Can anyone share their own experience regarding which antidepressant worked best for PMDD? I'm actually going through a period of grieving for my mom right now—it hasn't even been a full year since her sudden passing. I think the stress from losing her triggered this disorder, which I’ve honestly never dealt with before. I was on Lexapro 10 mg for about three weeks and felt a bit better, but I had to stop because of some pretty intense and unusual side effects... specifically frequent urination. From what I've read, almost all antidepressants seem to cause that issue. Out of the ones used for this syndrome, Prozac is the only one where I haven't seen much mention of it affecting urination. Paxil, for instance, seems to have a huge impact according to what I've read. Lexapro—well, I already tried that—but maybe something like Zoloft? It doesn't seem to affect urination as much based on my research, though it might not be the primary choice for this specific syndrome. I'll be asking my doctor about it tomorrow.
What I really want to know is if anyone here has personal experience with an antidepressant for this syndrome that *doesn't* lead to frequent urination. Doctors tell me that this specific side effect is often the reason people have to quit their meds entirely. On top of that, I've been struggling with insomnia since my mom died, and I'm sleeping terribly. I try to avoid sleep aids as much as possible, but if I miss two nights of sleep in a row, I get these massive headaches. Since I'm not working at the moment, I can nap during the day, but once I start a job again, that won't be an option.
Thanks in advance for any answers or for sharing your experiences.
I really wouldn't recommend taking antipsychotics just to deal with insomnia. I think a doctor actually posted about this on the forum before, mentioning how it isn't a good idea. He had gone through some heavy stuff too, losing his mother shortly before me, which I imagine hit him pretty hard.
She prescribed me 15 mg of Diazepam for my insomnia. I don't take it every single day, though—I really want to avoid building up a tolerance to it. As for anything else, I haven't taken anything because she just didn't mention it. It wasn't even that I was asking for Faverin; I just noticed it has a sedative effect and you take it at night, but I assume it helps lift your mood eventually. I don't think Zoloft would be right for me since it’s quite stimulating and usually taken in the morning. I actually knew a girl who took it around lunchtime, but she always seemed to be talking way too fast, like her words were tripping over each other. I suspect that might have been the Zoloft. I'm not sure what dose she was on, but she's doing great now. From what I can tell, she has a husband, a kid, her mom, and she even landed a job, even if it was through a connection. I'm honestly just happy she managed to get her life together. Maybe I'll end up there too, someday.
Do you see a private doctor, and if so, where? I mean, when you mentioned you were waiting for them to get back from vacation? How much do you usually pay per session? Are you actually happy with the care you're getting? I know this isn't strictly on-topic, but honestly, typing out long private messages on my iPhone is such a pain.
Paxil is a pretty heavy-duty antidepressant—from what I’ve read, it’s actually one of the stronger ones out there. I suppose it’s really up to your doctor to decide which specific medication is right for you. For instance, I came across some info suggesting Paxil is specifically used for dealing with grief... which makes sense, because after I lost my mom, I just couldn't stop crying. My previous doctor put me on Lexapro instead, which is more of an energizing type that you take in the morning. I honestly don't know why he chose that for me. He definitely knew I was struggling with insomnia ever since my mother passed away. Given that, I feel like it might have been better if he’d prescribed Faverin, since you take that at night to help you sleep, or maybe even Paxil since it's meant for grieving.
I ended up stopping my Lexapro right away because the side effects were just too much, and I’d only been on it for about three weeks. I was taking one 10 mg pill every morning. For me, the issue was frequent urination—it felt like the medication was messing with my ADH levels or something. It actually took me a few days for my bladder to get back to normal after I quit. I did ask my doctor if I should taper off gradually, maybe by dropping down to 5 mg for a bit, but she told me it was better to just stop cold turkey. So, I'm not on any antidepressants at the moment, though I suspect I might actually need one. From what I've read, though, almost any other antidepressant could trigger those same bathroom issues, which is probably why my doctor didn't suggest anything else.
I honestly think you made the right call by stopping that medication immediately, especially since the side effects were that intense.
I had such a horrible experience with Lexapro; I was only on it for three weeks. Honestly, I’m just lucky my kidneys didn't give out from having to pee all the time. I didn't even stop taking it abruptly—I actually kept taking the 10 mg dose in the morning for a few extra days after deciding to quit. So yeah, three weeks total. But looking things up online, it seems like other antidepressants can cause similar urinary issues because they mess with the pituitary gland. I doubt it happens to everyone, but I guess for some people, it's a real side effect. And it's not just some conspiracy by Big Pharma like doctors always claim. You only have to read the actual patient information leaflet that comes with the medication to see it listed.
