I am so frusterated and tired of trying!

I have looked at many things already but I am still working with my doctor on it. The thing is none of this started until after I got off my antidepressant that I was on for 11 years. It worked well but I had side effects the whole time. Over the years new side effects would come up to the point where I had to get off the medicine this year. Since then I've been dealing with this... Around 8 months now.

Somebody mentioned Lyme Disease but I think it would be very coincidental if that were the case since this all started after stopping my antidepressant.

I have seen that video and already have a call in to see a functional medicine doctor. I am hoping they can help. Although even supplements give me side effects. So I hope I can make dietary changes that will help since I have little choice in the way of medicine right now.

One possibility is protracted Celexa withdrawal since you were on it for 11 years.

Celexa (Citalopram) Withdrawal Symptoms: How Long Will They Last?

If you don't mind my asking what do you think the core causes of the depression/anxiety are? Like when you first went on the Celexa? Why did you go on it and what do you think the core causes are of why you went on it in the first place? What does your gut say?

I like to think that is what is going on. If it's just withdrawal I might just be ok. But it's been a long withdrawal if that's the case... But then again I was on Celexa a long time so maybe... But all my doctors seem to hold on to the idea that withdrawal lasts a few weeks not several months.

With all the atypical symptoms I'm more inclined to believe the withdrawal theory but who knows? I just know it's getting worse, not better.

It has been six months which is a long time but 11 years is a long time. Doctors don't give much credence to it and dismiss it. The xanax should help with that but you are so ultra sensitive to meds I dunno. Or maybe try the valium for a temporary thing. I think you said you had some. It has a long half life. I can't imagine a few very small doses of xanax would cause any withdrawal. it does leave your system fast so there is a change. I wouldn't call it a come down but it wears off.

Maybe that's a better way to explain it... Wearing off but the headaches and mood swings after is new. I also find it hard to breathe when on xanax, like anxiety but only the breathing piece along with a cough and constant need to clear my throat. LOL I am at least getting a good laugh at how much of a mess I am right now. That's something.

I appreciate all the replies and suggestions!

Hi ChangingMyMind. I had a severe depression that started in July 2013, about the same time as when I had a complicated gallbladder surgery. Prior to surgery, I was on Prozac and stopped it cold turkey. That was probably a mistake. After that I went thru 4 or 5 antidepressants that either had horrible side effects or they just didn't work. I was on celexa for a while and it didn't help me. I may as well have taken a sugar pill. I saw a psychiatrist and a therapist, very temporarily. My terrible health insurance had very limited mental health coverage and I found I could not afford $500,00 a month to see a psychiatrist and therapist. My primary care doc took over prescribing my depression meds.

I have a book on CBT but I have not done much with it, having an extremely busy work schedule. I read some of it and felt like I was going back to school. During this time I also began to suffer severe migraines. I had recently started Wellbutrin and to make a long story short, they prescribed amitriptyline for my migraines. The amitriptyline helped my migraines and it seems to be the first thing helping my depression. Amitriptyline is an old tricylic med.

I wish you the best. Depression is a mean beast. I wonder if you could get help from your insurance commissioner for the problems with the insurance. I wish you the best.

How are the side effects on Amitriptyline?

My issue is severe side effects. SSRIs and SNRIs both take away the depression and anxiety. The problem it's they cause intolerable side effects and lots of them. I don't mean common stuff like weight gain or sexual dysfunction (although I get those too)... That would be a walk in the park. It's stuff like TMJ, vertigo, extreme hyper somnia, low blood pressure, weakness, acne, itching, hives, rash, GI issues... Just to name a few.

If the TCAs are possibly better in their side effects for me it would be worth it.

ChangingMyMind!

I'm really concerned that you're getting yourself into worse and worse problems by trying these drugs. Usually the drugs that are less often used are that way because they have more and/or more dangerous side effects. If I were you, I'd be trying hard to get off all of these drugs and trying hard with every non-drug way to help your depression.

- v

Yes that is my current take on it as well. I have tried so many drugs and have bad reactions so I am more cautious when it comes to meds now. That is why I tell the doc no when she mentions TCAs, MAOIs, or any antipsychotics because the side effect profiles are worse than what I'm experiencing now. So the plan at the moment is to continue mindfulness, snap club, therapy, yoga, light exercise and wait to try TMS again since it helped a little before. I also plan to see a functional medicine doctor to see if they have any suggestions. I am going to add in light therapy (gonna buy the light for the house) and change my diet. Although I'm going to wait to talk to the functional medicine doc and/or a nutritionist about my diet and what she recommends.

To add on with the CBT post... I would recommend Centre for Clinical Interventions (CCI) - Psychotherapy, Research, Training

I used this in therapy and while it did not work for me, I learnt some things that I use occasionally. However, this is good as it goes through module by module and gives really in depth details on what you might feel and what you should do.

My pdoc also recommended moodgym: https://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome but I did not try it.

hoping you find something soon!

What is Snap Club?

This is vitals area of expertise. He explains it in this thread.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/depre...n-escaped.html

I don't know where it came from. If I google it I can't find anything on it.