Serotonin symptoms and conditions

I just started taking the generic Wellbutrin SL 150mg last month. I was on generic Zoloft and felt like it had not been working for a few years (well, actually not working since I went on the generic form due to the high cost of the name brand.) My dr. told me to wean off Zoloft (cut pill in half) for a week while taking Wellbutrin. After the first week of this, I was scared. My heart was racing, I was out of breath just climbing the stairs (which I do a lot every day holding a baby...never a problem before), hot flashes, dizziness, a heart burn feeling in my chest, etc. I called my dr. back and she said to continue taking Zoloft for another week. I felt better once I began it again. I gave myself another week taking both drugs and then stopped Zoloft for the last time. Since then, I have had horrible mood swings with bursts of anger and constant crying fits. I rarely feel good and am waiting for the energy to come that I read in other people's postings. Instead of energy, I am experiencing severe tiredness. I have just been tested for Celiac disease, which could explain the tiredness, mood swings, etc., but not to the extent of what I am currently experiencing. Since being on Wellbutrin, I feel like I am in a nightmare. My husband and kids don't know what to expect from me day-to-day. I want to get off this drug, but know I need to be on something This one works well for my brother, so I thought I would give it a try. I'm ready to go back on Zoloft and forget trying to find something that works better for me. I can't handle the mood swings and crying. At least with Zoloft, I was more mellow - just no energy.

I don't think that anyone can predict a time frame for getting over an adverse drug reaction. Below is my opinion but I see a lot of evidence that it is basically shared by other people maybe not exactly as I state it.

Adverse drug reactions deplete many essential nutrients from our systems. Inflammatory response is very stressful on the body. It is sometimes a very big effort to work on the diet to put back what has been taken away. It can take a long time.

Quinolines particularly deplete B-vitamins, folic acid (B-9), calcium/magnesium/zinc and omega-3 fatty acid. Sometimes the blood-lab work shows elevated homocysteine which proves that the body has suffered inflammation. Cardiologists now use homocysteine levels to show whether someone is at risk for heart disease due to inflammation. Deficiencies of B-6, B-9, and B-12 are known to cause elevated homocysteine.

Here is the pharmaceutical company ZINGER. Now companies such as Merck and Pfizer are going to offer niacin products to lower cholesterol. Well, yeh, duh !. All of these drug reactions are causing depleted B vitamins which elevate cholesterol. Then after they have tried to kill us by depleting our B - vitamins, they want to sell us another pill to give the B vitamins back to us. How many people out there are on some kind of a pill with side effects that cause inflammation? What a business? It is win, win, win.

OK, It has been 1 week now since my wife has stopped taking 750mg and 3 ER visits later and there is still no end in sight! Can someone please tell me when the side effects will go away?!?!?!?!

Original Post
WHY IS THIS DRUG STILL ON THE MARKET???? My wife is in severe pain after taking just 2 days worth of 750 Levaquin. Fear of dying, legs trembling, vomitting, hips and back pain, headaches, and severe stomach pains! Does anyone know how long this willl last? It has already been 3 days since she stopped taking the pills! DO NOT TAKE THIS PILL!!!

I love topamax.
I've been taking topamax for depression for 5 months. I started on 25 mgs a day, than worked my way up to 25 in the am and 25 in the pm, and now my doctor is moving me up to 50 in the am and 50 in the pm. I'm 31 years old, and have tried antidepressants since I was 17. I've struggled with depression since I was a kid. Antidepressants always made my depression worse, and caused me to get brain shivers because I don't tolerate serotonin drugs well. Antipsychotics for depression cause me to want to kill myself. Topamax was the only relief I have ever found.
The biggest side effect is sometimes I feel high or stoned like I smoked pot, especially if I am tired from not eating or pushing myself too hard. Most people don't get this, I just have a very strange brain chemistry.
Topamax works in the temporal lobe of your brain and can cause serious cognitive side effects if you do not already have damage in that part of your brain. That's why some people love it and some people hate it.
Weight loss isn't something I have experienced either, which sucks because I am overweight. I actually gained 10 pounds since being on topamax and I love carbonated beverages. But I am also the kind of person that quits smoking and loses 20 pounds, so I don't know if that will be true for you. I've also been way more thirsty since starting topamax, and my feet do fall asleep easier. But circulation improves if I practice a little yoga every day.
Don't be scared of this medication. It could really save your life.

