...and are they helping deal with your spouse's AD? My dr. put me on Celebrex in Jan. and I think it helps, although I still feel really down when he has a bad day.
mY family Dr has prescribed Lexpro for me. It does get me going in the morning when I don't seem to have as much initiative as I used to have after a good night sleep. I had tried several others, but Lexpro works better than any of the others. I don't feel as sorry for myself as in the past.
Celexa is an antidepressant - and is confusing because it is close to the spelling and pronouncation of of Celebrex. My AD spouse is on both and our doctor visits are confusing when we are talking about the effects of those meds on him.
Yeds, you're right, it's Celexa and today is one of those days where too many things have just not gone my way, I guess. Wonderes if many of you had found hep in anti-depressants for yourselves.
I'm on Effexor XR. I heard it is very hard to get off of Effexor and asked my doctor about it. His reply was, "Why would you want to get off of it????" Good question. It works for me! Earlier I was on Zoloft and it made me feel like an emotionless blob.
20mg Lexapro, increased from 10 a few months ago. Hard to know if it has been helping since I can't know how much worse I'd be without it. I've had a few bouts with depression (major depressive disorder I believe the MDs call it) and have found anti-depressants to be a lifesaver. In the past for me they have broken the crying jags, bleakness, hopelessness fairly quickly. When I started this time it was before the diagnosis but I know the dismal state of our marriage beginning 3 years before diagnosis was due to his symptoms and contributed to my depression. So I was already on Lexapro when we started down the road to diagnosis, getting him retired early, selling our house, moving halfway across country, buying a house in a new place, then going through ALONE OBVIOUSLY the complete renovation on our current house.
What was I thinking? I used to worry about how we'd make it when he retired. HA! Be careful what you fear. Topping the list of depressing stressful life events are retirement, moving, renovation. So, going for broke here. It all made sense to me at the time of each decision.
So, back to topic. Sorry for rambling. My last visit with prescribing shrink before we moved said there was no drug that could keep me from experiencing some depression in these circumstances. And that has proven too true. My doctor recently added Abilify to the Lexapro but contrary to the tv commercials, it made me feel worse. In a couple days I'll be switching over to Cymbalta. Sometimes antidepressants will stop working after awhile and a change can help. I've never needed to stay on one longer than a year in the past. At its worst when I won't get out of bed unless I absolutely am forced to this particular depression feels like a combination of Chronic Fatigue and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Anyone feel that? I'm still reeling from the shock of all this. Just turned 58 and I haven't accepted yet - not truly - that this is my life now. That absence of feeling is worse for me than the anger.
Whew - this is what happens when you don't post enough. I can say that the life saver for me has been Xanax which was prescribed to deal with the anxiety which overwhelms me in reaction to one thing or another from DH these days. Talk therapy has helped too, but I think that sadness - if not depression - will always be a part of my life, of all our lives, as long as we live the lives of caregivers.
My PCP put me on Sertraline 20mg in November 2008. I think I feel better. I seem to be able to cope with the AD better. Although, I have gained quite a bit of weight and don't seem to have as much energy as I'd like to have. But, I also find that if I get outside everyday the enerty level goes up. Perhaps it's the sunshine.
My doctor has me on Celexa and I know it helps. Before the celexa I was a mess. Now I can handle things that come up much better. It took about 3 weeks to really kick in.
My previous doctor put me on Wellbutrin several years ago for my fibromyalgia. He increased it when my stress level went sky high the last few months before Claude passed away.
My new doctor took me off Wellbutrin and is trying me on Cymbalta. It's also an anti-depressant but is also prescribed for fibromyalgia. Weight gain and fatigue are both side effects and I have both :-( I see him again next week and am going to discuss going back to Wellbutrin.
I take 1/2 of a 25 mg. Zoloft daily. I'm medication sensitive and that feels like a bit too much--I can't cry. At least until they cut to zero the budget of the program I run at work (though not my job); I shed a few tears over that. Anyway, I need this to get through house renovations and moving and the work stuff but then I will probably try to go off it or at least cut back to 1/2 every other day.
Terry--I'm not quite 54 and struggling to accept that this is going to be my life. The home renovations actually feel like a good distraction because they give me something I can accomplish that hopefully will make things better for my husband. But the loss of my dreams is really tough.
Im on the generic for Celexa- it is in the $4. Walmart list, which here Winn Dixie also honors. I have been for quite sometime. Don't know how I would make it without it, except I do find that I think it keeps me awake sometimes.
Pamsc, Zoloft made me into an emotional zombie, as I said in an earlier post. I couldn't cry and couldn't feel much joy or excitement either. I was just in a medio-balance state of Hummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I was changed to Effexor and it has none of those side effects.
I hope you can find something (there are many more similar drugs to Effexor) that works better for you. Be careful going off of Zoloft. Very gradually..cutting down on dosage first, then taking one every other day..etc. I didn't realize the effect that it had until I began to go off of it, before the doctor started me on Effexor. It took about a month, if I recall, to make the switch over.
I take 20 mg fluoxetine (generic prozac) each morning. Then 50 mg trazadone at night. I think the fluoxetine is helping, but short of going off it, I don't know. At least I am feeling okay.
Pamsc - good luck with renovations. The process and total immersion into it was a big help to me in the first two-three months but then all hell broke loose and it turned into a nightmare. We moved in last November and we're still trying to get it finished and things "redone" which were so badly screwed up.
Started the Cymbalta tonight. I'm feeling better already - might have something to do with the fact that I drove up to Kansas City by myself today (about 4 hours) to meet an old friend and bring her back to our place for a 5 day visit. DH was supposed to come too but I forgot to call the kennel until it was too late to get a spot for our two Bichons so he volunteered to stay home with them. So here I am at the Mariott at the Plaza in a clean QUIET room in which everything WORKS. I'm propped up with FIVE pillows and there's nothing or noone that I need to take care of at this moment. Yippeeee.....
