HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Deleted

Support Forums
>
Ulcerative Colitis
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 5/13/2011 7:40 PM (GMT 0)
Can this post be deleted?

Post Edited (Sara14) : 6/8/2011 4:12:28 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/13/2011 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
I have seen a lot of people here mention taking antidepressants. I personally haven't ever taken any, I probably should but I don't think my depression is chemical, it's just reality that's got me down. I do take klonopin for anxiety and I find it to be helpful.
Posted 5/13/2011 11:36 PM (GMT 0)
I was taking venlaxafine XR (effexor extended release).
It has been used in OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), GAD (general anxiety disorder) and depression. However I did not like how it made me feel.... but I wanted to give it a try; I tried celexa when I was in gr 10 (I am now 25).... and had the same issue. Just was not for me. You will know relatively quickly... probably about 8-10 weeks if the medication is what you are looking for.

The dreams I got were really vivid and real, and it was sometimes hard to fall asleep as I would become racy at times. Coming off of the drug has been a little up and down; if I move my eyes back and forth quickly I get really dizzy and feel high.... I have been tapering off now for a while and am down to 38mg every 4 days or so, which is when the eye thing starts to happen.

But I would say give it a try!
My sister takes a large amount of this medication and would be hard pressed to do her job and function normally without it.

Good luck!
J
Posted 5/14/2011 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
I have had anxiety as long as I can remember. Over the years I have tried, Zoloft, Lexapro and Celexa. I didn't like the way any of those made me feel, plus they gave me worse diarrhea. Most recently I was on Effexor XR after I had some post pardum depression/anxiety. The Effexor was fantastic. There was a slight adjustment period, but after that I loved it. If you read about it online you'll come across stories of the terrible withdrawal. I was able to slowly stop taking Effexor with NO problems at all. Of course, your mileage may vary. Good luck!
Posted 5/14/2011 1:38 AM (GMT 0)
i got UC about a month after starting wellbutrin. I think it had something to do with causing it, but I don't know for sure.
Posted 5/14/2011 2:40 AM (GMT 0)
My Dr. put me on Prozac because I was depressed about having UC.  Within 6 days, I felt overwhelmed, anxious, and suicidal.  This is not me at all!  It really messed with my head and I got off it and now feel normal again!  If you do try something, monitor your thoughts and emotions carefully.  I was so messed up I feared I could've done something stupid because of the pills!  I really felt out of control.
Posted 5/14/2011 7:12 PM (GMT 0)
I take Effexor XR, but not for UC. When I was off it during the winter, I didn't experience any UC symptoms. I'm back on it...just had a bit of nausea and slightly quickened gastro symptoms for about a week.

But, my UC symptoms are definitely dealt with by using 5ASA oral/rectal. I have flared at least twice a year during the 9 years while on the Effexor....
my flares are very mild since I treat very early increasing the rectal meds. 
q
Posted 5/14/2011 8:09 PM (GMT 0)
I tried Lexapro and it helped somewhat but gave me crazy insomnia. At the moment I'm giving Pristq a try. It's similar to Effexor. So, I don't know how I will feel emotionally on it yet. But it doesn't negatively effect my UC.
Posted 5/14/2011 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
I take Lexapro. I had social anxieties. I used to go into flight, fight, freeze mode all the time. Lexapro made that go away. It has been a godsend.

Lexapro does take away my sex drive. I used to love sex. Now motion makes me nauseous. I also have issues with needing a lot more sleep.

I tried gradually reducing my dosage. I got down to half when the flight, fight, freeze issue came back. So I'm now back to my original dosage.

Lexapro makes me happy too.
Posted 5/15/2011 1:01 AM (GMT 0)
I love my effexor. I take it for GAD and OCD though. It takes the '"edge" off for me. It doesn't bother my UC at all either.
Posted 5/15/2011 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
I'm on zoloft, trazadone, and seraquil. they work well for me. when i don't take them, you don't want to be around me, but the rest of the time i'm good. what are you worried about with them?
Posted 5/15/2011 7:55 AM (GMT 0)
i am using Cipralex for depression since aug 2010. off course, caused by coping with all those diseases (UC, AS, arnold neuralgia).
i can say it took a little time to kick in - 6 months - but it help a lot. Not only on my depression but on my UC as well.
My psychiatrist has the opinion that i somatise my feelings and this only makes my UC worse. I tend to give him his two cents for it, because Cipralex worked...

