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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 12:24:03
I have been taking Lexapro 10mg daily, Trazodone 50mg, and Wellbutrin SR 100mg 1x/daily for about 4 weeks now (for depression and anxiety) and have been experiencing increased anxiety and my depression comes and goes. I have high moods (not super elated just pretty happy) then it slumps to low and it goes like this daily and sometimes throughout the day.
I can't see my PDoc for another couple weeks, and was wondering what I might do to cope, and what suggestions anyone may have one the meds? Do you think we should try to go up on the Trazodone or Wellbutrin? I think the Lexapro is at the highest dose.
I have klonopin to help w. the anxiety but I don't like taking it because I become dependent on it quickly and have to stop taking it.
Thanks... Happy new years..
Jason
Posted by merpmerp on December 30, 2010, at 12:33:17
In reply to Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 12:24:03
> I have high moods (not super elated just pretty happy) then it slumps to low and it goes like this daily and sometimes throughout the day.
I have this too and have not found a solution yet but would like to talk about it for mutual support. I'm only on Lexapro and I feel like maybe because of its shortish halflife (27-32 hours?) I can feel it build up and then decrease throughout the day. I'm thinking about asking for Prozac instead because of its long halflife. Do you think your ups and downs are related to the meds building up and then being metabolized throughout the day?
Posted by Phillipa on December 30, 2010, at 13:02:16
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs » displaced9, posted by merpmerp on December 30, 2010, at 12:33:17
Think that could be why I get tired when out easily? Also to poster lexapro is given at 20mg also so you still have room with that. Phillipa
Posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 14:09:16
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs » displaced9, posted by merpmerp on December 30, 2010, at 12:33:17
Hi, There's no real explanation to mine. Before I was on meds, I had these ups and downs and now I feel like I'm not even taking anything. I had anxiety before but I feel that it's worse now.. mostly just physical anxiety (muscle tension, headaches, etc.)
I'm usually fine when I first wake up, but then as the day progresses, my moods can go high and low. Some days it doesn't happen, but it happens more often than not.
I also have decreased energy and that "good" feeling of life.
I find myself having to turn to caffeine to get any energy.. and I never used to drink caffeine..
Posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 14:11:23
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by Phillipa on December 30, 2010, at 13:02:16
Maybe. I get tired pretty easily. I had my testosterone levels checked ( I am a male, 29yo) and it came back at around 390, which is "normal" but from what I read isn't normal for my age, but the Urologist and PCP won't treat it because it's in the "normal" range which is above 300. I think this may be a factor but who knows..
Posted by tensor on December 30, 2010, at 14:45:19
In reply to Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 12:24:03
> I have been taking Lexapro 10mg daily, Trazodone 50mg, and Wellbutrin SR 100mg 1x/daily for about 4 weeks now (for depression and anxiety) and have been experiencing increased anxiety and my depression comes and goes. I have high moods (not super elated just pretty happy) then it slumps to low and it goes like this daily and sometimes throughout the day.
>
> I can't see my PDoc for another couple weeks, and was wondering what I might do to cope, and what suggestions anyone may have one the meds? Do you think we should try to go up on the Trazodone or Wellbutrin? I think the Lexapro is at the highest dose.You are taking fairly low doses of trazodone and Wellbutrin. 10mg of Lexapro is a normal dose but far from maximum.
If you're anxious I would start with increasing Lexapro to 20mg/d and wait a couple of weeks. If you still have problems with depression then raise Wellbutrin dosage. Do you take trazodone for sleep?/Mattias
Posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 14:50:51
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs » displaced9, posted by tensor on December 30, 2010, at 14:45:19
Hi. Yes I take the trazodone for sleep. The dr said it may help with anxiety as well. I'll give him a call to see about adjusting the lexapro dosage.
Posted by roscopeeco on December 30, 2010, at 15:29:03
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 14:50:51
> Hi. Yes I take the trazodone for sleep. The dr said it may help with anxiety as well. I'll give him a call to see about adjusting the lexapro dosage.
Increasing trazadone won't do much if anything for the depression. It is primarly used for sleep these days. I take 200 of traz right now with no affect on my mood. I am only taking it while I get adjusted to parnate. In fact I am switching to something else, possibly ambienCR because the trazadone doesn't do much for keeping me asleep through the night.
You shouldn't be cycling with Lexapro like that. I don't think it is because of the relatively short half-life. It could be the lexapro is just not as effective for you. To me prozac seems to be the best bet for SSRI therapy. As phillipa told you the half life for prozac is much longer and you could test that out to see if you still cycle throughout the day.
Posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 15:33:58
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by roscopeeco on December 30, 2010, at 15:29:03
For me, Prozac had sexual side effects (impotency)
Posted by herpills on December 30, 2010, at 15:54:03
In reply to Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 12:24:03
Have you thought about adding Lamictal? It could help with your depression while also minimizing the ups and downs. If you increased the Lexapro to 20mg, it might just make you cycle more, and you would have more side effects. herpills
Posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 15:58:39
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by herpills on December 30, 2010, at 15:54:03
Tried lamictal in the past but in addition to depakote when they thought I was. Bipolar.
Worth a shot. I'm desperate !
Is there anything I can take OTC to get me thru til I can see the doc ?
Posted by merpmerp on December 30, 2010, at 19:02:10
In reply to Re: Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 15:58:39
> Is there anything I can take OTC to get me thru til I can see the doc ?
I take fish oil and multivitamin every day with my meds. If I feel really bad I take two fish oil pills. Placebo? Maybe, but either way I think it helps. Other things I've heard that might help include lavender or valerian root (check to be sure it's okay with your meds, I have no personal experience with these things). St. John's Wort is a no no because you're on the Lexapro, so keep that in mind. Sometimes zinc or magnesium, specifically, are supposed to help. Vitamin B's are supposed to be good but when I tried to take more of them I got flushes so had to stop.
If you have trouble sleeping because of anxiety, maybe a Benadryl?
Exercise always helps me too, but the effect is mild.
Posted by Maxime on December 30, 2010, at 22:12:23
In reply to Up and down moods on 3 diff ADs, posted by displaced9 on December 30, 2010, at 12:24:03
I think you might be having a reaction to the Lexapro. It is possible that you have a mild form for Bipolar Disorder (type 2?) because SSRIs do exactly as you describe.
Trazadone is useless as an anti-depressant but it does help people with sleep.
I hope you can hold on until you see your pdoc.
This is the end of the thread.
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