Have you tried antidepressants?

[Anonymous]

posed to both men & women: which one, and have you had any bad side effects?

My husband, who has depression on both sides of his family, has just taken the huge step of agreeing he may need to see a doctor and try meds. It is the first time I have felt a ray of hope for our marriage in a long time because I have often felt he is dealing with depression but just trying to power through it.

I know they are different for everyone, but, I would love to hear some peoples' experiences.

[Anonymous]

I started on Pristiq a few months ago. It helped with negativity, but I'm still not "happy". My sex drive is completely absent, before it was low, but I could get interested. I'm a 50 yr old woman.

[Anonymous]

Yes. I have used Effexor as have a few of my friends. We all have the same rave reviews. Seriously no side effects (I've tried others that had horrible side effects). It just removed the anxiety and depression and made be feel happy again. I highly recommend it.

[Anonymous]

Thank you PPs! More feedback anyone?

[Anonymous]

I take a low dose of lexapro. It helps some, and no side effects.

[Anonymous]

New poster here: I am specifically interested in side effects of weight gain and hair loss (relatively minor side effects I know). Any info on how different drugs do regarding these two side effects?

[Anonymous]

Over a decade ago i took Prozac for about a year during a highly stressful and upsetting time. It worked really well and I was able to cope with all the stressors that came my way at once. I could feel joy and I actually never cried once while on it which was a little odd. The downside is it decreases sex drive a lot. While initially it causes weightloss due to loss of appetite in some includiding me, over time it is not uncommon to cause weight gain. I gained 15+ pounds the year I was on it and couldn't lose it until I gradually got off it. I also had dizziness when I first started it and I bled easier and didn't clot as well.

[Anonymous]

Really bad side effects for me. I had to stop and tough it out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I take a low dose of lexapro. It helps some, and no side effects.

Me too, msybe a little tired at first but nothing much.

[Anonymous]

I've been taking a fairly low dose of Zoloft (50 mg) for 3 years. I notice no side effects, other than perhaps 5-10 pounds heavier (but I also had another baby during that time, so who's to say what the cause is).

[Anonymous]

My husband & I are each on antidepressants--I'm on Zoloft (200 mg); he's on Lexapro & Wellbutrin, with an occasional Atavan for severe anxiety/temper. We've also been in couples counseling for several years, and I think that the combination of interventions has not only stopped me fantasizing about divorce, it's also allowing us to truly enjoy each other.

We've both gained weight, and my sex drive is way down (his isn't, probably because the Wellbutrin lifts it--my psychiatrist offered to add Wellbutrin to my program, but so far I've declined). That's a source of some tension; I've found that exercise helps my libido, so I'm trying to commit myself to that. Other than the weight and the sex drive, no side effects.

[Anonymous]

22:36: Just wanted to add: Being married to someone who is depressed is utter hell. That your husband is showing an interest in getting his depression treated is a big, big step. It took a year or two before my husband's depression & temper really got under control, but it was worth it. For perhaps the first time, I'm finally living with the man I love--for so long he was buried under so much pain/anxiety I couldn't find him.

(And I bet he'd say the same thing about me, too.)

[Anonymous]

I've tried SSRIs, SNRIs and older antidepressants. The side effects were not tolerable. Paxil made me very spacey. Celexa caused some crazy jaw /tension pain. Effexor made me vomit and shake all night after the first and only dose. Trazodone caused all over body aches, similar to the flu.

I get the freakishly rare side effects. I have the worst luck when it comes to medications. I'd love to know why, but no one seems to be able to answer that.

[Anonymous]

Cymbalta evened me out tremendously but I gained upwards of 15+ pounds, lost my sex drive and couldn't -- ahem -- "enjoy" sex as much.

Weaning off was hell for two weeks but I feel it saw me through a rough patch (also have had issues with chronic depression for 10+ years and have been on both Prozac and Zoloft over the years) and that I was ready to let it go at least for now.

The weight gain and low libido STINKS. However, when one needs to be rescued from the undertow of depression, it is sometimes worth the sacrifice.

[Anonymous]

Wellbutrin. I loved it and actually LOST weight on it. Plus, it does wonders for your sex drive.