anti depressants


Kaitlyn

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I was put on anti-depressants earlier this month. I'm on Sertraline. It's the generic version of Zoloft. Since being on it, I have noticed a tremendous difference in my mood & attitude. My world does not feel "gray" any more. Before I went on them, I was scared to talk to my doctor about them. I had this idea that having to be on them meant admitting that something was "wrong" with me. I was also worried that the drugs would leave me in a fog. I tell you, though, I don't know why I was so worried about it. Since I've started taking them, I can't remember a day that I've felt more clear-headed than now. Before I started them, I would wake up dreading the day ahead of me & end up crying most of the day. Now, I don't.

 

Hope that helps!

 

Hannah

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i waas on antidepressants before my stroke eight years ago. It was such a monumental chage that i didn't need adoctor to tell me to continue on thee medication. I've been taking a generic for Serzone ever since the stroke, and will probably be on it for life. i just add it to my long list of lifetime meds -- Plavix, aspirin, PrAVASTATIN. bACLOFEN, AND BLOOD PRESSURE MEDS. tHE ANTIDEPRESSANTS HAVE WORKED WELL FOR ME

 

tom holub

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My husband is on the generic version of zoloft. It works well for him. He is not longer depressed. The stroke causes depression because of all of the changes and loss that has occurred. I did talk with some MD;s and they automatically put stroke patients on anti depressants. Unfortunately, we did not have one of those docs. We had to ask for an antidepressant.

 

RUth

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Hi: I'm on celexa. i was crying all the time. It was awfully hard to motivate my husband the survivor if I couldn't motivate myself. I hated to go to bed at night, knowing I was going to have to do it all over again the next day. I have my moments and I am on a very small dose but oh soooooo much better. I was in a dark hole, now I see the light!

~~Sara

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hi kathlene, i take luvox and i found that it is very good for me it really helps mr with anxiety, but always check with your doctor to make dure that luvox is right for you

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hi kaitlyn, i have been on anti-depressants since my stroke, 8 years ago. i am now on celexa 60mg. but it took me trying 3 of them before i found the right one for me. i am also on 2 other meds to help with my mood and anxiety. i feel good most days. LOL i rest better and do not get as weepy as i used to, nor as moody. they sure have helped me.

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I am on Lexapro and i dislike it. I feel fine and have up and down days. The reason I dislike is, once I ran out and waited 2 days to refill. I felt so horrible, crazy and suicidal. It was nuts, once I realized it was due to the Lexapro and ran to the pharmacy and refilled (it was already waiting) I felt normal in about 30 minutes. Did I even need it when they started me on it? I have a darn positive attitude so whos to say.

 

I was on Effexor and I got sick when I took that. I went to my doctor and said "hey doc, this one makes me sick. i get anxious before i take it knowing ill get sick. my anti anxiety pills make me anxious the irony?" so he put me on Lexapro. Good since, except when you don't take it. lol.

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Hi Kaitlyn, Since I've been a Survivor for so long, I feel like saying "I've been on 'em all" but actually it's the fact that, for me, it takes time to find the right one that works. I was on Effexor for 8 or 9 years but had to come off of it in Jan of 2009 and I'm still working with my doctor to find what is the right fit for my body and my stiuation. I was also on Wellbrutrin XL for a long time and it worked quite well at the time.

 

One thing to be aware of, that is allow yourelf and your body at least 3-4 to 6 weeks for the antidepressant to start working properly for you. Every drug starts working differently for every person, and it takes a different amount of time for the drug to get to a therapeutic level for that person. Most importantly, never, ever feel ashamed, or embarrased about the need to be on the drug. If you had high blood pressure or diabetes you would need to be on a med, so there is no differance. A disease or a diagnosis is the same no matter what name they attach to it.

 

Hope I was a bit of help.

 

Take care,

Susan :)

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I would consider going on antidepressants. I was on Wellbutrin for about a year and then phased off of it. It kind of leveled me out, which I needed. If you are depressed check with your doctor and see what he recommends. The only issue is that a lot of antidepressants take about 4-6 weeks to work.

 

rick

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Hi Kaitlyn, Since I've been a Survivor for so long, I feel like saying "I've been on 'em all" but actually it's the fact that, for me, it takes time to find the right one that works. I was on Effexor for 8 or 9 years but had to come off of it in Jan of 2009 and I'm still working with my doctor to find what is the right fit for my body and my stiuation. I was also on Wellbrutrin XL for a long time and it worked quite well at the time.

 

One thing to be aware of, that is allow yourelf and your body at least 3-4 to 6 weeks for the antidepressant to start working properly for you. Every drug starts working differently for every person, and it takes a different amount of time for the drug to get to a therapeutic level for that person. Most importantly, never, ever feel ashamed, or embarrased about the need to be on the drug. If you had high blood pressure or diabetes you would need to be on a med, so there is no differance. A disease or a diagnosis is the same no matter what name they attach to it.

