# SSRI's For Conditions Other Than Depression



## New (Mar 13, 2013)

Currently on day six of Zoloft for Anxiety treatment. First four and a half days were amazing, was in an extremely happy state of mind and was very energetic. Being an INTJ, haven't been a very social creature for a long time (reduced socializing five years ago when anxiety started up), but while on Zoloft kept getting the urge to constantly go out and socialize, I could honestly say almost anything and properly articulate my thoughts. Didn't really notice Zoloft affecting my anxiety that much, all I noted was that the happy mood was distracting me from getting anxious, and the threshold for extreme worrying had also gone up. Half way through the fifth day is when I started to notice my current energy levels decreasing, but thought it would come back the next day when I was meant to up the dosage from 25mg to 50mg. Sadly I was back to the unemotional mental state and felt extremely tired. Hopefully this tiredness will go away, and the energetic and happy feeling will come back. 

I've also been having weird sleep while on Zoloft. The first three days I had trouble getting to sleep, perhaps due to high brain stimulation from Zoloft and possibly the caffeine I had previously taken. Even after being able to get to sleep I still continue to have very bizarre sleeping patterns. I've been sleeping for anywhere from 3-5 hours at a time then randomly waking up and being able to only fall back asleep for 1-2 hours before randomly waking up again.

P.S.
I was also prescribed propranolol for anxiety attacks, although it typically takes 30 minutes to an hour to actually work and has actually worsened the problem at times.


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

Will reply to all of these posts tomorrow!


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

andyj said:


> Probably a good idea to talk this through with whoever is suggesting prescribing you SSRIs since if you don't take them regularly they will be totally useless for anxiety even if they might work in your case (which they often don't in my experience). B-Blocker might be a better first line if you just want something to take when you need that isn't addictive.


Interestingly, I've asked about beta blockers but no one took me seriously. Perhaps I will enquire again.



Callisto88 said:


> .


Thanks!



herinb said:


> .


Thanks!



imaginaryrobot said:


> .


Thanks!



FearAndTrembling said:


> The answer is fluvoxamine. It is anti panic and anti ocd ssri.


Thanks!



Paradigm said:


> I've tried three antidepressants: Celexa, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft. Celexa did nothing for me. Wellbutrin, one of the most tolerated meds, made me cry all day (and considering my depression doesn't manifest as crying, it was weird). Zoloft, however, has effectively treated my depression, but I don't feel like it has touched my social anxiety at all. Apparently Zoloft is helpful for anxiety disorders, just... not for me. Everyone reacts differently, though, so anything is worth a try.


Thanks!



> Does this list help you any? Anxieties.com | Introduction - Common Medications for Anxiety Disorders


Yes! That's pretty awesome! I now have to look into d-cycloserine for when I do my exposure therapy! Interesting there is not enough study on Wellbutrin yet. Someone I know had success with it but it made her feel too much like a robot.



> As an aside, I've heard of antidepressants being used for migraines. That's interesting, IMO.


Yes! Well, at least some are. I don't know which one it is exactly (not an SSRI I think), but my mom takes an antidepressant for migraines (she has them bad).



> EDIT: Is there a chance your anger is caused by depression? Mine manifests as extreme irritability rather than sadness, so I thought I'd ask.


It's a good question. I had major depression throughout all of high school, and the way I feel now (irritable, angry, unfocused, sensitive, etc), was the way I felt *leading up to* and *after* the depressive period. During, I felt completely empty and emotionless. So a concern is that I could spiral back into an episode, but I'm looking at how far I've come in my life, coping strategies, personal growth, awareness, and I'm hoping it won't go that far ever again.



andyj said:


> Aside: Yep, used for all kinds of things - chronic pain, nerve pain, migraine, muscle tension, nausea, CFS, etc
> Almost all the SSRIs and SNRIs have measurable pain relieving effects.


Some of those symptoms can actually be symptoms of depression itself (I know they were for me), so I can definitely see that. As for treating them without the presence of depression, I'd have to read up on that.



New said:


> .


Thanks! Keep me updated on this thread if anything drastically changes. I'm curious.



*Current thought*: I am still too scared. And it looks like SSRI's aren't good to be taken unless functioning is significantly impaired. I'm thinking of trying Lexapro or Wellbutrin if things get a lot worse, or even Remeron (a totally different class) because I've heard good things from my partner. For now, sticking to self-CBT, supplements (ones I'm familiar with and new ones), exercise, and yoga/meditation all in combination should help.

