rob27: my story

[rob27]

I am 74. Fifteen years ago I was put on Lexapro for Generalized Anxiety Disorder. I had no problems with this . During a later appointment with a new primary care doctor I was asked to fill out a short depression questionnaire. The questions were so arbitrary that I had trouble answering them. The next thing I knew I had diagnosis for clinical depression even though I did not consider myself depressed. I was put on Prozac and things really got bad. I felt horrible physically (nausea etc) for 3 weeks. My doctor then switched me to Zoloft but it was the same. I endured for about a year. Ironically I never really knew what depression felt like until I was on these SSRI's. Another doctor suggested citalopram. This was an improvement but for another year I never felt like myself. I had no emotions. Frustrated I decided I wanted to get back to my baseline person and reevaluate. I did this on my own by tapering off citalopram for six weeks. Luckily I had a prescription for Trazadone 100mg for sleep from the VA. I took 1/4  tab of this when things got too rough which really helped. I started to feel much better. My libido and energy came back and I now like myself again. I feel like I was misdiagnosed for depression and feel angry about the hell I went through. I am very gun shy of pharmaceuticals now. I don't think primary care physicians should be diagnosing mental issues.

[Altostrata]

Welcome, rob.

 

Thanks for joining and posting your story. When was the last time you took citalopram? How often did you have to take trazodone? How long did that period of withdrawal syndrome last?

 

Are you fully recovered now?

 

I refuse to answer those screening questionnaires myself. As I've said many times, depression can be diagnosed in a ham sandwich.

 

To help us out, follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature You may need to use a computer to do this.

 

[rob27]

I am pretty much recovered. I have been off Citalopram for 3 months but I was only on it for a year. I still take 50mg of trazadone and 1/2 mg of clonazepam at bedtime from the VA. Clono controls a mild seizure condition ( https://isn.page.link/BuVb) from an combat explosion. I like this combo and will probably stay on it. SSRI's were the problem for me.

[Altostrata]

How long have you been taking the trazodone and clonazepam every day? What times of day do you take them?

 

Please follow these instructions Please put your drug and withdrawal history in your signature