I (34F) have been on sertraline for 4 months for anxiety, which got worse in the postpartum period. I titrated up over the first weeks, 25mg → 50mg → 75mg, and eventually stabilized on 75mg, where things actually went pretty well — my anxiety was under control and I felt reasonably like myself.

About 4 weeks ago I increased to 100mg, mainly to see if there was more improvement to be had. Instead of feeling better, I now feel emotionally flat, I struggle to feel joy or excitement about things I normally enjoy. On top of that, my head feels busier than it did on 75mg, which is the opposite of what I expected. Sort of an internal restlessness rather than calm.

Since the increase didn't really add anything except side effects, I'm planning to discuss going back down to 75mg with my doctor. Has anyone experienced this, where a higher dose made you feel worse (flat + restless) and dropping back down helped? How long did it take before you noticed a difference after lowering?

Hey!

Quick overview- I have ADHD, OCD, PTSD, GAD & Depression. I started Wellbutrin ~3 months ago (150mg XL) for depression, and my dr is suggesting to add Lexapro for anxiety. I wanted to see if anyone has experienced Wellbutrin in the same way as me, and then added Lexapro and if it helped or not! Thank you!

Wellbutrin has helped me so so much in the depression realm since starting it, however I have had a couple issues heightened.

1. I have been EXTREMELY exhausted since being on it. I was always tired before starting it bc of other health problems, but welly b definitely makes me non stop pooped. I take it at night, fall asleep within minutes of trying (new to me lol), and can sleep for 12 hours but still wake up exhausted. I don’t feel *as* depressed, but I still lack motivation to do anything with is a lil depressing lol

2. I’ve always had anxiety, but it is THROUGH THE ROOF now. I’m not sure if it’s making my ptsd worse, but a lot of my death anxiety has skyrocketed. I’m definitely more anxious in general, but some things are especially ramped up.

All of that to ask-

-Did you start on Wellbutrin?
-Did you experience any of these symptoms?
-Did adding Lexapro help?
-Any weird side effects from Lexapro?
-Also anybody LESS tired after starting Lexapro?

Thank you so much for anyone’s time. I am extremely anxious about medications. It took a lot for me to even try Wellbutrin, so the thought of adding something else is also freaking me out but I’m willing to try anything atp 🫶

Luvox 100mg and trazadone 50mg nightly. I also take a beta blocker in the morning + Gabapentin as needed. Am I at risk for serotonin syndrome?

I just got prescribed my first antidepressant and picked it up from my pharmacy today. Feeling a little nervous/scared about taking it. I want to change but I'm also afraid of altering the way I think when I go about my life.

Just looking for a little advice from people who may have been in the same situation or know someone who has. Thanks for reading.

Anyone notice that their heart rate is lower since taking the meds? I haven’t seen 60s as my RHR in a long time.

I been taking Prozac 10 mgs for the past month and wellbutrin XL 150 mg for the past 3 months.

Wellbutrin worked fantastic for a month before it stopped working and so prozac was added. Ever since adding prozac I been experiencing elevated mood, unnatural positivity, energy, and euphoria. Sometimes I feel so energized I can’t stay still. Yesterday night I was only able to sleep after working out because I was way too wired.

Sometimes I have to skip a dose of prozac on the 3rd day because it feels to strong. I’m not against it since I don’t feel sad and I’m like a better version of myself but it feels weird and uncomfortable sometimes.

I’m starting to think I might have some underlying condition or maybe it’s a strong reaction?

Edit : it almost feels like I’m high. another thing I can describe is it feels similar to magic mushrooms but obviously with less intensity.

32F

TLDR: After seven years, I started cutting my 20mg paroxetine in half (to 10mg), how long can I expect the discontinuation symptoms (especially the constant dizziness/nausea) from this reduction in my dosage to last? My doctor said I shouldn't feel anything, but I definitely do.

