Has anyone taken antidepressants and had problems because of them?

Question

I am interested to know about people's experience with sadness, what they done about this problem, if they taken antidepressants or not, and why.
I am very sad all the time, and can't sleep.
I was thinking about going to my family doctor to ask him to give me some medicine that would make me feel less sad and make me to fall asleep at night... But I read on the internet that antidepressants cause side effects like: sexual dysfunctions, dry mouth, insomnia, low blood pressure (I already got insomnia and low blood pressure... I don't want to get other things on top of those...)
I was thinking about taking antidepressants for a few days... but do they work if I take them just for 5 or 7 days?

What did you do (or some people you know) with depression? Have you (or the person you know with depression) come out of depression in a satisfying way?

I want to ask one more important question, but there's no more space, wait a minute until I write it on a next page.

For 6 months or more I am terribly sad especially at night, when I can't sleep.
My results in faculty have dropped very much because of this (because I'm too bored and sad to be interested to read the stuff for the exams)...
Will antidepressants help me be interested in school-work and sports again?
Or not? If not, then what should I take or do or pursue?

Yes, I have been staying all the time in the house, and I've had little or no interaction with other people lately... Just seeing certain people makes appalls me (because they are not interested in me etc... and of course it has to do with sex also, because it is one of the things that we need in life...)

"Very nice!!! How much??" What is the price, ladies? (This is Borat's question, but you can answer it. And give a serious answer, to a serious question, I'm not asking this question as Borat does it, I'm asking you earnestly.)

Answer 1

I HAVE USED THE ROSARY FOR SADNESS & IT WORKS------ALSO USE 2-3 MG. OF MELATONIN TO UP YOUR SERATONIN LEVELS WHICH MAKES YOU FEEL BETTER----ALSO USE VALERIAN WHICH MAKES YOU HAPPIER.....BOTH CAN BE GOTTEN THRU HEALTH FOOD OR VIT. & MINERAL STORES % CATALOGUES........SOMETIMES POTASSIUM HELPS....

Answer 2

A lot of times they cause side effects, but then the side effects stop after some time on the medicine. It really depends on the individual. However, most anti-depressants take 2 weeks before they take full effect. So it's best to take them for at least two weeks then see how they make you feel. Starting them and stopping them too soon can add to your problems. Ask your doctor for a sleep aid while taking the medication. Maybe the pills your doc prescribed aren't the best for you, maybe your doctor needs to try another kind of anti-depressant. The best thing to do is talk to your doctor about all of the questions you have concerning anti-depressants. Also, try being out with other people and doing enjoyable activities instead of just staying in the house. That helps a lot.

Answer 3

You need to see your family doctor. You are obviously clinically depressed based on the symptoms you described. There are excellent antidepressants out there and if one doesn't work for you or has bad side effects, you can switch If your family doctor won't prescribe an antidepressant ask to be referred to a psychiatrist.

The longer you let your depression go untreated, the harder it will be to treat.

Sadnes,, insomnia, not wanting to see people, not being able to accomplish daily tasks, these are ALL classic signs of clinical depression. Clinical depression is an imbalance of chemicals in the body. This imbalance can be restored with the proper antidepressants. Many antidepressants do not cause the side effects you mentioned. Lexapro is one of the best antidepressants to try and is prescribed by a lot of cdoctors because of its effectiveness for so many people.
'
YOu could try St. John's Wort, which is an herbal remedy, but with your symptoms I would suggest that you not do that. YOu need to be monitored by a medical doctor.

DOn't give up hope. And if you do feel hopeless to the point of suicide, call a suicide hotline or go to the emergency room. This is just as deadly as a heart attack and would need to be dealt with professionallky.

Answer 4

i wonder if you would consider going to a naturapath doctor? i did and found it quite interesting. some of my 'depression' was in fact allergies and sensitivities to certain foods, and fabric softeners, etc.
but i do suffer from bouts of depression. over the years i have tried antidepressants and yes they do have side-effects which i didn't like. so i tried st. johns wort......an herbal remedy.......and for me it has worked very well over the years.
i also find it is far too easy to let yourself sink into an abyss of depression. soon as i feel it coming on i make small changes to my routine. i start getting out more, even if just for walks or a bike ride. it gets too easy to stay in the house.....and thats never a good idea.
i have found my life works much better if i have a routine and keep to it as much as possible. ie: i make sure i have 3 meals a day, exercise daily, not a lot, just on the tread mill for a short walk, and i make sure i go to bed the same time every night.
i have a schedule for daily chores and stick to it.
i try very hard to eat healthy, staying away from some of my 'triggers' such as sugar!
silly as this sounds, i also try not to watch too much television. i find the news very depressing, so i listen to it on a radio station where they just give hi-lights. then if there is something i am interested in i can look into that one item and ignore the others. listening to all the murder and mayhem will trigger a bout of depression.
i also try to do some volunteer work at a local senior's home.
it is difficult to live with depression and i do hope that you will take some measure of comfort in knowing you are not alone. but you can change it! so good luck and i'm keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Answer 5

Interesting. I have a friend who is weaning himself off an anti depressant, it turns out it has a very bad side effect reaction with blood pressure medicine he is on. It gave him tremors and slurred speech in addition to depression. I guess these drugs work OK in many cases, but not in all, and I have a feeling that they are being overprescribed by doctors. It is not easy to deal with depression but it might be better to try something besides drugs to do so, like an exercise program or a hobby. Running and other physical activity supposedly produces good results. Yoga, too. Any kind of activity that focus the mind away from recycling over the same depressing territory.

Answer 6

Antidepressiants come in many types. If you have side effects on one usually the doctor can suggest another. Many people do not need to stay on anti depressents. After a year and some therpy they find the medication is no longer needed.

