Which Antidepressant(s) work(s) for you?

Hey Ya'll!

I'm almost three years post RNY. I have suffered from depression, basically, all my adult life.

I was on Cymbalta 60mg a day prior to surgery and found it worked very well for me. When I was about 9 months post-op, I began feeling depressed again. Then.....noticed the Cymbalta was coming out the same way it went in. (*I'm sure you know what I mean when I say noticed*).

I was switched to Celexa and was very down and drowsy all day so the doc switched me to Wellbutrin 300mg daily.

I'm very irritable and not happy about feeling depression, once again. Even though I have a fantastic life and have been Living my Life to the fullest since losing 154lbs (and maintaining for about 18 months now).

I've been seeing a counselor regularly for eight years. My depression has always been treated by a PCP. I will begin seeing a phsychiatrist next week for Med Management.,

Well, I'm considering checking out Cymbalta again now that my pouch has matured and my digestive system has evened out.

Besides the depression, my next biggest concern is weight-gain. I was far more depressed when I was 286 pounds (no matter what I took for depression).

What do you take for your depression? I'm assuming you have depression otherwise you would not have clicked on this post.

I've heard so much from so many (at support groups) about Effexor and Prozac. What are your thoughts?

Thanks for your time and sharing your experiences!

Jules

Effexor and Wellbutrin are by far my two favorites out of all the antidepressants I have tried.  I've suffered from depression since my teens and it seems I have tried everything under the sun.  My rhematologist tried me on Cymbalta a few years ago thinking it would help with my fibro but I guess I'm one of the 1% or less that it makes suicidal.  Within 2 days I was in the worst position I have ever been in mentally and emotionally, Within a few days of stopping it I seemed to feel better.  

Effexor messed with my heart rate and I already have tachycardia, but other than that it was great.  It curbed my appetite, gave me energy and controlled my depression.  Wellbutrin, which I'm on now, works great too.  It doesn't mess with my heart rate as much which is why I take it versus Effexor.  However, I couldn't tolerate it at 300mg.  150mg a day seems to do it for me.  

You name it I've been on it.  So, here is my experiences in shorthand.  Zoloft, worked well for a couple of years and then seemed to lose it's potency after my daughter was born.  I had PPD pretty bad after she was born and it didn't do much.  Prozac, makes me mean.  I was on it as a teen and it made me really angry.  Celexa and Lexapro, didn't do crap for me but are very similar.  My MIL takes Lexapro and loves it.  My sister takes Celexa and loves it.  Remron and Trazadone, make me very sleep and hungry.  I gained a ton of weight on both.  Elavil, helps me sleep but weight gain is a side effect.  My OB actually prescribes this to people to help them gain weight.  I gained 30 pounds in the month I was on Elavil and still haven't lost it.  Seroquel, I actually take now to help me sleep and help control my insomnia.  It can mess with blood sugar though, but I haven't had issues with it doing that.  I haven't gained weight or anything on it and as my husband would say "it knocks my dick in the dirt."  It makes me incredibly sleepy within 30 minutes of taking it and I sleep great.  

I think that about covers all of my antidepressant experiences lol.  Everyone reacts to them differently.  Out of all the ones I've been on Wellbutrin, Effexor and Zoloft were probably the best.  I hope that helps!  Good luck to you with whatever you and the psychatrist decide.  

I was on Cymbalta for about 6 years leading up to my surgery in November. I gained about 100 pounds in the year leading up to my surgery, so I question if it had lost it's effectiveness for me. I switched to Zoloft because it came in theliquid for I needed due to the surgery. I now take it in pill form. I have been in a very good place since the switch. Now is that due to the Zoloft, or the 125 pounds I have lost?...I want to believe a combination of the two..Hope this helps..

David

I say stick with what worked for you in the past, try the Cymbalta again!! I have had to go on Zoloft after each baby, for when I suffer from PPD and it works wonders for me. I can feel it working within about 7-10 days and it takes care of both the depression and axiety for me. It did make me kind of tired (even tried taking it at night) and kind of munchy though. I'd rather have that though than the depression and anxiety!! I noticed too since WLS, I am much more sensitive to medicines and only needed the starting dose of zoloft, 25 mg (it goes up to 125 mg or something). GL!

 I have been depressed as  long as my first memories. Not just saying that to be funny either, it is true. I too, have been on every med under the sun at least once and sometimes revisited others. The same with mood stablizers. I've been using cymbalta as my depression med now for about 2 1/2 yrs and have done better on it than others...so far. Who knows what will happen in the future, RNY or not. My Cymbalta comes in a capsule and on the advise of my surgeon, I an opening the capsule and dumping the inside into my mouth and chasing it with crystal light! My pshyc is in agreence(sp) at this point, so it is a wait and see game, as it would be with any medication. I would try to go back to the Cymbalta and see what your new pshyc says. Good luck to you!!! 

First of all, Congrats on your success!

I have had depression for the last six years or so. I tried lexapro and welbutrin but what worked for me the best is prozac. I take 20 mg and it has stabilized me a lot. I don't feel any after effects. When I forget to take it I definitely go  back to my previous state of mind.

Good luck finding something that works.

Effexor worked great for me for a long time.  Now, not so much.  I'm at the point of considering ECT because I've tried so many meds with no positive results.  But for several years, Effexor saved my life.

Hi Julie,
I M still pre op, but have been on Lexapro for over a year with great success. I have some depression and generalized anxiety. I am on 20mg once a day and it works great. I am not sure if there is a difference post op with the effectiveness of it, but I know that it has done wonders for me.

I am on cymbalta and abilify.  I have very resistant depression, which is why we added the abilify.  The combo has been working for about a year.  I'm 10 days post op and so far so good.  Here's holding my breath that it keeps working for me.

I took effexor for 2 years and did well on it. then switched to lexapro b/c my dr no longer had samples in and i could not afford it. once on lexapro i weened myself off it and have been fine ever since not needing anything(i had to take it for awhile from the loss of my grandmother). effexor worked fine and i had no side effects at all from it.