Hi Needhelp,
I'll try and be brief.
First my own view is never add meds while weaning off others. Why? simply because you cannot tell what med is doing what and are likely to make irrational decisions about a med. For example, Colleen has said she tried Effexor but became suicidal. It is a potential side effect of most A/D's but if she was coming off another med how would she or her doc know which one was causing that problem?
Many are afraid to go without meds as they don't want to risk becoming worse, a genuine fear of course. I look at it though as an opportunity to see how I'm going without meds. Last about 6 weeks but that's good as I know the meds are needed and not just being taken because I take them etc.
Mixtures of meds really are only something specialists can advise on and frankly I don't believe they really know. They do know what previous patients have had success or failure with combinations but they do not know the possibilities for you, or me. Do they? They are guessing.
As are all of us here as we only have our own experience we can be certain of.
I'm thinking about abilify myself as an alternative for Seroquel but the more I read and hear about it the less inclined I am to risk it.
Effexor is the most succesful and reliable med around, it's been around quite a while now but is the fallback option for many docs once all the new meds fail us. I'd suggest it to anyone for both depression and anxiety. Takes about 6 weeks possibly to have effect. There are problems coming off it for many but I have come off twice, once bad, second nothing at all so who knows? Many have no problems also but we hear about those of us that do have a hard time and I was one.
The lack of concentration and focus (and motivation and enjoyment too?) are general depression symptoms and do not indicate aadd on their own.
Have you dealt with your father's passing as yet? My Mum died when I was 10 and I did not deal with it until I was about 48. Once I finally faced it and did deal with it I was OK about it. It's such a big loss but this is the sort of thing talk therapy helps with.
i also wanted to try wellbutrin to help stop smoking. i tried the chanix and had a bad recation. i don't know if it was cause of taking lexapro already.
i sdid order the new electric cigaretts. the only thing in them is a water vapor to minic smoke but it has no carcingents it even lights up at the end. it's s smooth taste just like the real thing only it looks like a black pen. there's no lighters to worry about, you can lite up anywhere cause there's no cigarette smoke, don't have to worry about ashes or the smell of cigaretts.but it does have nivtione. which is what smokers are addicted to
but i read where wellburtion and chanix help withthis addiction
smoking makes me depressed but i can sem to stop. the anxiety becomes to anxiety ridden
thank you coleen
Hi coleen, im really sorry to hear about your father... I can't imagine what that must be like. As for the meds you can switch to another one without wheaning off the Lexapro. I was on Paxil, Effexor, and now Celexa. Do not take Paxil, it was a nightmare for me and many other people. i gained 40 lbs, lost all of my energy and could not get out of bed too often. I tried to whean off it Paxil but did it too fast and ended up in the hospital where the doctor told me there was nothing he could do for me. Then I switched to Effexor and became suicidal. After 2 months I switched to Celexa. Celexa is the cousin to Laxapro w/o that manyside effects. I am great but very tired. I have my energy back but I sleep a lot, which I don't mind. The doctor can switch you to another med easily w/o side effects. I did it. The doc will explain but make sure you tell him what side effects you definitely want to avoid. This will help them to make a better decision on what to prescribe. Everyone reacts differently but if you do the research on these meds you can see how many people have dealt with the terrible effects. I still have anxiety but my doc told me to give this med time because it is supposed to help w that too. Good luck, I hope I was able to help. : )