SSRI's OR Effexor ?

I have been off and on many different a/d's over the past years. I am having problems with side effects. The main things that worry me (things I can't accept) are : weight gain, loss of libido and feeling tired. I've just stopped taking Trazodone as I feel shattered all the time. I did take Effexor (venlafaxine) about ten years ago, I can't actually remember how it was then as I was in pretty bad shape at the time. What I want now is something to stop me feeling so low and lethargic, but I'd rather keep it low dosage and short term. The brain zaps etc. as a side effect and w/d symptom are scaring me somewhat. I took Paroxetine and this happened, it was horrible !
Would I be better on SSRI's. ? if so, which one ? and are there any which don't switch libido off ?

Unfortunately decreased libido is a common side effect with anti-depressants including SSRIs. It's difficult to know which one would work best for you since everyone responds to medications differently. I personally take Prozac 40mg daily and Effexor XR 150mg daily. I have previously taken Paxil but this medication was not affective for me. Here's a list of SSRIs for your reference and I've linked some to their web site for you.

Celexa
Lexapro
Prozac
Luvox
Serzone
Paxil
Zoloft

These two are not technically SSRIs but rather SNRIs (serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor).

Effexor
Cymbalta

Thanks for the links ! much appreciated.

I've actually been given citalopram (given the choice between that and Prozac (fluoxetine). I have had it before so have asked for a low dose to minimise side effects.

Libido problems can usually be fixed with a little wellbutrin. I usually use wellbutrin SR 100 mg.

I was on Celexa (citalopram) for 18 months. It helped a lot with my anxiety and didn't have a negative effect on my libido. I did gain 30 lbs. while I was on it, though. I also felt very lethargic, but everything seems to make me feel lethargic. I lost the weight after I stopped taking it.

I'm on Cipralex/Lexapro now and have been losing weight since I started taking it. I'm still lethargic, but it's not as bad as it was when I was on Celexa.

I hope Celexa works well for you. When I was on it, my doc combined it with a small dose of Wellbutrin to try to minimize the lethargy. It seemed to help a bit. Oddly enough, Wellbutrin did horrid things to me on its own, but it was okay with Celexa.

J, That is weird indeed as lexapro and celexa are the same thing really. Are their any other things that could have accounted for the differences?

My doc told me that Lexapro is effective at a lower dose than Celexa. I used to take 20mg Celexa and now I take 10 mg Lexapro. She gave me a long explanation of the subtle difference between the two. I just did a Google search and found sort of what she told me:

"Depression research has shown that the S enantiomer of citalopram is much more active as an antidepressant than the R enantiomer, which is why Lexapro (just the S enantiomer) was developed."

I find Lexapro to be much more effective on my anxiety. I haven't had a panic attack since I have been on it. I still had panic attacks when I took Celexa. I take a lot less Clonazepam now than I did when I was on Celexa. That might be because I'm getting better too. I can't compare their efficacy on depression because I wasn't depressed before or during the time I was on Celexa. I started taking Lexapro after being off Celexa for almost a year because I was going through a bad bout of depression.

I have no idea why I'm losing weight on Lexapro while I gained so much on Celexa -- other than the fact that I was SO lethargic on Celexa. It didn't increase my appetite; I just had no energy at all. The weight basically fell off -- 30 lbs. in 3 months -- after I stopped taking Celexa.

I'm on Effexor, works really well for me. Side effects first up but now pretty much nothing. On 150mg, and only get a bit sleepy and over sleep occasionally

Ya celexa is what is called a racemic mix of both isomers, and lexapro is just the single isomer. The only chemical difference is a more potent chemical was created, thus requiring less mgs; so 20 of celexa is about equal to 10 of lexapro. They are identical is how they interact with serotonin receptors with the exceptin of relative binding affinity.

Yes, Lexapro was tooted as the new and improved Celexa because of the one isomer.....therefore, far less side effects. I've also heard that Cymbalta is the new and improved Effexor. I don't know if that is true as we don't have Cymbalta yet in Canada.

Discoveries being made all the time. But I don't think we'll ever have one drug fits all!

God bless,
Sandy

I agree that wellbutrin helps counter the libido side effects of effexor, but you may still have other sexual side effects; i.e., difficulty achieving orgasm.