Benefits Of Ssris

[Jacquie802]

Im starting Zoloft for anxiety and am wondering what benefits others have had with SSRIs in regards to POTS symptoms...

[Mytwogirlsrox]

I think it helped stabilize my blood pressure, my adrenaline rushes are few and far between, and I sleep better

[icesktr189]

Went from being bed bound for 8 months to working and driving again...pretty much my miracle drug. If zoloft doesnt work, try another.. it took me a couple tries before I found the right one.

[Jacquie802]

So they can have a positive impact on symptoms?? Does the serotonin cause these changes? Also, how long until the effects took place?

[corina]

It works on hr for me. It took about 6 weeks to work, it keeps hr on standing in control. I started off with 10mg which kept my standing hr at about 100 so my doc ans thought to up it and after another 4 to 6 weeks I got to a standing hr in low 80's. I'm pretty happy with the way it works!

[icesktr189]

if you search the word lexapro, i have wrote tons about it...im not sure how the ssri works, but it helped me so much.

[Lemons2lemonade]

Oh man I LOVE my ssri. It slowed down my hr & urination, let me sleep through the night, reduced panic, and allowed me to finally relax without sedation. I take celexa, and it worked the first day I tried it and only got better from there. I also am able to work and drive. One thing to note is that the normal dose was way to powerful. Now I take half which is 10mg I think.

[picaresque]

I take 30 mg of Celexa and I've found that it's helped to limit some of the feelings of "internal tremors," where I'd feel like my insides were shaking or sometimes like a short-circuit feeling, and also muscle twitches. I don't know if that was my nervous system malfunctioning or anxiety or both, but, while it still happens, it happens less being on that. Just the general feeling of relaxation that its brought on has helped me deal with my symptoms from a better state of mind. And I second what Dani said - if it's something you're interested in trying, it may take a few tries to get it right. I've tried five or six, trying to balance out side effects.

[abbyw]

I was taking 7.5mg of Lexapro, now have been weaning down to 5mg to try to reduce side effects- weight gain and night sweats.

IT has helped almost all of my symptoms. I too, was barely getting up from the couch all day. Now, my dizziness is gone unless I am really exhausted, my jitteriness and cold inside my bones feelings are gone too. I am back to work, and functionming well. I get tired easily, and sometimes have a symptom here or there, but that's about it.

[Mytwogirlsrox]

Guys could y'all elaborate in why your taking and how much? I'm on celexa 10 mg and it's helped a lot, but I don't think it's slowed my HR down.. Maybe I need a little increase?

[Lemons2lemonade]

mytwo, i am taking celexa because i heard that it can help with pots. I was really against it for a long time, because i knew what i had was not anxiety, and didn't want to play into that mindset. However, it got to the point where i was willing to try anything to find some relief and i found that in celexa. After my first dose my hr dropped to 50! It was actually kind of disturbing how sedated i was and it kept sending off mini panic attacks because it felt like i was just super weak and even more out of control. After that, i went off of it for a month. Then i figured i'd give it a good try. They started me this time on 40mg because they could not control the anxiety. Man 40 was wayyy too much. I vaguely even remember anything that was happening to me at that time. I just remember people would talk to me and i just didn't feel like responding. I couldn't focus on anything and felt half alive, my vision was also really blurry. I remember that it didn't feel good, and that i still had pots. So i decided i wanted to reduce the dose, and 10 mg did it for me. Keep in mind, that i also take florinef,which helps keep my hr down, and i just really like the combo for my body.

[picaresque]

Mytwo, I take Celexa primarily for anxiety and depression, so, for me, I go through my psychiatrist for that. At the same time, I have noticed the benefits listed above that I feel are POTS-related and not anxiety-related. Other antidepressants I tried had side effects that negatively effected my POTS - such as Lexapro make me more tremulous. I haven't had the drop in HR that lemons has had - I wish I did! lemons - I'm surprised that surprised that you were on 40 mg so soon, as that's the upper limit of dosage according to my psychiatrist! I'm glad you found a dosage that works for you.