Hi everyone –

I read this entire thread (wow, but good read)! I will start with the positives and end with the negatives (and yes, I’m going OFF Yaz).

Positives I lost weight (flat stomach due to the diuretic) and spontaneous sex (but the tricky thing is, it takes away your libido or at least mine) – lost about 5 LBs and decreased appetite. 120 to 115 lbs and sometimes 112 – flexuates between 112-115.

Negatives
First month I felt VERY nauseous – took the pills at night but didn’t help. I had some stomach cramps which went away. I had severe migraines (one that made me vomit and I could not move & I was in such unbearable pain I thought I was going to die – seriously (stuck in bed all night – and yes the headaches did stop after 4 months). I felt “spacey” all the time (this was early on, went away) – Best way to describe this would be like drinking a glass or two of wine, I felt a bit numb. I would get as one poster described these brain spurts that zapped me with this dizzy thing that lasted seconds and would go away (nice to read that as I know I’m not alone). Another common side effect I still got up until the 6 month was my ears plugging up (usually in the morning) and it happened a lot and it was from the pill. I also had troubles sleeping and anxiety out of nowhere (all of a sudden I felt too nervous to walk in my bosses office, very bizarre). I had to go in the bathroom and breathe then felt ok.

The week before my period I am MOODY and ANGRY inside and it’s made me feel more withdrawn from my boyfriend. I was never a depressed person before or moody minus occasional crabbiness from lack of sleep or stress. I never had severe PMS to start to it did the reverse for me, made my PMS worse. I have only been on this pill for 6 months to by the way! Curious if it is true about the serotonin in this pill – if there is serotonin isn’t it supposed to make you happy, LOL so I don’t know how much that part is true. Guess I do better a la natural!

My libido is gone but only comes back during aunt flow when I’m taking NO PILLS and I feel happy during my period (and sexual) and my old self (go figure?). the thought of sex doesn’t cross my mind and trust me prior I was like a cat on a hot tin roof (in my 30’s afterall)!

I used to do Ortho for years with headaches but no loss of sex drive or anything then stopped cold turkey for a year. Prior to that I did seasonal and had some hair loss and a brown spot on my face due to the BC.

It’s really hard to find a specialist who really gets in the ins and outs of birth control pills. They should have a dr that works only on BC’s (sorry but most gyno’s don’t really know as they say “everyone is different which is true but c’mon, you guys are way more educated of the pro’s and con’s then they are). I went to see an OBGYN that said “that’s what happens in relationships, you’re libido drops” when I told her, I thought “huh” what kind of DR are you? My regular DR was way better informed but not a specialist (waste of my time and money)! She told me to stop having a period and to take Yaz continuously and gave me more free samples. Wonder how much the manufacturer is paying her? Makes me wonder. I prefer to have a period, that’s when I felt like myself again, ha!

I want lists and stats of all pills same with side effects and percentages of women who experience the same. I wish Oprah would do a show on this – anyone have any connections??? It should be called “Birth Control, what he manufacturers don’t want to tell you” basically you can have condomless sex but the catch is “ you don’t want sex” LOL

Thanks.
Peanut

PS The straw was last Saturday – I was so moody (5 days before aunt flow) and my BF thought I wasn’t into him anymore and I couldn’t shake the withdrawn feeling and today I miss him so much and can’t wait to see him Saturday and I will not be starting my new pack of pills on Sunday –we’re putting Latex back into business  until I research other methods, possibly nuva ring but who knows? Next 2-3 months I don’t want anything in my body besides food and weekend drinks, ha!