Oh and getting tested for ADHD just to be sure once and for all. They were supposed to call me for an appointment weeks ago...

Edit: I guess strongly considering dropping out of grad school could be seen as significant. Meh.


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## chimeric (Oct 15, 2011)

Conflicting reports all over the place, as tends to be the case when researching meds.

I was in a nasty depression with panic attacks for no good reason. Getting on Lexapro took the edge off the depression and completely annihilated the anxiety. The difference was immense. "I hate myself waaaail I can't go outside the world is ending" to "ehh, OK, let's clean this messy kitchen."

Wishing you the best. Anxiety sucks.


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## Callisto88 (Sep 13, 2013)

Oh, quick update - I saw a psychiatrist yesterday and I'm starting Remeron for anxiety and quitting the escitalopram. I can't deal with the sleeping disturbances and constant fatigue and drowsiness anymore. Remeron is a tricyclic antidepressant and generally is good for anxiety. I can't imagine why I was never before given that, instead of SSRI's, especially since my depression is secondary to the anxiety. I'll comment on how it works in a few weeks time or if I experience side effects.


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

Callisto88 said:


> Oh, quick update - I saw a psychiatrist yesterday and I'm starting Remeron for anxiety and quitting the escitalopram. I can't deal with the sleeping disturbances and constant fatigue and drowsiness anymore. Remeron is a tricyclic antidepressant and generally is good for anxiety. I can't imagine why I was never before given that, instead of SSRI's, especially since my depression is secondary to the anxiety. I'll comment on how it works in a few weeks time or if I experience side effects.


Thanks! My partner actually had great luck with Remeron, and it was primarily for anxiety for him too. The thing is, it made him sleep 12 hours a day and have few emotions. Also crave carbs a lot. He still has some and I might try a one-time dose.

I've decided not to take anything though. Going to fix up some habits first and I'm sure that will help.


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## Paradigm (Feb 16, 2010)

@Spades, I tried some Omega 3 before starting Zoloft, and it helped my mood some. The book I read said you had to make sure it was a high dose of EPA... I remember a lot of pills I looked at having more DHA, which isn't as good. For most people, he suggested 1000mg EPA and 500mg DHA. I take NOW Ultra Omega-3, which is half that, and very easy to swallow even though the pills look huge.

There were other supplements listed, but I don't remember which. I tried Vitamin C (500mg) and quickly decided it was bogus. I take Vitamin D (2000 IU), but that's just 'cause my levels are on the low side. I'll probably try adding Co-Q10 next, but I'm not sure if that improves mood any.


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## FallingSlowly (Jul 1, 2013)

Many years ago, I was prescribed Citalopram for severe PMS, and it really helped.


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

Paradigm said:


> @_Spades_, I tried some Omega 3 before starting Zoloft, and it helped my mood some. The book I read said you had to make sure it was a high dose of EPA... I remember a lot of pills I looked at having more DHA, which isn't as good. For most people, he suggested 1000mg EPA and 500mg DHA. I take NOW Ultra Omega-3, which is half that, and very easy to swallow even though the pills look huge.
> 
> There were other supplements listed, but I don't remember which. I tried Vitamin C (500mg) and quickly decided it was bogus. I take Vitamin D (2000 IU), but that's just 'cause my levels are on the low side. I'll probably try adding Co-Q10 next, but I'm not sure if that improves mood any.


I couldn't agree more!
Also found this, which I also highly endorse (from your reference)!

I tell EVERYONE to take Omega 3's as they are not only good for mood and the brain, but our heart and overall health! Interestingly, I only take one a day (200 EPA 100 DHA) because I'm worried I'll be "dependent" on them. Actually, that's my fear with everything. It's quite silly because I'm pretty sure you CAN'T be dependent on them and there's a sweet spot of Omega 3's to take (probably around where you are). Perhaps I'll increase my intake first and foremost.

In terms of vitamins that aren't "bogus", B12 is definitely an important one, especially if one doesn't eat much meat. Magnesium (one that is bioavailable! so not oxide!) is a good one too.


Something I hadn't realized was that my own self-medication with adderall/dexedrine once a week or two was actually messing up my mood for up to a week after I take it! Definitely not taking those for a while and seeing if that helps too.


