What to try next after sertraline and fluoxetine?

[ChipInTheSugar]

I was on sertraline for years but built up to the maximum dose and it wasn't really helping as much as it had done.

GP changed me into fluoxetine which initially made me feel fab but now, only 8 weeks in, I feel moody, pissed off with EVERYTHING and EVERYONE, snappy, unloving etc.

Any suggestions as to whether I should try something else or give fluoxetine a bit longer? I'm due to go on holiday with DP really soon and am likely to book into a separate hotel at this rate

I was on both and both made me put on weight and had awful side effects. I'm on Welbutron (bupropion) now for a couple of years. Zero side effects and because it concentrates on Dopamine and not seratonin, it causes weight loss and not weight gain like most of all anti depressants.

I can highly recommend it and it's also assisted with my ADHD and best of all I quit smoking as it is actually used to assist people with quitting.

That's not one I've heard of before Timmy - will look into it - thanks!

Hi Chipinthesugar, I also have had depression for years, though only fairly recently started antidepressants to manage a particularly bad spell. They did the trick but left me very meh and unable to sleep.

So...I was looking for an alternative when a friend introduced me to someone who uses only natural supplements ..amino acids such as tryptophan and tyrosine amongst other things. They are in great shape and very positive, so I'm gonna give this a go. No nasty side effects, hurrah! It won't come in time for your holiday I'm afraid but I can keep you updated on any developments if you like x

That would be interesting, thank you!

Hi Menopause

I agree with your friend. As for my ADHD I use L-carnitine which is a great amino acid and it helps me a lot with ADHD and I use Vitamin B for my anxiety which worked better than Beta Blockers and again no side effects. So my normal "cocktail" is my Welbutron, Vitamin B and L-Carnitine.

Timmy it looks like we can't get Wellbutrin on prescription in the UK

Back to the drawing board ...

Thanks Timmi, that's encouraging, I'll see how things go

Venlafaxine worked for me when nothing else worked but it did cause some weight gain and coming off it was a bitch. The first two or three weeks on it were hard though as initial side effects are exhausting and make you feel quite out of it.

Oh ok that's strange. I'm in Cape Town, my psychiatrist here prescribed it, he's written textbooks on ADHD and Bipolar so he's not just a random psychiatrist and I asked him when he prescribed it how come I wasn't prescribed it in the U.K. as I lived there for ten years, he replied something about the NHS and older anti depressants as it's an older one not modern like Sertraline but I cant remember what he said exactly. Well that's a pity s I've been on meds for years and honestly this is the only one that's worked for me and I don't even feel like I'm on meds.

Please help me ChipInTheSugar ... I have same story like you tried both sertraline and fluoxetine 2month but no luck . could you please tell me which new antidepressant is working for you so that i could discuss with my GP

Please response .It is very important for you ...

hi I take a tricyclic antidepressant which is an older one and it works for me. I find the SSRI's make me very anxious and I cant stand it, mirtrazipine helped me sleep but I put on a stone in a month,
Imipramine makes me a bit constipated and causes a dip in my libido but my mood is much better on it.
Hope you get something sorted soon

Thanks you so much....

one more wee question .mirtrazipine helped you in sleep & depressioin as well. or only helped in sleep...as i am planing to try mirtrazipine.

Another vote for Tricyclics here. They're old fashioned but they do work. Amitriptyline in particular if you can't sleep. Knocks me flat for 16 hours.

ChipInTheSugar please reply

yada I ended up staying on fluoxetine 40mg. On the whole it's helping. There is some research that showed anything above 20mg didn't really make a difference but it definitely does for me.

Hope you can get something sorted. A good dose of Vitamin D helps too. It might be worth asking for a blood test to check your vitamin levels - particularly all the Bs and D, and thyroid. Magnesium may help with sleep - tablets, spray or cream (Lush do a Sleepy Cream).

I am in a similar situation, after a few years on increasing doses of sertraline, i have been on fluoxatine 40mg for 18months. It is not controlling my illness. Doc has suggested increasing to 60 or weaning off and trying a different med. Any advis
e or experiences appreciated.

I am taking citalopram since 1 week not yet kick off. Getting site effect queasiness,headache but try one more week .if something happens will let you know

purple it may be worth trying a different med. it can be a case of trial and error to see what suits you. I may be remembering wrongly but I think there's a mouth swab test that can indicate the best anti-depressant for an individual although I may have just dreamt that