 

Hope I was a bit of help.

 

Take care,

Susan :)

 

Very good advice. I've been at this a while also, and have tried a lot of them. (It took me quite a while before I found the right one.)

 

SusanCM :cold:

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Hi I m also on an antidepressant.. the generic of Celexa. the Dr changed it about a month ago... so my Insurance would cover it without a huge co-pay. I have been on a few since the stroke. I tried to go off a couple times... the outcome was not so great. I also have an anti anxiety med.. I take it about an hour before bedtime.. as I seem to have a problem getting my mind to slow down for sleep. I take 1/2 tablet once in awhile if I get really anxious.

 

Rember our brains have been injured so some of the little bridges or pathways for the normal brain chemicals are broken.

 

It definately makes a difference . It may take trying several before you find one that works without side effects. or to find the correct dose. It may take several weeks before it kicks in. It has not changed my personality... but without the little boost, I can get agitated, or cry quite easily.

 

Hope you talk to your Dr. and you may want to keep some notes if you start one.. so if you need a different med. the Dr will know the side effects or what is happening with the one you are starting

 

One I was on gave me severe headaches. One made me feel agitated and angry... Also talk to the Dr if it is better to take in the morning.. or at bedtime. If the side effects are mild.. some will go away after a few weeks..

 

Bonnie

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Hi, I am also on an anti-depressant. I was on one before I had my stroke due to other personal problems. After my stroke, I was crying when I wasn't sleeping and it was increased. I am taking the generic version of Celexa. I have switched to a new neuroligist and she cut it the dose in half and I was nuts! So I am back up.

 

It levels me out. However, due to the higher levels of stress in my life, I think I may have to have it increased.

 

 

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Hello Friends!

 

Perhaps I need to clarify how I'm doing my anti-depressants of late. I've been on the most of my life for various reasons prior to the stroke. Over the last couple of years, it's has been difficult for my doctor and me to find one that will work for me that does not interfere with my other meds and also does not cause me tons of other side effects (which is typical for me with most of these anti depressants -- excessive sleep, groggness, headache, unable to think clearly, just to name a few)

 

Since last fall I have been on one of the MAOI inhibitors. Dr's generally don't prescribe there except for hard to treat people like me. I was on the transdermal patch called EMSAM. It was working pretty well until I got to the 12 mg level and it seemed to just cease workign so well all of a sudden or something else happened and th dr. changed it for me to Parnate another MAOI. The issue with this classifation of drugs is that there are a lot of food limitations with MAOI's; mainly foods with Tyramines, ages meats like bratwursts, soy items like soy sauce and soy anything basically, aged cheeses like chedder, yogurt, red wine, and this is just a few of the items.

 

Also, they make you gane weight like crazy. the other med I'm on as well is Risperdal. I take them both at night. the parnate Ive been tapering up over the last few weeks and I'v up to 30 mg every night with is my target dose. The risperdal is at 1 mg every night. Pluse I take Ambien for sleep at 2 mg a night.

 

So, I have to be on the Parnate a while longer to know if it's going to be a good fit for me before I give up on it. I've gained 30 pounds since I've started the MAOI's last fall. THAT is a depressor for me, majorly. I cannot get into any of my clothes from this time last year. But that's the reality of these drugs, that people need to know.

 

Take Care All,

 

Susan

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello All,

 

Just an update about myself. Since I've had all the falls the last couple of weeks and there have been some memory issues, at lease per my husband when he called my doctor himself about it without my knowledge, The doctor has decided to take me off of the MAOI I talked about to Kaitlyn called Parnate. It's a small weaning off process of 30mg for 3 days, then down to 20mg for 3 days etc....until I'm off.

 

Then I'll see Dr. Snow sometime next week, I think and we'll have to scrape the bottom of the barrel to choose which anti depressant I'm going to try, since I've tried everything. Heaven forbid that hubby might get his wish and I get stuck on Lithium, another type of MAOI anti depressant. Although Dr. Snow has said before that we'd not use that drug.

 

So, I guess, I'll see sometime next week!

 

Take Care!! :-)

 

Susan

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i took antidepressants for 10 years before my stroke. Life was too tough to live-- fivere kids to ut through college, a very stressful executive job, a wife who wanted to divorce me.

