I have been on Paxil, Prozac, Zoloft and now Lexapro. All this in the last 20 years.
I was on Zoloft the longest. That started not working after months and up to a year adjusting dosages. I started on Lexapro 60 days ago and found in the last week of that 60 days was very off. Off like anxiety spiking . So dr agreed to have me up dose to 15mg Lexapro. In the last 1 1/2 anxiety, chest palpitations, eating , sleeping, depression and anger have spiked to point where not only do i struggle with social anxiety has caused me to hide so the symptoms dont escalate.
I know there is an adjustment period but the anger is so bad i dont want to do anything because everything triggers that anger. Then that turns into depression and downhill from there.
I have not had much luck in the long term with SSRI's. I have been reading about SNRI and MAO.
Do i keep trying everything until something works. If so thats even more depressing than taking anything at all. Anyone have any advise as to how to determine what way to go next. My biggest issues : #1 Social Anxiety then that leads to depression , eating issues, sleeping issues, biggest thing those trigger is COncentration , focus, thinking issues. I dont know what to do. Do i try to stay on this longer. BUt i dont know how much longer i can stand feeling this way. Its severe. Chest tightness- i know its not cardiac issues ive been tested. its all anxiety driven. Ive had it so long i can predict it coming on.
Anyone got any insite on this ?
Thanks 3
Next step SSRI vs SNRI or stay on what I am on? How to know what to do next?
Question posted by Nooch68 on 5 Oct 2021
Last updated on 29 November 2021 by Rae503
3 Answers
I have a similar experience as you except my roles are reversed with the medication. I’ve been on four SSRI’s, Lexapro being my longest most successful until it’s started to lose its effect. I’ve been on zoloft now for nearly three months it’s been my worse experience of all SSRI’s, the side effects alone are unbearable. Social Anxiety seems to drive my issues, exactly as you stated it. I’m looking into switching to something else and wondering the same, should I try something other than an SSRI or do a combo. Did you decide to go one way or another yet?
I suffer from anxiety and vestibular migraines. I have tried every class of antidepressant... Celexa, Lexapro, amitriptyline, Remeron, Pristiq, Effexor. I get terrible anxiety and agitation from all of them. Currently still on 15 beads of Effexor because it is considered a preventative for VM. My psych and neurologist think I suffer ataxia and mania when I take any serotonin altering meds. And I am far from bipolar. So now moving to anticonvulsants . On a very low dose of Pregabalin( Lyrica), which is often used off label for anxiety and migraine prevention. I take 25 mg at night, which is fine, but also take it in the morning and it makes me extremely tired. Might be worth a try for anxiety.
Hi I’m sorry you’re going through this. With me just one pill didn’t fix it. I’m on a few different things. First, an add on antipsychotic was really helpful. Saphris was great and I only needed the tiniest amount, like 1 mg a day. You can’t take Saphris with lexapro tho. So another antipsychotic then.
Also methyl folate called methyl pro was really helpful. You get it online.
Vitamin d daily helps.
Fish oil
Diet is important. A book called the good mood diet is helpful.
Also a green drink with a couple handfuls of spinach and blueberries. Put it in a nutribullet. It really helps me feel better. Works like a mild antidepressant.
Hope you feel better.
Related topics
lexapro, paxil, prozac, zoloft, major depressive disorder, dosage, ssri, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
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