I hope things are continuing to get better, Clockwork Jackal.
I have two members of my immediate family who are on SSRIs. Finding the right medication at the right dose can take a little time. Your body adjusts as things change, and you might need to change every so often.
With my father, for instance, we’ve learned that he gets a bit lethargic when his meds need to be adjusted. He sleeps later and comes up with more excuses not to exercise.
My sister lives alone, and it’s a bit harder for us to judge her state of mind. She’s a private person, and good at hiding things. I’m having dinner with her tomorrow - I’m going to ask her how she knows when she needs her script adjusted.
I have a friend who I’m fairly certain needs counselling and some sort of antidepressant. He actually started on Prozac, but didn’t see a benefit fast enough, and was having bad dreams from it. So he stopped.
My point is…it’s definitely a process. But whenever people go through this, I think about the day my Dad told me “I no longer think about suicide.” So yeah…the stuff can work…and can make a difference. Keep at it, and discuss it with your docs.
-D/a
Today was the first day I felt like myself again. The shakes are WAY better, only a very tiny jitteryness that I managed to nap through. I’m sleeping better already. I’m less depressed already. I’m still anxious, but I didn’t expect that to get better overnight.
The only really concerning thing is the dilated pupils. My eyes are starting to physically hurt. I’ve emailed my ARNP about this. I just worry that I’m doing my eyes permanent harm.
Well it takes forever for her to get back to you if you relay the message through her receptionist, but if you just email her directly she just fires off an email.
That IS awesome! Did she say anything about the pupil dilation? Googling “SSRI pupil dilation” brings up a lot of references to this being a commoninitial side effect. I doubt it’s permanent, but check with dr. to be sure. I’m glad to hear that the shakes and depression are improving.
Yeah, she said that was also temporary, and I wasn’t doing any permanent damage to my eyes. They were quite painful for a while. But it’s almost gone now.
The insomnia is relatively new. I was sleeping pretty well just a few days ago.
Please don’t feel like a failure or that you are somehow defective. Millions of people are on antidepressants, and many, many people self-medicate with alcohol, other drugs, gambling, and many other things which have much worse side effects.
I’m on Zoloft, but am thinking about asking for a change to see if something else works a little better.
Good therapy is also really helpful, and again, finding the right one is really important.
I’m glad I found this thread. I started Paxil today and I’m shaking, while tired at the same time which is wierd and my eyes are really dialated. I hope this goes away.
I’ve had severe chronic depression my entire life. I am very pro-CBT and evidence-based practices in general. It frustrates me how hard it is for people in need to find good treatment.
It took me ten years and 13 medications to find one that helped at all. But about four months ago, I started Wellbutrin and it changed my life. I can’t even believe how much easier it is for me to do things. Depression has a way of just clouding your entire perceptioin of things. I feel like I’m discovering who I am for the first time.
Please, please, please do not go to a GP for psych medications. Too many of them don’t have the knowledge or training necessary to responsibly dispense these medications. Go to a psychiatrist. It’s worth the money.
Ten years and 13 medications before they gave you Wellbutrin??
It took them like 15 years to finally give me Lamictal, but I think that one has just fairly recently become more common for depression.
The pupil dilation does get better. For me it took a good two weeks or so. My ARNP said I wasn’t doing any permanent damage to my eyes. Just rest, buy a good gel eye mask and stick it in the freezer to cool your eyes. Try not to do anything where you have to look from near to far quickly, like driving. It’ll pass.
The depression is still completely gone. The insomnia has almost completely disappeared. I still occasionally get a sleepless night, more commonly, have trouble falling asleep. The anxiety is about 80% better. Instead of being terrified to drive, now sometimes I get a little nervous. I’m driving all over the place now. My inlaws are visiting right now, and, well, ok, I’m a little stressed, but nothing like before. Things don’t bother me like they used to. I used to ruminate and ruminate on a subject when things went wrong. Now I think about them once or twice, and they’re gone. Poof. Weird, eh? I’m also getting out more. To the store, a walk around the block, the beach, the local farms, church etc. I’m enjoying my life a lot more.
TLDR: This medication has completely changed my life. For the better. And I’m only on the “low dose” of 20mg.
The endless ruminating was perhaps the most frustrating part of anxiety for me when I suffered from it. It was like my brain was a giant hamster on a wheel set to Usain Bolt and locked in with sharp pointy things.
I’ve been on Celexa too at some times in the past. For me as well it was a wonder drug, helping the physiological part of my anxiety/depression almost immediately. Glad to hear you’re doing so great!
So glad to hear this. I have a similar experience, on Paxil for over a decade, and it’s also changed my life. The only drawback is that, for me, it does not interact well with alcohol, so I have eliminated all but the tiniest occasional sip of wine or beer. It’s a small price to pay for getting my mind well.
I also have had insomnia and my doctor prescribed Trazadone. It’s an old anti-anxiety medicine that has the side effect of sleepiness for a lot of people. It’s non-habit-forming. I use it as needed only. You might want to ask your doctor about it.
