u2star Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 I have been on antidepressants for years to help with my depression related to this illness. Anyone else on antidepressants that seem to help? I have completely lost my appetite which happens from time to time. I am unsure if it is related to my depression, meds, or dysautonomia? I am afraid to stop my antidepressant for fear of worsening depression and bad withdrawal side effects since I already feel horrible.I am currently taking Cymbalta 30mg at night. I was switched from Prozac. Anyone else??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan617 Posted December 28, 2004 Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 I am not personally on them, but believe a fair amount of people are for anxiety etc. They actually increase my symptoms, as does just about every med on the earth! But if you back log there are a fair amount of posts about them. morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
u2star Posted December 28, 2004 Author Report Share Posted December 28, 2004 I am not personally on them, but believe a fair amount of people are for anxiety etc. They actually increase my symptoms, as does just about every med on the earth! But if you back log there are a fair amount of posts about them. morgan<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks Morgan-I was actually wondering if they are increasing my symptoms too.Take Care Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blackwolf Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 I was on paxil for almost 2 years before having to stop due to elevated liver enzymes. I was just started on cymbalta about a week ago, also on 30 mgs to start, mabey going to 60mgs in another week. I was started on it primaraly as something to help with the fibro/cfs problem I have, along with the POTS depression. It is also commonly used to help surpess the appitite, so that might answer atleast one of your questions.Blackwolf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Some antidepressants actually help with NCS and other conditions associated with dysautonomia. Zoloft is one of these and there are others. Just wanted to point out that sometimes these meds are prescribed for reasons other than depression. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyLeesWife Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 My husband takes Effexor XR to help control the symptoms of NCS. For the most part it works although he still experiences some pre-syncope episodes (dizziness, drunk-like state, loss of coordination, etc). Zoloft did not work for him to control the fainting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 I've been on Prozac for 18months. First it was given to help with fainting and my being depressed but now it's stopped working. My fainting's been much worse. They tell you not to stop taking prozac suddenly but I have and now I've go ne cold turnkey I don't faint as much. I feel sotr of flu-like and dizzy/weak but I figurre this is better for my body than taking the prozac. It has too many side effects. It makes me feel even thirstier than usual and to my mind is a far more poewrful drug than people seem to realise...Is there anyone else whose symptoms have been amde worse by prozac? I was told by the cardiologist I saw that a tachycardia of 150 on standing isn't enough to make someone faint (he didn't know about POTS) but I asked if it was possible for a faint to occur at that speed when combined with the side effects of prozac. I was told this is impossible, but I *reall* don't think that it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justme Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 My wife was mis-diagnosed and put on Prozac a very long time ago (before I knew her). The doctors told her that this may have actually worsened her NCS condition. I don't know the underlying medical reasons, but you should work very closely with your doctor on these things, especially your cardiologist if you have one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merrill Posted December 29, 2004 Report Share Posted December 29, 2004 Hi, Persephone. High heart rate doesn't cause fainting. (I'd be on the floor all the time if it did!) As I understand it, fainting is precipitated by a drop in blood pressure. I can't speak to the anti-depressant piece...take care,m Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briarrose Posted December 30, 2004 Report Share Posted December 30, 2004 Many people take SSRI's for other reasons than depression. I take Zoloft in a really low dosage. Most people with depression are started on a dose 4-10x's higher than what I'm taking.Celexa (citalopram hydrobromide) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor similar to Paxil, Zoloft, and Prozac, but with the claim of fewer side effects and less potential for negative drug interactions. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors have been used for many years to treat neurally mediated hypotension and syncope (passing out). The mechanism through which central serotonin levels effect blood pressure and heart rate has not been fully mapped out. The net effect of Celexa appears to be to increase nerve communication and stimulation of the standing vasoconstriction reflex. This limits venous blood pooling and increases orthostatic tolerance. Celexa and the other serotonin reuptake inhibitors are known to increase norepinephrine release to varying degrees. http://home.att.net/~potsweb/POTS.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lalalisa Posted December 31, 2004 Report Share Posted December 31, 2004 I was put on the lowest dose of Paxil Controlled Release with hopes that it would help my Nervous system.Paxil also has helped me to have little to no anxiety even when my heart races and the adrenaline kicks in.It has worked great for me but everything seems to affect everyone differently.Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
friday Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 I have been on antidepressants for years to help with my depression related to this illness. Anyone else on antidepressants that seem to help? I have completely lost my appetite which happens from time to time. I am unsure if it is related to my depression, meds, or dysautonomia? I am afraid to stop my antidepressant for fear of worsening depression and bad withdrawal side effects since I already feel horrible.I am currently taking Cymbalta 30mg at night. I was switched from Prozac. Anyone else???<{POST_SNAPBACK}>Have you felt the anti depressants have caused any other side effetcs? And have they helped with your depression? I know how it feels to be afraid to stop an anti-depressant for fear of getting worse. However I never really thought mine were helping me. The doctor I was seeing for years just kind of brainwashed me into thinking I shouldn't stop them. So I was taking Anafranil and Zoloft for years. I later found out that Anafranil as well as other tricyclic anti-depressants can actually cause high heart rate and orthostatic Hypotension. So with the help of my therapist I got off of it. I haven't really felt a difference in any way. I have also heard Zoloft can increase heart rate in some peoople. I have since lowered that. I think the problem is that although these drugs can help people they can also have lots of side effects. I think you have to weigh how much they are helping you with how much you feel they might be hurting you. You really shouldn't have bad withdrawel effects if you taper off them slowly under a physician's supervision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ph03ziX Posted January 3, 2005 Report Share Posted January 3, 2005 Bonjour Mon ami.I can't tolerate them as it gave me Serotonin Syndrome So I treat Anti-Depressants with a wide birth! Apparently they are used for some people to treat pain. Everyone I know who takes them have found it makes them MORE depressed! As for tachycardia, this can make you very short of breath and feel faint yes, as the heart beats too quickly withought you breathing faster, so you get reduced circulation and each THUMP of the heart doesn't complete before the next one comes in. So stop, or reduce the tachycardia and you should (At least at rest) feel less faint.CheersBen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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