My Doctor precribed a low dosage of zoloft last week to help me with my fibromyalgia. Supposely the serotonin amount in my brain will be altered. Does anyone else take zoloft for this condition? I also have mild sleep apnea so I am used to vivid dreams, but last night my dream was very bizarre to say the least. I felt like I was awake as I was aware of my surroundings, but as soon as I closed my eyes I heard people talking and auditory noises outside and in my room. Almost made me think my room was haunted because my decreased parents were having conversations with me. Very real-like and extremely weird. I also am experiences somewhat of a upset stomach and can hear normal stomach noises. In addition I have a slight headache at times. I question my Doctors choice of drug, due to the fact I have sleep apnea and I am always tired anyway. I am not compliant with my c-pap machine. Please let me know if anyone else has any of these side-effects and/or is receiving zoloft for fibromyalgia.

I'm so happy I found this site. I've been thinking I'm crazy or just getting old for the last 3 years while on Yasmin. I started taking it at age 29 and almost immediately after started having mood swings, extreme irritability and depression. I had previously been on Ortho Tri Cyclen and the Ortho Cyclen before Yasmin and was on them for MANY years and never had one side effect. I only switched in the first place because I like to have very very few periods and I run all my active pills together to forgo periods very often and I was having breakthrough on the Cyclen. Hence, the Yasmin trial.

I'm actually a doctor (which is why I CANNOT have frequent periods with all the accompanying issues), but I didn't even realize the possible connection between IBS and Yasmin. This needs to be studied and taken seriously. I never once had IBS symptoms until a few months after starting Yasmin. Now, 3 years later I have almost constatnt trouble, to the point everytime I eat I run for the bathroom, yet my weight has never been higher. I asked a GYN friend at work if they could be related and she said definitely no, but reading all of these "real life" examples, coupled with my own experience has made me think otherwise. Often, the symptoms will occur shortly after taking the pill, even when I haven't yet eaten breakfast. It's crazy!!

I'm going to switch either back to Ortho Cyclen or to something new ASAP and will report back. I'm both excited at the thought that my "IBS" might really be Yasmin related but also scared that it might not go away and therefore might really be IBS. I'll report back... It honestly never entered my mind that all of it could be the Yasmin. I had just moved, started a new job in a town I hate and I thought it was all stress related.

I've also had an interesting side effect no one has mentioned yet- my hair texture has dramatically changed. It isn't falling out, but has gone from VERY curly with a nice soft spiral curl pattern to very dry, straight and hard to manage. Nothing else has changed and now I'm wondering if it's not the DRSP. If pergnant women can have hair changes, why not women on the pill?? It's all hormones.

As always with a drug, there are always possible side effects. No one drug is perfect, and humans are so complex in their make up and they way they process drugs. Therefore, please don't judge your family docs or GYNs too harshly as not even the best doctor in the world can predict every side effect.

To Guest 35725 and Others,

4.5 years long time but what's so great is that you are getting off of it! One step is the first in a journey. I was on it for 2.5 years and now off for 3.5 months, slowly seeing changes though I still have chest pains. I've already had an EKG that confirmed a heart murmur but other than that, I haven't pursued further medical testing because I am on major medical and the pains have been gradually subsiding.

What I can't believe, is that your Doc and all the other ladies' docs on this site don't attribute all the many problems this pill causes. When we read the size 3 font in the accompanying medical brochure, it outlines all these risks or many of them! Depression is one of them! The pill messes with serotonin and dopamine levels in the brain. That's why!

I am so sorry everything you have been experiencing. i do wonder whether for women who have had children, the symptoms and troubles are that much more intense due to the changes in hormones following child birth???

I don't have anything positive to say about this pill except for the weight loss. And that, as enticing as it is today with all the hoo hah about being thin isn't worth the terrible havoc this pill takes on one's health.

