feel depress while on meds.. any suggestions?

picard

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I am really depressed despite that I am taking 300mg of antidepressant, Effexor. I am not having any luck in job search in Canada.

What do you guys do to aleviate this misery while still taking meds? I feel really down.
 

nikon

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Part of your depressed feeling is probably situational (can't find a job), which adds to any depression you may have otherwise. It sounds as though Effexor may not be precisely the right drug for you. Ask your doctor what he thinks about either adding or substituting another drug, such as Wellbutrin or Cymbalta (or both).
 

will

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Not all drugs work exactly the same for all people, you might need to take different meds,or a combination of meds.

You are also faced with situational depression - looking of a job - that is normal. Finding a job is difficult, make sure you do something every day in that pursuit, this does not have to be a lot, just something. Have a plan for finding work. write it down. Even if you do not get something that day, at least you can feel good about completing tasks on your plan.

I agree with nikon above.
 
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Manzerick

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My Dr tried me on effexor for anxiety and let me tell you…. BAD STUFF!!! I stopped it after a month because I was losing my effin mind!!! I did so much stuff that was unnecessary and was a grumpy munchkin all the time.

My advice: Seek a SSRI (Paxal Prozac Zolof etc) and call it a day… all that other junk will kill you!!!!! IMNSHO
 

Manzerick

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also..Effexor needs to be SLOWLY removed form ur body... ODn't do what I did and just stop... I was on less than half the dose you are and felt headachs... bloated... and just plain weird.

If you need any advice on it...Please PM me!
 

bwaites

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First, consult your doctor,

Second, consult your doctor,

Third, consult your doctor.

Some of the advice given here has been good, but you need someone who can actually DO something to help you, and that is your prescribing physician.

Educate yourself on the meds, Wellbutrin IS often a good addtion to Effexor, but the only one who can really help you with this is your prescribing physician.

P.S. I do this for a living, seeing 3-4 depression patients every day, (in a very busy Internal Medicine office) and would not presume to be able to help you without actually seeing you.

Bill
 

BIGIRON

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Do exactly what BWaites says. Depression is a terrible disease. Don't take chances -- talk to your doc soonest.

The disease can be successfully treated. You just have to find the right combination of meds and environment (lifestyle).
 

will

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Sometimes when we read something we assume things. if someone is taking medication for depression, I would assume that person has seen a doctor and is seeing a doctor.

Absolutely - see a doctor.

and if that doesn't work - see a different doctor...
 

Lightmeup

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You may want to talk to your Doc about this stuff. Anything with these possible side effects would scare me:

Anxiety, constipation, delayed orgasm, depression, difficulty breathing, dizziness, dry mouth, itching, loss of appetite, loss of strength, nausea, nervousness, problem urinating, sedation, skin rash, sleepiness / sleeplessness, sweating, tingling hands / feet, tremors, vomiting, unusual dreams, weight loss, or weakness, Abnormal speech, bleeding / irritated gums, chest pain, dry skin, ear pain, hair loss, excessive salivation, migraines, seizures, sensitivity to sun, soft stools, stomach irritation, suicide attempts, taste disorders, tongue discoloring, thyroid changes, or problems with vision.

As others have mentioned, there are serious withdrawal side effects when you stop taking it. Be careful.

http://www.anxiety-and-depression-solutions.com/effexor.htm
 

snowleopard

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Picard, I'm really sorry you're feeling so depressed. It must be hard to get the energy to look for a job while you're depressed.

Absolutely follow bwaites advice: "consult your doctor"!!!
If you've only been on it a short time, ask your doctor how long it takes to take effect. Tell your doctor what's going on and see what suggestions he has.

And remember, things will get better.

--Walter
 

JimH

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My sister used to have severe anxiety attacks - so bad she got to the point where she couldn't even leave the house. She was attempting suicide when her daughter discovered her. She ended up in the hospital for about a month while they treated her with different combinations of drugs.

Some drugs actually made the problem worse, some made it better. Everybody reacts to different antidepressant drugs differently. There may need to be a lot of trial and error to find the right combination for a particular person.

They finally found the combination that worked for my sister, and now she's her old happy go lucky self again.

As has been said before. Talk to your doctor about what your feeling. He may need to try different dosages an/or different drugs. The ticket here is to hang in there and work with your doctor to get things figured out.
 

cyberhobo

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The depression books say not to consume yourself with job searching rather, be good to yourself, help a friend, volunteer, watch your favorite movie and let the doc know the ant-depression meds aren't effective. Above all, don't make any big decisions you may regret (i.e., don't sign any contract that may have negative financial consequences). There are many people that pray on the depressed and otherwise vulnerable! They are out there wearing fine suites (and fast talking) to knit caps and baggies.