I started taking 20mg of paroxetine (Paxil) in 2019 to treat major depression and various anxiety disorders (obsessive-compulsive, panic, generalized, complex post-traumatic stress, etc.) which had manifested into an acute depersonalization and derealization (the scariest thing I have ever experienced in my entire Life). It helped control my anxiety enough to come out of the dissociation, and I was also able to recover from a lifelong history of self-harm. I attribute it to my success with overcoming a couple phobias that I deal with and a marked reduction in my panic attacks. However, I didn't see much improvement with my trichotillomania or intrusive thoughts (which is okay).

After talking with my therapist and general doctor (who prescribed the medication), I am now cutting my scored 20mg pills in half (per my doctor's suggestion). My next prescription refill will be for 10mg pills. I have made great progress on the medication, and we are now hoping to continue to build on that progress with a smaller dosage (in conjunction with therapy and lifestyle changes). Ever since starting paroxetine, I have experienced hypotension, which I believe has also contributed to a chronic fatigue, and I have also experienced a low level mental dullness. I began the medication in crisis at the age of 25, the longterm goal was to eventually come off of it. So here we are (although I am going to hang out at the 10mg prescription for a very, very long time before even considering moving forward with a complete taper, if ever.

Today is the 5th day of the 50% decrease, and I am feeling it. (I have been feeling it since the 2nd day, with no improvement in symptoms from then to now.) I feel like I spun in circles really fast for a minute and then abruptly stopped—it's this constant state of vertigo, dizziness, feeling like the room is shifting whether my eyes are open or closed, I am so nauseous. My question is, can I expect this to worsen, or am I probably in the thick of it now? How long can I expect to have to ride this out without relief? Other, milder symptoms so far have been vivid dreams/nightmares, the occasional tingly feeling in my head (I guess these are the notorious brain zaps), insomnia (as of last night), and brain fog. It kind of reminds me of how I felt adjusting TO the medication in the beginning, honestly (except that came with debilitating fatigue, not insomnia).

Any home remedies or things that helped you? My best friend recommended cold showers and to drink lots of water! But I am open to other activities and remedies as well!

Thank you. ♡

im taking liquid 10mg prozac for anxiety but im feeling terrible?!

im very nauseous, cant sleep and i feel like im almost high on adrenaline but confused at the same time? i am also still anxious and zoning out very often. im also questioning myself horrible things, obviously ive never hurt anyone and never will! but im really scared why im having these thoughts, ive never thought this way.

its been a few days since i started but i am genuinely scared to sleep. because last night i turned off the lights and i saw everything almost like breathing? also closing my eyes is terrifying, its like my brain is forcing me to try and look through my closed eyelids, causing me to have a small panic for some reason.

my stomach also hurts but i have other stomach problems im sorting out. because i have to get a endoscopy and im absolutely terrified to my core. i have to eat gluten for 6 weeks (i have a gluten intolerance) to test for celiac and im DYING. anyway..

i hope someone can help me im freaking out

hi evry1, ive been on lexapro 10mg for a few weeks now (i think maybe 2-3 weeks), and im still feeling depressed and my anxiety feels worse then when i started. i was told it takes four weeks for it to start working properly but my sister who is also on lexapro told me she started to feel better a week or two after starting. is this because our bodies are reacting different? before i started lexapro i was recently on fluoxetine and that didn't work either. how long should I wait before asking to up the dosage/ try a different kindof meds?

Also, why do i feel more horny??? i feel like when i get myself off it just comes back and i want to do it again but i feel so exhausted lmfao, is this a problem with anyone else because i was told that antidepressants make ur hormones calm down or something.

I used to be anti anti psychotics for a long long time. Now i am on one that seems to be helping? Downsides are no sex drive and food cravings, and some akathesia. But i am wondering if it can help me stay out of the hospital. Im on a shot form so im sort of tied into this. Im trying to look at the bright side, all the ways this is helping stabilize my life. Plz tell me that this really is helping, that meds despite side effects can do what theyre supposed to. Thanks

I am on day 4 of 25mg of Sertraline which I take every morning at 7am with toast, coffee and glass of water. This is my first ever go of antidepressants snd I am struggling. I have raised it with my GP Surgery who will have someone call me but I need a bit of support. I would describe myself as highly sensitive and prone to chronic low mood, negative outlook, depressive episode bouts of crying.

