Antidepressent symptoms and conditions

was on seroquel for a few days, after trying several other antidepressants which all had led to, weight gain, no sex drive (zoloft) heart "vibrations" and other side effects more harmful than helpful. but, the seroquel put me in a comotose, translike state. could not move off the couch, could not eat nor talk, a total zombie. stopped immediately, it took about a week for it to get out of my system. I am on zoloft again 50 mg. still no sex drive whatsoever, slight weight gain. but having no sex drive is the ultimate worst, yet I don't miss it at all when it was once the highlight of my marriage. sad to say marriage iss on the rocks, due to this minor problem. would love to go off it,, but i am too stressed. have tried so many drugs i can't keep track. do not want to gain weight or have no sex life, any suggestions on an antidepressant with no side effects? I am also going through my changes, ai am 50, which does not help.

I have been taking Metoprolol for a year now at 100mg/day. I have not experienced one adverse side effect. The drug works fine as it is intended. It seems to me that people should be telling their physicians of any problems they are experiencing rather than posting on an internet blog. Some of these posted side effects are likely symptoms of the underlying disease instead of a side effect of the drug they are taking.

My daughter started taking YAZ birth control August 2007 and was starting her second year of college. Everything in her life was going well, she loved her choice of college, had a wonderful boyfriend, was excited to live in her sororiety house, had wonderful friends, and was always one of the most focused individuals I knew. She was home for the Thanksgiving holiday and the night before I was to drive her back to school, she broke down at the kitchen table and said she can't pretend anymore, that she is not happy and doesn't know what is wrong with her. I took her to the doctor and she was treated with Effexor for depression. After 4 weeks there was no change, she fell into a deeper depression and they doubled her dose of Effexor. Still no change. I started looking on the internet and found that one of the side effects of Yaz was depression. I told her to immediately stop taking it. Two days after she stopped the pill we had an appointment with a psychiatrist. I told him that this was the first day I saw some improvement and that I thought it was related to her stopping YAZ. He disregarded my statement and didn't feel that was the case. He didn't like Effexor because he said that it was "a bear to get off of". He titrated her dose down by half and introduced Wellbutrin into her system. Two days later she overdosed on pills. She couldn't bear how bad she felt. I remember it like it was yesterday, she stood in the corner of the hosital and cried, "How did I get to this point, how did this happen to me?" I knew then that it was the pills. After her release from the hosital they handed her a prescription for Lexipro. I was advised by ALL of the PROFESSIONALS that she needed to take this antidepressent because she will definitely have a relapse.

My daughter chose NOT to take any more medications. We both KNOW that it was the YAZ that started the depression and the other antidepressents just put her over the edge. It took several months to get her life back together. We pursued counselling to make sure she was equipped with good coping skills for stress before attempting to go back to school. She missed 5 weeks of school and we knew that she had alot of catching up to do and the counselling helped her get through.

It has now been almost 1 year since that incident and she is back to her old self again. NO MORE BIRTH CONTROL AND NO MORE ANTIDEPRESSANTS. I'm not against any of these medications, however, I don't feel that health care professionals equip these young girls with enough information about side effects. Depression is listed way down on the list of side effects. If her gyn would have warned her that depression was a side effect, we may have never gone down that dark frightening road and if the psychiatrist would have taken into consideration that it could have been the birth control pill things could have been different. I also work for 4 pediatricians and none of them were aware that birth control can cause depression. I am now noticing that there are mother's calling our office because their daughters are depressed and as I am looking at their charts, I see they are on birth control. I have to wonder how widespread is this epidemic and how many young woman may have been diagnosed with clinical depression when the cause could be birth control. I know that at my daughters last well visit she was asked if she was taking any medication and she said no, she didn't realize that the pill was medication. Professionals need to be more specific when asking teenagers and yound adults questions.

I hope that this helps someone else out there to understand what could be causing their depression.

