Antidepressants

[rexiepoo]

Hey, girls! I had my lvah/bso in Dec. 2004. The jury is still out on whether it was a good choice or not. Not long after I went into a depression. I went on Paxil and that helped me by leaps and bounds. While I was on it, I had these jerking reactions. They weren't too bad just really annoying. It may be my neck, arms or feet. My aunt, who takes it too, said she notices it with her head sometimes.

I am currently switching to Lexapro and have been on it for about 4/5 weeks. I am still having those problems. I have also slipped back into a depression, so this med isn't working for me yet. My doctor said it can cause these problems. I am wondering if any of you experience these problems(jerking reactions), too?

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[Poppie]

Hi Rexiepoo, I take 20 mgs of Lexapro and 300mgs of Wellbutrin each day, and I have not had those jerky reactions. You probably need to give it some more time, and if you still have the reactions, then you may need to look for something else. Carol

[crunchies0313]

I was on Effexor when I was first treated for depression, but it only made things worse for me. Then I was put on Prozac which, helped until I pretty much became immune to that. I was lucky in that things changed and only about twice a year now do I really struggle, and if it gets to where I cannot handle it, I am given a presciption for Prozac. I have heard rave reviews for Wellbutrin. As for Lexapro, the people I know who have taken or are taking in only have appetite issues. Are you taking any other medications for anything else that might actually be causing the jerking??

[ertech05]

I was on Paxil after a miscarriage and I didnt care for it..
Of course I didnt have to deal with the depression cause the pill would make me sleep till 1 or 130 in the afternoon..Hubby also said I wa lethargic..and this was on a low dose..
not to mention that if I was late taking a pill I would get vertigo really bad...i took myself off it and did so much better...
hang in there...and maybe try something else...

[crunchies0313]

Ertech05... I agree with the sleeping aspect of any antidepressant. With Effexor I wasn't sure if it was working or not because when I get depressed I have a tendency to sleep and only want to sleep, and when I was on Effexor I still wanted to sleep. Prozac still made me sleep a lot, just not as much, and my attitude was completely different while on it.

Rexie, if you think it would be ok, I would get off of it all. Have your husband keep an eye out for you, and just see how you do. It might be a lot different. But just make sure you have someone there, helping you out, and would step in if necessary!! Hope all goes well!!

[brennis]

I haven't used these, but had good luck with Effexor. Good luck.Hope you didn't gain weight on the Paxil, I gained 30 pounds on prozac several years ago, and still have not lost it. Effexor has also suppressed my appitite a little.

[sagespot]

When I first started using Celexa (about two years ago) I also had those same "jerking reactions." :eek: They got to be so strange that my doctor switched me to Wellbutrin and I've been pretty good since then. I think its just a matter of what works for an individual. Side effects are "wonky" type things. :mad:

Sage

[Tarabull719]

I take cymbalta now after taking lexapro and having major sleep issues and jerking reactions. I have no side effects at all with the cymbalta and found my tension headaches are also gone.

[Sophiebelle]

I took Paxil for a couple of years, and while it did help with depression, I intermittently had the jerky symptoms you describe. It was also a very tough one to wean off....actually felt like I was having brain "zaps".

[Tarabull719]

actually felt like I was having brain "zaps".

I too had these and they are the worst. I never had a word for them so now I will steal yours if you don't mind. :)

[Kate]

Hey Rexie, make sure they give you an anti-depressant and not an anti-anxiety. Some say that anti-anxiety meds help depression but they are a doozy to get off and you will typically have to wean yourself off it with a switch to an anti-depressant. When you find one that fits you, you will know it. You will feel great and be ready to face the world. I hope you can find one that works for you. :)

[spasmo]

I take cymbalta and topomax for depression. It took me a while to find a combination that didn't turn my brain into molasses, but after much trial and error this combination finally worked for me.

[rexiepoo]

I feel so much better knowing some of you have had the jerking, too. It is a pain, but I can deal with it if I know it is a side effect.
Sleepiness is a problem. I could sleep 24/7. With 2 children and a husband, I don't have time to sleep like that.
I don't think Lexapro is working for me as well as Paxil.
Thanks for sharing.

[retromom]

Has anyone had any effect on appetite and wt. with Lexapro? What about constipation? :(
Thanks

[drake4]

My doctor put me on zoloft for hotflashes due to a tah/bso in november 2005. I get this weird feeling it makes me goofy. I am not a fan of these drugs but the heat was killing me. If it really bothers you talk to your doctor to find a better solution for you.

[retromom]

My doctor put me on zoloft for hotflashes doctor to find a better solution for you.

I'm on them for the same reason Drake, I tried Effexor and hated that, Paxil after that and now Lexapro. The hot flashes are down to a mild roar now but they do have side effects.