Day 1Nausea and GI upset was terrible on day one but no major issues other than a touch of insomnia that night which I have never experienced before.

Day 2 felt slightly out of it but mostly due to sleep deprivation. Looser bowels maybe but nothing of note. Got the most sleep I have had in a long time that night.

Day 3. Awful. Severe anxiety, feeling like I’m on MDMA but not in a good way. Jittery, paranoid, heart pounding, disassociated, tired but wired, barely slept at all last night. Keep panicking randomly. Numbness/tingling in extremities. This all developed throughout the course of the day. Felt the urge to cry but couldn’t. This was I unnerving as I cry a lot.

Day 4. Today I feel slightly better, a bit out of it, tired, heart racing, anxious. Am able to work from home.

I have been in Effexor for about 3 years after hitting my head and being diagnosed with a TBI. I am someone who has never been able to take SSRIs because they make me suicidal (many many years ago I tried everything under the sun for my CPTSD and panic attacks). After many years I got to a great point and then hit my head. This TBI caused mood swings that we tried to wait out and inevitably my neurologist wanted to watch me closely on Effexor.

It actually did help for quite some time but then my concussion and TBI care switched to my PCP after insurance changes. Around 1.5-2 years in I started getting that suicidal ideation and asked to come off, instead she added medications, began treating me for ADHD with Adderall, and even upped my dose of Effexor. I was on 75mg for the last 1.5 years and notice it’s just getting worse. After asking my doctor to ween me off she refused, which all in all became a disaster until I found a new PCP.

This new doctor took me from 75mg to 37.5mg about 3-4 days ago and I’m not good. I expressed my concerns about withdraw and asked to taper slower but she said I should be fine… well I’m not fine and need to know if anyone experienced something similar and what they did to get through.

I can’t stop crying and I get irate about the smallest things. I am struggling more than ever with suicidal thoughts. I don’t actually want to die but I feel like I can’t live. It’s like I’m fighting my own brain. But I also don’t feel comfortable going to get help because 1. So many of my friends said hospitals made this worse and 2. Because of my career this could cause issues long-term. I am in a field with high vicarious trauma which doesn’t help and I’m trying to pull back at work until this is under control. I however, don’t want to ruin my career over talking to the wrong person.

Now, I feel like in order to stay alive I have to run away. I haven’t been able to respond to calls or texts from my husband, family, etc. I feel numbed out when I separate from everyone and everything but this keeps the suicidal thoughts, emotional breakdowns, crying, agitation, and panicking at bay.

I also am sooooo nauseas with horrible brain zaps.

I am powering through but I need to know if this is something that is normal and I should expect will go away. I can get through it if I know what to expect and about how long to expect it. I’m trying to fight my brain with logic and if I know this will pass then I can overcome it.

Currently been on 10 mg citalopram (first time SSRI user) for 3 weeks (am a male). I think my libido has definitely dropped, but so far it’s not too bad, I still get orgasms but a bit more difficult and not that horny in general. But if it stayed like this I’d still be okay as I had had a fairly high drive before.

But after reading many posts I don’t know by when to expect the worst so that I can make a decision whether to keep going with it (obviously after talking to my psychiatrist)?

Thank you.

Hey all, a few months ago I wrote the comment below to a post in this group and I want to share it again with some updates:

I want to share the digestive and sleep issues I've had during the past 2 years on Cymbalta (duloxetine) with anyone who may be experiencing something similar because I know how frustrating it can be to know what questions to ask and where to find answers. Ofc, this is completely my guesswork and physiology, so don't rely on what I'm sharing to be the same for you, and always talk to your doctor. After many doctors appointments, tests, and research, here's what I figured out (note I had been taking 120mg in the mornings with breakfast):