My son, who just turned 14 this month, was on Singulair for over 2 years.
He was diagnosed with reactive airway disease and possibly Asthma--and prescribed this awful drug-even back in 2004. The doctor said how wonderful this med was and prevents any further attacks.. So, for 2 years-every night, he took this mood altering, destructive drug. He lost all interest in school, his athletics-soccer, skateboarding, biking..in fact became almost a vacant , very unhappy, child-had stomach aches, joint pains and reflux--why--I brought him to the doctor and Pediatric center so frequently--all they kept saying his --his asthma is better, much be other issues...Even after the March 2008 suicide--his doctor said-that is just an isolated incident-just monitor him--It is a good drug. Right, month by month his behavior escalated to wanting to die, no reason to go to school-he said he was stupid and a failure and why don't I understand there is no reason to his life. A usually happy fun-loving boy -my son- didn't want to live. Nothing made him happy-I started to believe what the doctors said--maybe something or someone at school (bully, pedophile??) caused this change. Terrible nightmares and vivid dreams...Until this past July, I asked him want to go to the library for some books or dvd's...he went ballistic-threw everything off his computer desk and tried to break his chair. He is not an aggressive boy but this behavior was becoming a daily issue. Along with everything flying off his table, was his bottle of Singulair pills. It then dawned on me..I have been poisoning my only son. The child I know and love and gave birth to returned within a few days--although I am worried sick about further asthma attacks --all the doctors can prescribe is a steroid drug-asthmex or Pulmicort.. I cannot understand nor comprehend why this drug is being prescribed for children and young adults. The guilt I live with is terrible as my son has lost 2 years of his life--
and thought there was something really wrong with him-At least we woke up---in time--how about some other parents..thinking it's just normal adolescent behavior for their child or their fault???

I've been on the nuvaring for about a year now. I had been on the Nuvraring from November of 06 thru May of 07. When I broke up with my boyfriend, I stopped using it (giving my body a break) from May until August when I started seeing somebody seriously enough to consider having sex again. I love the ring because it just has to be inserted once a month (although I HATE the feeling I get taking it out...). My periods take almost 4 days to start once the ring is out and then it lasts for about 5 days. The cramps during the first day or two are almost unbearable, but the periods are light. SOOOO many pros and cons.

I have gained back the break up weight and then some. I was blaming it on being in the "comfy relationship" status where you eat out a lot and blah blah blah... my boyfriend and I started working out together and he was dropping pounds like it was his job and meanwhile I was working out with no results. I'm a solid 10lbs heavier than my normal "I'm not working out" weight. My breasts were always a full C now I'm a small D. The week before I take out my ring I'm ready to kill my boyfriend for not cleaning out the litter box or for leaving me dishes to wash when he's been home... normal things that I'd just make a comment about and move on become HUGE events (for example: eating my leftover burrito= WWIII).

I was on the pill (can't even remember the name) and spotted all the time. I found it hard to take it at the same time... and I spent more time not having sex because I was always bleeding. I'm only 24 so I won't use the "I'm not as young as I used to be" excuse.... I wish there was a way to prove it is the ring causing me to gain weight without having to stop using the ring,. I really don't feel like messing up my cycle only to find out I'm just chunky now-- nothing to do with the ring.

I have been experiencing the same disturbing symptoms that were described in the report...depression, laziness, unmotivated, extreme moodiness, etc. I have been on an antidepressant for the last year and have tried to stop taking it several different times without success because the symptoms return within days.

I tell all of you this so that you know I know what you're going through. But I have to admit, the thought of blaming my doctor never crossed my mind. Let's be honest, here. Is it really their fault? If the drug companies didn't realize it was a side effect, how can you expect your doctor to know it? Personally, I trust my doctor and believe that he has my best interests in mind. If your first instinct is to blame your doctor for not knowing the drug was a problem, then perhaps you should find a new doctor because you obviously don't believe he is trying to help you.

I am a 42 year old woman who gets reactive asthma every time I get a cold. My doctor always puts me on Singular to help clear my wheezing and coughing. I usually only take it for 1 - 2 months and then stop. This time I noticed some changes in my body that I am wondering if it is due to the Singular. I have a pain in my left side of my abdomen and I am bloated all the time. I have gained weight too. I was wondering if anyone else has ever had symptoms like these from taking Singular? If they don't go away after stopping the Singular I guess I will have to check things out.