Has anyone here actually tried those Encian sweet Dreams tablets? They're the sleep aids, I guess... they have melatonin and vitamin B6 in them. Does that stuff actually work? And is melatonin even safe? I think I read somewhere that it’s better to stick to smaller doses. They're on sale at Target right now, if that matters. Ever since my mom passed away, I've been struggling so much with insomnia. It isn't a huge issue right this second because I can sometimes catch up on sleep during the day, but... I'm worried about this fall. If I manage to land a job, I'm terrified I'll mess something up because I'm just too exhausted or haven't slept enough. There's also some Encian Prozen out there, but I'm not really sure what that's for. I'm mostly just focused on finding something for the sleep issues.
Lexapro just didn't work for me at all. I see people here mentioning that Fevarin and Effexor haven't been great for them either, either. Today feels okay, I guess, but yesterday was just... awful. I felt truly terrible. I’ve noticed that things get much worse if I spend too much time dwelling on my mom, or if I don't have a solid plan for the day. Yesterday, I had absolutely nothing scheduled and stayed home the whole time, which didn't help. The day before that was actually a good day, though.
It seems like everyone is getting prescribed Xanax lately. I was actually given some myself, but I haven't even touched it. I honestly don't know what else I would need it for. I still have an entire bottle sitting here. From what I’ve read in medical journals, I guess Xanax might serve a purpose during intense panic attacks—maybe just to help someone calm down immediately. Otherwise, I feel like it's pretty much pointless.
For sleeping, I have Fluzepam, and I think it’s actually quite good—probably better than Lorsilan or things like that. It seems better than Sanval, too. One evening, I took 15 mg of Fluzepam and then half a 10 mg Lexapro the next morning. Well, I was just following what my previous doctor had instructed me to do. But man, I slept so hard that I couldn't even wake up until 4:00 PM. It was a Saturday and I was home alone. I got really scared by how deeply I was out. When I finally did wake up, I felt incredibly exhausted, almost like I hadn't slept at all. Then my doctor suggested that maybe I shouldn't be taking Lexapro in the evening, even though it isn't usually taken then. So now, I’m not taking anything at all. I just sleep... or don't sleep... whenever it happens. I'm just waiting for my doctor to get back from her vacation so I can go in and talk to her properly.
I think they give children the 15 mg dose of Fluzepam, maybe before surgery or something? For adults, it's usually 30 mg, and when I asked about it, he seemed to think I had taken the stronger version at night. Usually, the 15 mg Fluzepam isn't expensive, maybe just $5.00. They gave me one box based on my medical history. There are 10 tablets in a pack. Lexapro is terribly expensive without a prescription; I think it's $53 or even more.
I mean, honestly, nobody died just so we could spend all this time mourning or feeling sorry for a first wife. Besides, the division of marital assets should have been legally finalized ages ago. It’s really no different than when a probate hearing is scheduled by a notary two months after someone passes away. At the end of the day, it's just a legal matter regarding property division, plain and simple.
Well, it’s because those kids are adults now and they aren't in school anymore, so he doesn't really have to worry about them if he doesn't want to. And honestly, even if he does step up and takes care of them now, who's to say those daughters will be there for him when he gets older? It sounds a bit harsh, I know, but that's just how life works sometimes. Besides, a guy going through a divorce should at least have the right to live his life the way he chooses.
I was doing some digging online after dealing with what I honestly feel are some pretty rough side effects from Lexapro, and I came across this claim that the drug actually shares certain characteristics with ecstasy in how it works on the brain. Someone wrote a whole comparison between the two. I have to say, I was genuinely taken aback—and a little uncomfortable—when I read that. Since Lexapro is just escitalopram, I don't really see how that comparison is supposed to be helpful, though I did read somewhere that ecstasy was originally studied for medical purposes before they banned it once they realized it wasn't actually providing any real benefit.
I honestly don't get what everyone's upset about here. The guy decided to get a divorce because the marriage just wasn't working for him anymore. His kids are practically adults anyway. For his oldest daughter, he wouldn't even have to worry about child support since she's grown up and finished school. So, what is there to sue him for? Just because he had the nerve to leave you? I mean, I'm sure it would be nice if he stayed in touch with the kids, obviously. And as for splitting the assets, that happens automatically during a divorce anyway, so I really don't see the issue—unless, of course, you're just feeling hurt because he chose to walk away. At the end of the day, he deserves to live his own life too. So many marriages fall apart these days. Of course, it’s not right if some mistress is the reason everything crumbled. That's why, I guess, in this day and age, no woman should ever stay stuck at home and rely entirely on her husband.