1. ⁠Cymbalta (duloxetine) affects serotonin (S) and norepinephrine (N). The increased levels of S and N can have a combined effect, 1 may have a more dominant effect, or they may "take turns" in having a dominant effect
2. ⁠S is associated with activating bowel movements and nausea (for me it was diarrhoea, gastritis, dramatic weight loss (4kg, ~9lb), nausea) whereas N is associated with constipation (if N levels are increased, then that tenses up the "flight or fight" response and also regaining the weight back plus another 1kg / 2lbs or so)
3. ⁠About 95% of S is in the gut and N is in the sympathetic nervous system ("flight or fight" system)
4. ⁠At first, my symptoms were more aligned with the effects from S, but then about 7-8 months later, N seemed to have a more dominant effect, which likely contributed to me developing SIBO at that point due to constipation
5. ⁠I've had terrible sleep since day 1 of medication, and both artificially increased levels of S and N can negatively effect sleep, especially N since that's supposed to keep you alert

Here's what I've done broken down by what I think are my S-dominant period and N-dominant period:
S-dominant period (first 7-8 months on 120mg Cymbalta (duloxetine)):

1. ⁠Blood tests - came back normal
2. ⁠CT scan - mild fecal loading, mild superior mesenteric artery syndrome (likely due to rapid weight loss), all else normal
3. ⁠Gastroscopy - mild gastritis, all else normal
4. ⁠Prescribed PPI's, but I didn't take them due to the risks
5. ⁠I basically gave up and figured things would sort themselves with more time (dumbass me)

N-dominant period (most recent 8 months until now on 120mg Cymbalta (duloxetine)):

1. ⁠Saw a sleep specialist to rule out any physical or neurological conditions, eg sleep apnea, but I had none of those. She suggested I try CBT-I therapy and sleep hygiene. Did not work for me.
2. Appointment with my psych to discuss the effects of duloxetine, re both stomach and sleep issues. Because I was being seen by a GI, he decided to focus on the sleep issues and prescribed me melatonin. Did not work for me.
3. MRI - mild fecal loading, all else normal
4. SIBO breath test - hydrogen dominant SIBO which is usually causes diahrrea, but in my case I have constipation
5. Prescribed antibiotics to take 3 times a day for 2 weeks followed by a 2 week period before taking probiotics (Symprove for 2 weeks then Bio-Kult for another 2 weeks)
6. Saw a dietician to support with symptoms and focus on a low FODMAP diet, but she was more concerned with me gaining weight first. I understand that she saw this as more urgent, but as a result, my symptoms continued
7. Flexible sigmoidoscopy - everything came back normal
8. Second SIBO breath test - again, hydrogen dominant SIBO
9. Took the same antibiotics again and followed up with probiotics - this time 6 weeks of Symprove and 6 weeks of I also tried sticking to a low FODMAP diet but it's a pain in the ass because you can't eat garlic and onions which are in everything and there's no easy way to remember what's low or high FODMAP, for example - 2 green vegetables like spinach is low FODMAP but broccoli is high FODMAP. There's no easy rule to know!
10. Call with the psych to try a new strategy for the insomnia. At this point it had been 22 months of no sleep every night I’m not kidding. At most I’d have 4 hours of sleep each night but those 4 hours were scattered. He prescribed me zoplicone 7.5mg which is a sedative that should rebalance circadian rhythm. Took it every night for 2 weeks then tapered off for another 2 weeks - ie one night off then on then 2 nights off then 1 on etc. It should be taken for no more than a month. Guess what, that did not work.

Where am I at now? Based on my research, I pushed my psych to agree to lowering my 120mg Cymbalta (duloxetine) dose down to 90mg for 2 weeks before moving to and staying at 60mg. I’m only 3 days into the 90mg and have no side effects (…yet). Maybe the side effects will occur when I drop to 60mg. I take it for depression and anxiety, and apparently there’s no therapeutic benefit to taking more than 60mg for my conditions.

I hope this post helps anyone who may be facing similar experiences. If so, I recommend researching the effects of S and N on digestive and sleep issues and discussing them with your doctor. My psych staunchly believed that Cymbalta (duloxetine) can in no way cause this level of insomnia, but I had to push.

Hi everyone,
I’m a 35M, and been taking Lustral (sertraline) 100 mg for almost 3 years. It definitely helped my depression, especially the lack of motivation to get out of bed in the mornings, which used to be the hardest part of my day.
The downside was the sexual side effects (reduced penile sensation and difficulty reaching orgasm) and emotional blunting. I often felt like a ghost, disconnected from my emotions, and almost never cried.