I have two side effects to discuss since I don't think there are enough warnings about mixing birth control pills and anti-depressants.
I had a miserable time with Yasmin and stopped taking it earlier this summer(after being on it 4 months with no relief from symptoms that go away for most). The anxiety and mood swings were just horrible within weeks of taking Yasmin. I had night sweats and backaches, headaches, leg cramps, fatigue that was unreal, total lack of sex drive...you name it. I even had my self checked for pre-menopause and I'm only 38! Immediately after I stopped it all symptoms went away within a week. I did discover that I do have some clinical depression that I've probably had my whole life. It was more severe right after I had my daughter in 2004. Zoloft was the worst anti-depressent on the planet...can't tell you how hard it was to get off of that drug. Started the Yasmin right after I got off Zoloft...almost went back on the anti-depressents b/c of the mood swings. Now I am seeing a psychiatrist who prescribed the lowest dose of Wellbutrin. Other than some dry mouth for the first couple of weeks and minor diarrhea, this antidepressent is wonderful...no more mood swings one hour before I'm supposed to take my next dose (like on Zoloft). I'm not hungry all the time and I can still actually feel emotions (unlike with the smallest dose of Zoloft). I think a good psychiatrist that can monitor how you're doing on your medication is the way to go if you suffer from depression. You should NEVER alter your prescription without talking to your doctor first...I also think that ob-gyn's have a responsibility to either refer you to a psychiatrist after prescribing post partum anti-depressents or follow up with you...especially when they also prescribe birth control pills at the same time (I was on errin aka jolivette before the Yasmin. I took jolivette while I was on the Zoloft)...I truly believe the birth control pills can counteract with anti-depressents and it shocks me that this isn't more closely monitored by the medical community. I have my life back now and I hope the same for the rest of you. Stephanie

Hello,

I haven't been on lately posting my symptoms because for the first time after 8 months of Post Yasmin Hell, I have started to see real progress.

After taking Yasmin for 7 months, I stopped and have been so so sick, it was unbelievable. Over 50 various Doctor visits and nothing at all could be found. I lost my appetite and 13 pounds, had anxiety and heart palpitations, nauseous all the time and just so so ill. I have never been sick all my life... never...aside from colds of course.

Nothing really helped... vitamins, food... nothing. If you really think about it.. . we ingested a POWERFUL horomone suppressent. How can we think that taking vitamins or herbs will solve the problem? Believe me, it might help a little... a very little but far far from the solution.

I notice that my worst symptoms were cyclic and each month I could be assured that I would get worse and going through this month after month with little improvement was taking a toll and I just wanted to literally give up already. The rate of improvement was ridiculous!! 1 % perhaps... less?

So then I told everybody my absolute last resort was taking an antidepressent because my general Dr. told me that it has been used off label to help PMDD which is a menstrual disorder. My other Dr. also told me it has been PROVEN to help gastrointestinal problems also.

I know most of you are scared and skeptical about taking another drug, just how I was. I kept saying.. I am not depressed, etc etc. I was worried about side effects etc. But after a while it came down to a point of.. I NEED TO TRY SOMETHING ELSE!!!!

So if Prozac has been shown to help with female horomone problems I should give it a shot and see if it will help mine, because believe me, it couldn't really get any worse. How can someone live through or six months of hell??? You long term sufferers know what I am talking about.

So I did a TON of studying on Prozac / Fluoxetine and found that this proven drug is the easiest of all the SSRI's as far as side effects and withdrawal. I also read that taking a low dose is just about as effective as taking a normal dose. For example, would you give the same 20 mg. dose to granny as well as Shaquille O' neal?

To give you the best news already: I have finally turned a corner and am starting to feel so so much better, month by month. Prozac has finally reversed this cyclic monthly hell. I had ABSOLUTELY no side effects because I researched and researched and realized I only needed a small small dose. I started at 10 mg. EVERY OTHER DAY. This dose is very low and yet very effective. The usual dose is 20 mg. daily.. which is too much.

My appetite started to slowly come back, my anxiousness went down. My general sense of well being became better and better. Yes of course, the monthly cycles would sometimes pop up once in a while but this time 75% better than before.

So for all of you who like me made the mistake of taking a powerful horomone altering drug Yasmin and still not getting better, you may need to try Prozac because I am proof that it does work. Don't be afraid of withdrawal or side effects because the low dose you need will cause none of these... ask your Doctor. It is not only used for depression because believe me, I never had any depression issues at all, but Yasmin caused my body CHAOS, and no vitamins can really help that kind of mess. Prozac is helping by pushing my horomone system back to it's normal activity as well as helping my digestive system AND my overall well being.

