Lenny the B - Ketamine is a very dangerous drug.  It is not approved by the FDA for treatment for depression.  They are also trying to put chronic pain patients in a coma in Mexico using Ketamine with the story it will "reset" your brain and you will no long feel paid.  Two patients have died.

If you ever want to know what the FDA has approved for a specific drug, please go to

http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/about.cfm?CFID=20224556&CFTOKEN=ec979ce23969f45-49DE909E-D13A-E722-D2A9AB7882274740&jsessionid=843036c478e6739f72b42c7147486b3c234c

I deal with a lot of different medications and am very careful for ANYTHING I take.  You have to be proactive and watch what the physicians do, they don't do a good job watching themselves.

I'm late to the discussion, but have been there, done that.  Tried Paxil and Prozac (back in 1997) and they didn't seem to help.  Lexapro works for me, but I switched to Celexa since it's cheaper and available generically.  The Lexapro is newer and is supposed to have fewer side effects than Celexa, but I can't tell a difference.  (They both screw up my libido.) 

Good luck.  Once you find what works for you, it will make SUCH a difference!

Doc and I decided on Cymbalta because of the associated aches and pains that are being amplified (like, to 11) by the depression.  Got a week's samples so if I decide I don't like it in a week we'll go back to Celexa.

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences with me here and via PM.

 

There is a very recent study which indicates that Timothy Leary, et al, may have been on right tract concerning research into halucinogens.  The study singled out ketamine (known in druggie circles as "special K") as being very effective in the treatment of depression.  Whereas all of the more common anti-depressants can take several weeks to have effect (and during that time, suicidal thoughts are more common), ketamine seems to have effect with hours of the first dose.  The most startling observation was that ketamine seems to rebuild synapses in the brain.  There's an informative article on the research at http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-07-08/special-k-for-depression-renews-hope-in-hallucinogens

You really have a lot of good information right here!  What works for one may be different for another.  Just be careful and if you feel anything so negative as to be dangerous, tell someone.  I'm embarking on a more natural herbal approach right now but cannot offer any insights yet.  This may take a while.  Talk to your friends here for sure - I' ve never met a group of folks more well informed or better intentioned.

I used Lexapro for years. It's primarily an anti-depressant, but it has some anti-anxiety component as well. It wasn't hard for me to taper off to quit..

I use Celexa 40. Don't even know if it works...been taking it for years. My boss can't piss me off anymore is all I know!

I take Lexapro/Celexa, they are almost exactly the same. I switched to Celexa generic because it was cheaper. They work for me, and I find that it's important to take it at the same time every day.

The biggest issue is that they give you a real sweet tooth, and weight gain is common. Chocolate is like a bomb in my mouth. Also they can make you tired, and I think that they can give you stomach problems, because the stress doesn't necessarily go away, the meds can just mask it, and it's got to come out somewhere. 

That said, anti-depressants work best if you have a chemical imbalance, but if you are taking a pill to cover up unhappiness in your life,  you won't get desired results. I read a great quote: Depression is from thinking about your past, anxiety is from thinking about your future, peace comes from being present. In other words, if you don't deal with the problems that are causing your issues, a pill isn't going to do the trick. So some kind of therapy should accompany the meds. Emotional Brain Training, or neural feedback is becoming a new way of rebuilding the neural pathways so that you develop new ones that are positive to overcome the negative. 

What kind of dr. are you going to? A GP is not going to be as familiar as a psychiatrist with the meds.  

Good luck Girl, I hope you find your path!  

Anecdotal recommedations are good to get a feel for things.  Each person reacts differently to the same meds, though.  I have a low tolerance for just about all drugs and so tend to take lower dosages.  Some I can't take at all as I can't tolerate the therapeutic dosage.  I highly recommend staying close with your doctor on this and also consider combining meds with therapy from a licensed therapist who specializes in depression disorders.

Having said that....I've not taken Lexapro but in the Mental Health forum here over the years the majority of reports have been positive.  I have personal experiece with Wellbutrin, which has been quite effective with little to no side effects.  At times I've take two in combination, such as Wellutrin and Lamictal. 