Please, report your side effects to the government as well as to the manufacturer of Yasmin.

Unless you do, and document them, this site, now at almost 3000 entries will only grow, more women will suffer and this pill won't come off of the market for years, and years and years!

Best wishes to you for well being. Be gentle with yourself.

Kim,

I didn't know that you also are a vegetarian!! That's another mark for the fact, that you're assessed to be iron deficient (iron is mostly contained in meat!)!

Don't know if you already did, what I suggested (googling about iron deficiency). The Ferritin is the more important parameter than your iron level in your blood because the Ferritin shows the condition of your storage!! And if your storage of iron is still low you can have the symptoms you now are having.

And if you put this together with the side effects of Yasmin, you're DEFINITELY still suffering from, it is no miracle, that you're feeling so low now!!

Are you still taking the iron supplements every day?? Kim, I really hope that you believe me, how important that is for your situation!!!

The problem with the dopamin and serotonin is clearly a thing, which can be caused by bcp. You have to know that those two are also hormones!! And so it's simply clear, that, if your whole hormonal equilibrium is out of whack, the serotonin and dopamin might be also!!!

This is why time can help us all. Your body is able to get everything back in balance, if only he gets enough time for that difficult thing!!!

You didn't write anything, if you already had tried the Valerian (sorry, sometimes I still get the feeling that you're not reading really everything we all are writing here)!??

To the lady, who took Yasmin only 3 months:

You should be thankful, that your symptoms have come up that early. I know it sounds weird, but I think getting the side effects only after 2 years without noticing and taking that poison another 3 years has really damaged my body worse than if I only had taken Yasmin about 3 months. This can protect you from much more and worse symptoms than you are having now!!

Sarah:

I forgot to mention, that I also during my worst time lost about 20 pounds in only 4 weeks because I couldn't eat anything!! And I felt the same as you wrote: I would have been rather fat and healthy than slim and ill and not able to leave my house and having to go through all this nightmare... I totally understand, what you mean!!

But as this was the same for me, I really think that your weight will also get back to normal if you give it enough time. With the excercising I also agree with you! I still haven't been that fit again, as I was before that all. But, ok, 5 years of Yasmin were definitely too long and I know that I'll have to be much more patient than others and give it much more time to get back to where it was than others..... Hope I'll stand it further on...

But being able to sing again helps me very much. Although there always is some insecurity and anxiety in me, because I'm always afraid of getting as weak as I was during the last two months and that everything could break down again, what I' ve built me up now... (ok, although the weakness (thanks god) has gotten better again).

So ladies, just lets try to look forward and perhaps some day forget that nightmare (ok, I don't believe myself what I'm saying, don't know if I ever can forget, what I've been going through....).

One thing for those who have been only a few months on Yasmin: Please be careful and if you have the slightest doubt or the slightest symptom: GET OFF IT IMMEDIATELY!! You have the chance to avoid so many harm and sorrow!!!

Best wishes
Silke

Hi Everyone

Iam still doing not well went back to ER today I know they are sick of me have been 5 times in 6 weeks cant help it the effects are so horrible and scary

I took a quarter of the Lexapro yesterday and a quarter today it scares me too
If any of you knew how holistic I was prior to this
I never took anything at all and was always telling everyone to stop taking what they were taking and go to the health food store.

I dont know what made me takt the BCP.
I think I was weak from the anemia and wasnt thinking clear

Yes I have had my blood drawn 4 times now just today again my iron is up to 12.8 was a 8!
Ferritin is kind of low doctor told me to continue iron daily

My stomach is so nauseated though its hard for me to tolerate it now
Couldnt eat and still losing weight I cant sit down to a meal just biting here and there

Its so scary I have lost my slepp my appetite

The Lexapro is terrifying to me but no one has discussed the serotonin in the brain. Dejay therapist and cotor told her that the serotin and dopamine were altered by the BCP.
Iam not sure how that all works