 

Now i'm eight years post stroke and soon to be 65. My ex-wife is mostly out of my life, My kid sall are finished with school that I have to support(I paid for all Bachelor degrees. They were on their own for Masters or beyond. Three now have Masters degrees in their fields. My second wife and i were high school sweethearts and got back together after 40 years in 1998. We married in 1999. My stroke was in 2002 and I knew immediately that i needed to stay on anntidepessants. So i've been taking a generic form of Serzone for eight years. i did recently cut bavc my dosage by 50mg a day. I seem to have found a good equilibrium. but i know i'll be taking these drugs until I croak. Breakfast wouldn't seem like breakfast without a small cup full of drugs i'll be taking for life,

 

 

tom holub[

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Hi Kaitlyn~

 

I was put on Zoloft right after they removed my Avm that caused the stroke in

rt. side. It helped i think. Wasn't really fully coherent till about one year later.

The bleed happened about 15 yrs. ago. Lots of progress later through months

and months of in patient & out- patinet therapy. Still doing everything possible to

keep limbs mobile. Back to swimming once a week and daily stretches.

 

After 3 years slowly taken off anti-depressant but still take lots of vitamins.

and anti-seizure meds so i can drive in day light w/ left ft. gas pedal. Take

pain meds for headaches & other issues caused by stroke but can still function

as a wife , mother & friend to all the wonderful people God has brougth into my

life.

 

After having a stroke can be a big adjustment in life that alters who you are

& who you once were, Isn't the same person but heart hasn't changed. At least

with my experience. And my families. They have had to accept change in me.

Husband has been very good, at times hard but for the most part he's an angel.

My 4 children have had to adjust big time but God does not bring circumstances

into our life's without His grace and love to balance it all out. We've got great

friends who have helpe thru the years.

 

Kaitlyn I wish you all the best. The family on this site are truly friends who can

give you love & encourageement thru unerstanding just where your at. :Clap-Hands:

Take care & May God bless you~Nancy

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Hi Family!

 

Well, yesterday was an awesome day since it was my daughter's 23rd Birthday!! It was a long day though before we went out to dinner for her because since being born and bred in the Great Tarheel State means that on this weekend the ACC Basketball Tournetment is all one does; it comes before all else!! so that has been the joke with Melissa all her life - - her "unfortunate timing" of being born during the tourney. This has to do more with her Godmother coming yesterday than anything. Before we could go out to dinner we had to watch the game which, unfortunately meant our tean lost and also mannt we had to wait almost an hour at the restaurant for a table. and I was exhausted and stressed for a lot of other reasons and I ticked my daughter off, which of course upset me, because I didnt want to upset my daughter on her Birthday.

We made up, but I wonder???

 

I chalk it up to the fact that I'm starting yet another new antidepressant after stopping the Parnate from my earlier post. The doctor and I had a very long talk about the options. I've tried about every med from every classification of antidepressant/antianxiety, etc... in the book and there was literally nothing left to try but lithium or ECT. But I don't meet ECT requirements and I don't think I will ever, ever agree to it; plus my doctor doesn't think that's the right thing to do yet either. So, after a lot of discussion we agreed on the extended release lithium, but, as he said, it's NOT, for the reasons my husband has been trying the manipulate me and the doctor's for, but as an adjunct for my depression.

 

He prescribed Lithobid ER. I take at this point 300 mg at night and with this drug you have to have your blood levels checked fequently. so, that will happen in a couple of weeks. It's more important for me because of some of the other meds I'm on can alter the lithium levels of the blood, so, it's back to being a pin cushion every couple of weeks.

 

But, setting my personal self and story aside.....I am all for using a medication for the treatment of the depression that comes with our stroke. I think that all too often it is under diagnosed and under medicated and under managed for the person experiencing the symptoms, thus causing an even bigger problem for them.

 

One place for you to look to at your loval level that may be of benefit to you is your local NAMI affiliate. NAMI - National Alliance fro Mental Illness - - has local chapters which offers support groups for folks with all sorts of mental illness, especially depression. Their support groups go by the nane of "Consumers" but the National web sit for NAMI is www.nami.org Here they can direct you to a local chapter in your area.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Susan

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  • 3 weeks later...

I was never prescribed an anti depressant after my stroke but 20 years later I was when I had a burn-out. The doc put me on celexa, 20mg a day and they have worked for me, especially for anxiety attacks

 

mc

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hi kathlyn, i don"t tend to get very depressd, but i do get quite anxios and for that i take luvox , it seems to help a great deal

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

 

I agree there are a lot of anti-depressants.

I went from Paxil then to zoloft but I put on weight.

Know I have been on cymbalta. I simple love it , and I am not butting weight on ! YaY :)

I have been on this for about 3+ year.

:rolleyes:

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  • 1 month later...

I'm on lexipro since 08/2008 when my brain was zapped! I NEED it so I can work(elem. teacher) and stay focused. It helps somewhat, but I still have to deal with the anger of having to live this way. I find solace in the local gym where an exhausting round of weights helps cure the blues. I went off lexipro for a while but then I started hosting pity parties with only me attending.

 

Use the anti-depressants as a tool to get you some place else, not as the replacement for happiness.

 

Bill

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