I was just like all of you, coming back month after month because just when I thought I was getting a little better, the bad cycle hit me again like a truck and I thought I would never get better. I avoided Prozac because I thought it was bad and that how can an antidepressent help me? I was wrong, Prozac has been the ONLY thing that has helped my cycle get back on track. Ladies who are still long term sufferers of Post Yasmin hell, read up on Prozac and it's off label uses of treating Pre menstrual dysphoric symtom, as well as digestive treatment.

Also, although SSRI's are all in the same class, they can have very different effects on individuals. For example just because Zoloft didn't agree with you, that doesn't mean Prozac will do the same thing. The ignorant DR. probably gave you too high of a dose as most Doctors do.

The best way of finding out is starting on a low dose. You should see no side effects at all. Well the one side effect that was welcomed was a sense of calm and sleepiness. So much better than the panic attacks...

FYI. I have realized that Yasmin has hit me XTRA hard because Yasmin has a high dose of ESTROGEN, and my body before Yasmin was the opposite... testosterone high! I am ultra fit, love working out and don't possess the typical estrogenic female body, meaning I don't have big breasts or typical softer female features. So being on Yasmin really changed the dynamics of my body.

Again, if any of you have similar symptoms of me and is a classified long term sufferer (6 mos. or more), my sincere advice is to talk to your Doctor about Prozac and give it a shot at a low dose. There should not, I repeat should not be any side effects and you should start to get better month by month.. and this time at a much faster pace.

For eight years I was on Ortho Tri low - no problems until my doctor suggested I change because of the length of time I was on them. I have been taking Yasmin for 4 years now and have had the following side effects which I did not contribute to the Yasmin until I am now looking back after reading these posts:

When I first starting taking Yasmin I had a SEVERE personality change. I used to be a go-getter, confident, aggressive, hard worker, perfectionist, never procrastinated, and an over-achiever. I didn't understand why, but I just stopped caring about how far I got in my career, whether my house was clean, etc. I thought I was just depressed or something? Although I didn't really feel depressed, but more of just a lack of motivation. I started to get diarihea and then an anxiety over being depressed or "not normal" I finally went to the doctor after losing a bunch of weight and he prescriped be with an antidepressent. I never took the antidepressants because I really wanted to try to deal with the issues myself before going to that extreme.

Four years later I'm the same way. I've never been the same since, although the diariahea has subsided. I thought I had just changed when I met my now husband, until I found this site and have read some of these posts and realized it was also the exact time I started taking Yasmin.

Over the last three years I have developed anxiety and a needy, clingy personality, a total anxiety and irrational fear of losing my husband. It started to get so bad that when my husband was away I would get sick to my stomach and at times vomit and become fatigued or have irrational thoughts and panic attacks that I had no control over. It has disrupted my relationship enough that I started to see a therapist and the stress of it all has had horrible side effects on my body.

I am wondering now if this was all because of Yasmin? I am 28 years old and never have had a history of depression, anxiety, etc before this.

I also now have dark spots on my face around my eyes and on my cheeks and forhead, which I new were a side effect of the birth control. I asked my doctor if switching to some other brand would help and he said that any birth control can have that effect if you are in the sun. I just decided if I wanted to be on birth control that I had to start wearing sunscreen while in the sun.

In the last two years I have been to doctors and ENT's for a ear infections and sore throats, which they contribute to allergies. That was something I never had before either. I've never had allergies in my life, but doctors would insist that I had developed them. I never would have linked this to my pills, but I am now!

I found this site only because I was thinking of soon having children and wanted to find out what effects of discontinuing the use would have on my body. I wish I had found it 3-4 years ago!!!

I am going to stop taking Yasmin and maybe birth control all together. I'm afraid switching to another pill would just cause a whole new slew of problems, because lets face it, there is nothing natural about them.

I only hope that I can recover and I thank god for such a wonderful husband because I know at times I was unbearable to deal with: fighting, crying, feeling depressed and insecure. All things that are NOT part of my personality 4 years ago. Hearing that it could all be from my pill is both encouraging (that there is hope for me to stop this behavior now) and heartbreaking that I have basically lost the last 4 years of my life.

Thank you to all who posted to this site!