My psychiatrist recently suggested switching to Wellbutrin (bupropion).
Since I don’t struggle with panic attacks and my main issues are low drive, emptiness, and the SSRI side effects, he thinks it’s a better fit.
I’m currently tapering off Lustral and taking 50 mg sertraline + 150 mg Wellbutrin. To be honest, the transition has been rough. I’ve been feeling more depressed, empty, and I’ve cried a few times. I’m trying to remind myself that this could just be the adjustment period.
Has anyone here switched from an SSRI to Wellbutrin? Did you go through something similar? I’d really appreciate hearing some experiences or reassurance that it gets better and that Wellbutrin eventually takes over..

Thank you

Hi all,

Today I fucked up. I've been on 10mg lexapro for over a year and have loved it, but recently (2-3 weeks ago) added Wellbutrin for sexual side effects. It has been good, but I was not aware that caffeine and Wellbutrin combined could be problematic. Usually I don't drink much coffee, so it's been ok, but today I had an iced coffee with 166mg of caffeine and a Pepsi zero with 40mg caffeine within about a 30 minute window. Without any meds I am bad with caffeine. With lexapro caffeine was fine. I've felt sick all day because of it. Just felt like very bad jitters, wanting to jump out of my skin, very restless.

But for the last couple hours I have been having nausea and have been feeling like I'm going to puke. This is concerning because I am not someone who throws up - I cannot remember a time I have thrown up from sickness. I also have been finding myself angry at family for no specific reasons? And then I’m also very warm from the inside, like when i have a fever. I also have been having bad eye twitches - my eye or eyes will completely squeeze shut.

My question is if this is simply the effects of the caffeine or if the caffeine triggered serotonin syndrome. I'm not sure if I am anxious and thinking it's serotonin syndrome when it's just caffeine or if it is actually something serious. It feels like it is calming down, l am feeling better, but should I still get checked?

I know most of you are not doctors, so I’m not here to ask for medical advice, just experiences with Wellbutrin and caffeine, or lexapro and serotonin syndrome. I'm just not sure if it is actually a concern, considering my lexapro dose is pretty low, so knowing people's experiences may help inform my decision. I cannot contact my physician right now, I will be doing that tomorrow no matter what. I just would like to know if it’s worth going to ER?

I've been on 50mg of Pristiq for 6 weeks now. I was on lexarpo before for about 10 years and I'm completely off now as I had a lot of breakthrough anxiety. Getting on Pristiq has had its share of side effects, primarily insomnia, fatigue, and dizziness. I would say that has all passed now, but I have been recently been having chest tightness and anxiety symptoms coming back up now. I would think by now I should be leveled out, but I'm curious if this is similar to anyone else's journey?

Hey. I’m just looking for some advise and I guess support as I feel so lonely in all of this.

I’ve been on citalopram for about 6 years where I gradually increased to 40mg and then back down to 20mg and I’d say I’ve been stable on 20mg for a good 3-4 years.

After losing my dog in January and my nan falling and breaking her hip in March, so I then became a daily carer for her, things have been hard but I’ve managed and then last week at work I got really stressed and had a bit of a breakdown and couldn’t stop crying. I felt really low for a few days so asked the GP if I could increase to 30mg which they said yes. The side effects of the increase have been unbearable, I haven’t even been able to leave the house, I’ve not spoke to anyone apart from my partner face to face. My appetite has gone, nausea, anxiety is sky high, sweating, shaking. I couldn’t deal with them and began to think I maybe didn’t need to increase the meds and maybe just take some time to deal with what was happening instead of increasing medication. So I was on 30mg for 9 days and then this morning I went back to 20mg.

How long do you think it’ll take for the side effects to wear off, has anyone experienced similar and then stopped or decreased back down? I know the side effects if I carried on could have worn off but I just couldn’t physically or mentally continue on 30mg. I was having such bad thoughts of not wanting to continue life anymore, and how long do I have to go through this for. I really scared myself so I had to stop the increased dose.