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## FlightsOfFancy (Dec 30, 2012)

Paradigm said:


> Actually, as I understand it, SSRIs have a low amount of side-effects for anti-depressants (Why SSRIs Are so Popular; but Are They Right for You?). It's just that everyone reacts differently. Take my case: Zoloft is more for anxiety, yet it helps only my depression. And Wellbutrin apparently helps most people who take it, but probably would've driven me to suicide if I continued (and I've never been suicidal, even off drugs).
> 
> However, I did experience some side-effects for the first 2-3 weeks of taking Zoloft. I felt very fatigued and nauseous after taking it in the morning, so I cut the dose in half and took it before bed for a while (not anymore). It made me sleep less, but then I'm very prone to insomnia in the first place. The weirdest one was that any meat I ate during this time made me want to throw up... I kinda love meat, so that was annoying. I was worried these wouldn't go away, but they did, and now I don't notice any side-effects at all.
> 
> I just found this: "Zoloft is especially good for depression defined by sleeping too much, eating too much, and withdrawing from the world." Funny, because I don't sleep enough nor eat enough, though I do withdraw and push people away when depressed.


Yeah, the side effects to a lot of new serotonergic/dopaminegergic drugs are lower the their predecessors. That's not much when you consider those predecessors actually can kill or disfigure you. The side effects are still not so wholesome IF they do affect the person. 

A huge mistake is when clinicians give these drugs to people with cycling disorders (Bipolar/Affective disorders).


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## Paradigm (Feb 16, 2010)

Spades said:


> I couldn't agree more!
> Also found this, which I also highly endorse (from your reference)!


Ah, awesome! I find it a bit misleading that the website would list only Omega-3, because the book had a list of _many_ supplements that were supposed to help. But given that I chose to try only Omega-3 and VitC of his list (the readily available ones), I guess there's something to it.



> Interestingly, I only take one a day (200 EPA 100 DHA) because I'm worried I'll be "dependent" on them. Actually, that's my fear with everything. It's quite silly because I'm pretty sure you CAN'T be dependent on them and there's a sweet spot of Omega 3's to take (probably around where you are). Perhaps I'll increase my intake first and foremost.


Don't quote me on this, but I'd be surprised if anyone became addicted/dependent on a supplement our body makes naturally. There's a difference between "needing" to take it because our diet doesn't give us the right amount, and _needing _to take it because we're addicted. 



> In terms of vitamins that aren't "bogus", B12 is definitely an important one, especially if one doesn't eat much meat. Magnesium (one that is bioavailable! so not oxide!) is a good one too.


I'll look into those, thanks. I eat a good amount of meat and fruit, but not much veggies. I don't know why, but I always had skepticism about B12--or, more accurately, _me _taking B12 supplements. Given that I literally can't put words to why, I suppose I should look again.



> Something I hadn't realized was that my own self-medication with adderall/dexedrine once a week or two was actually messing up my mood for up to a week after I take it! Definitely not taking those for a while and seeing if that helps too.


Oh no! Yeah, that's definitely something to try. Hope it works


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## conscius (Apr 20, 2010)

This thread is the wrong way to go OP, just talk to your doctor about your concerns, or research the info on reliable medical websites. This asking around people here will just create more anxiety and confusion, people have different experiences with different things, this is not like asking people where to buy cheap pants. This is your health.


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

Paradigm said:


> Don't quote me on this, but I'd be surprised if anyone became addicted/dependent on a supplement our body makes naturally. There's a difference between "needing" to take it because our diet doesn't give us the right amount, and _needing _to take it because we're addicted.


I won't quote you  We can become addicted to our own dopamine, either artificially through ADHD drugs or naturally (e.g. internet addiction). Omega 3 is actually not something our body produces on its own as far as I understand.

To clarify, I don't mean addicted in the craving sense. I mean that if Omega 3's are stopped, would there be withdrawal symptoms? Or will your brain just go back to functioning how it did before? This is what I meant. Either way, it can't be anywhere as bad as SSRI withdrawals XD.



> I'll look into those, thanks. I eat a good amount of meat and fruit, but not much veggies. I don't know why, but I always had skepticism about B12--or, more accurately, _me _taking B12 supplements. Given that I literally can't put words to why, I suppose I should look again.


