Question about chioces in meds...

[PixieNYC]

Hey all, I'm brand new here! I have been clinically depressed (or something) for at least four years and have been on and off Wellbutrin for almost a year. Stupidly I have gone on and off without any doctor monitoring me. Ok, I'll be honest, I have a drinking problem and when I fall back off the wagon, I stop my meds. because one shouldn't mix anti-depressants with alcohol. I know, I know, it is ridiculous reasoning, but I wanted to be honest. However. I am back on Wellbutrin now and it has been a month. it does make me way less depressed and gives me my energy back, BUT I can't seem to sleep and I do get anxiety. The thing is, I can't take SSRI's, because I refuse to get lethargic; my lack of energy is harder for me to deal with than anxiety. But I wish I didn't have to choose! I tried paxil and Celexa and they both made me sleepy, less interested in things, got chubby etc. (Also, Wellbutrin doesn't affect the libido at all!).

Anyway, does anyone know of something to take ONLY when anxiety strikes? Not an SSRI, that is, something else. And how to get a doctor to prescribe it? Why I am saying this is because of my having been and is an adddict, I shouldn't take benzoes for example. Don't get me wrong; I love them, love to fall alseep on them, but in the long run it's really not a good idea. Right now I am on something called Propavan (prompriomazine), which is non-addictive and described as a strong anti-histamine. It does make me sleep once I fall asleep, but THAT still takes hours. PLUS, it makes me feel almost hung-over the day after.

So, questions:

!. Any reflections on Wellbutrin?
2. Any anti-anxiety (temporary; don't want to ad something to me regimen on a daily basis!) suggestions!
3. Sleeping aid suggestions! (I get itchy from melatonin, valerian doesn't work, forget about drinking warm milk or excersising... ;-)

Thanks you all and sorry for the lengthy post!

[whodunnit]

Hi,

It's good you have been honest about drinking. And you are right, having the two together is a waste  of time and effort and should be avoided. But you do have to choose one or the other Pixie. Continual switching too is a waste of time as meds need to be taken in a continual regime and monitored. Else it's rather pointless.

I sympathise with your requests but I must ask you what your priority is.

Is it mental health first and alll the other issues in order later? Or, as your post indicates, is your first priority comfortable issues and mental health somewhere down the list.

To me, unles your mental health is frst priority, again it is pointless as you would be giving more weight to things that can be very temporary over what is a life long struggle.

Let the doc decide for you, with discusion with you. A joint decision so you know what you are getting and the doc knows what you will do with it. To be succesful of course you need to keep seeing that same doc and be honest with them too. Else, again, pointless....

[opus88]

Hi Pixie welcome
I can't really answer most of you're questions you really need to consult you're doctor.
Antidepressants do have a sedative effect however this usually wears off after you have taken them for awhile.
As for an antianxiety med thats not as addicting as a benzo..you could ask you're doctor abt BUSPAR....this med is not an instant acting med it takes awhile to build up in you're system(therefore not addicting...as far as I've been told)...however it is something that you couldn't take just occasionally so maynot be what you are really looking for.
all the instant acting antianxiety meds as far as I know are benzodiazapines and are quite addictive especially for someone with a predisposition to addiction.
again i stress talk to you're doctor.
good luck