Lost. Will it ever get any better?

[spectator117]

It feels like a strain to even type. I was on Effexor but switched to Wellbutrin 3 months ago because of the side effects of effexor. The titration off effexor made me feel completely psychotic. crazy. I have now been on the Wellbutrin a while but I am not happy. My anxiety has lessened and I no longer smoke but I still find it hard to function. I am negative all the time. I am extremely critical of myself and my history. All this time I have been living with my boyfriend of 4 years and we have been fighting nonstop. My emotions seem to be magnified...if I am angry I scream or punch things, lif I am sad I cry hysterically and hyperventilate. All this has me wanting  to sleep as much as possible so that I don't have to deal with how broken I am and how hurt my boyfriend is. I don't know how to fix this. I am awaiting the arrival of effexor to add back into the mix but every hour feels like a day and every day feels like a week. I am ruining everything around me and just can't seem to stop. I just needed to be able to talk about it.

[JG525]

Hi Spec: Actually, they just switched me to prozac to get through the withdrawal, so we'll see.  Hopefully, I'll be off it soon.  I have to get off Klonopin too.

[spectator117]

I can't tell you all how much your words have helped me. Just knowing that I have a place to turn to has relieved quite a bit of my anxiety.
I am still waiting on the Effexor (no samples were found) but things have leveled out a bit since I have dealt with a big situation in my life. I no longer feel like I am that far from reality now that I am actually dealing with it.
I think that when I was searching the internet for some new drug without side effects or some kind of answer I just kept seeing how negatively peoples lives have been effected by taking AD meds. And then I would come across an article that says that they are all bogus. It's hard to know what to do and only made me feel worse. For now I am ignoring all that and just trying what's in front of me.

JG525, let me know how it goes. One of the things that I was stuck was that I would not be able to naturally have kids because of being on the meds. I am happy to hear that it is totally possible. I wish you the best of luck!

[ufcfan]

Thank's so much for the kind words! I've been struggling with deppression and anxiety my whole life and it finally got to be more than I could handle. I lost a girl that meant alot to me because of my emotional issues. I felt more comfortable with her than I did with anyone else. I'm glad I found this website so I can talk to people who I can relate to and maybe offer help to others who have things much worse than me!

[wellb]

Hi spectator,

Sigh, wow!! ...reading your post made me remember what I went through over 12 years ago. I'm actually getting a cold sweat just reading your post!
oh....I felt just like you.

Obviously, I'm still here , even after experiencing what you're going through, so there is hope.  I am now feeling so much better and happier.

Like you, my Doctors tried different combinations of anti-depressants (for months) until "we" found something that worked for my body.

Plz don't give up.
If you are having uncomfortable side-effects from what you're on, call your Doc and let him/her know so that dosages can be fixed or even be given different medications.

Spectator, you are actually quite lucky because those of us that had what you had years ago, experienced depression totally alone, since there was NO INTERNET. We had no one to talk to. I'm surprised more of us didn't comit suicide.

But now, you have groups like this to go to. PLUS in the last few years the medical community has discovered more SSRIs that work better for certain people. Thus, you can go to a Doc and be given a med better suited to your needs.

When I was in your condition ,the main Med was PROZAC and MAO inhibitors. Period.

Then came Paxil and Zoloft and we (depressives) let out a sigh of relief.
Then came other SSRIs---more sighs of relief!

Hang in there. There is hope for you to lead a happier life.
Take care. :-)

[JG525]

Effexor seems to cause the same libido and anorgasmia (?) issues.  In fact, most ADs do.  I think a wellbutrin combo is the only thing that most people find fix that.  Originally, I was on Pristiq, which is the newer Effexor.  I know it's pretty much the same drug, but I did not think the libido thing was AS bad.  It's never great though.

I'm almost at 48 hours without Effexor and hanging in there.  I've had some motion sickness sort of feeling, particularly while driving and also some irritability.  I'm functioning though...maybe tapering really does help.  I went pretty slowly.  Anyway, good luck!

[ufcfan]

The main side effects I've had with Paxill have been decreased sex drive and difficulty having an orgasm. My head was a little cloudy at first but my body adapted to it pretty quick. I also take Clonezepam to help me with my anxiety. Keep me posted.

[JG525]

Hi: Yes, I'm trying to go totally off.  I'm trying to have a baby this year and I hope I can do it without ADs.  If not, then I'll probably go back on something other than Effexor.  Effexor is a good drug, but really hard to come off of.  Also, I find the libido side effects of most of the drugs to be terrible.  I'm assuming that's what bothered you too.

I agree with you and the above poster about how wellbutrin feels...I was crazy.  I do wonder though if I had combined it with another medicine if it would have been better.  I think prozac is the common combo med, but they combine wellbutrin with others too.  I've never spoken with anyone who had the bad experience with wellbutrin and then added prozac or something.  It's always the other way around.

I totally hear you on not wanting to feel crazy.  These things are hard.  Also, I quit smoking a few years ago and that made me pretty nuts for awhile too.  Some of this might be good to work through in therapy if you can.

I've found that smoking, like alcohol and drugs, can mask your real feelings about things.  So, when you quit, they come out strongly!  Hang in there though.  Quitting smoking was one of the best things I've ever done.

Jenny

[heyjude1]

Had a thought, are you waiting for a mail order on your Effexor?  Call your doc, he may have sample to give you are give you script for few Effexor until your order arrives.

[heyjude1]

I went from Effexor to Wellbutrin but had to go back on Effexor.  The Wellbutrin made me soooo mean, as a matter of fact, it made my depression 10 times worse.  I would get with my p-doc and let him know you are going crazy on the Wellburtrin and need some help asap and get off the Wellbutrin.

[spectator117]

JG525, I hope every thing goes well. Are you stopping totally or going on to another med?  I've tried Prozac in the past but didn't really work for me. Same with Zoloft. Effexor was ok...I just had a hard time the side effects (especially trying to stay in a relationship). I'm just trying to get an SSRI back in my system in an attempt to being some normalcy to my life. I don't know if I'll even stay on the Wellbutrin but my body and mind handle another change like that right now.

UFCFAN, Have you experienced any side effects on Paxil?

I've done some research but am still trying to get a grip on the fact that I need to be on meds all the time.

Thanks you for the responses and kind words. I am happy to have found somewhere to talk about my emotions and experiences.

[ufcfan]

I'm so sorry about all the trouble with the medication. I also tried Wellbutrin recently because I heard that it came with less sexual side effects. Though it did I seemed to have some of the same emotional issues that you were talking about with it. Right now I'm on Paxill and seem to feel a little better. Everyone responds different so keep working with your doctor. Post a comment any time you need to talk.

[JG525]

I understand how you feel.  I'm tapering off Effexor now and feel nuts sometimes.  Also, the one time I tried wellbutrin, it made me more anxious and just all round crazy...very tempermental and angry.  I am prone to flying off the handle like you describe here and I hate that, but it's way worse when tapering or on certain meds.  It sounds like you are doing the right thing by adding back something.  Have you talked to your doctor about whether Effexor and Wellbutrin are the right combo?  I wonder if prozac and wellbutrin could work.  I'm not a doctor, so just an idea because I relate to your symptoms.

I'm at 25mg of Effexor now and almost ready to step off it totally...I dread it because I've already started to feel nuttier and I don't know how long it will take to stabilize.

Good luck! Jenny