Side effects decreasing life enjoyment

What do you do if a med you're taking gives you bad side effects? Some wouldn't be tolerable at all, but what about ones you could maybe tolerate, but really bug you?

My latest combination gives me lots of shakiness, some stuttering, dry mouth and constipation. And they're not even working very well... but I've run out of time to try any more adjustments, with school about to start. I feel like what's the point? I take the meds to feel better, don't feel much better, and get more problems to deal with. I'm so sick of everything!

To be blunt (big surprise to those who know me...not!), I'll tolerate those initial queazies, and tremors, etc. BUT, if my doc puts me on anything which makes orgasms go away.....I ain't taking it. Effexor made them go from fireworks to sparkles , but it was VERY effective in alleviating depression so I tolerated it for a while. But, I'm off that and on Lexapro now. I'm back to fireworks!

emmy

I refuse to tolerate any side effects now. I started initially tolerating them, but when they became bad & the meds weren't making me feel any better why take something that is causing a problem without any benefit?

I never had even a headache before taking antidepressants....I started getting migraines & the more different AD's I tried, the worse the migraines got....to the point they wouldn't go away even after stopping the AD's. Now that they are under control, The pdoc for the medical hospital I was in this year got together with my pdoc & had me try an AD again at the beginning of this year & could feel the migrains coming back....NO WAY. I don't know if it is exactly decreasing life enjoyment, but it decreases my ability to just plain function....with or without enjoyment.

Debbie

I agree wholeheartedly with what you say.
Susan

I don't believe I've ever tried Lexapro. Does it cause weight gain?

Susan Brittlstar@aol.com

"Life enjoyment" isn't what I meant... I couldn't think of the right word... "liveability," "functioning," "tolerability," something like that...

I think that Lexapro does cause weight gain.....it was the one that the hospitals pdoc wanted me to try when I was dealing with major weight loss & malnutrition at the beginning of this year. Unfortunately, the migraine side effect became obvious within the first 24 hrs & since I am taking meds for the migraines & they have been under control, I refused to take any more of the Lexapro.

Debbie

I think I am able to tolerate some side effects if they are not really severe to my physical health. I have been on some that aggrivate my neurological condition casuing increased pain.

It is difficult for me to know which med is causing a side effect and which ones have effected me pemenantly over the years. The largest no pun intended side effect from dozens of meds over the last decade is the weight gain. I am double my body weight from beginning meds 10 years ago only have hypothyroid which does add to the weight problem.

Being on 21 prescriptions for both mental and physical I get confused what is giving me what side effects. Dry Mouth is a problem for me, I honestly do not think my saliva glands produce saliva anymore as if I dont always have a beverage handy my mouth gets so dry my lips stick to my teeth and I slurr my words it is one of alot of the meds side effects.

Sorry so long am a bit manic tonight.
kris

That's one of the major side effects for me as well... Dry mouth. Also, A LOT of SSRI's gave me adverse effects and made me way worse than I was in the beginning, so now my doctor has me on "mood stabalizers" that aren't SSRI's (I don't think)... Lithium, Seroquel, Abilify, Provigil, and Focalin. This combination has been the best so far and the only known side effect I have noticed is the dry mouth. Especially after I take my Seroquel. It gets irriating to deal with, but it's worth it to stay mentality healthy.

I found the sluring my words came from a lack of potassium which was a side effect of an albutoral treatment for asthma. It also happens when I am dehydrated....which is when my lips stick to my teeth also plus many other problems. The narcotics I am on for my migraines also help towards dehydration besides being out in the 105 + weather every day. I had found some antidepressants gave me the dry mouth way before I had the problems I have now with dehydration. Who knows, Bama, it may be that the seroquel is also adding to that too. There are so many variables, it is hard to tell what is causing what after a while.....just like the migraines...never had a headache before AD's, then when I went off, the migraines never went away....who knows what the causes are....sometimes I think that there is a permanent chemical imbalance in the brain that just doesn't go away once it is there just because we stop a med......very scarry not to know what is really going on in ones body....only can treate what is happening at the time.....

That is why I find it necessary to end up in the ER with the dehydration when I am passing out......it usually helps a little....if they can get the IV in.

Debbie

I'm on quite the mixture now... Cymbalta 120, Prozac 40, Lithium 900, Zyprexa 17.5, and Seroquel 100 for sleep. And no, despite the anti-psychotics, I'm not psychotic, ever. But the only thing that seems to be working is the sleeper. I guess the others are helping some since my thoughts are firing... but it sure doesn't feel like it. All I'm noticing is the shakiness, stuttering, dry mouth, constipation... *sigh*

Hope those side effects subdue soon, Taonuviel. It's never nice feeling sick from medications that should make you feel better.

I have a huge issue with meds and their effects. It is a battle. Someday I will write a dissertation.