SSRI's - anyone done well on one after adverse reaction to another?

[Ceetee23]

Hi need some advice on SSRI's. I've had adverse reactions to a couple of SSRI's. Sertraline a few years ago when I tried 50mg a day for 2 weeks. I was plunged into a deep depesssion and agitated anxiety for 2 weeks before I got taken off them. I felt suicidal. Tried fluoxetine once and it worked in 2 weeks. The second time I got vomiting, jitteriness, agitated anxiety and deep depression/suicidal for 8 weeks before coming off.

My question is has anyone had bad reactions to one then reacted well to another?

Tried citalopram once and only lasted 3 days due to agitated anxiety and insomnia. Sometimes I wonder whether it would have gotten better.

Help! PND for 10 months and can't go on like this. Want my life back.

[NolongerAnxiousCarer]

Bumping for you. SSRIs are not the only type of antidepressants though, would your GP consider other types?

[APMom]

My dd was on Prozac but didn't like it, she couldn't sleep. Then went on paroxetine which kept her on a fairly even keel but didn't get rid of her OCD thoughts. A different psychiatrist recommended sertraline which she started in January and has gone so far back its awful. She's spending hours in the shower, won't leave her room etc. She stopped that (a bit too quickly for my liking) a few weeks ago and is now back on paroxetine. Hopefully we can increase the dosage enough to get rid of the OCD.

[Ceetee23]

I've tried imipramine which is a tricyclic one but got bad physical side effects that didn't go away, swear poured off my face and back and legs! Even in cold weather!

I haven't tried an SNRI though?

Thanks for bumping.

I hope your daughter improves on the higher dose, it's so hard to find the right drug. X

[LaFlaneuse]

Lofepramine?

I couldn't tolerate SSRIs - anxiety, jitteriness, metallic taste, felt like I was 'on drugs' horrible insomnia etc.

The older tricyclics were too sedating for me (eg amitriptyline etc) and I couldn't tolerate those either.

My GP recommended lofepramine as a halfway house between the SSRIs and the older tricyclics.

Lofepramine worked for me, gave me a subtle get up and go, reduced anxiety and improved sleep as well as lifting pretty severe depression.

The only side effect was constipation - lactulose and or psyllium husk plus plenty of water solved that.

[Ceetee23]

Thankyou! I'll ask about that one!

[Imjustsaying]

I started on Fluoxitine which didnt seem to be helping after extended use, sertraline made me very irrational and suicidal and lasted a month on them. Was put on citalopram which also made me quite agitated and anxious at first but after a few weeks they stated working really well for me. I was given propranolol along side the citalopram, they are anti anxiety meds. Maybe ask your dr about them?

[Ceetee23]

Thanks for that. I was wondering whether to give citalopram another go. How long did it take for the agitation etc to go away and you got the good stuff?! Also did you use the propanol just at the beginning till the side effects passed? X

[Imjustsaying]

It probably took close to a month for my agitation to calm however I had an extremly stressful month that month too. I took Propranolol for the whole time I took citalopram, I felt they worked well together as I was a very anxious person. I came off the both 8 months after I'd started due to finding out I was pregnant. Now 9 months pregnant and Ive not had a relapse despite a stressful pregnancy. I know it can be person to person but my experience was fab! Worth a try

[FaithAgain]

I wasn't too bad on citalopram but setraline and paroxitine gave me horrific nightmares (like violent, gory details). My GP started me on lofepramine. Only side effect has been dizziness on standing (which I can manage through taking my time and staying well hydrated). I also don't have the numbness I felt on SSRIs. Definitely worth discussing options with your GP.

[StripeyZazie]

Citalopram did settle down for me after a couple of weeks, then started to feel a lot better after about a month.

When my pharmacist switched from one manufacturer to another I did get a bit of a reoccurrence of the initial side effects-insomnia, slight vertigo & sensitivity to bright lights. But I phoned my doctor about it, he phoned the pharmacy and they found some of the previous stock for me.

[Ceetee23]

Thankyou. Starting citalopram 5mg tonight and go from there. Wish me luck! Thanks for your support x

[Mombie2016]

I had bad reactions to several SSRIs with Fluoxetine landing me in hospital. I've been in Amytriptylene- a TCA - for 6 years now. I'd never touch an SSRI again, a year of absolute Hell for me.

[Imjustsaying]

Good luck op, let us know how you get on

[Ceetee23]

Well a month or so later I'm actually starting on 5mg citalopram! Will let you know how I get on. Fingers crossed

[Treetops12]

@Ceetee23 I know this post is so old but I could have written it myself. I'm over a year of agitated depression from Pnd and had the same reaction to ssri's. Did you find something that helped in the end?

[Goinglala22]

@Treetops12 I’m the same. On my SSRI and absolutely not agreeing with me

[Treetops12]

@Goinglala22 sorry to hear that. How is it making you feel? I was kinda suicidal on them tbh. Felt so aggitsted, wired and agitated. I saw a psych who says this may mean I've got a bipolar element to my illness.

[Goinglala22]

@Treetops12 basically the exact same as you described. I was on citalopram for 12 weeks and didn’t agree and now fluxotine as 4 weeks and same. I felt a bit better end of last week and now back to feeling shit again. What did docs advise u to do/take?

[Treetops12]

Do you feel hyped up all the time? Like full of wired energy?

Did citalopram increase your intrusive thoughts? The psych said to me both these can be because your experiencing a type of hypomania.

My doctor said I should take something like olanzapine or quitiapine instesd. Not sure what I'll do!

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

Severe allergy to Fluoxetine 2nd time l took it. Sertralinr sent me crazy the 3rd time l took it. Citalooram made me suicidal in 2 weeks.

Paroxetine worked fine after all this. Venlafaxine even better.

[Treetops12]

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow hi there! I've spoken to you on here before.
Just wondering did you feel very wired before you took these meds? I'm never really very tired. Like I've had caffeine. Everything looks all bright and vivid and I have bad derealization.. My psych says these can all be symptoms of hypomania, even though I don't have any high moods at all he's now decided this could be a type of disphoric bipolar after childbirth.
He says having the reaction to the many ssris I've tried probably confirms it.
Ive tried citalopram, setraline, mirtazapine and escitalopram. Mirt is the only one I tried for a long time - 10 months of total hell !

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

No l didn’t feel wired. If it is hypomania SSRI’s will make it worse.

[Treetops12]

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow would that be the same for an snri too like venlafaxine?

[ArseInTheCoOpWindow]

Yeah l think so.

Paroxetine is the most sedating. But if you’ve got mania they put you on anti psychotics.You shouldn’t take SSR’s