With B12, the worst case scenario is that you already have enough and you pee the rest out (it's water soluble). I'd be more careful with other B's like B6, which you can overdose with.

Thanks again!



conscius said:


> This thread is the wrong way to go OP, just talk to your doctor about your concerns, or research the info on reliable medical websites. This asking around people here will just create more anxiety and confusion, people have different experiences with different things, this is not like asking people where to buy cheap pants. This is your health.


I don't particularly trust doctors. I prefer doing my own research, in addition to talking to doctors, friends, and the public. I see a different doctor every time I visit and they all say different things. This thread has been useful to me and anything that was said here has been further researched.


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## Callisto88 (Sep 13, 2013)

Spades said:


> Thanks! My partner actually had great luck with Remeron, and it was primarily for anxiety for him too. The thing is, it made him sleep 12 hours a day and have few emotions. Also crave carbs a lot. He still has some and I might try a one-time dose.
> 
> I've decided not to take anything though. Going to fix up some habits first and I'm sure that will help.


I did notice that a lot of people on the Internet reported craving carbohydrates. I don't think I crave them any more than I used to, though, and it's been nearly five days. Don't remember reading anything about numb emotions - though I will say that Paxil did that to me and it was awful. Lexapro gave me insomnia at the low dose and fatigue/drowsiness at the higher doses and I never did find a good medium. 

I've pretty much reached the conclusion that I have to take something, because my anxiety is so persistent and genetically-based. I probably could get by if I had intensive therapy, but I don't know. I feel better when I am taking medicine for it, and then do DBT or other anti-anxiety exercises on top of that. 

The day after I took Remeron I slept the entire day. For the first three days I was a bit disoriented, dizzy, and "spaced out". But it's day four, and today I felt MUCH better and far more aware and coordinated. Still on 7.5 mg; I'm supposed to take that for two weeks and then go up to 15. My weight is the same, but I've also been diligent about not eating too much junk, and watching out for cravings, as well as exercising more. I am on my feet, moving around all day at work, so it's not like I have to compensate a lot as far as exercise. I am constantly moving 9+ hours a day. 

I hope your techniques help you. Some people only need that; others are like me and need medication. I'm also taking 2,000 IU of vitamin D and a super vitamin-B complex, as well as iron (because I'm prone to iron deficiency if I don't). Going back to see the psychiatrist in another three weeks. Anyway, good luck!


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## conscius (Apr 20, 2010)

Spades said:


> I don't particularly trust doctors. I prefer doing my own research, in addition to talking to doctors, friends, and the public. I see a different doctor every time I visit and they all say different things. This thread has been useful to me and anything that was said here has been further researched.


 Okay. I was also aware of you not wanting advice, but just as a person with anxiety and depression, I felt the need to share that experience with you. Some doctors are better than others of course and it's not smart to fully trust doctors just cause they are doctors. But the thing with doctors is that if they give you bad advice, you can sue them. They have some sort of responsibility to you and also went to school and learned about human body. So in that way they know more than many people who visit online forums and can also be held responsible.

I personally think the problem happens when people go only to one doctor or one kind of doctor. You go to a surgeon and it's likely they will recommend surgery because that's their area. So many psychiatrists recommend meds because that's what they studied. So it's helpful to go to psychologists too because they studied non-medication route to improvement. And to try different psychologists, ones with different orientation and training. Then at the end of the day, you and your closed and trusted family members and friends can sit down together and decide what's the best way forward.


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## andyj (Oct 3, 2013)

conscius said:


> This thread is the wrong way to go OP, just talk to your doctor about your concerns, or research the info on reliable medical websites. This asking around people here will just create more anxiety and confusion, people have different experiences with different things, this is not like asking people where to buy cheap pants. This is your health.


Interestingly the medical literature would disagree with you. There's quite a bit (not yet lots, but getting there) of evidence that talking to people with a similar health problem to yourself is beneficial both as a way of finding/exploring novel treatments and as a treatment in it's own right. Where I work there are group sessions for everything from cancer to personality disorder. That's not to say you should take everyone's advice, but that it would be good to at least get the advice and consider it.


