SSRI's and Wellbutrin don't seem to help.

Hi all, am hoping you can help. My best buddy is going through hell on earth trying to find an antidepressant that works for her. The SSRI's side effects ranged from "really not feeling so good" to spasms, voilent shaking (daren't hold a cup of coffe) and an inability to compile a sentence. She has been on Cipramil, Cipralex, Cymbalta, Prozac, Aropax. Doc moved her to Wellbutrin, which worked like a bomb for 2 weeks, then she started getting a little tearful, weeks later she was in a worse emotional state than I had ever seen her. Decided to wean herself off the stuff, and a half dose seemed to be the answer, now the emotional turmoil is starting again.

Can anybody offer some support, or has anybody been through the same thing and have a positive story to tell. She needs to be medicated, but honestly, the last couple have months have been more of a negative than a positive.

sometimes it takes several weeks for an SSRI to work effective
thats what my psychiatrist said....also many regular doctors tend
to prescribe in very low doses....I went to a psych to get meds for anxiety and he doubled the doses for my SSRI and Wellbutrin

stoping the meds is not the answer in my opinion....she needs to get back to the doctor, explain her symptoms, and try some other
combination...its trial and error.....took me almost 3 years to find a
comfortable cocktail that keeps me balanced

hope this helps

Am with you 100%, She needs to keep on them. Just some of the side-effects are making her sooo disfuntional. Doc is doing his best, she sees him regularly. There just doesn't seem to be any light at the end of the tunnel.

It took you 3 years to find something that worked... wow... gold star for sticking it out so long. Are you taking SSRI's and WEllbutrin together?

Thanks for you imput, appreciate it.

yes I take Celexa and Wellbutrin together, because they work on different chemicals in the brain

Wellbutrin started really helping after I scaled up to 300mg (the XL version, not the SR version) and took it for a couple of months. I have been at 150 mg and it just made me anxious because I had to take it three times per day! Wellbutrin is good in the once a day XL version and gave me less insomnia

We don't get the XL version here. Its SR all the way.

Do you think she should chat to the doc about increasing the dose.. wow.. we thought we had stumbled on the answer with the reduced verison.

Thanks for your comments

It's really important not to reduce your dosage or stop taking anti-depressants without consulting your doctor first.

I know doctors say that for all medication but it is especially true for anti-depressants and anti-psychotics.

It can take a few weeks for depression medication to work as I'm sure you both know by now. The reality of depression is that some days are worse than others. Certain people do get markedly worse in those few weeks waiting for the medication to kick-in.

She should call her doctor to ask about this latest change in mood and about the decrease in Wellbutrin (If the doctor didn't know about it).

Markedly worse... seriously... Hell!

Did this happen when you stared taking, if so how did you manage?

You really buzzed me with that comment.