I dontlike fooling around with chemicals but Dejay said we made that mistake when we took the BCP

Iam making myself sick about the Lexapro and that I took it I felt so jittery from it last night and today
Iam terrified to get hooked on it

The doctor and pharmacist said I can stop it at anytime I feel better in a month or whenever

Iam scared of it scared of not getting better scared of never being the same scared of missing these days of my life scared of losing my mind

Weight yes I too lost so much weight my rigs and chest bones are poking out

Has anyone experienced re-current colds after going off of Yasmin? I've been now for almost 3 months (went to Orthocept) but I've been sick now for almost 4 whole months!

Can anyone reccomend remedy for this? I can't figure out why this is happening? I was on Yasmin for 2.5 years, never,/rarely sick and certainly not ever this long!

What i can say and will say to everyone experiencing anxiety-the one tried and true remedy I have ever known was true and effective is EXERCISE. Aerobic. Meditation. Avoid caffeine COMPLETELY and sugar.

I would also say to be warey of all the Anti-anxieties and the anti-depresesants. i was on Prozac years ago when it just came out and since, they've come to recognize they've linked it to causing worse depression and suicide and there are no means to measure long term effects on the body/brain and its ability to naturally create and manage levels of dompamine and serotonin after going off of it.

Hi everyone,
I have not posted in awhile because I have been going through a really tough time. I have gotten worse. I been off about 7 weeks now. I am sorry and also embarrassed to say that I had to start an A/D called Lexapro. I was always into everything natural and never would do this before but the Yaz has just totally messed my brain up. I became so suiscidal and depressed where I could not even leave my house. I have 2 children who I could not even take care of. I tried everything natural for a couple of weeks with no success. It was basically death or try this medication. I had no choice. I have only been on it for a week a very low dose and still feel horrible. The sleep jerking is the only thing that got a little better. But now I read all your post and feel helpless that I could not do this on my own like all of you. I also was healthy and happy before this pill. Never had thoughts of anxiety or killing myself. I wake up in pure panick since taking the Yaz. Now the muscle weakness makes sence. I have been suffering with muscle aches and shakiness since the pill too. i just thought it was me. Nothing about me is the same anymore. I lost alot of weight but now my fingers are puffy and feet are puffy since going off the pill. Yasmin and yaz are such dangerous pills. I really feel it scrambled my brain. My doctor does believe the pill caused a chemical in balance in my brain with the serotonin and 2 other hormones, I can't remember the name. They control our stress levels, sleep levels and pain feelings. He really believe the pill altered these chemicals. My body forgot how to sleep. I feel like my brain is so scrambled. My thyroid became alittle hyperactive too from the pill. The body aches are sometimes so unbearable, my legs and feet are the worst. It makes you feel like there is something else wrong with you. I have pain in my head always, my vision is not the same. I just get so sad because I feel i will never get better and now I had to take this stupid A/D. I am so scared but what choice did I have? I really feel that we need to do something. Something needs to be done about this medicine. I am so angry that we are all suffering like this. IT's like they put somekind of chemical warfare in it or something. I am in touch with other woman from other websites that were on this pill and they are so sick too. We all want answers of what really happend to us after this pill. Sometimes its hard for me to get out of bed. Did other people feel like this? I feel like I have the flu. I have all these brain fogs all the time. The sleeping is the worst, it;s like my body really forgot how to sleep. I still get the muscle twithcing alot at night. Does anyone get muscle twitching? Please let me know.

Dear Sopie,

you just sound like me around the same time after getting off Yasmin... I exactly know what you're going through, believe me!!

And another thing you can believe me: IT WILL PASS!! I'm sitting here, about 1 year after Yasmin and can't believe myself, that I'm telling you this.... I never thought I'd be able to live a normal life again, because the symptoms I went through were that sever.... Sometimes I thought my life was about to end!! Today I'm able to work again, go out again (wasn't able to even leave my house for shopping or anything for about 4 months around December to April 2005!!). I'm nearly back to a healthy very happy person!! Not 100%, yet, but it's getting better every month!!

