[ouch]

I have been on Lexapro and effexor - neither seem to be helping. I am extremely depressed. What kind of anti-dep have any of you had success with (without the horrible side effects)?

[ickydog2006]

Wellbutrin worked well for me... Lexapro sent my mood to happy for around 3 hours and then dropped me back to severe depression and prozac had made me sick.

That's just my experience with those ones and everyone seems to be different.

Hope your doctor finds something that is right for you.

[JonB]

Well, it's not an antidepressant, but back when I was on Lexapro and didn't think it was working so good, my doc put me on Risperdal to boost the effects of the Lexapro. It really made a big difference for me. When I would go a day or two without taking the Risperdal I could tell a noticeable difference. Always felt better on it. Of course, it made me extremely restless and I had to take Cogentin to get rid of that horrible restless, must move constantly feeling. As long as I took the Cogentin, the Risperdal didn't bother me.

That combination worked better for me than anything else at that time. Don't know if that's a typical combination, but it worked for me. Weight gain can be an issue with Risperdal for some. I didn't gain any weight on it, but I also wasn't able to lose the weight I had gained on other meds while I was taking it. Another thing I liked about the Risperdal was that it worked fast. I felt better almost immediately.

I think it's a real pain in the neck that psych meds take so long to make you feel better. Nothing better for raising your spirits than having someone say "here try this and you might feel better in a month or so."

Don't hesitate to go inpatient if you're feeling really really bad. Docs are usually willing to try more and faster if they can keep an eye on you while you're doing it. Also, they handle the side effects right away when they've got you under the microscope.

Remember, too, that some side effects go away after a couple of weeks of adjustment (then again, some don't). Hope you find something that works for you.

How long have you been taking them for?

Some medications take around one month before they hit maximal theraputic dose. If they don't seem to be working sometimes raising the dosage helps. Unfortunately... It can take a while to find the right med combo and dosage for you.

[Sarah116]

Talk to your doctor and try some websites. I would post some but that would be against the rules. I hope you feel better!