Also, I am still waking up with heightened anxiety in the morning and this lasts all day to the point I’m just constantly sweating, crying, shaking and not eating. I have to keep telling myself things are going to get better but I’m struggling to see that right now.

Thank you for reading and honestly I really would love and appreciate any help/support.

Hi everyone, I’ll try to keep this short.

I have been on lexapro most of my adult life, on and off for 15 years. There were periods in between that where I was on zoloft before going back to lexapro. i’ve been on 20mg for years.

I was feeling really tired, struggling to sleep, sluggish etc for so long that I wanted to try to move off it. Lexapro helps with my gastritis a lot, but I was hoping there might be more options for me.

My mom died in october which adds a whole new layer to this. There’s PTSD and traumatic grief in the mix since she died unexpectedly from an accidental overdose.

I had been having health issues and i was sick of doctors continuing to gaslight me saying it was probably my lexapro making me gain weight and be sleepy etc. It seemed every problem I had they blamed lexapro, which ultimately led to my decision to switch to something else and see how it went. Regarding the medical stuff, it turns out I have pernicious anemia. Treating that has helped a lot too. (iron infusions, b12 injections every other day.

When I tapered off, I was cross tapering onto Pristiq 50mg. The first few weeks I felt a lot better energy wise. I wasn’t near as sluggish and I was finally sleeping normal / good. After 2-3 months off lexapro, my stomach issues had returned and my depression was still really bad.

ultimately we went back to a small dosage (5mg) of lexapro to stabilize my depression and stomach. for a minute it felt like it was working but the last 3 weeks are awful. emotionally blunted, no sex drive, constantly tired, takes hours to fall asleep etc. The symptoms line up with starting lexapro but I told my psych I never thought pristiq did much for me regardless.

next week i start tapering off pristiq (dropping to 25mg for a week, then off) and i told her i want off lexapro and to try something else, like prozac.

Has anyone ever experienced this? I feel crazy. i’m so exhausted and sad and feel like nothing is exciting. im irritable all the time. there was a glimmer of hope around may where my energy was returning post iron infusion and i was feeling so much happier and stable. then it just like, dropped? my baseline hasn’t been super consistent since being on pristiq and 100mg gave me insane side effects.

After knowing what i could feel like, i cant stand being in the state im in.

as a note im also diagnosed with adhd and take vyvanse for that. ive noticed the efficacy dropping when my mood hits a low like this. it keeps me more regulated emotionally. but i’m also forgetting things more often now in a borderline worrisome manner.

Anyone else experienced worsening depression on an SNRI?

TLDR; doctors blamed lexapro for health issues like exhaustion and weight gain, i got sick of that so i switched to something else. got a diagnosis for an autoimmune disease called pernicious anemia, but was 3 months into pristiq at that point. had to go on 5mg of lexapro due to awful depression and stomach issues even tho the pristiq helped with energy. 2 months into adding in the low dose of lexapro i feel so depressed that im crippled by it.

Hey everyone,

I was prescribed Sertraline 25mg by my NP for Panic Disorder, OCD, and GAD.

I’ve done my research on SSRIs and I know the side effects tend to hit hardest in the first few weeks. I’m in BC, Canada, using a telehealth service for this.

I’ve had panic attacks daily for over a year and a half now, so I know for a fact the first few weeks are going to be rough, especially the physical stuff like racing heart and palpitations.

As a precaution I wanted the lowest dose of Xanax to get through that window. My telehealth provider doesn’t offer benzos at all, and when I tried urgent care they turned me down too.

I get why providers are cautious given how addictive benzos can be, but it feels pretty unfair to be denied something I actually need just because other people misuse them. I’ve never taken one in my life.

Propranolol’s out for me because of childhood asthma, and I’m hesitant on hydroxyzine too given the QT concerns and how sedating it is.

I just wanted a two week bridge so I’m not showing up to the ER every time it gets unbearable.

To make it worse, I’m also quitting a year of daily cannabis use the same week I start the medication, so I’m bracing for both at once.
Honestly this whole process has left me feeling hopeless. Every provider I talk to treats me like I’m drug seeking instead of someone who’s actually struggling.

Anyone else been through this? How’d you manage the first few weeks without a benzo bridge?