Fetzima for Clinical Depression

[needing_help_now]

I have been clinically depressed since late October.  I've tried three different combinations of medicines, three to four weeks each, with no results.  Today I went back to my dr and he started me on Fetzima.  He says it's new on the market but shows a lot of promise for Major Depressive Disorder.  I am his first patient on it.  It is so new, in fact, that I am having trouble finding forums such as this where I can ask others' experiences with it.  Even my pharmacist doesn't have any useful info on it; he has only had one other customer so far to get a script filled for it.  

If any of you have tried this medicine, how long did it take to take effect?  What type of side effects did you experience?  I am feeling very hopeless and desperate at this point because my level of despondency is worse than ever before.  

[kathym12345]

I have been on Fetzima for almost 4 weeks.  I titrated down from 300 mg effexor to 37.5 but am unable to get off completely.  The withdrawals are just to severe.  I feel no better, cry daily and can't get out of bed.  Should I try to stay on the fetzima for 8 wls and hope it kicks in or should something have happened by now.  I am still sleeping all day and up all night.  I am new to this site and even though I've been depressed and on and off many antidepressants, I have never been so bad.  I have been sick for over a year now.  My family is totally disgusted with me which only makes me cry more,  can anyone give me any advice?  Should I be in the hospital?  I never have been and it scares me to death.

[sunnysweetie2614]

Has Fetzima been a help to you? I am just starting it myself, I am on my 3rd day at 40 mg, I was at 20mg for 2 days before that. I'm just wondering when I may feel better? I am also coming off of 60mg cymbalta. Was at 60mg for a long time, then went to 30mg for 1 week then started Fetzima and stopped the Cymbalta all together. I'm really having a rough go of it here lately.... feeling disconnected from my husband, almost like he is a stranger to me, and for no particular reason I might add!!! My kids (3.5 years and 10 months) are wonderful, but I feel like I am short with my toddler all of the time, and I am not the Mom that I need to be to them. I can function and take care of them, and play with them, but I feel I could do more, you know? I'm ready for the sunshine to come streaming in the window, but for now, all I see is clouds. Please tell me that this will get better with this medication!!! I start 80 mgs in 2 days and stay there from then on.

[jennawriter]

hi everyone. i just joined this forum. i can relate to some much of what has been said here. major depression is a horrible disease. i am blaming myself, as if i somehow did this/caused it. but i'm trying to let go of that with help of a good therapist. I met with new psychiatric np saturday and, thank god, really loved her. she knows i can't work now and am having financial problems, and OFFERED to waive the copay and see me every week. has that ever happened before? not to me. anyhow, i've been on zoloft and lamictal now for several months (zoloft since april and lamictal about 2 months). xanax at night and as needed during day. prozac helped me for many many years, BUT i had never been severely clinically depressed, as I have been since February. the psychiatrist i was seeing for past 2 months just kept upping zoloft and lamictal, then added wellbutrin. i kept getting worse or at least not better and she dismissed me, saying you're just not on enough. i finally decided that she was not right for me. she actually was dismissive when my husband  called her to say i was worse. so, the new NP has recommended fetzima. she's going to keep me on the lamictal and wean me off the zoloft (I really think the zoloft may have had opposite effect on me, but the old psychiatrist said it's not possible. from what i've read, it is. So, I would love to hear more positive experiences about fetzima. I am SO medication phobic, but as many of you said, living like I am is torturous. i have to try anything. blessings to you all.

[demp2413]

I too have started to take Fetzima and am on 40 mg's.  I am eager to see if this medication works for me.  I also take 150 mg's of Effexor which will be tapered down to 75 mg's starting tomorrow and eventually eliminated.  I take 15 mg's of Abilify which my new doc says is way too much and it will be tapered down as well eventually to 5 mg.  I take Wellbutrin 200 mg's and Xanax as needed which is only 3-4 times per week.

I have battled depression for over 30 years and have been on a variety of medications, some helped temporarily - which could have been a couple of years before they became I guess neutral.  For the last 4-5 years, since I have been on the Abilify, I have been staying in bed as much as possible.  I can get up if I HAVE to, like to go to work, but feel like there is a lead blanket on me otherwise and I stay in bed.  Days off it is not uncommon for me to stay in bed 20 of 24 hours (or more).  As I write this I feel like someone is saying " if you can get up to go to work you can get up anytime" but it is just not like that.  Anyway, I had a mood swing while writing this and have no more to say at the moment.

Please give feedback!

[Joygirl65]

Today I went to my psychiatrist and he prescribed me Fetzima 40 mg's, I have been taking Topiramate 100 mg's twice daily and Lexapro 20 mg's once a day and Wellbutrin 150 mg's along with .5 mg's of Clonazopan twice a day. I had to sleep during the day which caused more depression and anxiety. So, now what I will be taking is the Fetzima 40 mg's and Topiramate 100 mg's in the morning and the Lexapro at night with the hopes of having energy and being able to focus more during the day and to not feel depressed in the afternoon. I will take the Clonazopan as needed for anxiety. I hope this works for me because something has to give. I am so darn sick of being depressed and anxious all of the time, it has ruined my whole being. Does anyone take this combination of medication and has it worked for them? I would appreciate any feedback. Thank you.

[Bratknee21]

Diagnosis= MDD & BD!
Years= 6

    I was titrated off Effexor with other Medicines (Viibryd, Brintellix, Fetzima) sending me to the hospital with Serotonin Syndrome. It has been two months now and I am no longer on the Effexor and currently taking the Fetzima 60mg. The agitation for myself and depression just has been impossible to get rid of since experiencing Serotonin Syndrome. I was very happy on the Efffexor LOVED IT but the weight gain was so bad they weened me off it since then life with MDD & BD1 has been aweful!!
    To come off Effexor is hell in its self. All I can say is Titrate extremely slowly to avoid Serotonin Syndrome. It's rare but very serious and more obtainable on these Serotonin Medicines takin together. I am not trying to scare you just let you know that it is possible and 10 times more possible with these medicines takin together........
     Everyone responds differently and I hope the best for you. I would hate to read about someone going through what I have with these new marketed medicines and doctors and pharmacist not knowing the test run results on these medicines......