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

*Update*: Been taking 25mg Zoloft (sertraline) for exactly a week now. My mood before it was perfectly fine and happy; I am taking to see what it does for anxiety, out of curiosity. Though the side effects were very annoying, most of them have depleted. However, I'm finding a few side effects that aren't going away and I'm concerned:

~ I am sleep deprived but can't sleep in for the life of me. I wake up a couple hours before I plan to and I can't get back to sleep no matter how hard I try. The result is feeling progressively more and more sleep deprived but being unable to nap.

~ Perhaps due to the sleep dep but perhaps not, I have been experiencing depressive symptoms for the last couple days. I wasn't depressed before the med, and I have no external reasons to be. So, wtf?

~ My sex drive is almost gone. That's not cool.

Does anyone know if these diminish with time? I'll see my doctor of course.


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## Red Panda (Aug 18, 2010)

Spades said:


> *Update*: Been taking 25mg Zoloft (sertraline) for exactly a week now. My mood before it was perfectly fine and happy; I am taking to see what it does for anxiety, out of curiosity. Though the side effects were very annoying, most of them have depleted. However, I'm finding a few side effects that aren't going away and I'm concerned:
> 
> ~ I am sleep deprived but can't sleep in for the life of me. I wake up a couple hours before I plan to and I can't get back to sleep no matter how hard I try. The result is feeling progressively more and more sleep deprived but being unable to nap.
> 
> ...


I used to be on sertraline too, for 2 years. The upper dose I took was 75mg. 

The doctor should have prescribed either sleeping pills or some alternative because insomnia is almost de facto side effect in the first 15 days. My doctor told me to drink triple camomille tea, which worked. 
Generally, sertraline works after ~15 days. The symptoms of depression and low libido are written in the booklet if I remember correctly. They are possible side effects of the drug, but I can't tell you if they'll go away... But, like I said, you have to wait at least 15 days for the drug effect to set in, so be patient. I used to have terrible nausea and vertigo when I was changing my dosage.


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## New (Mar 13, 2013)

Alright an update for you. It's been almost 60 days since I've been taking 50mg of Sertraline. Over the time feel like it's doing nothing for me, the only thing I've noted is that it enhances the effects of caffeine, feel very extroverted and energized when both drugs are in my system; this actually indirectly helps the anxiety by taking my mind off it. 

I was also prescribed propranolol to slow my heart down in preparation for extremely anxious situations. It actually does the exact opposite of its intended function for me. Feels like it suppresses the anxiety for about fifteen minutes then releases all the suppressed anxiety all at once; this exacerbates my anxiety induced excessive sweating to a point where I feel I've lost complete control of my body. 

I've gotten better with the social aspect for the most part, although I didn't really think it was that big of a problem for me before. The only thing that still seems to bother me is heat, anything above around 68 degrees is uncomfortable for me and I feel like my heat induced anxiety has actually gotten worse while on sertraline. 



Spades said:


> *Update*: Been taking 25mg Zoloft (sertraline) for exactly a week now. My mood before it was perfectly fine and happy; I am taking to see what it does for anxiety, out of curiosity. Though the side effects were very annoying, most of them have depleted. However, I'm finding a few side effects that aren't going away and I'm concerned:
> 
> ~ I am sleep deprived but can't sleep in for the life of me. I wake up a couple hours before I plan to and I can't get back to sleep no matter how hard I try. The result is feeling progressively more and more sleep deprived but being unable to nap.
> 
> ...


For the first 10 days I felt the same way with the sleeping problems then they went back to normal

I've also had random spouts of depression heard that was normal and it's becoming less frequent for me now.

My sex drive was also pretty much nonexistent during the first two weeks, but now it's better than normal, in fact could even say it increased mine. 

I would give it a little bit of more time to work (a bit over a month).


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## Spades (Aug 31, 2011)

@New, thanks for the input! I've been taking 25mg for exactly 4 weeks now, and was thinking of either increasing my dose to 50 or dropping it altogether. I'm finding that the sleep improved a bit since the first week, but I still don't ever feel rested. Anxiety hasn't improved at all, and I get horrible mood swings that I never had before! I suppose I should just get off it entirely, but my curiosity might get the best of me. I don't think I have a low serotonin problem though. I see a mild increase in concentration, increase in anger, and no change in anxiety.

It's interesting you mention the heat thing though. For me, it's the opposite! I am much more tolerant of heat now. I can take warmer showers and can endure hot yoga more easily. Very odd.


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