Hi. the most effective antidepresants --for me-- were Wellbutrin and Tofranil. I don't know why doctors always go to the Elavil when a tricyclic is indicated...Tofranil is rough, but I don't think its as densely sedating as Elavil, and I was instructed to take the whole dose at night, which made dosing easier.

zoloft made me both apathetic and angry, so its kind of a no-go --for me--. celexa at a reasonable dose was a better choice when I was all sortsa agitated and such, but after about 6 months...I was too apathetic to make it a permanent part of my life. :-(

one thing...tricyclics are lethal in overdose, have a number of serious drug-drug interactions, and (according to a former psych) can have negative effects on the heart if taken at a full dose, long term. The newer drugs are far less toxic, even in overdose, but...they carry their own adverse effect profiles, too.

sorry about this. do you have good insurance? some people report wonderful experiences with Provigil or Nuvigil. They're both very $$$ without coverage, and many plans are -not- big on covering them for psych indications, but I thought I'd mention it. Less addictive, less euphoric than the tradtional stimulants. I think one can actually get refills, if the prescriber is OK with that.

sorry you're suffering. some people do well on an ssri+wellbutrin...I seem to recall reading that Lexapro+Wellbutrin is a somewhat popular combination.

hope things get better for you. :-)