I would try an antidepressant if it didn't have side effects...

I know this is more of a depression forum question, but are there any antidepressants that are nicer on the body? I've done cymbalta and amitriptyline.. and became impotent and uninterested in sex on them. That in itself is really depressing... so I stay away from them.

But, I am in over my head with stress lately. Just looking at options...

Yep. Considering them myself. Infact im going today to see the psychologist and hopefully that may help on its own, just venting to someone who won't offer dumb advice or judge me.

And if i was going to try them, wellbutrin would be the first. I heard that Citalopram is very mild and is given as a first line therapy, also Pristiq (brand name) is usually given as a first line therapy.

You certainly have alot on your plate with your father, business, and impending marriage; so take it easy.

Talk to your GI, some anti-depressants are actually prescribed off label to treat UC. Sorry I can't remember off the top of my head which ones.

i took pristiq for a while and I didn't have side effects.

Judy2 said...
I've been on Zoloft ever since the day my doctor told me I was now diabetic as a result of all the steroids. It makes a tremendous difference for me.

My dad just went back on this drug. He was on it this summer and I noticed him becoming much more active and humorous. Can you explain how you've felt for me at all on and off the drug? If it's too personal I completely understand. I'm just trying to figure out if I need it, or how badly I do.

Thoreau, when I started on Zoloft I was four years into a really bad flare. I felt sad and hopeless inside, like I was just putting one foot in front of the other for no particular reason. I remember thinking - often - that it was so typical and so unfair that I'd get a disease that would never kill me and put me out of my misery, only make me sicker and sicker until I died of something else. On the outside I was a nasty, *****y bomb that was primed to go off for any reason or none. I was irritable and negative about everything.

After a week or two of Zoloft I noticed a difference. First I realized that I hadn't wished to die for several days. I could envision a future. I had a sense of humor again. I could get a new idea and follow it through. I've tapered off it several times since then, and find that after a few days I'm turning into psychochick again, so I go back on. My dosage is low and I'm comfortable taking it for as long as I need to.

As my doctor said the day she prescribed it: "With all the health issues you have, I might be worried if you weren't a little depressed."

Counseling isn't a bad idea either, it and meds augment one another.

I was on Celexa for 4 years and had no side effects.

I describe the antidepressant experience like this; you have dirty windshields in your car and you can't quite see clearly. So you wash them. To me that's exactly what ADs did for me; they allowed me to see more clearly. They don't make you laugh or give you a false sense of happiness; they merely just lift the cloud and allow one to navigate through the emotions. On top of feeling overwhelming sadness I also had trouble sleeping and the ADs corrected that immediately. Again, it's not through sedative properties that I was able to sleep; it was the serotonin.

Sue

Lol, Soystud. I will check that out after work!

yay for you gary --

My depression came about after living 2 years in a moderately severe flare. Yes, even people who aren't chronically ill get depressed, but I would guess depression numbers are high for those that are chronically ill. I was stripped of doing the things I loved, the things that made me happy. I had no quality of life when I was ill. That was the root of my depression.

Sue

I have had active pan ulcerative colitis for the last 5 years without remission. I have been allergic, or non responsive to all treatments so i to have tried many alternative therapies even dmso but unfortunately im still very much actively bleeding im on morphine for the pain and drs have threatened me that they would remove me from their books if i don't have surgery in January yes im stubborn but i have been doing alot of research and having a medical/scientific background. i really feel the link between the mind body relationship plays a big role. so i asked my consultant a year ago if i could see a Councillor im still waiting...... i tried prozac for one month. it made me very nauseous, perpetually tired then after about two weeks i began to notice my energy pick up, i did become more focused on individual tasks but insomnia developed. symptoms of the colitis didnt go so it was discontinued.

I took Wellbutrin for like 3 days. My eyesight was so blurry, I could not read at all. Be careful, my eyesight never returned to normal after taking it.

I've been taking Cipralex and Doxepin for depression, about 2 years now. I am planning on getting off them since I haven't needed them for at least a good year now. But either hasn't bothered my UC or IBS.