anyone take depression meds?

**paintedsky** · 08-26-2007, 07:44 PM

I am now on a depression/anxiety med. I've been fatigued, sore, and tired for years and didn't really want to do anything about it but it was all effecting me externally as well. As well as over stressed out all the time about work, etc. The thing is I was going to college soon so wanted to do something about it before it effected my work there. I also don't even like the doctor and like the practioner there alot better. The dr herself makes me stressed out lol She seems rather cold but the practioner there is alot nicer so I'm switching.

She first put me on lexapro but that is really expensive. It seemed like it was starting to work but unfortunately without health insurance, extremely expensive like 96 dollars or so. It was for a month supply that I was on it. Now I'm supposed to switch to citalopram the generic of celexa which is only 4 dollars and was wondering if anyone has had success with it? If not I guess I'll switch back to lexapro if it doesn't work. If there's that huge of a price difference, maybe lexapro is alot better?

**changed4life** · 08-26-2007, 07:49 PM

I'm on Lexapro, but then again, my insurance co only charges me $10 a month. Perhaps, give the generic a chance and see what happens.

Best wishes.

**Jskell911** · 08-26-2007, 08:02 PM

If I am not mistaken Lexapro is in the same family of meds as Celexa, so I would think you would react favorably if that was your reaction to Lexapro.

**autumnlynn** · 08-26-2007, 09:23 PM

I take Lexapro for my anxiety. I took Zoloft for awhile, but it didn't help me. If you don't have insurance, sometimes the drug company will give you a discount or even free medicine. You could check on that. Also around here I have heard of Walgreens giving generics for $4.00. I really don't know the details as I have drug coverage, but it's something to look into.

**Jaded** · 08-26-2007, 10:14 PM

I'm on Prozac. It's $4 at Wally World. That's why I'm on it. I wanted Wellbutrin, but the deductible on my insurance was $100, making it $120 for the first month, so I went with Prozac. So far, I like it.

I thought Celexa and Lexapro were for adult ADHD? Maybe I'm wrong.

**Missourimom** · 08-27-2007, 12:02 AM

My 16 year old daughter has been taking medication for depression since she was 8 years old. She was switched to Lexapro last spring and it seems to be working quite well for her. She still has her moments, but who doesn't?

I hope your new medication will be exactly what you're looking for.

**foxxyroxie** · 08-27-2007, 12:42 AM

Okay, I know I'm going to get beat up about this but I went off my medications about 2 1/2 months ago. And in my eyes, much to my benefit.
Here's my story....

In August 2004, I had what I could consider a nervous breakdown and suicide attempt #1 and was hospitalized for 5 days and was given Lexapro 10 mgs and Risperdal. Neither seemed to help even after adjusting dosages. I followed up with a therapist and a psychiatrist. Then six months later, I had a nervous breakdown and suicide attempt #2 and was hospitalized for 7 days. Again meds were tweeked and I was also given Welbutrin. That didn't work. In July 2005, nervous breakdown and suicide attempt #3. I was taken off all my meds and given different meds, that didn't work. Then I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I have been on so many different meds that I can hardly keep track: Lexapro, Risperdal, Welbutrin, Seroquel, Ativan, Elavil, Lithium, Trileptal, just to name a few. Thank goodness they were all covered my insurance, but the side effects were anything but pleasant: weight gain, nervousness, lack of sleep, excessive drowsiness. I even complained to the psychiatrist because Ativan made me feel like I was stupid because I couldn't even add a column of 2-digit numbers (a Yahtzee score card!!!)

Now that my body has adjusted to not being on them, I feel almost 100% better. Yeah, I'm moody, but who isn't sometimes. Yeah, I get depressed, but who isn't sometimes. I'm not saying that I'll never need them again, because someday down the road I might feel overwhelmed again. I know that I still suffer from bipolar, I can tell by my sleep habits and energy levels, but as long as I continue to get at least some sleep at night, I'll be okay. I now know the warning signs of my illness and my immediate circle of friends does too. I feel as long as I keep aware of them, I can get help when life becomes too overwhelming. And my friends won't hesitate to intervene either if they feel I'm in trouble. They've done it in the past, and they'll do it again.

I do on a somewhat regular basis take St. John's Wort. I take it when I feel like one of my weepy moods is coming on. I don't know whether it's helping or if my mind is being fooled by a placebo.

**Jskell911** · 08-27-2007, 06:33 AM

You're not going to get beat up in here. If those meds weren't helping then they weren't helping. I am on Paxil and it does a wonderful job FOR ME. I have been on Lexapro (made me violent), Zoloft (made me cry all the time), and the Paxil. Everyone's body chemistry is different.
I hope you will continue to be well, drug free. However, it is a great sign that you are not outright opposed to the future need. Good luck!

**Jayne** · 08-27-2007, 09:06 AM

I take Cymbalta and xanax....Lexapro and celexa are in the same drug family, but, I was fine on celexa and my doctor switched me to lexapro..the lexapro made me psychotic...I heard voices and got very mean..scarey....The cymbalta has worked fine...I wish I didn't have to take these, but I cannot function with out them....

**MrsB** · 08-27-2007, 09:07 AM

When I was pregnant with CJ I had hyperemesis and got really depressed b/c I couldn't eat or drink anything without throwing it up and could barely get out of bed. Sooooo anyway, my dr put me on wellbutrin. It helped ALOT!!! The last 2 months of my pregnancy I was felling better so I stopped taking it cold turkey and was fine. :-) I stopped b/c it was starting to make me feel alittle nausous when I took it.

**paintedsky** · 08-28-2007, 07:27 AM

Thanks for your opinions

I guess I'll see if the cheaper drug works. I wouldn't take them if I didn't have to but I've been depressed for a good 5 years doing nothing about it. With lexapro it seemed to give me 4 good days just in the first month. I could remember because I never have actual "good" days. It's either always bleh or horrible and I was always so stressed over everything.

Only thing I'm not looking foward to is beginning side effects. It had made me extremely queasy when I first started on lexapro.

**ilovechocolate** · 08-28-2007, 06:06 PM

I take 10mg Paxil. Started on 20 mg but I felt "spacey" and out of touch. When I cut back to 10 mg daily I felt "real" again, just not depressed/anxious. Wonderful stuff!

**StellaS** · 08-28-2007, 10:20 PM

Originally Posted by paintedsky

She first put me on lexapro but that is really expensive. It seemed like it was starting to work but unfortunately without health insurance, extremely expensive like 96 dollars or so. It was for a month supply that I was on it. Now I'm supposed to switch to citalopram the generic of celexa which is only 4 dollars and was wondering if anyone has had success with it? ?

Exact same thing happened to me, but only because my insurance wouldn't cover the Lexapro. They changed the coverage terms, and decided they would only cover Lexapro if a patient at least tried citalopram first. Or something like that - I can't remember exactly the reasoning.

Anyway, Lexapro was wonderful for me. VAST difference. I was scared when I switched to citalopram, but there has been zero difference in the effect.

Good luck. I hope your experience will be as great as mine!