Heather512 Decided to see a psychiatrist, now I’m in antidepressant hell.

[Heather512]

Hello all, 

 

I am new here and joining because the last three months have been something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. 
 

It started in January when I decided to finally start seeing some specialists instead of just my Family Doctor. I started with a neuro for my migraines and a psych to try and figure out a better med for me. 
 

I had been on Lexapro (20mg) for just over 2 years ish I think. We had added Wellbutrin to fix some of the side effects about a year ago. Lexapro was just making me so very tired and I was still finding myself having anxiety. 
 

So I went to a highly regarded psychiatrist in the area and that is where it all went to hell. First, they wanted me to drop Lexapro and Wellbutrin and start Trintellix. Trintellix gave me terrible nausea and the cost was going to be $350/month WITH insurance. So they looked at my genomind and decided to try prozac instead. 
 

After about a week on Prozac (10mg) I began having the worst anxiety of my life. I became instantly agoraphobic and was having panic attacks multiple times a day. 
 

I ended up just stopping because I couldn’t handle the side effects. Now they want me to take gabapentin instead. 
 

I’ve been off prozac for 3 weeks and the last week and a half has been awful again. Feeling so anxious all the time, increased panic, depression. Not getting out of bed and then all the physics symptoms. 
 

I’m trying to figure out where to go from here. I’m currently wanting to try to go back on Zoloft or Lexapro because I never ever would have stopped cold turkey under normal circumstances. 
 

any help navigating this hellscape would be so wonderful. 
 

thanks. 

[Altostrata]

Welcome, @Heather512

 

Switching from one drug to another often causes withdrawal and possibly adverse reaction from the second drug.

 

If I were you, I'd reinstate 1mg Lexapro or Celexa, Lexapro's milder sibling. Both come in a liquid form so you can measure small doses, see Tips for tapering off escitalopram (Lexapro)  You'd stabilize on this and taper off by tiny amounts later. The dosage is so low, it's unlikely to cause the adverse effects you felt before.

 

Your GP can prescribe this. You might say you want to titrate up slowly on Lexapro instead. You might tell the psychiatrist he or she has made a bad mistake.

 

Please let us know how you're doing.

[Heather512]

They ended up having me restart Zoloft at 25mg. I’m also taking CBD daily which seems to help some. Since restarting an SSRI I’m not crying quite as much and seem to have longer good spells. Before I couldn’t even get out of bed. Today I drove to a counselors office and did a whole session. So that’s good. 
 

the issue becomes my neurologist also wants me on nortryptiline for my migraines (which have been almost daily since this all started)   Which is a whole other bag of worms. 

[Altostrata]

When did you start Zoloft? How do you feel on it?

 

Nortriptyline should not be prescribed in combination with another antidepressant.

[Heather512]

Yea, that’s why I’ve been so hesitant to take it. 
 

I just had a pretty good weekend camping on Zoloft. I’m not sure how much was Zoloft and how much was just keeping myself too busy to focus on the anxiety. Brain fog is still very much there, but is also a big symptom of my migraines which have been frequent due to the weather changes where I live, stress, and anxiety. 
 

My body just still feels off in a lot of ways.