Antidepressants How have they worked for you?
#107637 - 09/22/04 02:08 PM
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heather7476
Reged: 08/09/04
Posts: 2996
Loc: South East Michigan
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I am staring this because there seems to be alot of us on them and alot of questions about them. I thought maybe if we all shared our stories we might be able to support each other and help each other.
What AD'S have you taken?,What are you currently taking? What side effects did you experince? What benafit did you see? Did they help your IBS at all and how?
I am taking Zoloft 100mg close to six weeks (only been at 100mg for 11 days)
Side effects were tiredness, shakes, sweats, no sex drive.
All are pretty much gone now. Still get the sweats every now and then, and it take a little bit to get me in the mood  if ya know what I mean.
It has helped my mood a great deal but in the past few days I feel like I am getting depressed again. My IBS is somewhat better still have pain off and on all day,all day today  But BM have slowed down to a couple a day.
I realy hope everyone participates and we can help each other.
Thanks
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Heather7476
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Hi..
I am currently taking Prozac (20mg) per day for perimenopausal mood swings and depression. I have had some of the same symptons. Stay pretty tired, no sex drive. However, it has helped with IBS. I still have problems just about every day because I have yet to find a diet that works. But, thanks to this web site, I may have. Give the medication a little more time and see what happens.
Good luck.
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I'm on Lexapro 10mg. I started Sept. 1 on 5mg/day, and increased to 10mg on Sept. 9. This is my first experience with ADs.
Side effects were mostly extreme tiredness and dizziness, diarrhea and cramping. I was literally sleeping 16 hours a day for the first 3-4 days. The tiredness and dizziness went away completely by the time I increased my dosage, D and cramping took a little longer. The only long-term side effect I've noticed is sensitivity to heat and humidity.
I was put on Lexapro for anxiety, not depression. I felt better anxiety-wise by my 4th day! I'm not constantly anxious and nervous, I feel calmer and better able to cope with stress. It's fantastic.  My appetite has increased a lot, which is something my doctor and I were aiming for, so that's been positive as well. I haven't noticed any good effects on my IBS yet, but I haven't been on it very long, so I'll be sure to come back and update if I do.
I just wanted to add that I was very, very hesitant to go on ADs. In fact, I was STILL dead-set against it, even as I was swallowing my first pill.  I was afraid they'd make me an emotionless zombie, and that they'd destroy my libido, and that hasn't been the case at all. I feel like MYSELF again for the first time in years.
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This is a good thread! Hopefully it helps a lot of people.
Ok, about three years ago I started taking Paxil and I took 40mg. It definately helped my tummy, made it calmer and just easier to get along with I also found my mood was a lot better and I had a lot less anxiety which was nice. Side effects were weight gain (40lbs!!!) and loss of sex drive. The sex drive was a biggie, because it was a total loss which was pretty disturbing.
I started going off Paxil last summer because the weight gain was getting out of control and I was getting very overweight. It took me almost a year to get off it, dropping the dose very gradually becuase I had bad withdrawal effects. I had sleeplessness, nervousness, shakes and electric "zaps". Not fun.
I just recently went on Effexor XR...I'm at 150mg now but I've only been at that dose for about 2 days. So far I haven't really noticed much of a difference in anything but I didn't have a hard time starting it, the only real side effects have been some sleeplessness and agitation at night for the first few days.
Hope this helps!
Kelly
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Re: Vicam
#107653 - 09/22/04 03:09 PM
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heather7476
Reged: 08/09/04
Posts: 2996
Loc: South East Michigan
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Keep us posted on your expreince with Effexor Xr. If the the zoloft doesn't work I think that may be my next step. It is so frustrating. My daughter's art teacher has IBS and she swears by the Zoloft. She only has tummy pain every few months for a couple weeks around PMS time. I realy had thought it was working but this past week I am not so sure anymore.
Good Luck and Thanks
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Heather7476
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Re:Casey
#107654 - 09/22/04 03:11 PM
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heather7476
Reged: 08/09/04
Posts: 2996
Loc: South East Michigan
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Casey
I am so glad your feeling better. I hope it starts to help your IBS to. Wouldn't that be wonderful.
Good luck and keep us posted. I realy want to keep this thread alive.
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Heather7476
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Hello and welcome to the boards. I realy hope this diet works for you it has helped me. I glad to hear you are happy with your meds. Please keep us posted.
Good Luck
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Heather7476
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Re:Heather
#107656 - 09/22/04 03:23 PM
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atomic rose
Reged: 06/01/04
Posts: 7013
Loc: Maine (IBS-A stable since July '05!)
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Thanks! I hope that either the zoloft kicks in for you, or that you find something else that works... good luck! I already marked this as one of my favorites, and I will update whenever something changes.
A teeny tiny suggestion - and I hope you don't get offended by me suggesting this, I always hate noticing stuff like this because I'm afraid people will think I'm being nitpicky - but you might want to fix the spelling of "antidepressants" in the title of this thread. I'm just thinking in terms of future posters who go searching for information... if you do a search, this discussion doesn't show up, because of the misspell.
Now I'm really embarassed for mentioning it. But I do want this to be helpful for as many people as possible!
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Thanks for the welcome. I am so happy and relieved to find this web site. I just orderd the IBS Diet Kit and cannot wait to get it.
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This post isn't really a 'helped' one ...
I was on 20mg Paxil for about 5 months in 2001, for depression. I didn't notice any side-effects like a change in sleeping or eating habits (maybe because those were already all messed up). What I did notice was that the medication practically shut-down my ability to vent my emotions. I lost my ability to cry or to express myself, which I believe led to even worse depression and set me up for my O/D on them (though I don't BLAME them for the event).
I think it's great that so many of you are having good luck with them, and I hope that it continues for you. I only advise to be aware of what can happen if you and your doctor aren't monitoring them closely.
Maybe someday I'll talk to my doctor about them again, but for now I'll stick to immodium and diet ...
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~*Amber*~
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