Took me four years to get the rights meds and dosage. My canine helps with the rest.
 

jtr1962

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The thing I do is to basically not worry or get stressed over things I have no control over. You really have no control over whether or not a suitable position will materialize, and limited control over whether you will be hired should such a position appear. You might try alternatives to employment such as selling on eBay to give you a little cash until you find something (and to keep you busy). In general being idle during a bad time in your life is a recipe for depression. I know how hard it can be even to get out of bed when you're feeling down, but you have to try to keep busy.

As far as the meds go, IMHO you don't need them since what you're describing sounds like a clear cut case of situational depression. That being said, talk to a doctor about how best to wean yourself off them since going cold turkey can cause problems. My guess is the side effects of the antidepressant may actually be adding to your depression, and perhaps making you feel lethargic.

I also suggest you try regular exercise if you aren't already doing so, and examine your diet. Foods heavy in fat can cause lethargy and depression. As for the exercise, it's the best thing for someone in your state. I've had times in my life when I probably would have committed suicide but exercise motivated me plus I felt better afterwards. I remember cycling some 200+ miles a week during one of the darkest times in my life (shortly after I actually did attempt suicide). It kept me alive and in a fairly functional state even though the depression persisted from 1982 until the early 1990s. I still get very depressed on occasion, most recently for several months after my father died this March. However, I keep active, keep busy, watch my diet. I would never consider taking antidepressants or for that matter any other drug which I would need to take for much over a week or so. Long-term taking drugs sets you up for liver problems. Interactions between two or more drugs causes additional problems.

Another piece of advice, as corny as it sounds, is to look at others in worse positions than you. You have no job now, but there are many in the world with no job, no home, nothing to eat. When I view my problems in that perspective, they always seem trivial by comparison. That usually alleviates the worst of my depression pretty quickly.
 

HarryN

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Hi Pickard - 300mg is a pretty high dose. You should discuss with your Dr if it is too high. Be careful with slowing it down or you can get seizures.

Just as important - stop watching TV and cancel your paper. The news is very bad right now, and it is quite common for people watching the events in the middle east to become depressed.

Last but not least, try to kiss a beautiful woman - seems to help. :)
 

Professormc2

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Research shows that meds alone don't always do the trick. Speaking with someone is part of the preferred treatment. I also found that seeing the correct kind of doctor makes a difference. Internist are all too willing to give an SSRI drug, etc. They do not have the knowledge of a psychiatrist.
Not all meds agree with everyone. A doctor will usually max the dose on the meds you are on before they try another. This is common practice.
If one feels bad all the time, then you need to tell the doctor. I tell them the way it is. Sometimes it is trial and error to find the right medicines. You suffer through this part.
Hope you feel better and ask for more help.
 

LED BriCK

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picard- I hope you'll take bwaites' advice to heart, and ESPECIALLY pay attention to his P.S. It's clear that the folks who've responded to you mean well, but the fact is none of them knows enough about you or your situation to give any specific advice. General advice- exercise, talk to your doctor and/or a psychiatrist, consider switching drugs, don't stop cold turkey, don't give up- that's great, but we really can't tell over the forum if you have a situational depression, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, or what. Advice to switch to this drug or that, or that you don't need a drug at all, should be taken for what it is- an anecdotal account of what has worked for one specific person and may not work or may even be harmful for you. It is very clear that antidepressant medications, properly prescribed and monitored, have greatly improved the quality of life for many people, and have literally saved the lives of many others.
Having said that, here's my general advice- don't give up, and don't feel guilty about being depressed. There is effective treatment, it's often just a matter of trial and error to find out what works for you, whether that be mediCation, mediTation, counselling, or a combination of things. And, while it may very well be that bad luck in looking for a job has you down, please keep in mind that depression is a chemically-mediated neurotransmitter disorder, NOT a character flaw, and you can't will yourself out of it just by saying to yourself that you don't have it so bad. Best of luck to you.
 

picard

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I finally found a full time job. Woohoo. I am so excited. :rock::):grin2: I hope that this job will last a long time. I got laid off last job.

I am currently prescribe with cognitive therapy by th psychiatrist. The pschologist handle the therapy. My psychiatrist changed my meds from paxil to Effexor when I found that paxil was ineffective.
 

snowleopard

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Hey Picard! Congratulations on the new job!
The cognitive therapy + antidpressant is supposed to be good, keep at it, but the job probably helps a lot.
--Walter
 

PhotonWrangler

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Congratulations on your new job, Picard! I hope that this will help lift your spirits.

I have heard that for some people, any particular antidepressant can stop working after awhile. I don't know if the brain becomes fatigued or desensitized to the medication after a long regimen of it or if there's something else going on, but it's definitely something to bring up with your doctor.

Sending positive vibes up north for you -
 
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