hello ladies - I went to my doctor late last October, 'cause my suicidal thoughts were scaring me. And I was crying at the drop of a hat, or even without the drop

He gave me two week's free sample (10 mg) of Lexapro. I felt better the first flippin' day, just because of the hope that it would help. And it did work very well...for about a month. Then with the onset of the holiday season, I started slipping again. He upped the dose to 20 mg tablets, and I have been on that since.

Previously, I had been coping with the everyday stuff alright - married (but with some problems there); work 40 hours a week, maintain a home, a few community interests, and my beloved motorcycle and regular exercise. That's during the non-winter months.

But on my days off from work, in winter, I would do hardly anything. I'd get up with my husband and see him off to work and my son off to school, then I would go back to bed...and get up and shower an hour before my son would get home from school.

I still sometimes just want to go back to bed...but it's a different kind of feeling. I don't feel that I'm crawling away to escape, but just because I love my comfy bed and the scent of the clean sheets. Weird, huh
And on the days I sleep an extra 6 hours or so, I still have no problem sleeping at night. I do wake up refreshed feeling, always.

I did not have any unpleasant side effects, no nausea or dizziness. Appetite remianed the same (unfortunately, lol) meaning I always love to eat.

I realize I should also regularly see a therapist...our insurance has a huge deductable, so it would be out-of-pocket, $60 a week...I still have to try to justify to myself that it's worth it.

Thanks for the opportunity to blab about myself and to all of us who are trying to cope and be well.

hi holly!
i don't think you're doing so bad lol. at least you have a shower and get up before your son gets home. when i'm depressed i go days without changing clothes or washing. in fact it's one of my signs. as soon as i start feeling better i find myself jumping in the shower

i am hoping the current side effects i have will wear off... fingers crossed aye

Holly, I hope the Lexapro continues to work for you...
I'm sorry the therapist thing is such an expense.
In Canada, our health care completely covers my weekly visits to my psychiatrist. (thank God!)
However, our health care doesn't cover psychologists (our daughter saw one for about two years), which means using DH's work insurance. They'll pay about 60% of the $160.

I hear ya, sweet_pea. That whole hygiene thing is such a drag. I'm surprised I still have all my own teeth.

oh that was so funny. what a relief to hear other people do the same thing come to think of it my teeth aren't the greatest. i have a couple missing and lots of fillings. now i sound like a witch

My dear, I didn't admit that to ANYONE until I befriended a woman here on these boards a few years ago, and she talked about "putting on clean underwear for the week".
We depressed people have to hang together, sweet_pea.
Funny... yesterday I had three baths (it's COLD up here!), but other times, days go by...

I've been taking 20 mg generic Celexa for a month now and I LOVE it! The first couple of days I felt like I was on speed, but my appetite dwindled also. My appetite is still not like it was and for that I am grateful. I have tried Wellbutrin (sweaty), Prozac and Zoloft (which was awesome but it's not available in generic yet). I feel better than I have in years.

I was just reading through all your posts. It's so nice to know I'm not alone with all this. I am having a really hard time finding a medication. I've had Welbutrin, Effexor, Zoloft, Prozac, Paxil, and I'm now on Celexa. They work for the first few months, then stop. And I also feel kinda zombified. I just want to feel normal! I just heard about another med, cymbalta. Anyone tried it?

they haven't worked for me either. i would just love to wake feeling refreshed and energised and to be rid of the irritability and the sadness

I'm on Risperdal. It helps me have the energy to accomplish what I need to accomplish and be depression-free. Other than that, I'm still the alienating hateful, friendless ***** that I am.

you say ***** like it's a bad thing

i've been on risperdal. only helped for a few days after that just left me drowsy

Risperdal didn't do anything for me, but I'm glad it's working for you

my Dr. Just changed my med From lexpro to paxil
because I gained weight on Lexpro
Has anyone lost weight while on these Drugs ( I dont mean that the drs. helped you lose weight but were you able to lose weight while eating healthy )I am trying to figure out if it is old eating habits or the meds. to blame or do the meds make you just not care if you are gaining? I hope someone out there has lost while on AD meds

I've managed to lose weight! The loss is slower, but over almost 2 years I managed to drop 60 pounds. I put on 40 pounds on Zoloft (leaving me 60 pounds overweight). I started to loose it while still on the Zoloft, later switched to Wellbutrin, then started Celexa, and then dropped the Wellbutrin because I couldn't afford both, and the Celexa did a lot better on my depression.

I used a combination of the Atkins diet and exercise. It's slow and faultering on ADs and sometimes I gain weight and something the cravings get the best of me. But it can be done. I'm living proof. It just takes a little more stick-to-it-iveness when on an AD.

As of today I've been on the Lifetime Maintenance phase for a month.

That's really cool I feel lucky that I haven't gained weight on Zoloft. Maybe it's because my other medications really kill my appetite? Who knows.

i think <3 the real reason is that you listen to your body when it says it's not hungry. i know that's where i go wrong!