Above all, don't suffer.       

What lily said, especially about taking the edge off and ...

Anti anxiety (AA) and anti depressants (AD) serve two different purposes.  The AD's are something you take full time and the AA's are more part time in the big picture if used properly.

For AD's I have experience with welbutrin and zoloft.  AA's xanax (currently, but rarely), buspar, valium and you name it really ...

Everyone is different.  It does take experimentation.  I took zoloft for about 5 or 6 years and quit very easily.  During that period of time I went through an ugly divorce, went back to school full time, earned an AAS degree and learned the optical business rising to a manager of an optical department for wally world.  If you are on the right meds you can be productive and even learn new complicated stuff without the drug interfering with the tasks.  Its about the seratonin levels and the right metabolic mix of side effects. 

Welbutrin worked for awhile when we tried to quit smoking.  Problem was when our insurance switched us to a generic version.  There was something missing and it no longer had an effect on the smoking.  Generics are not necessarily the same as the original.  Later the wife went on welbutrin and it caused some real problems and she had to be taken off it immediately and switched to citalipram which has worked fine since.  I believe that it is the generic for zoloft.  Point being is that what once may have worked could be harmful at a later time when the causes for the needs are different.  10 years after I had quit the zoloft, a friend gave me some to take when I was going through a new bananas period and it was absolutely dreadful.  It only took once to say no, not this time.

The AA's are a different class and for different uses.  They are dangerous as they can be used as a crutch to get you through things that may not need them.  Like every Monday, just because you don't Mondays.  They can help with Agoraphobia, but you can end up thinking you can't leave the house if you don't take a xanax.  They can be physically addictive if taken daily for long periods.  But they can get you through stressful periods like difficulties with family members and business or work associates that you cannot walk away from for any reason.  Getting through meetings, doctor visits, being a passenger or driving in a car during freeway rush hour times.

The thing to remember is that neither the AA's or the AD"s fix anything, they just allow you to get through things.  With depression, just getting though the period may allow you to survive the causes and when they go away, the depression goes away with it.  You may never find out why you were depressed, just that you were and it was severe.  Depression is very real and very dangerous if left unmedicated (properly).  Counseling is most important, you need someone to descibe your feelings with in a private and confidential manner.  Journaling is cathartic and leaves a trail of breadcrumbs to look back to to see where you came from. 

BUT, finding the right AD is worth all the hard work and anguish, because when you get the right one, your life will change.  The glass will become half full and that light in the tunnel will look different.

I'm not a doctor,  just a child of the 60's and a graduate of the school of hard knocks.  This is subject to professional review.  Your mileage may vary.   Fell free to pm any specific questions or thoughts.

been taking celexa for a while & not had any bad side effects.  added wellbutrin to it a while ago cause it wasn't quite cutting it alone.  both have worked for me.  i guess it depends on your particular brand of depression/anxiety and sometimes it takes a few tries to get the right one & the right dose.  godd luck with it.  hope it helps!

No personal experience but I have  for you.

All I have is this.Hope you find what is best for you my friend.

No personal experience but a family member of mine used Lexapro with success for anxiety.  That coupled with some self-help and counseling really helped.  Like Lilly said though, it can't just be stopped-it has to be stopped gradually.

Sending you a PM.....

i had no problems with lexapro - though it is hard to come off of and you definitely need to do it gradually, and i have had friends who tried celexa and had no problems, with that, either.

don't be scared of prozac, if that's an option. i never had any of the side effects (and actually lost weight) while on it.

i'm glad you're getting something - there's nothing worse than living with anxiety and depression when you don't really have to. i have never had a problem taking a pill to make life seem easier to deal with. it never really changed things, but changed how i reacted to things. nothing was so dire and the edge was taken off, basically. i could never understand people who wouldn't get this kind of help when it is available. life can be so much better living through chemistry! you know what i mean.

hope you find the best fit for you!