Side effects - Your experience

[introvert]

I visited a psychiatrist last week and she prescribed me an SSRI anti-depressant for my SP induced depression. It's been 4 days that I've been taking it and generally speaking I feel much better.

My only problem lies with the side effects, there are some that bother me more than others. Yesterday I was looking in the mirror and accidentally noticed that my pupils were dilated and reacting strangely to the light. This may have been due to the fact that I had been drinking a lot in the previous 24 hours (and didn't sleep much - went out to a club). Anyway, this has just made be really paranoid. I do not want people to think I am a drug addict or something. I will take normal rest in the next few days, and continue to take the medication and hopefully it will reside.

Question is, what have you experiences been with side effects? Do they reside over the first few weeks? Which ones stay longer? Is there anything else a person should watch out for? Has anyone ever pointed out something to you, like your hands are shaking, dilated pupils 8O , etc. or they don't really notice?

 

[lostboi]

I think the worst side effects I ever had were when the Dr. put me on zoloft for depression. My anxiety went through the roof. I was totally paranoid. I felt like everyone was out to get me and I felt really agitated and violent. I'm on celexa right now for anxiety but it seems to be giving me a bit of a rash so I'm debating discontinuing it..

 

[introvert]

Here's an update for those of you interested. It's been 6 days and I'm still taking 25mg Zoloft per day (1/2 a tablet). My shrink said I should take a full tablet a day after 3-5 days, so I will probably start tomorrow.

I've noticed another few side effects. Water retention seems to be increasing, my limbs feel kind of slightly swolen. I've also had a huge loss in appetite, and slight nausea. Also the pupil dilation thing is really wierd, I hope it does go away or else I might have to quit this. When I look in the mirror, it's like my pupils are getting slightly bigger and smaller, like they can't adjust to the light... freaky. I just hope it's not noticeable to others.

The amphetamine effect has worn off, now I'm back to sleeping the usual 9 hours, and I can't really notice much improvement in mood, my mood is just neutral, slightly irritated.

I'll keep you guys posted. This is the first time I've tried drugs, I've been avoiding them for over 2 years.

 

[introvert]

Hi lostboi, has Celexa shown any positive effects? I had a day where I was really paranoid on Zoloft, I don't think I have ever experienced something like that, and also the agression you mention.

 

[young]

I have a metal plate and 12 screws in my ankle. which is a side effect of falling off of a ladder at work.

 

[renegade]

My only side effects are sleapiness, I mean I sleep more than 12 hours a day, that's all.

I take Rivotril 2 mg a day and Serlift 100 mg in the evening.

 

[weedle]

I had weight gain from zoloft. NO amphediamine side effects. No large pupils that I noticed. I would be more worried about feeling funny when I drink alcohol at the club then taking meds.

 

[introvert]

Another update for those interested. I just took my first 50mg dose (whole pill), and that's the dose I need according to my psychiatrist (was working my way up with 25mg in the last 7 days).

Today I didn't really have any side effects, just the usual wierd pupils, which still bothers me but I guess noone is noticing (I mean... your pupils aren't meant to react with a 'delay' to light.. it must be the drugs).

I've been feeling more irritated than usual, especially now after work at home. I've been mulling on the thought of throwing a chair through the window, and smashing glasses, but I wouldn't do it cause I don't want to pay for the damage. Anyway, not sure if this is the meds or just a bad day. Actually my day at work was better than average, so it must be something else. Checked out a few online dating sites as I do, that must also have added to feeling pissed off.

I will give this med another week or so, if I don't see any imrprovements, it's going in the can.

 

[lostboi]

ZOLOFT= EVIL in my very un-medical opinion..

 

[introvert]

I've just made the decision to stop taking this. I dont need drugs, they haven't done anything at all just make me feel wierd. And besides, they can't be good for your brain anyway in the long term.

Today I will be taking a 1/2 dose, and gradually over the week will work it back down to zero. I will have to work with alternative solutions to overcome sp/depression.

 

[Booger]

they take a while to work, if I were you I'd give them more time cause at first you might feel like your getting worse but the side effects will taper, general rule of thumb is to give them at least 6 weeks if not feeling any better than try something else. don't give up.

 

[lonelycranberry]

hi introvert!
im glad u have made this decision of not taking these drugs anymore.
it takes a lot of guts to do such a thing n though its been on my mind i havent been able to do it yet. thats because we r so dependant on them that we think somethin may go wrong if we don take them. but frankly nothing has gone right also by takin these meds. n sure they do have hundred sude effects. all medicines do. n i really do not understand how a medicine can alter completely the way u think. how can a med. make u think positive when u r born with a pessimistic nature?
nature can be changed thru prolonged therapy which ensures tht u stop thinkin the way u do n whch assures that thinkin good becomes ur habit.....a crappy medicine cannot cure sa ....thats my opinion cause it has never worked 4 me.... whats ur opinion ppl??

 

[bluenow]

I have been on SSRIs for 8 years. Zoloft, paxil, prozac and now effexor. I have depression problems so I plan on taking them for the rest of my life.

+It seems to take the edge off of SA but not cure it.
+The sexual side effects have disappeared.
+I don't have constant irrational thoughts running through my mind at night.
+Help depression.

-Weight gain
-impossible to miss more than 1 dose
-Cost
-Stigma
-Sleepy (maybe from depression)

 

[Septor]

SSRIs never did any thing for me other then weight gain and messed up sex drive.

Right now i'm on wellbutrin and have not had any bad side affect yet.

 

[thoughtless]

I have a metal plate and 12 screws in my ankle. which is a side effect of falling off of a ladder at work.

:lol: :lol:

 

[lonelycranberry]

SSRIs never did any thing for me other then weight gain and messed up sex drive.

Right now i'm on wellbutrin and have not had any bad side affect yet.

hi bluenow!
hi septor!
so i can c that there have been more problems with medicines than wihtout them. n i think its a more psycological feeling that i am getting better with it. have both u guys tried out cbt? because i have never seen or heard that ssris have worked wonders for someone
by the way septor; what is a messed up sex drive??

 

[Septor]

What I mean by messed sex drive is erection impairment loss of libido and difficulty reaching orgasm or loss of ability to have orgasm.Got all of those on different SSRIs.Although I have heard of people get better on SSRIs.

The best medication that I have used and did wonder for my panic attack is clonazepam.No side affect at all.

Yes I have been going to cbt session for a little while now.

 

[shovelhead]

I was put on Aropax - that was fun... not...

I took it once, I had maybe 5mg of valium first... The result was a strange burning senstion on the right hand side of my body (mainly hand and face), then the worst panick attack I have ever had.. I did actually collapse (black out) which I had never doen before or since...

The GP said these are not uncommon side effects and I should take more valium first next time... I walkled out and refused to take similar drugs again.. And went the more expensive (no government funding) option of seeing a therapist... no serious side effects from that yet ;-) Although the Aropax has given me a slight phobia of taking any new drugs...

I still have valium here, but rarely take it, only if I get out of control (once a month maybe if that)...

 

[kelly_uk]

advice

has anyone been on fluoxitine as i have been diagnosed with depression and i was wondering if they work at all and how long do the take to get into your system thaks

 

[rainstreet]

I've just made the decision to stop taking this. I dont need drugs, they haven't done anything at all just make me feel wierd. And besides, they can't be good for your brain anyway in the long term.

Today I will be taking a 1/2 dose, and gradually over the week will work it back down to zero. I will have to work with alternative solutions to overcome sp/depression.

sometimes if you quit depression meds the depression comes back double time.