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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Should I switch to a different antidepressant?
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Should I switch to a different antidepressant?
by Maggiesperson, Oct 20, 2008 01:36PM
About 5 yrs ago my doc put me on Lexapro to help with emotional problems I was having due to family issues. At the time I was seeing a therapist who helped me tremendously. She told me Lexapro was an excellent drug to take for my issues. I can't tell you how much better I felt after taking it. I was happy all of the time, very upbeat, very positive. The downside was I gained 30 pounds and sex was non-existent. The few times my husband & I did have sex I had a very hard time having an orgasm. We decided I would try Effexor instead. I took them for not quite a year, I constantly had a pain at the base of the back of my neck. I was sure the Effexor was doing something to my brain. I switched back to the Lexapro. I felt so good again. Didn't really gain much wait, but sex was a thing of the past. So let's try Wellbutrin. I've been taking 300 mg. of Wellbutrin for over a year. No weight gain, sex is good, but I am still depressed, want to cry alot. Don't want to go to work, just feel crummy alot of the time. I get mad easy and prefer to be alone. I don't know where to turn. I would like to go back on the Lexapro but don't want to get any heavier (5' and 150 lbs., no amount of exercise helps) and I don't want my sex life to be nonexistant. What do you suggest?
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Oct 20, 2008 01:51PM
, Oct 20, 2008 01:51PMTo: maggiesperson
The answer is embedded in your second sentence...you were seeing a therapist who helped you deal with the issues that were causing your symptoms..the drug and the therapy worked together...now you are only on medication. You have to go to the life source of your depression...either alone through self therapy or with help. Therapy with wellbutrin or lexapro or effexor will be the right combination.
