r/antidepressants

I'm 25 and I'm being treated for severe premature ejaculation. I've tried several SSRIs so far, but I haven't had meaningful improvement.

My medication history:

- Fluoxetine 25 mg + olanzapine 6 mg about 9 days. No meaningful improvement in PE.

- Sertraline tried at different doses/regimens, including 75–100 mg/day. No meaningful improvement.

- Escitalopram 10 mg initially, then 20 mg for several weeks. No meaningful improvement.

- Escitalopram + paroxetine 20 mg/day about 4 weeks. No meaningful improvement.

- Paroxetine currently: 20 mg/day for 4 weeks → 30 mg/day for 2 weeks → 40 mg/day for 1 week. So about 7 weeks total on paroxetine. So far, my ejaculation time has increased only by a few seconds, and I still have PE.

I'm currently also taking sertraline 100 mg/day, along with mirtazapine 15 mg and olanzapine 2.5 mg.

I don't have significant side effects from paroxetine. My concern is that the improvement in ejaculation time is very small.

My questions are:

1. If paroxetine 20–30 mg didn't produce meaningful improvement, is it realistic to expect 40 mg to make a major difference?

2. Does poor response to several SSRIs suggest that SSRIs may simply not work well for me?

3. Would switching from paroxetine to fluoxetine make sense, considering my previous fluoxetine trial was only about 9 days?

4. If paroxetine ultimately doesn't work, which SSRI or medication strategy would psychiatrists consider next for someone who hasn't responded to several SSRIs?

5. Is there any reason some people respond poorly to SSRIs for PE despite having severe PE?

Hello, I have been suffering from depression for 5 years. I have never been medicated and I feel that I'm getting worse to the point that I no longer feel like anything and nothing matters to me (except the feeling of shame and self-despise for being useless of course.)

I would like to know if the pills they prescribe to you really help in something, at least in motivating you to do something with your life because not doing it will condemn my fucking life before it even begins. I don't ask for something that makes me feel good or happy but with enough energy to do things.

And I'm not asking for a prescription! Just to know if they exist and work, I would also like to know the experiences with it.

I am genuinely losing my mind.

For some fucking reason, Walgreens gives me 15 sertraline pills instead of 30. I know this could be due to shortages or insurance approval. I end up spending extended amounts of time without the medication. This has been happening for a few months now, and I really am tired. I don't get a refill until I see my psychiatrist, which is once a month.

I pick up bupropion and gabapentin on the same day, prescribed by the same psychiatrist, and they all last the whole month. I am having trouble trying to make sense of it... idk

I'm so tired; I feel terrible. I can't sleep, and my mood swings are crazy. Please help.

Once i was on it 5 years ago, used them for a year and after withdrawal i would say 2-3 months. How about you?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping to hear from others who might have had a similar experience with Wellbutrin. I am really suffering right now and trying to figure out if this medication is actually working against me.

To give some background: I started on Wellbutrin 300 mg XL back in late December 2025 for anxiety, as I felt completely stuck in a chronic "fight or flight" response due to extreme personal and work-related stress. I previously took Effexor years ago, and tapering off of it was one of the hardest things I've ever lived through. Because of that nightmare, I never, ever want to go through SNRI withdrawal again, so I initially chose Wellbutrin thinking it was a much "safer" antidepressant.

However, looking back, things have steadily gone downhill:

Anxiety, Jitters, and Caffeine Intolerance: I used to comfortably drink two coffees every morning. Starting earlier this year, I started getting terrible panic attacks from caffeine, forcing me to cut it out entirely.

TMJ and Migraines: By April, my anxiety and physical tension spiked, leading to severe jaw clenching (bruxism) and debilitating migraines that have persisted ever since.

Hair Loss: I've dealt with bouts of all-over hair thinning for the past three years due to chronic stress, but it has flared up intensely again.

The Underlying Health Context: For background, I've had ankylosing spondylitis since I was 15 (I'm 33 now) and was diagnosed with lupus SLE in 2020. I take Plaquenil, Cyclobenzaprine, and meloxicam to manage them (biologics failed for me previously).

Between the chronic physical pain, the hair loss, and the intense stress, I am now sliding into depression with deep anhedonia—I can't even bring myself to do the things I used to enjoy.

My rheumatologist recently suggested Cymbalta (an SNRI), but the side effect and withdrawal stories sound utterly terrifying given my past with Effexor.

I’m starting to wonder if Wellbutrin is fueling my migraines, physical jitters, and anxiety rather than helping my mood. But I honestly don't know what else is safe to try.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with Wellbutrin? Did stopping it help resolve things like the jaw clenching, jitters, or hair shedding? If you've navigated chronic pain and anxiety without using an SNRI, what actually worked for you?

** written with help from AI

I tried BuSpar (worsened my tinnitus quite a lot) then I tried Wellbutrin … also worsened my tinnitus and actually made my inner ears feel sore? :( Next I’m thinking of trying citalopram. Any tips or recommendations from anyone with a similar experience? TIA