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Anxiety/Depression or Unipolar? Lamictal or Celexa?

I have anxiety, obsessive worry (ruminating over and over), social anxiety, depression, and get emotional (cry or get angry). So my lifelong doc says I have anxiety/depression and had me on Celexa. I've already tried a number of other SSRI's. The Celexa helps me alot with depression, social anxiety, and obsessive worry. But it makes me very tired, oversleep, and sexual side effects, and it gives me some physical feelings of anxiety in my chest. Most SSRI's do the same thing to me, but Celexa seemed the best. I went to a new doc who said I am unipolar (it's on the bipolar spectrum but it's on the depressive side). He said that's why the SSRI's are causing so much side effects... because I'm on the wrong kind of medicine. He had me try 200 mg Lamictal instead (mood stabilizer). I gave it about 3 1/2 weeks. On Lamictal I was not depressed and did not have anxiety, but I cried alot and got angry alot. So now what?!?!
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Avatar universal
New to this as of now.  Came upon this chat sight by accident.  Diagnosed with bipolar, manic depression, anxiety, ADHD/ADD since 2007..... UHMM AM I MISSING SOMETHING? BASICLY EXHAUSTED WITH TRYING TO DEAL WITH ME.
I've been on (as follows) since 2008
Lamictal 200mg   TWICE DAILY!
Lexipro  20mg      TWICE DAILY!
Vyvance 70mg     TWICE DAILY!
Lerazapan            THREE DAILY!
Recently did research on the recommended dose of these drugs prescribed to me and discovered that I have been prescribed and have been taking well over the recommended dose.  Guess what?  I'm still a mess upstairs.  Do I discuss this with my Dr.?  Hell no!  Do I find a new Dr.?  Hell no!  Sorry to inform you folks but we are ginne pigs making loads of money for the pharmaceutical companies and Doctor's who prescribe these addictive medications and fail to share the possible long term/life time damage/repercussion we could very possibly suffer from.  Some days I'm a time bomb waiting to go off.  Some days I am that grenade that does go off. Some days tears flow enough to fill up the Gulf of Mexico.  Some days I don't wake up for days.  I try to consume myself with God as He is the only Thing,,,,,the only One to save me from myself and those I love.  I always tell myself and others that there will always be negative things thrown our way through life.  We can turn all negative things in to something positive.  It's all in how you want to perceive it.  I stand by this no matter how challenging things may get.  There is no room in this world for self-pitty or excuses.  Only solutions.  The statement is true "The Strongest Survive"  "Don't let anything or anyone take control of you!  You take control of them or it!"  Regardless of what ales us, it's up to us as individuals to make of it what we want.  Today I'm tired of being tired so today I'll get off my *** and take action!  You with me?  God Bless You!
Helpful - 0
2190999 tn?1504988891
Hmmmm, not sure about weight gain. Yes I have gained a lot... but I also started working from home awhile ago, sitting on my can at the computer all day.

Lithium made me gain a ton of weight. I haven't found anything else like that.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Effexor did that to me too when I tried it in the past... sweating. Abilify got rid of my anxiety for sure. But I was blowing life blowfish fast. And I turned so quiet. Did Abilify make you gain weight?
Helpful - 0
2190999 tn?1504988891
Morning,hope you were in bed early :).

Lamictal 200mg/ day
Effexor 75mg/ day
Ability 5mg/ day

I tried to do away with Abilify but really missed the mellow-ness it gave me. And I tried Effexor at 150mg in combo with just Lamictal, but any dose of Effexor over 75mg for me made me have night sweats. I was worried I had something else going on with my health until I figured out it was the Effexor.

I'm still debating whether or not I will keep my Abilify bc it is expensive for me. I may go back to just Lamictal and Effexor but worry about setting myself up for a rocky road. Like we said, finding the right med/s is frustrating.

M

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes, it takes forever to find the right mix! It's soooo frustrating. Right now I'm on 200 mg of Lamictal and 15mg of Celexa. Are you taking the normal dose of Effexor, or a lower dose (since you're on 200mg of Lamictal)? Abilify made me have noooo personality. I had nothing to say to anyone really, so I was antisocial. And I gained weight fast! But it was good for helping me fall asleep and for anxiety.
Helpful - 0
2190999 tn?1504988891
I had the same experience with SSRIs in the beginning. I started taking Lamictal and ramped it up to 200mg along with Effexor and Abilify. That's my list for now with no complaints. I still feel myself cycle up and down but the highs and lows are much less. I'm definitely more balanced and much much less depressed.

Finding what works for you is the hard part. Just don't get frustrated and give up looking for relief.

M
Helpful - 0
1551327 tn?1514045867
I posted this on your post in the depression forum as well...

I am on Lamictal as well and it took a little while to stabilize me.  More than anything it is important to get control of your thoughts so that you can better handle your emotions.  The medicine....which is a great medicine, only takes the edge off which allows you to start your cognitive healing. Tears are your body's (Limbic system's) way of trying to stabilize your emotions and this shouldn't stay so extreme for too long.
As far as the anger...
Anger is just anger, it is what you do with it that counts.  You can use it to destroy or to build just like anything else.
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