Do antidepressent SSRI's eventually poop out?

[castelfrontano]

I took the SSRI, Prozac (fluoxetine) for about twenty years.  Suddently, I found it it was not working and instead of curbing depression, the depresssion actually intensified.  Check the internet and look up the SSRI you may be taking and research what may be in store for you.  My doctor decided to place me on 300 mg of Wellbutrin a day in place of the flouxetine.  It will take a few weeks to see if it works.  Has anyone out there had a similar experience where they moved to Wellbutrin and had success?

[Hensley258]

You very lucky to have gotten relief from the same SSRI for so many years.

Most people with Major depression get 2 to 6 years max of effectivness from any one given antidepressant. Some get 8 or even 10 but not the norm.

Ask any person on this site how many times they had to change medications because the one they were taking pooped out on them. The response will be from hundreds of people.

I got 4 years from Effexor XR and I thought that was a victory. I got 3 years from Zoloft. Now even the Tricyclics only work for about 1 year for me.

It's called tolerance build up and it happens all the time with antidepressants. I am now all but immune to all SSRI's. Like taking a sugar pill for me.

[myJanee]

I took Zoloft for several years, till it stopped working and I was switched to Wellbutrin. That was 10 years ago, and it's still working fine for me. The part of Wellbutrin that stopped workking, though, is the appetite suppressant. That part just worked for about 3 years before it left.

[mammo]

It is very common for these drugs to lose their effectiveness after awhile, but you were fortunate to have gotten that many years out of the Prozac.  Many often have to switch to a new drug after time.  I have no experience with Wellbutrin.