# Most effective SSRI?



## dax (Nov 19, 2004)

I took Lexapro in the past and I didn't think it really helped with my anxiety (did help my depression a bit) but both my anxiety and depression have got a lot worse lately so I was thinking about trying out SSRIs again. I liked Lexapro because it was easier to get off of than other SSRIs and you could skip a day or two and not get the "brain shocks" you would get within 24 hours if you skipped paxil.

So What has been the most effective SSRI for your anxiety and/or depression?


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## jblazer (Mar 12, 2009)

It's different for everyone, that's why there's several.


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## chris87 (Jul 13, 2008)

Lexapro has been a sugar pill for me. I'm in the process of tapering off.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

dax said:


> So What has been the most effective SSRI for your anxiety and/or depression?


1. Paxil failed me.
2. Prozac failed me.
3. Lexapro failed me.
4. Zoloft failed me.
5. Celexa I never tried, but one can reasonably assume it wouldn't work for me since Lexapro which failed me is the active isomer of Celexa.
6. Luvox -- never tired it.

And that's all the SSRIs currently on the market.

I'm not aware of any evidence showing that one SSRI works better than any other on average for the general population -- though some people certainly will find that certain ones work better than others.


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## stealyourface722 (Aug 31, 2008)

maybe try luvox its great ultra shy, i talked like crazy. It seems to be for ocd, so I had no preference about anything. it was great but i had to get off of it... meh 
what do you mean by 'failed you'? side effects, more anxiety? jw


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## Keith (Aug 30, 2008)

Zoloft and celexa did nothting for me, but prozac has helped me in the past for my depression.


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## Dothan (Feb 8, 2009)

it is improtant that SSRI are taken at least 6 weeks at normal doses, threapeutic effect below in SA is useless. 
next the effects are very subtle and not always recognized, though they are here. I dont believe someone who says SSRI has NO EFFECT (maybe in SA) but it does have an effect, at least a mild effect in depression.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

stealyourface722 said:


> what do you mean by 'failed you'? side effects, more anxiety? jw


Failed in the case of SSRIs for me means produced ZERO positive effect even at high doses (300 mg in the case of Zoloft, for example). All produced sexual side effects, though they differed from one SSRI to another. Paxil leaves sex drive intact, but makes it impossible to orgasm. Zoloft allows me to still orgasm, but why would I care to when it totally kills sex drive -- now that's a cruel irony, isn't it? One won't let you get off, while the other will let you, but you no longer want to!:mum


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## jblazer (Mar 12, 2009)

SSRI's don't really do anything for anxiety, it's just that millions of people suffer from it so they need to produce something besides stimulants or anything else that can be sold/abused..etc

that's where anti-depressants come in.. barely doing anything other then wasting your money and curing depression. Which not that many people with SA suffer from.


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## muddle (Mar 16, 2009)

My doctor suggested I have a year on Prozac and doubled the dose after six months. I did feel it helped as I was feeling none of the usual symptoms of depression and anxiety that usually lurk within me.
But I stopped the medication and the feelings are all creeping back and taking over again so I should see my doctor again. I feel in a way that it is a weakness to ask for medication when I should be able to 'snap out of it' instead, even though I know this is an impossibility.
My doctor told me that just as diabetes need insulin, depressives need antidepressants which makes me feel a little better about taking Prozac. 
I was reading the posts about natural supplements, and B1,Magnesium and Zinc are good but don't go far enough to combat depression or anxiety in my case.


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## Zephyr (Nov 8, 2003)

Zoloft seemed to work quite well for me, though I had to increase to the highest level they normally prescribe (I think 200 mg/day) before I felt better. But I genuinely felt different - less depressed, and because of that less anxious. The fog that my brain always seems to be under lifted quite a bit. Those were the days.

I was on Paxil before that, which I feel didn't do much except cause weight gain.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/137118.php


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Medline said:


> http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/137118.php


Thanks for the article. Now I know that Zoloft & Lexapro, which I both deem worse than useless, are as good as it gets. That in itself is enough to make one depressed.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Well, you never tried MAOIs and you seem to dislike the alternating Pheno with Xanax idea too. So I know of nothing that could help you beside these altough I made my thoughts.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

^I love the phenobarbital idea and thought of it years before I knew you. I just find it very hard to imagine that I'm going to be able to get my doc (or any doc) to keep giving that drug to me on a long-term basis.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Then request it on a short term basis, for "benzo detox". And if it works wonders for your anxiety in general you will get your Pdoc to prescribe it to you longterm.


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## UltraShy (Nov 8, 2003)

Medline said:


> Then request it on a short term basis, for "benzo detox". And if it works wonders for your anxiety in general you will get your Pdoc to prescribe it to you longterm.


Do you know of anybody for whom that tactic has worked?

I'm supposed to say I want to get off Xanax, get phenobarb to do so and then get my doc to give me them both from here to eternity so I can swap back & forth. Are you aware of anyone who does this? If so, can you put me in contact with them?

I've never said there was any problem with the theory. I just don't think putting it into practice would be easy, nor even likely to happen.

I'd also like to try chloral hydrate and meprobamate, but I don't expect to get them either.


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## Medline (Sep 23, 2008)

Carisoprodol is easier to get and turns into Meprobamate. I have alternated Benzos and Pheno years ago... no dependence. But I've ordered them online.


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## larrybrwn (Jun 23, 2012)

*Meds....*

Hey there! What is the best med for GAD. I have taken Buspar (it was ok until it dropped off) and Zoloft (made me want to hang myself). I was previously on Xanax and Librax (Librium) for about 18 months. Since I have weaned off I have strong rebound anxiety and physical symptoms. I have a new PCP and a therapist. So far I am not quick to jump to another pill I am currently detoxing holistically to get the rest of that crap out of my system. I would like to make this move with my PCP soon to get this taken care and get back to normal. I have been in hell for 7 months!


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