[abbyw]

I also went on because I had read that SSRI"s help many with POTS. Of course, this just supported my Dr's theory that I had anxiety, but I didn't care as long as I felt better. I started on 10, but that was too much too fast, Those weeks of my life are also a total blur. I had to wean up slowly, So I went down to 5, and after a few weeks, went up to 7.5, where I stayed because I felt good. It took I would say a full 6-8 weeks until I felt better, but it really gave me my life back. I went from dizzy spells 10 times a day or so, to none, and I just felt stabilized.

Hope that helps,

Abby

[ramakentesh]

The effects on some are dramatic. Which makes you wonder hwo serotonin levels effect this condition.

[Rene S.]

I'm with Dani. It took me forever to find the right SSRI and at the right dose, but I've also gone from basically bed bound, house bound to being able to drive again and even exercise. I take 10mg of Paxil (generic) at bedtime. I think that in combination with the beta blocker has helped so much.

[Elegiamore]

And I had a terrible, terrible effect from the SSRIs. I was on Cymbalta and Paxil with negative results. Then I couldn't quit taking them: severe headaches and muscle pain. I then got on Effexor. It really helped the brain fog and fatigue.

But within six months or so, I developed severe hyponatremia from the Effexor. I was hospitalized at the Cleveland Clinic for nine weeks to no avail. About seven months later, I began to hold salt again (I always had had low salt anyway).

I have hyper-adrenaline POTS so that may be a factor in my failure to tolerate these meds.

Just wanted to point out that they do NOT work and are not safe for all POTs patients or ME/CFS patients for that matter.

[McBlonde]

Why do anti-depressants make so many people gain weight?

[Hoosierfan]

I'll put in my 2 cents even though I don't have POTS, just NMH (neurally mediated hypotension). I take Effexor XR -- important to note that it is a SNRI, not SSRI (N stands for norepinephrine). I've been on it for about 5 years and it has really helped keep my bp up, and also keep my bp regular.

Interestingly, I'm just starting to learn WHY the Effexor is effective now that I've started seen an Integrative / Functional medicine doctor. Here's what he told me about what's going on with the microbiology: (1) Serotonin, in general, keeps your vascular system more regulated so that it fluctuates less (read -- constriction and dilation are less dramatic); (2) Serotonin in your blood causes your adrenals to produce more aldosterone (i.e. the stuff florinef mimics), so higher bp cause you are retaining more salt, fluids; (3) Norepinephrine can be a vasoconstrictor (again = higher bp); (4) norephinephrine is a catacholamine, which is a group of substances produced by your adrenal glands...one of the important functions of catecholamines is to help the body dispose of natural substances it produces, like estrogen...less norepinephrine can equal excess estrogen in the body, which can lead low bp, depression and anxiety. This last one is one thing they are specifically looking at with me since my bp has significant fluctuations at the same time in my cycle....

[Anoj]

i would love to know which ADs cause the least weight gain, from your personal experiences. i have gained 80 lbs on zoloft, which is why i am getting off of it now. problem is, it works so well for dysautonomia. so now that i am getting off, i'm suffering from what i call inertia. just can't seem to move.

i would like to know if SNRIs are OK for hyper POTS. i'm really confused about the norepi issues. i have too much when i have a spell, so does that mean i should stay away from SNRIs? however, i have also heard of NET deficiency. does that mean low norepi? i've read a bunch of threads on this forum and still confused about norepi.

[ramakentesh]

I'll put in my 2 cents even though I don't have POTS, just NMH (neurally mediated hypotension). I take Effexor XR -- important to note that it is a SNRI, not SSRI (N stands for norepinephrine). I've been on it for about 5 years and it has really helped keep my bp up, and also keep my bp regular.