After all I went through and all I have read here in this forum it seems to be very normal, that for the first few months after Yasmin you'll feel worse around the time your period starts and sometimes around ovaluation. It's all because of the normal hormonal changes your body has to go through within a cycle. While you are taking a bcp these monthly hormonal changes aren't there in the same intensity as they are without a bcp, so your body has to learn to handle that sometimes very severe changes during a cycle again!!

Hormones are affecting your whole body and chemicals. So it seems, that the hormonal changing during a month is affecting your brain chemicals also (serotonin, and so on...) which can bring on that anxiety symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms while getting back your hormonal balance after stopping a bcp are pretty similar to symptoms some women have during menopause!!

Things that might help: Perhaps you should take some supplements. Magnesium and B-Vitamines seem to be the most helpful things, because they are affecting your nervous system and whole metabolism in a very important way, and bcp is causing a lack of both of them!! If your anxiety seems to be unbearable sometimes, another thing that might help is valerian. It's a mild herbal medicine, which helps you to calm down a bit without making you addicted to it!! Around a few months I always had those pills with me for "the worst case" of a heavy panic attack. And sometimes it already helped to prevent me from such an attack just knowing that I had those valerian medicine with me!

Hope this helps a bit, but please believe: You will not stay in this phase, everything will get lighter and better slightly every month, please stay strong and believe in better and happier times, that definitely are ahead for you!!!

Best wishes and god's bless to you!!

Silke

Does anybody know if Yasmin causes problems with serotonin?? Is its really related to depression and anxiety besides the blood cloats and everyhing you all mention??
Please Help!!!

Dear Time 2 chng,and of course everybody!!!

The IBS you are having ,it coused by serotonin problems...
Depression,anxiety,panic,is a serotonin problem...Yasmin couses depression,anxiety,and panic,disorders...So you have to understand ,it is from Yasmin...I'm off know 2 mounth,clear skin,less anxiety (i can go out!!!!),depression OK. Yesterday i was cleaning ,and i found a box of YASMIN...Now it is in the trash...

Good luck!

Ugh, I feel you on that. My doctor STILL won't admit that my depression and migraine headaches (that I had every day for two months) are caused by the pill.

I was put on Lexapro last weekend for my depression and I feel that it's helped me a lot.. my anxiety is gone, and I'm feeling a bit happier lately. I think that my problem was due to a chemical imbalance though.. it wasn't just hormonal. Birth control pills cause certain chemicals in your brain to be depleted, like serotonin, which will make you become depressed if you have low amounts of it.

I don't really like having to take YET ANOTHER pill.. I just want to be free and natural for pete's sakes. But I think I'll give the anti-depressant a few more weeks, just in case.

It's a damn shame how much birth control can ruin someone. We want it to give us confidence in our sex lives (along with getting rid of cramps and such) and it comes with so many side effects that end up damaging us in the end.

Has anyone ever suffered a loss of feelings after stopping Yasmin?

Like three weeks ago everything was so perfect... wonderful boyfriend of two years and relationship and just everything was going so great and then my boyfriend came to visit me during the Christmas week and at first everything was going perfect and then later on before he left (he lives in Ohio, I live in Illinois) I just didn't want to be 'intimate' with him or anything. I figured it was just the pill causing me to lose my libido but then I started to worry that maybe that wasn't the case and I was just losing feelings for him. I stopped taking the pill a few days later (there were other reasons; constant migraines and my contacts were almost unbearable to wear) but then I just started to become.... numb. I couldn't get out of bed or go to work and I didn't know how I felt about anything anymore. But yeah... I've read some articles about how birth control effects the chemical Serotonin in your brain and if you have a low level you can become emotionally numb. I just wanted to know if I was the only one... if it's really birth control, or if I'm just losing my friggin mind here.

