Hi Val,
I have been on antidepressants on and off for 3 years, I’m 27. I’ve tried quite a few of them; Lexapro (made me twitch so I stopped taking it after a month), Pristiq (insurance didn’t cover so I stopped), Effexor (had no side effects), Zoloft (I have been on this one almost a year and a half and am currently tapering off), and now Wellbutrin. I was on the roller coaster for a long time, like you said I experienced high highs & low lows. I can honestly say I didn’t give Lexapro or Pristiq a chance to really work. About 2 months after I started Effexor I began to gain weight. Before the antidepressants, I religiously worked out and that was how I dealt with my anxiety (as well as self medicating with alcohol & drugs). At first I loved not having the lows and being “normal” but over time I have become apathetic; I no longer get excited about things, I lost all of my motivation to exercise, I can sleep for days on end- sometimes from 12-14 hours and am ALWAYS tired. My self-esteem has suffered due to my weight gain, so I feel as though I’m in this vicious cycle. I recently switched to Wellbutrin because after doing research I learned that few people gain weight when on this, and it also helps with focus and concentration. I will stay on a low dosage of wellbutrin after the taper is over with zoloft but I have to say, I am tired of being a slave to these pills and have read quite a bit about how it is not recommended to stay on them for a long period of time. I’ve recently realized that even though these drugs may help me presently, I ultimately have to find healthy ways to deal with my anxiety and depression. Hope this gives you a little more insight, good luck!