Denita,
Please take this with a grain of salt, it comes from my own experience and may not be the same for you. Right before I started herbs, I was going crazy! Not depressed but anxious and on the verge of losing it. Taking my first herbs was like getting my first drink of water after crossing a desert. And it wasn't just a brief high from taking them for the first time. The calming effect they have on me continues to this day. Granted, I was getting a lot of "therapy" from this site and I had some major religious paradigm shifts, but the underlying trigger, I think, was the chemical balance provided by the herbs and later pharma E and AA (both of which I get without a prescription BTW but JUST scheduled an appointment to make it official). I'm not suggesting anything as an ALTERNATIVE to antidepressants but you might get some wind in your sails by addressing your gender health in case a deficiency of E or overload of T is contributing to your depression.

If it's anti-depressants you're taking, is this the first time? I've been taking anti-depressants for a few years. Let me know if you have any questions or just need someone to listen.

Yes anti-depressants. Sertraline. It is my first time. It seems to be affecting my focus, but I think I've picked up a thick head cold/flu at the moment. So I don't know if it's helping yet.

Thank you Flamesabers.


Denita

What a coincidence! Sertraline is what I'm taking it now. My dosage is currently 150 mg.

I first started taking Sertraline in July of 2011. It definitely made a big difference for me. It really got me out of the lethargic/apathetic mindset I was trapped in. Oddly enough, I started NBE and later pm while I was taking Sertraline. The one problem I had with the med was the excessive drowsiness, especially at the maximum dose of 200 mg. After about 15 months, I decided to switch to a different med to see how that would work out. Prozac did nothing for me, and Remeron was the worst. The latter heighten my appetite and made me very anxious. It got to the point I decided to go cold turkey with meds altogether. At around that same time (May 2013), I upped my pm dosage to 4,000 mg for three days of every week.

Less than three months later, my mood and mind had fallen to the point I conceded that it would be best to go back on a anti-depressant. I chose Sertraline due to my previous positive experience with it. I also chose to taper down my pm dosage. I have been taking Sertraline and a more moderate dose of pm ever since.

Other meds I've used are Celexa, Effexor, Wellbutrin and Buspar.

Denita,
Please take this with a grain of salt, it comes from my own experience and may not be the same for you. Right before I started herbs, I was going crazy! Not depressed but anxious and on the verge of losing it. Taking my first herbs was like getting my first drink of water after crossing a desert. And it wasn't just a brief high from taking them for the first time. The calming effect they have on me continues to this day. Granted, I was getting a lot of "therapy" from this site and I had some major religious paradigm shifts, but the underlying trigger, I think, was the chemical balance provided by the herbs and later pharma E and AA (both of which I get without a prescription BTW but JUST scheduled an appointment to make it official). I'm not suggesting anything as an ALTERNATIVE to antidepressants but you might get some wind in your sails by addressing your gender health in case a deficiency of E or overload of T is contributing to your depression.

Kari,
Not at all. I value your experience and opinion. You make a good point about the calming affect of herb that has been confirmed many times by other members of this site.

The anti-depressants hopefully will get my other issues back on track and I am still aiming to get PM soon.


Denita

What a coincidence! Sertraline is what I'm taking it now. My dosage is currently 150 mg.

I first started taking Sertraline in July of 2011. It definitely made a big difference for me. It really got me out of the lethargic/apathetic mindset I was trapped in. Oddly enough, I started NBE and later pm while I was taking Sertraline. The one problem I had with the med was the excessive drowsiness, especially at the maximum dose of 200 mg. After about 15 months, I decided to switch to a different med to see how that would work out. Prozac did nothing for me, and Remeron was the worst. The latter heighten my appetite and made me very anxious. It got to the point I decided to go cold turkey with meds altogether. At around that same time (May 2013), I upped my pm dosage to 4,000 mg for three days of every week.

Less than three months later, my mood and mind had fallen to the point I conceded that it would be best to go back on a anti-depressant. I chose Sertraline due to my previous positive experience with it. I also chose to taper down my pm dosage. I have been taking Sertraline and a more moderate dose of pm ever since.

Other meds I've used are Celexa, Effexor, Wellbutrin and Buspar.

I know Sertraline takes time to build up in the system and for your body to get used to it, but so far so good. Not sure if the symptoms I am getting are from Sertraline or a cold. Concentration and drowsiness. It's been a week so far.

It's good to know that there is no issue taking Sertraline and pm.


Denita

I know Sertraline takes time to build up in the system and for your body to get used to it, but so far so good. Not sure if the symptoms I am getting are from Sertraline or a cold. Concentration and drowsiness. It's been a week so far.

It's good to know that there is no issue taking Sertraline and pm.

What dosage are you at? Another side-effect I temporary experienced when I first started taking sertraline was diarrhea. It's very likely I think that the sertraline is contributing to your drowsiness.

Denita, SSRI's increase prolactin levels, not that it should cause an issue, just something to keep in mind when you start on E.

Good luck.

I know Sertraline takes time to build up in the system and for your body to get used to it, but so far so good. Not sure if the symptoms I am getting are from Sertraline or a cold. Concentration and drowsiness. It's been a week so far.

It's good to know that there is no issue taking Sertraline and pm.

What dosage are you at? Another side-effect I temporary experienced when I first started taking sertraline was diarrhea. It's very likely I think that the sertraline is contributing to your drowsiness.

I'm only on 50mg/day at the moment, doctor will up dose if needed, but I do tend to be sensitive to drugs.

I had terribly painful muscle spasms in my back some years ago. It felt how you would imagine being stabbed 5 or 6 times was like. Every 2 or 3 minutes. The doctor gave me Diazepam. I spent the following 2 weeks in a drug induced haze. Totally out of it. lol

I also had a reaction to a pre-op when I had surgery. It was wonderful. They had to postpone for an hour to give me some time to come down. It was meant to sedate me but I was floating around Mars laughing my ass off. I hugged many nurses and a security guard who returned me to the ward when I escaped to buy flowers.


Denita

I'm only on 50mg/day at the moment, doctor will up dose if needed, but I do tend to be sensitive to drugs.

I think 50 mg/day was my starting dose as well. Hopefully that's all you'll need to make your depression more manageable. Even at that low dosage (for me) some positive changes started to emerge for me, such as being more sociable, making to-do lists and feeling like I have a purpose in life again.

I think 50 mg/day was my starting dose as well. Hopefully that's all you'll need to make your depression more manageable. Even at that low dosage (for me) some positive changes started to emerge for me, such as being more sociable, making to-do lists and feeling like I have a purpose in life again.

Yes it's starting dose. I admit though. I'm feeling better.
Side effects have lessoned. I was taking pill at start of meal. Swapped to end of meal and side effects gone.

One huge thing though. My GD has increased massively.


Denita

I think 50 mg/day was my starting dose as well. Hopefully that's all you'll need to make your depression more manageable. Even at that low dosage (for me) some positive changes started to emerge for me, such as being more sociable, making to-do lists and feeling like I have a purpose in life again.

One huge thing though. My GD has increased massively.


Denita

that's not good.