstones and inner ear imbalance) and I began to have unrelenting panic attacks. It was worst when I was driving and so I got to the point where I dreaded driving...having two small kids in school I HAVE TO DRIVE so it was time to get some help. My OB GYN gave me some samples of pristiq and I took it VERY hesitantly. I was SO afraid it was going to do something weird to me...it I think I had a panic attack the first few mornings after taking it. However, I think it was by day 5 I felt SO much better. I felt like myself again. I was smiling. I stayed on the pristiq for about 4-5 weeks and then went off it ONLY b/c I was still kinda scared about side effects (I read too much online)....here's what I experience on the pristiq:
Waking up in the middle of the night (but then going back to sleep fine)
Waking up in the morning feeling like I couldn't lay in bed but had to get up right away and move (almost like restless legs...)
Slower to climax but not impossible
I had one episode of heart palpitations. That was enough to scare me off it. I have had palpitations a few times in my life and I HATE them.
I had very little appetite...so I lost weight which wasn't a bad thing Food tasted good I just didn't crave it.
I did feel a little bit like a guinea pig b/c there is not much information out there about how people have done on the medicine. I did a lot of looking on the internet.

Other than that I had no problems with pristiq... I also had no problems going off of it. Of course I was only on it for a little over a month. I cut the pills and took a fourth for a few days and then just was done.

Fast forward two weeks or so....I feel the panic beginning to creep back in a little bit. Talk about discouragement!! Here I thought I was done with all of this. There was no way I was going down that dark road again so I immediately went to see my general doctor and he put me on 20 mg of prozac. He felt comfortable with an older medicine (I do too...although I am still kinda freaked out that it might make things worse). 3 days into it I feel okay....not great today but my allergies are acting up too. I haven't noticed any side effects. I am sleeping very well...except for some reason this morning I woke up at 5am (I hope that is not a sign of things to come). A friend mentioned today that the increased anxiety lately COULD be the pristiq finally leaving my system?! Made some sense.

I'd like to hear more about prozac. My doctor says he takes it every day and has for years with no problems. I am still wondering if I really need to be on an AD but I just can't put up with the panic and don't want it to come back. Xanax is my FRIEND. I always keep a half pill in my purse/pocket in case I need it. I rarely have more than a half pill a day....on the pristiq I had many weeks with no need for xanax.

Sorry I kinda rambled.

I've taken generic Effexor (venlafaxine) twice a day...37.5 mgs for the last five months. I've had very little side effects except for the first week or two. Then it was slight nausea, more frequent headaches and a slight increase in anxiety. All of that resolved within the first two weeks and I felt increasingly better and leveled out around six weeks. I sleep better, have no more anxiety or panic attacks which were happening daily, and no more hot flashes. The dizziness and off balance feeling went away and the head fog lifted. I am calmer and better able to concentrate. I was becoming agoraphobic and that has resolved. I worry about what will happen when I quit taking it but right now I'm happy to just have my life back!
Lee