[Kristi]

I think I'm suffereing from depression,but I'm not sure or if I'm just down in the dumps.I see my primary doctor tommorrow and will ask her what the difference is my question is how many of you here are on Anti-depressants and which one or ones are the best with the least side-effects. And do they really help you. Thanks Kristi.

[SallyC]

I had a nice long answer all typed out and when I hit submit, it vanished..

A long story short...I'd advise starting with Prozac, as it has the least side effects and is out of your system fast, so you don't have to taper off, when you don't need it any longer.

MS can actually be the medical cause of your depression....not always situational.

There is no shame in asking for an AD, especially when you have MS...Good luck..

[lady_express_44]

I get "tested" every time I am at my neurologist (part of the annual neuro testing), so they should have questionaire's you can fill out to see ...

I used Celexa for a while, and it worked well. Like many of them though, there are side-effects for some of us; weight gain, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, etc. However, when you are depressed, getting help for that is very important, and sometimes we only need them for a short while too. You can always go (wean) off if things settle down in your life ...

Cherie

[pud's friend]

I was going to ask the same question a few days ago as I was feeling what I can only describe as an overwhelming sadness. I'm not sure whether to put my blues down to hitting depression in the stages of grief or as a result of beta jabs.
I'm reluctant to go down the ad route. I'm not convinced that's what I need. I'm still trying to find my way with God and have come across many ocassions and people to help me on that journey.
I must also admit that each ocassion brings me a glimmer of hope that eases the cloud over my head.
But sure isn't anything to be ashamed of trying. and I think I will ultimately be taking that road also. I'm going tough at the moment.
Doesn't prozac (and others) diminish the ability to reach the big (or little) 'O' ? It's bad enough that I'm getting few jollies as it is without not getting an end result

[RedPenguins]

For a clinical depression diagnosis.... You would need to have 5 out of 9 symptoms for at least two weeks. (one of the first two on list must be experienced)

Symptoms being:
depressed mood
loss of interest or pleasure (in things that you normally enjoy)
insomnia
fatigue
feelings of worthlessness nearly every day
diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness) feelings of
obesessive thoughts of death or suicidal thoughts
lack of (or increased) appetite
being slower moving (or hyper)


Cymbalta is a frequently used antidepressants for those with MS. It also works to help with nerve pain, so that is an added benefit if you suffer from that MS symptom as well.

It's really hard to give a written definition of depression for someone because it's so personal. But if you've experienced these things nearly every day for two weeks....you can say you're depressed.

Of course, some of those things on the list go hand-in-hand with MS (like fatigue and insomnia)....but you are really the only one who is in your body!

It's also best to talk to a psychiatrist regarding medications because they do know more than General Practitioners know when it comes to antidepressants!

Good luck and hope you find relief soon!
~Keri

[april1848]

In my non-medical opinion, from someone who works in the psych field, a basic SSRI is a good place to start. These drugs include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, and some others that I can't remember right now. I've taken Lexapro and Zoloft in the past, now I'm doing Paxil. With anti-depressants, it can sometimes take a while to find the best one.

Some side effects are slight weight gain, headache, grogginess, nausea, and lessened libido. They can also make you sunburn easier than normal. Personally, I've only experienced the nausea, and that went away within the first few weeks. The SSRIs are old drugs with well documented side effects and stats, and they are very safe. Lexapro is the newest out of the ones I can remember, and it's basically an updated version of Celexa. My best friend has been taking Celexa for years with excellent results. Everybody is different, so if one doesn't work, try another. Just don't stop them quickly. They're not addictive, but you need to wean yourself off if you've been on them for awhile.

Depression is a side effect of MS, as well as the interferons and lots of other meds. Anti-depressants are best for chronic, not situational depression.

In my experience though, the best fight against depression is a combo of anti depressants and cognitive therapy. Many, many people eventually can go off the meds with great results because of the therapy.

Pud's Friend, I had worried too about my libido when I started these drugs. I figured I'd be more depressed without that than I already was, so what was the point? Thankfully I didn't have that though, although some do. Paxil seems to be working well for me, and I have zero side effects, and no problems in the libido area.

Don't expect a miracle though. Nobody becomes instantly happy from taking them. In a nutshell, they just help your brain make a little more seratonin, the neurotransmitter that helps regulate your mood. The SSRIs have less drug interactions than other antidepressants, which is a big plus. The only ones I remember are benzodiazepines (like Xanax or Klonopin), alcohol, and some heart meds. I'm on a very low dose of Paxil, and also Klonopin though--my doctor says its fine, and my liver is good. Everybody's different.

I'm not a doctor or a drug pusher; it's just my two cents. Aside from that, some studies show that seratonin has a good effect on the nervous system, and that MS patients can be naturally deficient in it, which may explain the depression we can get. Good luck on what you decide!

[NurseNancy]

i've been AD's for many yrs. just the way i'm made up i guess.
i've also taken a number of different meds over the yrs. sometimes they don't work as well. i've been tx'd very successfully and feel very well now.

it can take up to 4 wks to see if you feel better. you may have to try several before you find the one that's right for you.

i also do cognitive therapy. it's been a tremendous help in changing my life, my outlook on life and the way i can stay healthy in dealing with the changes has brought to my life.

sometimes folks start with therapy and then evaluate meds.

[Kristi]

Thanks everybody for all your great opinions on the subject.I truly appreciate it.

[braingonebad]

I've tried a few for pain, not depression. I cannot take any SSRIs due to side effects - they make me depressed, angry, etc. Lexapro was really awful, either that or that it is getting worse with every one I try.

Took me a month to feel normal after I tapered off it. Thought i'd never be normal again. Scary.

I would not say to just have a pcp RX these meds then send you home. Someone should monitor how you are doing on them. The wrong docs who know nothing about these meds rx them and do not follow up. Seriously scary.

[FinLady]

Best thing to remember is not all AD's are alike, and there might be some trial and error in finding the right one for you. I find the wrong ones make me more scattered brained, but that could be just me.

I'm on Zoloft, but I've been on it before in the past for clinical depression. So knew what I was getting into with it, and body responded better this time with little side effects.

Best of luck!