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Posted 6/20/2007 3:45 AM (GMT 0)
Hi,ANyone on antidepressants? Like elavil or ssnri's or any others? I got super depressed from being on prednisone (still on it) and started elavil for other issues mostly sleep and stomach but now doc wants to add cymbalta anythoughts? Rush
Posted 6/20/2007 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
I had been on Cymbalta(no result), Wellabutrin (no result), Zoloft (Good results) and I think it was Paxil back in the day (made me crazy and crashed a car). They had tried Seroquel and Risperdal years ago which made me see and hear things. Funny Seroquel works like a charm for my daughter. Like all medicines it can take time to find what best works for you. Just make sure you don't need your liver enzymes checked for whichever one you take as some meds cause problems with this. Cymbalta and Wellabutrin are "boosters". They are very mild but can help other medications do their job when depression is severe. Depression is a normal symptom in Lupus. Had it several times. Sometimes the disease shuts off the serotonin in the brain. I've noticed a lot of CNS patients have it more prominent. Don't take it personal, and remember that it will pass, just need a little adjustment here and there.

Focus on what you love in this world. Find all those little things that make life special. Try to create some good memories. Be around those who love and/or support you and distance yourself from those who don't. This whole process can really get to you some days. At the same time you realize that there is a lot to value in life. Hopefully they will get things balanced out for you. Take care of yourself - Kristin
Posted 6/20/2007 9:09 PM (GMT 0)
Jonny, I take elavil (amitriptyline), not so much for depression but for sleep, headaches and anxiety. I'm on 25mg at night which is a pretty low dose and it really helps me sleep and has decreased my headaches, but not so sure about the anxiety. My doc said I can increase to 50mg, but I worry about being too sedated and sleepy during the day. Everyone reacts to these meds differently. I can't take the SSRIs or Cymbalta, - I have terrible reactions to them. PRednisone can do some pretty nasty things to our emotions. ONlower doses, I have some anxiety and irritability, and these symptoms get worse as my dose goes higher. I hope your doc can find something that works well for you. Take care
Posted 6/20/2007 11:30 PM (GMT 0)

Hi,

Thanks you guys it REALLY helped!!!! So far on 10mg of elavil only at night but not quite cutting the depression but helping the ibs and sleep!  So for now doc said maybe 20mg of cymbalta in the daytime Im sorta worried about this but my doc had a long talk with me, and Im willing to try it just going slow since Im so chemical sensitive we thought of upping the elavil (amitryptiline ) but its so sedating even at 10mg!  So I will keepin touch to see how it goes thanks tho you guys are really nice!  Rush

Posted 6/20/2007 11:54 PM (GMT 0)
Rush, the plan to start the Cymbalta slowly sounds like a good one. I seem super sensitive to some meds too and I don't know why. Interestingly, a lot of people on the forum here with lupus also report being sensitive to meds. I'm still up in the air about the amitriptyline. I like how it helps me sleep really soundly, but I worry it's affecting me during the day by making me tired and foggy. I haven't been taking it long so I'm hoping I adjust to some of these things. Keep us updated on how things are going. Take care and it's good to have you here.
Posted 6/21/2007 10:25 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Rush, welcome to the group. I take effexor. I was taking the mildest does 75 mg for 4 years and doing fine. Than after the DX of lupus I starting having worse anxiety attacks. The doctor told me she was going to increase my antidepression meds instead of increasing my anxiety meds. So recently I started taking 150 mg. of effexor. I did find for the first 4 years a the small amount but it's to early to tell what this larger amount will do. The really immediate downside though is it seems to bother my stomach which it didn't do on a smaller dose.
good luck
hugs
carol
Posted 6/21/2007 12:28 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Rush.  I am the forum queen of depression and all happy drugs.  I spent many and I mean many days curled in bed during the long search for a diagnosis. I made a feeble attempt at suicide and spent a couple of days on a psych ward, none of which is condusive to my full time job.  A frequent question on the forum is, "If you have extreme fatigue, how can you tell it's depression and not lupus?"  Well, besides the obvious such as uncontrollable crying, if I lie in bed and have no desire to do any of my favorite activities, it's time to see my shrink for a medication adjustment.  If I lie there and wish I had the energy to do something, it's lupus.  I'm currently on 40mg prozac, 200mg lamictal, 200mg seroquel at night, and 10mg ambien.  Previously I've taken effexor, lexapro, wellbutrin, buspar, cymbalta, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few.  Surprisingly I have never taken elavil.  Seroquel taken at doses 600mg and above is a psychotropic used to treat schizophrenia and low doses are used as a sleep aid.  Cymbalta didn't have much effect on me.  Prednisone always makes me emotional, but my rheumy says it's here to stay.  I've been on antidepressants for a few years and for me, these drugs are just as important as all the other drugs I take. I sure hope your mood improves soon! ((hugs))

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