I suffer from chronic depression (I will always be on medication). and have suffered none of the side effects mentioned on the websites.

The loss of desire to complete normals task can return yes.

Please, go talk to someone.

Answer 7

i have taken some and well once they found something strong enough for me it worked but it's only going to help... if you really want to get rid of the sadness then fix what is causing it! I took them for a short time cause i have enough will power to make things better for me. If you dont try to get some counseling or advice on how to make your life more happier for you... just remember you can change you, no one else! there are some side effects to the meds but your doctor should explain that to you for it is different with each medication.

Answer 8

dont go to your family doctor go to a psychiatrist...you will not only need medication but you need the hour long verbal therapy...if you are having the feeling you describe..i would go there is no need this day and age to suffer. you can have several of the symtoms you describe...but i will take those over depression any day. good luck

and yes it helped my depression....i was getting to the point i did not want to get out of bed or leave the house

Answer 9

no don't take coz u will beaddicted to them: As with all drugs some people react badly to antidepressants, whilst side effects can seem quite mild in others. The irony here of course is that, helpful as antidepressants may be for some people at some times, these side effects can be very depressing in themselves.

Because no one antidepressant has been proven to be any more effective than any other, the choice of which drug to prescribe often rests on their different side effects!

The overwhelming popularity of SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) was in part due to their apparent "safety" over more toxic drugs when used improperly. Some of the Tricyclics are extremely toxic in overdose, such as Dothiepin, Amitriptyline and Imiprimine.

However, in addition to other dangers, there is also an established direct link between suicide and violent behaviour and the use of SSRIs. (1)

Actually, all the effects, even the desired effects, can be considered a side effect of taking a pill. The reason there are so many side effects with antidepressants, is really due to the lack of full understanding about how antidepressants, and depression, affect the brain.

This can can be very different from case to case. Even the drug companies themselves admit that they don't quite know how the drugs work! (2)

Antidepressant treatment is often very much "a sledgehammer to crack a nut", especially in cases of mild to moderate depression. Bombarding an incredibly delicate and well balanced system with external chemicals on a long-term basis is bound to create unpleasant side effects. One of the desired side effects is to change the mood of the person taking the antidepressant.

St John's Wort (hypericum) has been shown to be as effective as antidepressants, and have fewer side effects. (3,4)

General side effects of depression medication
Some of the various side effects from the different antidepressants are:

Dry mouth

Urinary retention

Blurred vision

Constipation
Sedation (can interfere with driving or operating machinery)

Sleep disruption

Weight gain

Headache

Nausea

Gastrointestinal disturbance/diarrhea

Abdominal pain

Inability to achieve an erection

Inability to achieve an orgasm (men and women)

Loss of libido

Agitation

Anxiety
See below for the side effects of specific antidepressant types.

Uncovering the new truths about SSRIs
One of the reasons that SSRIs (including Paxil, Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft, Celexa) are so widely prescribed by doctors and psychiatrists is because they are safer in overdose. This is obviously a good thing because traditionally the most common form of suicide was to overdose on the very antidepressants which were meant to help relieve the depression.

However, there are two very real dangers with Sari: one that has recently been the basis of an historic court battle in the US.

SSRIs pose greater risks when taken with other drugs, due to their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. For example, SSRIs can be lethal when taken with MAOIs.
While being safer in overdose, SSRIs have actually been proven to increase thoughts of suicide or self harm.
Other side effects of SSRIs
Nausea, diarrhea, headaches. Sexual side effects are also common with SSRIs, such as loss of libido, failure to reach orgasm and erectile problems. Seratonergic syndrome is also a worrying condition associated with the use of SSRIs.

Side effects of TCAs (tricyclic antidepressants)
Fairly common side effects include dry mouth, blurred vision, drowsiness, dizziness, and tremors sexual problems, blurred vision, dizziness, drowsiness, skin rash, and weight gain or loss.

Side effects of MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors)
Rare side effects of MAOIs like phenelzine (brand name: Nardil) and tranylcypromine (brand name: Parnate) include liver inflammation, heart attack, stroke, and seizures.

Individuals taking MAOIs may have to be careful about eating certain smoked, fermented, or pickled foods, drinking certain beverages, or taking some medications because they can cause severe high blood pressure in combination with the medication. A range of other, less serious side effects occur including weight gain, constipation, dry mouth, dizziness, headache, drowsiness, insomnia, and sexual side effects (problems with arousal or satisfaction).

SSRIs, and SNRIs tend to have fewer and different side effects, such as nausea, nervousness, insomnia, diarrhea, rash, agitation, or sexual side effects (problems with arousal or satisfaction).

Bupropion generally causes fewer common side effects than TCAs and MAOIs. Its possible side effects include restlessness, insomnia, headache or a worsening of preexisting migraine conditions, tremor, dry mouth, agitation, confusion, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, nausea, constipation, menstrual complaints, and rash.

Bupropion (Wellbutrin) was temporarily removed from the market after its initial release due to the occurrence of seizures in some patients. However, further investigation showed that seizures were primarily associated with high doses (above the current maximum recommended dose of 450 mg/day), a history of seizures or brain trauma, an eating disorder, excessive alcohol use, or taking other drugs that can also increase the risk for seizures. With new warnings and lower recommended doses, the chance of having seizures has been greatly reduced.
they r sortes of drugs.

Answer 10

may I respectfully suggest you open the front door, walk outside and find some one who needs help.
volunteer at an old people's home or the local dog pound......just take the first step ... get out of the house.....walk, run, jog..anything....DO IT NOW

Answer 11

I would try st. john's wart. it is all natural will little side affects. it can cause light sensitivity. as far as not sleeping well at night, i would try taking valerium root. there are no side affects with that.