Cipralex...beginning of the end for me?

[GnR]

So I'm about seven weeks in, 10mgs a day. All of the side effects went away after about two weeks, other than a mildly reduced libido. It was providing me decent AD and anti-anxiety effects, not a miracle, but it was helping. Now here comes the problem: the past four or five days, I've been a freaking zombie. I'm lethargic to the point that I'm struggling to stay awake and write this. All I want to do is sleep, and it's been a battle to get through work. Is this going to go away? Anyone have any experience similar to this? I think it's weird because the sides were so mild up untill now, but if this doesn't subside I have to get off this ASAP, I drive truck for a living and get up very early and work long hours. Any input is welcome, thanks.

[ecotec83]

Dont know if this is an option for you or not but i was prescribed wellbutrin but could not take it for various reasons. It did provide a lot of energy for me during the day and i honestly wish i could still use it. It comes as a generic so it's a bit cheaper than brand name meds. I do have some problem waking up in the morning since taking cipralex but staying awake during the day does not seem to be an issue, just falling asleep at night and waking up in the morning. Wellburtin is mixed with ssri's frequently to increase or correct sexual problems, boost the effectiveness of other medications and it seems to boost energy as well.

[jim_morrison]

Originally Posted by GnR

So I'm about seven weeks in, 10mgs a day. All of the side effects went away after about two weeks, other than a mildly reduced libido. It was providing me decent AD and anti-anxiety effects, not a miracle, but it was helping. Now here comes the problem: the past four or five days, I've been a freaking zombie. I'm lethargic to the point that I'm struggling to stay awake and write this. All I want to do is sleep, and it's been a battle to get through work. Is this going to go away? Anyone have any experience similar to this? I think it's weird because the sides were so mild up untill now, but if this doesn't subside I have to get off this ASAP, I drive truck for a living and get up very early and work long hours. Any input is welcome, thanks.

Has it ever caused you any insomnia? (which is listed as a possible side effect of it) it may be reducing your sleep quality at night and therefore giving you daytime fatigue. Other than that it just may be giving you the general apathy/somnolence that SSRI's are known for *shrugs*.

[GnR]

Originally Posted by jim_morrison

Has it ever caused you any insomnia? (which is listed as a possible side effect of it) it may be reducing your sleep quality at night and therefore giving you daytime fatigue. Other than that it just may be giving you the general apathy/somnolence that SSRI's are known for *shrugs*.

No insomnia, I'm sleeping like a rock. I've always slept well, but ya this is really killin me. I know about wellbutrin and have in fact already talked to my doctor about it, so I could get it pretty quickly (sometime after christmas). I guess I'm just discouraged about the idea of adding in another med because the first one is useless, or in this case, worse than useless. I doubt SSRI's are going to work for me, but I'm willing to give the ssri+wellbutrin combo one shot at least.

[saillias]

I seem to remember you starting it around the same time as me. So far, I've had no effects. No side effects, and no positive ones. I may as well be taking a sugar pill. At least that would make me hyper.

[GnR]

Have you gone to 20mgs yet?

[meyaj]

Since it has some beneficial effects for you, adding Wellbutrin seems to be the clear choice. It will give you energy and should even fix the libido.

[crayzyMed]

Originally Posted by meyaj

Since it has some beneficial effects for you, adding Wellbutrin seems to be the clear choice. It will give you energy and should even fix the libido.

+1
Modafinil may work too.

[meyaj]

Originally Posted by crayzyMed

+1
Modafinil may work too.

I preferred the stimulation from Wellbutrin, to be honest, and the extra antidepressant effects definitely won't hurt.

I tried modafinil a week ago for sleepiness resulting from the Nardil. I fell asleep two hours after taking 200mg of the stuff! Didn't notice any effect from it whatsoever. The Dex I'm on right now handles it a lot better.

I've tried a bunch of antidepressants, of all sorts of varieties, and Wellbutrin was pretty much the only one to help me a bit, giving me increased energy and motivation. When I first saw my pdoc, she took me off the stuff, because I've got GAD and she assumed it was making it worse, which it wasn't. IMO it's a pretty amazing drug. the only other non-benzo/stimulant to have had ANY positive effect for me was the tricyclic.

[GnR]

I will definatly hold out long enough to try it with wellbutrin. Do you guys know the ratio of its effects on nor vs dopamine ?

[jim_morrison]

Originally Posted by GnR

I will definatly hold out long enough to try it with wellbutrin. Do you guys know the ratio of its effects on nor vs dopamine ?

I think when it's metabolites are taken into account it's about roughly 3 times more potent as a noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor than as a dopamine reuptake inhibitor.

[GnR]

Thanks JM.