I was once told I should take Lexapro when getting a tooth pulled. Honestly, I don't even know why they suggested it, especially since I was seeing a private dentist. I did end up taking a dose of Lexapro that morning, but it didn't help me at all. My previous doctor was just so insistent that I had to take it... I guess he was convinced. But regarding Lexapro, it really feels like it forces such a massive change in your brain chemistry. For me, it actually messed with my pituitary gland; I started dealing with inadequate ADH secretion and frequent urination because of that medication, which was something I'd never dealt with before. It really scared me, especially since my mom struggled with kidney issues. I know it's a rare side effect, but some patients have reported it. I can't help but wonder why he prescribed that specific antidepressant instead of maybe something like Fluvoxamine? That one doesn't leave you feeling wired and you take it at night, which would have been better for me since I've had such terrible trouble sleeping since my mom passed away—so I really don't need a pill that hits me in the morning. From what I can gather, Fluvoxamine doesn't seem to have nearly as many side effects as Lexapro, and it's even used for children in smaller doses. I’d much rather find a way to get that medication, though I'm not sure if I should even say that out loud since I'm not a doctor.
From what I can gather, one of my half-sisters really dragged out her schooling for as long as possible. Everyone knew the real reason, though—it was all about chasing child support, even though she wasn't actually sick or anything. They were always trying to play games, really exploiting my dad. He did his absolute best to take care of them, though there were definitely times when they’d push him so hard he wouldn't even speak to them. The truth is, I grew up with my father, while they didn't. My mother came from a very prominent, high-society family, and her parents were honestly terrified by the fact that my dad had gone through a divorce. I wasn't even born until five years after my mom and dad married. His first wife... well, she just wanted to use the kids to tie him down. My message to women is this: please don't do that. You can't trap a man using children, and you certainly can't force a marriage that way, because that kind of union is almost guaranteed to fall apart pretty quickly.
I suppose what you're saying makes sense. But honestly, I have no intention of being on these medications forever. Right now, I’m actually off everything; I'm just waiting for my new doctor to get back from vacation because there's absolutely no way I'm ever stepping foot in that previous clinic again. Even if I ended up in an ER, I’d make sure to tell them myself which meds I took—or someone with me would. To be honest, I feel like this whole thing is just about employment. From what I’ve read here on Reddit, one staff member had to go in for annual physicals just because of a specific medication they were prescribed. Sure, if you have a high-intensity manual labor job, you need those checkups, but for the kind of office work I’m looking for? It shouldn't matter that I went through a rough patch after my mom's tragic passing. I reached out for help because, let's face it, I was struggling to handle everything on my own. That's just how I see it. And getting a job is such a struggle right now... I really think it might be better if my medical records don't explicitly list that adjustment disorder following my mother's death. I think once I land a job, things will settle down and I won't be dwelling on her quite as much.
I grew up in a family dynamic just like this one. I have two half-sisters who are incredibly greedy, much like their mother. My wonderful mom passed away, along with my maternal grandparents. Now, I’m the only one looking after my dad, who was deeply affected by my mom's tragic passing. Honestly, his first wife was a massive mistake in his life—he realized that pretty quickly and moved out of that city as fast as he could. He was already divorced when he met my mom, though he always stayed current on child support. Not to mention, those two half-sisters actually cheated him out of money, so he didn't even speak to them for several years. It breaks my heart that they know Mom is gone, because from what I can see, the oldest one—who's eleven years older than me—actually seems to be gloating over her death. I've always tried to be respectful toward her, despite the fact that she struggles with raising a child with severe developmental disabilities. I really don't know what kind of obligations I might face regarding them down the road, especially since I'm the only one stepping up to care for and help my dad. And he always did right by them, making sure every child support payment was made on time. Still, I'm worried about how greedy they'll get; neither of them works, as they're both supported by their husbands. One of them, who has healthy kids, actually turned down a job at a major corporation just so she wouldn't have to work, even though I suppose you have to provide for your children somehow. I feel bad putting any pressure on my dad, though I have suggested some things in good faith, like seeing a notary during the estate settlement after Mom died, just to make sure I'm protected from any future issues.
So, I suppose you shouldn't run into any trouble. But honestly? I’m still going to insist on getting a private prescription. I really don't want to go to my regular doctor because I'm worried there might be some kind of red flag regarding future employment—even if my current situation is all because of a tragic death in the family. I just need to figure out how to fund all this privately, and I guess I have no idea how I'll manage that on my own. My previous doctor only charged me $100 once. Other times he didn't charge anything since he doesn't bill people who are unemployed or struggling. But he was just... unpleasant. Intrusive, even vulgar at times. I won't set foot in his office again, not even by accident; I just can't deal with that kind of aggressive energy. Still, I feel this desperate need to talk to someone, so I'm just waiting for that younger doctor to get back from her vacation.