Antidepressant experiences

My doctor just started me on Paroxetine and Trazodone. I'm just wondering what experiences anyone else has had with these since I have never taken antidepressants before.

So anything you can tell me about how the drug affected you or someone you know in general will help.

I am also concerned about how it might affect my appetite and/or weight.

Thanks!

Huh, sorry, I've had a lot of antidepressants, but never those two.

Paroxetine = Paxil,  Trazodone = Desyrel

I've been on a number of antidepressants for OCD, none of them really worked for me (it's very individual), and I was unhappy with my loss of libido, so I went off. They never really affected my eating or weight, but like I said, they affect everyone differently.

People have lots of opinions on antidepressants, so take them with a grain of salt (including mine). Mine are these:

#1- You should never see a general practitioner for psychotropics unless you absolutely can't afford a psychiatrist, because GPs are specialists on physical illness, not mental illness. But also be careful with psychiatrists, because they are under a lot of pressure to prescribe from patients and med companies. Just don't feel like you HAVE to take anything.

#2- You should always, always be seeing a therapist while on antidepressants. Many studies have been done (I can find cites for you if you want them) that show that neither therapy nor meds are hugely effective on their own, but the combination is pretty effective.

Good luck. I hope they work out for you.

I've never taken paxil, but I was on trazodone for depression as well as to help me sleep.

Trazodone is an old antidepressant that they stopped prescribing because one of it's side effects is drowsiness. Oftentimes, (in my case) it is prescribed as a last resort medication. It didn't help with the depression or my sleep. I was only on it for about a month and a half, so maybe I just didn't take it long enough. Just remember that medications affect everyone differently, so even though it didn't work for me, it could very well work for you.

hope this helps!!

-sara

I have been on a few different medications for depression and anxiety. I have been on Zooloft, Xanax, Paxil, and Lexapro. I was on so many because I hated the side effects. Zooloft made me feel numb and emotional dead. So after 2 years I stopped taking then and then to Xanax, and I didn't feel anything with that. Then I was prescribed Paxil and I had hallucinations during they day and became paranoid. The last one was Lexapro, and it worked great. I did gain about 10lbs on Lexapro but no horrible side effects, and I felt like me so 10lbs didn't bug me. In June I decided to get off the Lexapro and gained another 5lbs. Then in July I started dieting and exercising. I think these medications work different for everyone and if something doesn't seem right talk to your doctor, even if you just feel or think different something could be wrong. Best of luck!

PS-Antidepressants made me loose my appetite  but I still ate a lot and unhealthy while on them

My doc gave me trazadone to help me sleep. It helped a little, but would make me feel groggy in the morning. I've since discovered that intense workouts help me sleep a whole lot better. I haven't used the trazadone in months. I've also tried Lexapro (for stress) for a while and it made me gain 30 lbs and get more depressed. I'm currently on Wellbutrin and absolutely love it! That and exercise have made a world of difference in my life. Good luck to you!

I have been on Paxil for 11 years for anxiety.  I have tried at least 6 times to get off of the drug but it appears that my body is "addicted" to the Paxil.  The drug company doesn't like that word because I don't crave it; however, my body does.  When trying to get off of it I spent days with pains all over my body, night sweats, vomiting, dizziness, nightmares...it goes on.  I am still on Paxil and still trying really hard to get off.  If you can, find another way to treat your depression.   Gaba and DHEA are natural and seem to work well for some.

I also want you to know that since I have been on Paxil, I have gained 50 lb.  It has actually made everything worse.  I have also been on Wellbutrin now for the last five months because I was told that it would help with the sexual side effects and the weigh gain!  Yah!  That's why I'm here, right?  Cause it worked?   No.  Now I have to taper myself off of the Wellbutrin.

I realize that the drugs work differently for everyone; however, I do know that most people who are on Paxil for more than one year have a heck of a time coming off, so just research it a lot more.

Good Luck!

Ditto on the Paxil, your experience sounds almost exactly like mine.  I was on it for 12 years, from age 16 to 28, and gained about 55 pounds and it turned me into a zombie.  It was very difficult to wean myself off of it, but I finally did about a year and a half ago, and I'm finally down to my pre-Paxil weight.  I feel I'm so much better off now that I'm off of it.  I can't believe they still prescribe that stuff! 

I'm on Cipralex (Lexapro IIRC), and have been for 9 months now. I certainly haven't  had any issues with eating or weight whilst on it. I do thnk that I initially lost a bit of an edge, but I certainly feel better off with it than without.

Oh it's Paxil, yeah, I've had that. Not the other one though.

Paxil worked for about three years and then my body started to reject it harshly. It also killed my appetite, which I liked (can I say that on here?) 

Hi,

I have also started taking anti-Ds again. I am on 10mg Cipralex. I have also been on Ativan for a few years for anxiety and recently re-prescribed Tradazone for sleep problems. 

I found that in the past when I was on meds when I became happier, my appetite came back and so then I put on some healthy-ish weight. I also found my motivation to work out came back as well so I think it all balances out. For me, when I am depressed I tend to not work out, or eat much (and never the right foods). 

I do have side effects from the Cipralex though. Headaches, nausea, weird bad dreams, sometimes I feel like my vision is funny (blurry, sometimes see spots like when you have been sitting in front of the computer too long) but this is usually accompanied by a headache so I chalk it up to that.  Sexual side effects a more troublesome- the reason I didn't stay on anti-depressants before. 

This is only week 3 and I just today went from 5 mg to 10mg. I want to talk to my doc about the side effects and try to stick it out for a little while to see what happens. Continues like this though and I see myself getting off the meds.