Joan, I chuckle at the instructions on my Xanax to take as needed. If I did that I'm pretty sure my PCP wouldn't keep renewing my prescription!
This is good information as I figure eventually I'll need something to help me with the demands of working full time and then going to that full time job we all have at home. It appears those of you that take anti-depressants are on 20 or 25 mg. Anyone start with anything higher? I spoke to my doctor recently about future meds and he said he'd suggest 50 mg Zoloft when I feel I'm ready. This seems high to start with. Anyone experience starting at 50 mg?
Texasgirl, I started Sertaline (Zoloft) at 50, but it really hit me, so the dr. backed it off to 25. However, since then, we have it up to 50 one day, 25 the next, and so on.... I feel fantastic now. Good luck if and when you go there.
I take St. John's Wort. I did not expect it to work, as I have tried herbs and homeopathics in the past, and generally--if there's an effect at all--it's so subtle that I'm not motivated to continue. But SJ'sWort surprised me. I actually cut back from 2x/day to just taking it in the morning, because I was a little higher than I wanted to be.
PrisR, I'm on 20mg of the generic of celexa. Have been since last year. Made me sleepy when I first started on it but not anymore. I hasn't taken away my emotions just lowered by anxiety level to manageable.
I also take 300 mg of Wellbutrin a day. I started with 150 mg. I did have a time not too long ago when I thought things were ok and started to taper off - didn't work - felt too ragged. For me, I need the Wellbutrin. I took it several years before the official diagnosis of my husband. But as we all know, the "behavior" starts long before the diagnosis. I looK at my need for an antidepressant as a chemical need. If I had diabetes, I would take insulin.
Developed severe anxiety issues between DH worsening condition and nasty work situation. Resisted my PC Dr. for some time and have now been on 10 mg Lexapro once a day. I feel better and take xanax (generic when need be). My counselor doesn't think I need to up the does of Lexapro just yet, but next she says 20 mg Lexapro and then add on a synergist like Wellbutrin. I lived in the 60's and did not once go to 'la la land.' This does not take me to 'la la land' but my good drugs keep me sane and I hope help me live longer by helping me cope with stress. I have 7 kids and 10 grandkids and my family historical longevity suggests I should live to my mid 90's (I'm 58 almost 59 now). I hope to be live another 30+ yr and enjoy my family. Some day I'll exercise, but for now I control stress as I can and eat healthy (lost 60 lb) in first 2 yr of DH's AD. My PC Dr. says to not worry about the remaining 15 lb until 'after.' Funny how our life has become divided into 'before', now, and 'after.'
Doc has prescribed me Mirtazapine(remeron)as I hadvent slept well since DH was placed in a care home ,does anyone know anything about this drug please? Rosie
HOW TO USE: Take this medication by mouth once daily preferably at bedtime, or as directed by your doctor. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. It may take up to two weeks before the full benefit of this drug takes effect. Therefore, do not increase your dose or take it more frequently than prescribed. Consult your doctor.
SIDE EFFECTS: Drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, increased appetite, or weight gain may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these serious side effects occur: swelling of hands or feet, muscle pain, unusual or severe mental/mood changes. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: back pain, shakiness (tremor), increased urination. Tell your doctor immediately if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: persistent sore throat or fever, chills, trouble breathing, chest pain. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist. Another side effect is weight gain
Rosie, I brought an old thread on this medicine to the top for you, for what it's worth. Several ADLO's have been on this drug, with variable success. Be comforted: Not everybody is affected by any side effects. They MAY OCCUR.
Can you ask why the doctor has described this particular drug? This is something I recently forgot to do myself with a new prescription for dh, but have an appointment on Tuesday and am planning to ask. Why did he prescribe Risperidone instead of Seroquel? I should have asked . The doctor's answer might give some insight into whether the doctor has seriously considered a lot of possibilites and made a choice based on the individual case, or just latched onto the first thing that came to mind or that he always prescribes.
When I saw my doctor last Friday, he didn't want me to go off the Cymbalta but he said I could add back 150 mg of Wellbutrin. I have and feel much better.
Thanking back over all the years of my life, I think rather than being shy and an introvert, I was depressed - a very low level of depression but depression nevertheless. As soon as I went on Wellbutrin, the chemical imbalance leveled out and I felt much better.
Someone else here mentioned it and I finally bought some of: Serenity Formula. I was trying melatonin for sleep. At first it worked fine, now I so restless I wake up exhausted. I took it for the first time last night and sleep nicely and woke up feeling relaxed. Time will tell what the longterm will be.
I have been using St. Johns Wort and a super b vitamin. This is working as well as the antidepressants I used to be on. I couldn't afford a doctor any more so I had to find an alternative.
I'm on zoloft, and the doctor just raised it to 100mg from 50. MyDH is also on Zoloft, 100mg. If I weren't on it I would just cry all the time. The latest thing was yesterday when he kept asking where Chris was, because he thought I was his mother. what can you do.
I can believe it. In fact, it helps me to know how common it is for AD spouses to use anti-depressants, because it reassures me that it IS the situation, not a personal weakness, and that I'm not guilty of some "failure to properly adjust my attitude." So, we get pharmaceutical or herbal help, as needed, and press on without kicking ourselves over yet one more thing.
The zoloft - sertraline, 50 - is pretty much kicking in for me now, after three weeks. Although when he had that episode a couple of days ago, I was certainly not calm, nor was I when I discovered the silverware missing. But I can feel that current of calm now, most of the time. Thank heavens!
I'm not on anything - yet, but will gladly accept it when needed. My doctor is always so surprised that my blood pressure remains normal! That's about the only thing "normal" around here! LOL