I recommend everyone with UC to check with a psychiatrist and see if there's need for antidepressants. I avoided this for years and now i feel sorry about it. I should have gone to one sooner.
Posted 5/15/2011 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
I've been and off anti-depressant/ anti-anxiety meds for 14 years now. When my anxiety and depression were at their worst I had forgotten what it was like to feel happy and normal. The meds were a godsend. Some meds did not agree with me but it's an individual thing! Seroxat made me progressively worse for 4 years (I'm not sure if that one is still on the market). Effexor XL and Cymbalta were good and I've heard good things about Lexapro. My recommendation is a combination of the right drug for your individual symptoms plus Cognitive behavioural Therapy (CBT).
Also be aware that the first week or so of meds can be really tough as they can exacerbate symptoms, but once you get through that you should have wonderful results :-)
Posted 5/16/2011 5:30 AM (GMT 0)
apathy comes in handy sometimes.

Do you have more anxiety or more depression?

q
Posted 5/16/2011 6:03 AM (GMT 0)

Sara14 said...

rpgdancer said...
what are you worried about with them?

Feeling like a zombie (unable to feel anything...), mostly. Also worried about other side effects.

Hence, my username Subdued. And then my IBD was subdued when I first joined. It's subdued now too.
Posted 5/17/2011 6:30 PM (GMT 0)
Anger is a very complicated emotion. It's a satisfying emotion as well, but truly counterproductive if it's not understood or changes made towards resolution. I can relate, and it definitely stems from feeling stuck or having no control (in a subjective/personal sense of course).

Hormone fluctuations can exacerbate it as well as medications. A continual sense of agitation can have ones emotions swinging to the extremes from depression then to anger..both lead to changes in behaviour and a continual downward spiral.

Therapy can help immensely and cognitive behavioural therapy can get one's mind to recognise the emotional changes so one can intervene before the behaviour aspect takes over.

This winter has been tough on me regarding anger, and I have recently recognised that the sleeping med zopiclone was part of the culprit. Even though it was a low dosage, me getting back on the Effexor wasn't having the effect I experienced in the past. Now that I'm not using the zopiclone (even though at a low dosage), the results have been better.

Hang tough...maybe for you trying something like Effexor XR starting at a low dosage then upping it a bit will help with the depression. That, in itself, can help with coping and maybe your anger issues won't be as extreme. For me 9 years ago, initially 37.5 took the edge off so coping was better. Eventually, however, 75 was the best dosage for me.

Talking honestly in your relationships will help as well, with all parties being responsible for what they feel, think, say, behave...also lessens the anger.

it all takes time.

q
Posted 5/19/2011 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
Some anger is justified! I find that mine is easier to manage with age-- that dropped my estrogen level. (LOL.) / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC/presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
Posted 5/19/2011 7:03 AM (GMT 0)
Absolutely some anger is justified. It's how we let it affect us or what we do with it that's usually the problem.

So I've learned....

q
Posted 5/20/2011 1:34 PM (GMT 0)
According to some on the Crohn's forum Wellbutrin helps with IBD:
www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=17&m=2115308

And I think it is one antidepressant that does not kill your sex drive.
Posted 6/7/2011 3:17 AM (GMT 0)
A psychiatrist who collaborates with my gastro said recently at our local support group that some anti-depressants are also anti-diarrheal. However, if you're seeing a psychologist, they are not MDs-- so cannot Rx meds. It may help you enough, though, to talk through perceived problems and develop new or alternative strategies for resolving them. Best wishes & let us know how you're doing ... / Old Hat (30 yrs with left-sided UC; presently in remission taking brandname Colazal)
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply