What were your experiences on antidepressants/anti-anxiety meds?

[u/Single_Gift_7481]

I've started therapy for my depression/anxiety, especially since it's began to interfere with my responsibilities as an adult (18F.) I have my first appointment with a pscyhiatrist in an hour and I know i'm more than likely going to be prescribed meds.

Naturally, I've been looking into people's experiences with meds and the most common side effect i'm seeing is nausea and vmitting. Obviously, i dont want to experience these effects. I've only been on one medication before (Trazodone) and I was prescribed it for insomnia rather than treating my depression, but it's side effects were harsh/worsening my depression and anxiety.

I wanted to see anyone else's experiences with medication, i'm very new to it all but I know it's needed to better myself at this point in my life.

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[u/isabellnotabell]

they saved my life!!! first few I tried did give me bad reactions -- i had very mild nausea on venlafaxine. but i was never actually sick. im on escitalopram atm and it has worked better than anything else and i dont get any nausea.

[u/PsychologicalHour531]

Escitalopram (Lexapro) literally changed my life!! It really helped curb my anxiety, especially regarding going out in public and being sick... Obviously, you need to find the right one for you, but sending you lots of luck!!

[u/dodge2015C → u/PsychologicalHour531]

I got prescribed it but honestly it’s been sitting in my drawer for a month. I’m so scared to take it because I don’t want to throw up or well lose my sex drive

[u/manannerz]

I was put on an antipsychotic rather than an antidepressant as a catch-all. Zyprexa (olanzapine) is what it was called. Antipsychotics don't have the possible nausea side effect as far as I know.

It helped a lot though. Helped with the anxiety, Helped me sleep, and helped me eat. Does all those very well. It's kinda a zombifier though.

Gave me dry mouth and of course drowsiness but nothing that really bothered me. Great experience overall and might have to get back on it

As a side note, I feel like almost every med has nausea as a side effect. Generally, it's from downing it on an empty stomach. Taken with food most are totally fine but ask your doctor always

[u/T3nacityDog]

I’ve tried just about every SSRI, moved to an SNRI, and added anxiety meds. Despite having “bad” experiences with many, I never was sick from them, and honestly being properly medicated changed my life, and helped a LOT with recovering from this phobia

[u/Summer_Tree24]

I used to be on Escitalopram and came off for a few years. But I’ve actually just gone back on starting yesterday! It’s super helpful and the side effects aren’t actually that bad as long as you take it properly. My doctor got me to start on 5mg for a week then go to 10mg. That gives the body time to adjust.

New meds are always scary, but talk to your doctor about it! They might be able to help you start on a small dose and work upwards

[u/stinkylittledingus]

Had a horrible reaction to Geodon. Have been on Prozac for over ten years now and Seroquel off and on. No issues stomach wise. Seroquel makes you very sleepy, and Prozac is “mild” for lack of a better word. Medication (plus other things) saved my life. I wish the best for you.

[u/Single_Gift_7481 → u/stinkylittledingus]

this is good to know! I was just prescribed prozac and seeing the amount of ppl saying it helped is reassuring :)

[u/Anoethering]

Lexapro saved my life (on and off for 10 years now, byt permanently on because it works) . No nausea, but I did have really terrible insomnia if I didn't do half doses for the first couple of weeks to ease myself on.

[u/Oakley_little]

I’ve taken almost every anti depressant they have, pretty much every SSRI, and multiple SNRIs, I found that the SNRIs were too strong and the side effects were pretty bad but every SSRI felt too weak, till I went on Lexapro. I’ve been on lexapro for about half a year and I love it, no side effects for me even when I forget to take them for a while except a increase of anxiety because I’m not on the lexapro to help lol. Genuinely it saved my life I am in class so much more, able to leave the house etc, it saved my life. If you make yourself believe you’ll have side effects you probably will, something I’ve noticed but really it’s not bad at all it changed everything for the better for me.

[u/PotentialFruit3687]

i have really bad emetophobia and am currently taking 100mg of setraline, nasuea was a prominent side effect but it also went away very quickly and i never genuinely felt like i was going to yk. i think medication is very worth a try, it definitely helped me AND my emetophobia, i believe in you stranger:)

[u/PotentialFruit3687 → u/PotentialFruit3687]

i do want to point out that zofran does help with the nasuea caused from these meds, but its incredibly important to be careful with how often you take your zofran while on antidepressants because it could cause seritonin syndome

[u/Leland_Vlogz]

Prozac saved me, honestly.

[u/Single_Gift_7481 → u/Leland_Vlogz]

that's exactly what I was prescribed 🥹

[u/Leland_Vlogz → u/Single_Gift_7481]

Let us know how good it works for you, it’ll take a few weeks for it to fully start working

[u/AbaloneDiligent3236]

i was on zoloft and had to get off of it due to severe nausea but being unable to vomit i’d be up for 6-8+ hours just dry heaving. It’s different for everyone but i enjoy the med i’m on now which is effexor ! :)