[shoppergirl]

Zoloft wore sex drive to a new low (hysto. had already done most of that), Wellbutrin made me a ***** on wheels, now on Lexapro and seems to work fine. I haven't noticed any weight changes or other side effects...EXCEPT THAT IT DOES HELP W/ HOT FLASHES SO I STOPPED HRT AFTER 16 YEARS!!!

[Arkiegirl]

I went through a depression right after my hyst. and after loss of a family member due to cancer. I was put on zoloft first. Made me sleepy and HUNGRY 24/7. Then dr put me on Wellbutrin....embarrased to say...but this made me dangerously worse....I for the FIRST AND ONLY TIME IN MY LIFE...thought of killing myself. Wanted to drive off a bridge in the snow. Thank GOD I snapped out of it. Called the dr. and ended up on Lexapro. I took it for about a year....and no problems...weened off it and have not taken it in a year now. I think we all react differently to these meds.My best friend was on Paxil and ended up slitting her wrists...ended up in a institution for MANIC depression. She is okay now...NO MEDS for about six years.

[AgingGracefully]

Hmmm...I took Paxil for awhile and thought it was great. Actually my Dr. prescribed to help with Hot Flashes before I had my TAH. I stayed on it for awhile afterwards, but I was also taking some anti-seizure medication. For some reason I started having jerks after the hysterectomy, and that was when I went on the Depakote. It causes my hands to twitch so they added another med. Then when they took me off the Paxil, I soo had the brain "flashes" I take Prozac now, but have gained a lot of weight-I didn't realize that it was a side effect. Meds can be great, but there are so many interactions and reactions.....
Kathy

[sphinx]

I've been on several different antidepressants, because I was misdiagnosed for many years with Major Depression, when I really have Bipolar Type 2. I am on Wellbutrin and Cymbalta right now along with 2 mood stabilizers. I've never had the reaction you mentioned. I've had other side effects (mostly extreme sleepiness and weight gain) with other meds, but the Wellbutrin has been wonderful. We decreased my dose and added the Cymbalta after I was diagnosed with RA in hopes in may relieve some of my pain. It doesn't help the joint pain, it is meant more for I believe nerve related pain....aches and pains and stuff. I think it may have helped with that, but it's really hard to tell, being affected all over with RA. It does make me sleepy though.

[sk8ter]

I am taking cipralex for depression after I had a full hysterectomy with the removal of my overies and I have not had any bad side effects with it and it works good.

[Crazycoja]

I have had problems with depression most of my life. I first started on Zoloft and had major migraines. Then Elavil and I had a severe allergic reaction to it. Then I was switched to Paxil which totally killed my sex drive, I gained a LOT of weight, and had killer headaches. So we changed to Wellbutrin and it had the opposite effect, I was chasing my husband around the kitchen table! Now I'm on 20mg Lexapro and I love it. I've had no weight gain, no sexual side effects...nothing. It's worked wonders for me.

[Banjos]

Antidepressants are a class of drugs that can have very different effects on different people. I've used Prozac, Wellbutrin, Celexa and now Lexapro. I did not gain or lose weight on any of them although I only took Wellbutrin for two weeks as it gave me a chronic headache and made me irritible.

Paxil does have a bad reputation for being hard to get off. One should always slowly wean off any of these drugs to minimize physical withdrawal effects. I have found the newer antidepressants very helpful to me although I currently am only taking 5 mgs. of Lexapro (from a previous 10 mgs.). Lexapro is the best one for me that I have tried but it could be a disaster for another person. It is trial and error.

[Tigger]

I'm on a very low dose of Zoloft (50mg) I had awful jerking, jittery sensations, increased anxiety and terrible headaches so I stopped taking it. After having a hyst I went into depression so I started taking it again (I'm really scared of side effects from drugs, so I didn't want to try another one) This time I started taking only 1/4 of a tablet for 1 week, then 1/2 a tab for 2 weeks, 3/4 then a whole tab (50mg) doing it that way I never had any side effects at all. I know that when someone is really depressed getting the drug into the system seems more important but if the side effects are so bad then I think a slow introduction can be best.

Also my mother told me that someone at her work was on an SSRI and she now has a permanent twitch, her head constantly bobs around and she is currently suing the drug company. Does anyone know if this is rare because I'm really worried about that :eek: .

[Banjos]

Tigger, the twitching you described is called dyskinsia (sp?). It is much more common for people on long-term, heavy dose antipsychotic drugs but some sensitive individuals can get it from antidepressants. It is not common and often goes away when the drug is stopped. Unfortunately, in a few unlucky people it persists. No drug of any kind is risk-free (just like life). We all take chances in some ways.

[soapygal06]

The brain zaps are caused by the seratonin levels leveling out and if you don't take your meds the same time everyday your body can not adjust to the new "levels"

I take Zoloft and Effexor everyday and when I do not take them at the same time everynight (take them at night for the sleepiness) I get the "zaps" even though its been over 7 years I've been on the Zoloft.