It's horrible.. I'm supposed to be moving in with him in less than 4 months and I know I love him, he means the world to me. I just...can't feel it right now.

The pill is the devil.

Prometrium may have been what I was given about 20 years ago. The shot for my disc herniation was injected directly into my spine. First one - an anesthesiologist shot directly in the spine above the injury and let gravity do the rest - helped a bit, but wore off quick. Last two shots - The Dr. used an x-ray m/c and dye to guide the injected fluid right there where the herniated goo lays on the sciatic nerve. It usually takes 4-5 days for the full effect - no sciatic pain - to take hold. Took care of the pain wonderfully, just "little reminders" every now and then. Those I can handle. But when I had the kenalog for allergies years ago, it was in my butt cheek. I've never had an indent and have never heard of this before! Grumpy, quick-tempered and a bit weepy would be good words to describe some side effects. Extreme tension - little things set me off that normally don't matter at all. Screaming all day - I can definitely identify with that feeling after a shot. Not having that this time - I have prayed for that not to happen this time - As far as a waiver - yes. They never describe fully what the side effects are. When I was young and taking them for allergies - my doctor said there were no side effects. Well, I fell into depression a while after and began taking Zoloft. I eventually found an article in a magazine which confirmed that corticosteroids deplete serotonin in the brain - hence - I am still taking anti-d's......Just take it easy and try not to move wrong or overdo it after the shot - I think I got to excited at feeling good and may have reinjured it. I hope this is the last one.

While on Lupron: crying spells, severe back pain, anxiety, "spaciness", staring. It *did* help with the endo pain, however. Thing is, it's been 2 1/2 years since I've been off of it and I still get the crying jags/severe depression that last at least 20-30 minutes. When this happens I'm a different person...I've been told I even look different- my eyes in the mirror look like they've been through a war...I mumble things, repeat words. I'm totally aware of my surroundings throughout these "depression attacks". They come on so suddenly that they feel very "chemical", like my serotonin level is lowering rapidly. Sometimes I'll feel severely depressed, then fine, then my mood will dip down again..all within a period of minutes. I think Lupron may have affected my hormones. I never had these spells before Lupron. I'm working with a neurologist (I initially thought it was one of those temporal lobe emotional seizures, hence the visit to the neurologist) who thinks I may indeed have some kind of hormone disorder. He, like all the millions (it seems!) of doctors I've seen over the last 2 years for this is puzzled/fascinated by my symptoms. It's *not* the typical depression (I've had that.) I call it a "depression attack" 'cause it comes on quickly, just like the panic attacks I used to get. And the depressions can be suicidal, you get that sad. Really- this thing nearly took my life. I've been on a million anti-depressants for these attacks. Only Lexapro would help- if I took a second one as I was getting an attack. Unfortunately my body couldn't take the occasional extra Lexapro (I went into convulsions one day and into the ER). I'm nearly done getting off all the antidepressants (my idea, as they were not helping), and my brain is sharper than it's been in a long time. I feel really good most of the time! But I still get the attacks. If anyone has had similar symptoms, feel free to write! Take care. :o) ******

My husband was given Geodon with Prozac in June 2002 at a Denver hospital. Immediately, he felt horrible--like he was dying--couldn't eat or talk, was anxious, paranoid, and hallucinating. Before the Geodon, he was just depressed. After the Geodon, he felt suicidal and out of his mind. He paced for about eight weeks and had a burning sensation in his brain. His new pyschiatrist gave him lots of drugs to get over the effects of the Geodon. He still felt awful on all these drugs. We found out later he had serotonin toxicity from the Geodon and Prozac. Eventually, he went back to work part-time, but this was too much stress for him as he still felt awful. Then he had ECT. He is still on disability, but is just on Prozac. Geodon was a horrible experience for him and things just escalated. I do not know why it is handed out like candy. We can empathize with anyone who has had a similar reaction to this drug.