Interestingly, I'm just starting to learn WHY the Effexor is effective now that I've started seen an Integrative / Functional medicine doctor. Here's what he told me about what's going on with the microbiology: (1) Serotonin, in general, keeps your vascular system more regulated so that it fluctuates less (read -- constriction and dilation are less dramatic); (2) Serotonin in your blood causes your adrenals to produce more aldosterone (i.e. the stuff florinef mimics), so higher bp cause you are retaining more salt, fluids; (3) Norepinephrine can be a vasoconstrictor (again = higher bp); (4) norephinephrine is a catacholamine, which is a group of substances produced by your adrenal glands...one of the important functions of catecholamines is to help the body dispose of natural substances it produces, like estrogen...less norepinephrine can equal excess estrogen in the body, which can lead low bp, depression and anxiety. This last one is one thing they are specifically looking at with me since my bp has significant fluctuations at the same time in my cycle....

Norepinephrine (around 90% or more) is the main functional ganglionic and post ganglionic neurotransmitter used by the sympathetic nervous system involved in blood pressure regulation through vasoconstriction via alpha 1 and alpha 2 receptors. Decreased reuptake through SNRI medications results in more NE at the synaptic cleft for longer, promoting vasoconstriction peripherally. In the CNS SNRIs have a paradoxical effect, reducing sympathetic outflow. NET function and Ang II levels fluctuate during the monthly cycle.

[ramakentesh]

i would love to know which ADs cause the least weight gain, from your personal experiences. i have gained 80 lbs on zoloft, which is why i am getting off of it now. problem is, it works so well for dysautonomia. so now that i am getting off, i'm suffering from what i call inertia. just can't seem to move.

i would like to know if SNRIs are OK for hyper POTS. i'm really confused about the norepi issues. i have too much when i have a spell, so does that mean i should stay away from SNRIs? however, i have also heard of NET deficiency. does that mean low norepi? i've read a bunch of threads on this forum and still confused about norepi.

Can you exercise for the weight gain? Id personally be loath to stop a medication that works for my POTS even with that 'hefty' side effect unless I had to. They can also be a pain to get off.

[abbyw]

I don't know Rama, I have been on an SSRI since December. I have gained approximately a kilogram (2.2 lbs) a month! I notice that I am starving almost all the time. I have been exercising regularly since a few weeks in. Like I have said, it helps my POTS, but I don't want to become obese either! When I realized what was happening, I started really watching what I eat, so I tried eating healthy things all day instead of junk, and with the exercise, I seem to have plateaued, but it is a constant struggle. I tried lowering the dose to help with the weight gain (I also get the sweats at night), and immediately, my appettite decreased, but then my symptoms started coming back, so now I am weaning back up. Looking for an alternative, I am thinking about trying Wellbutrin, but the list of side effects does not look pleasant there either, and what if it doesn't work. Like you said, I am happy to have something that works!

[icesktr189]

I actually lost weight on lexapro.

[McBlonde]

abbyw... I had the same reaction on Cymbalta.. I gained 30 lbs. in 45 days. My doctor took me off of it immediately.... that' s why I was wondering... such an abnormal reaction. On the other hand, I lost on Effexor.. I just wonder what the difference is between what each does to me to cause such opposite reactions?

[issie]

abbyw... I had the same reaction on Cymbalta.. I gained 30 lbs. in 45 days. My doctor took me off of it immediately.... that' s why I was wondering... such an abnormal reaction. On the other hand, I lost on Effexor.. I just wonder what the difference is between what each does to me to cause such opposite reactions?

GENETICS. I recently had testing done by 23&me and am learning a whole lot about myself. I have markers pointing to POTS, EDS and MCAS. There are also explanations as to why I have these things and what to do about it. This company also tells you what medicines would probably work better for a person based on their genetics. It is a whole lot to learn and tons of research. I can't begin to tell you what I'm learning because there is soooooo much. Thank goodness, I have a very special friend that is knowledgeable on the meaning of things and is helping me to understand what it all means. If it weren't for her . . . .I'd hardly understand any of it. But, I'm learning and finding it fascinating. It explains a whole lot. Even why certain supplements and medicines haven't worked for me. Why certain foods disagree with me. Sooooo much stuff. I'm really excited and think dissecting this and understanding it may hold the key to my figuring out what to do for myself. (If you decide to do the testing ---you can hire people to help you understand your results. I'm just fortunate enough to have a very bright and intelligent friend.)

Issie