does all anti-depressants give side affects?

does all anti-depressants give side affects? & do they help? how long do they take

before you start to feel better? there is things you can do to help when

your having a panick/anxiety attack like breathing, muscle relaxation

and diazipam, but when your feeling really depressed what can you do

to make the pain lessen. does anti-depressants work? why do they help

some and not others? i have also heard some people claim they have

made them feel much much worse. now i am feeling afraid to take them

because i don't want to feel any worse than i already do but at the same

time i am feeling so bad i feel i need some kind os help. please any help

and advise would be really appreiciated.

Hi-yes they all do Im afraid and take about a month or so to kick in,except with me,side effects can kick in,in about 3 days.
(pay no mind Im weird) [|)]
I have tried from 1987 onwards,amitriptyline,clomipramine,prozac and seroxat then recently imipramine (also beta blockers,in early 90,s and valium,now,for anxiety)
I was on seroxat for 9 years,but will sometimes lie and say less because Im so ashamed I was on it so long.[8)]
Side effects can sound scary but you need something to get you through.
They may not affect you too badly and if they do then,you ask for them to be changed,dont be scared,im coming on this path with ya.
Im going docs meself tomorrow for anti depressants and I wont take prozac or seroxat (I have my reasons).
So gawd knows what I will get this time but such is life.
No easy answers to this one.
With depression its just counselling,anti depressants and trying to stay positive as much as you can.
I feel ya xxxxxx
Hope we feel better soon.[:X]



Love & light to you x

Hi muchafraid,

I have taken a number of antidepressant/ant-anxiety meds over the past few years.

If you do a google search on the med(s) you have been asked to take you will find some forum or meds site which will answer your queries. Or go to http://www.biopsychiatry.com

As a rule of thumb, "old" meds in the class called "Tricyclics" are now very cheap but have a high side-effect profile. As meds move through classes -> MAOI's -> SSRI's -> SNRI's they typically become more expensive (for the NHS) but generally have a much lower side-effect profile.

Doctors typically start a patient off using a lower cost med. If it works and has acceptable or nil side effects, that is fine. Otherwise they will progress you through the different classes. Some meds might be "psychiatrist only" allowed to prescribe them, again mostly because of cost.

I urge you to check out your med(s) - as you didn't say what they are. If you are not sure - phone your doctor - or speak to a practice nurse. It is only fitting you should be involved in your journey to wellness. You're not just a "think" to be told "take this".

I hope it works out well for you.

Antipodes

Hi Much afraid,

Your question is a bit like, "How long is a piece of string?"

All meds are different for different folks. i have had amytriptelne and vanalflaxine (ceck spellings) in the past and they seemed ok ish at the time. side effects were bearable...but I'm really not sure what I gained.

I am currently on Citalopram, 20mg/day and th eside effects were not pleasant, particularly tirednes and nausea, however after 4/5 weeks I started to notice a difference and to be honest, I'm happier where I am now on meds than where I was 6 weeks ago without them.

Hope that helps alomg with the other posts.

Try not to be afraid...you are not alone.

Iain

Laissez les bon temp roulez

Hi,
I have taken St Johns Wort, Prozac (fluoxetine) and Citalopram.
St Johns Wort had little or no side effects if I remeber, but looking back, I really needed something more effective as it took the edge of the depression but not the panic. Was pretty quick in taking effect but I had accidentally overdosed myself, thankfully not to the detriment of my physical health! This was also a mild depression.
I took Prozac for post natal depression which was very effective. Side effects that I remeber are a false feeling of euphoria (laughed at granny's funeral), being able to get a good nights sleep (good side effect!) and no interest in 'the intimate' side of relationships (if you get my meaning) Took about 4 weeks to become fairly effective and another couple to be pretty good. Don't remember feeling worse but that was a pretty deep dark place I was in then.
I am now on Citalopram and it is hard for me to say what side effects are and what is part of my anxiety. I am very jerky when anxious, I fall asleep well but have vivid dreams (some are soooo cool, others are not!) and one alcoholic drink affects me like 3! I have been on them 9-10 weeks and I can only say I am feeling the benefits of them now but I have needed two increases in dose. I felt worse on and off in the first couple of weeks but not so that I felt it was unbearable. Like you, I was terrified of feeling worse so put off taking them, until my life reached a real crises point I felt I had no choice.
Hope this has been helpful in some way.

Happyone