What antidepressant worked best for you?

Everyone is different, of course, but for me, Wellbutrin seems to be working.  I have been on it about a month now, and I can say that at least I don't feel on the verge of hysteria all the time, like I did previously.  I was hesitant to try an SSRI because of side effects.  The Wellbutrin is not associated with weight gain or sexual SE's.  So far, so good.

lexapro worked well for me.  It is annoying to try to figure out what will actually work.  I hope all goes well foryou.

I used to take Celexa to help with moodiness and hot flashes during menopause, before BC. Shortly after dx, I began taking Effexor and have used it for 10 weeks. No SE's so far.

Caryn

I have taken an antidepressant for years, but I think the real healing for me was several years of INTENSE work, "talk therapy" with a well trained therapist.  I know some can do it with just medicaiton, but I needed both.  A good psychopharmacologist can give you all the information about the carious medications available now.

Agree with Char - weight gain is a very, sadly VERY, common SE of all the antidepressants. Combined with an aromatase inhibitor, ugh!  But a very HAPPY HAPPY ugh

I've been on Lexapro for 2 years & it has made a big difference.  I tried zoloft but it didn't work for me, actually made me worse. Hope you find something that works for you. NJ

This is such a great topic.

Over about a seven month period, I tried four different antidepressants, prozac, zoloft, remeron, and effexor. They left me what is called "flat" which means I just zoned out and all I could do was sit on the sofa and do absolutely nothing.  They also increased my anxiety. 

It sounds weird, but it took me a number of months to pinpoint what exactly I was feeling emotionally.  I realized it was my great anxiety (not because of the antidepressants) that needed addressed, not necessarily depression.  I would physically be trembling and had difficulty functioning due to the anxiety. I was given a prescription for Buspar, an anti anxiety med.  It has been wonderful.  I only wish I'd received it sooner.

What I especially love about Buspar is it does not make me tired in the least, which Ativan does.  It just calms me.  But I am not 'zoned out' at all.   It is not addicting, either, which I'm told Ativan is, and the doctors I have simply won't continue to prescribe Ativan due to its addictive properties.

Also, I was prescribed a small dose of Buspar, with the option to  have it increased if necessary as it seemed that I was rather sensitive to these types of medicine.  I found taking 15 mg a day seems to help most.

I find that Prozac has worked well for me. I honestly feel no side-effects, except that I absolutely cannot cry, no matter how sad I am. That was hard to get used to at first - in fact, my oldest grandson said that he was glad I do not cry all the time anymore, but that it must hurt when you need to cry and cannot. In addition, Prozac actually helps me curb my nervous eating tendancies.

Thanks for the clarification. Have you had any skeletal pain with the Al's?

Celexa

taken some years ago

Sierra

Cymbalta is my drug of choice - I have mad chronic pain as well as other issues and it is a Godsend. I think it might interact with tamoxifen - you might want to check that out- Good Luck!

I think Prozac's great. But you have to move upward slowly or you might feel really speedy at first - like wayyy too much coffee. when I was really low, had been on remeron, it wasn't working, my pharmacist, who I think knew way more about this stuff than my doctor, suggested I take 40 mg prozac per day (tthat's 2 times the standarrd 20 mg pill) plus Risperdel, which is an atypical antipsychotic. risperdel "boosts" the Prozac , it has been found. I told my dr her suggestion, dr did what she said. Rocketed me out of very deep depression in about 2 weeks flat. ZOOM! hang on for the ride.

I did nt like Xanax either - found it just womped me, let me sleep, have a short period of normal - like an hour, then wore off. I like clonazapam MUCH better. Seems to be more gentle yet lasts longer - but I haven't had the major anxiety your'e having while on clonazapam. Xanax was effective ut th zombie thing was awful...when i needed all those drugs in a big way I also had massage, talk therapy, and took a class for 12 weeks called Stress Reduction and Relaxation - the couse devised by Jon Kabat-Zin. The guided body scan was the BEST, also slow, gentle , simple yoga postures before sleep. At that point I couldn't drive a car, be alone at night, or go outside at night, and it was sheer hell, except I thought if I had to pick one, it would be anxiety over depression any day. I had them concurrently and was incapacitated for close to a year.

I got a copy of Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-zinn and it was so fu of compassion, it understood me so well, it had such love to offer, I would fall asleep with it in my arms. It was my lullaby. ps is there anyone to rock your feet, get your whole body gently rocking while you lie down, and sing you a lullaby? 

I don't think I can handle Xanax it makes me so tired I can function and I only took celexa for two days cause it made my heart race really fast . Now back to doc.. What side affects have you all experienced with the Wellbutrin ? I just want the shakes to go away. Then I can deal with the depression. But the anxiety seems to be worse for me.

Klonapin is a long acting xanax. It does not make me tired or have a racing heart. I am also on cymbalta. I haven't been taking it long enough to decide if it works well.

Unfortunately it is addictive but I take it under watch by a psychiatrist. I take it for anxiety but I also take it to realx my muscles. Since chemo I have horrible muscle cramps, twisting, daily and it does help me not to get panicky when they come on. I can't take xanax. It makes my heart palpitate and I get even more restless. It sounds like you could use something even for a short term.