Importance of focusing on Positive with Depression & Anxiety.

Try to avoid Effexor if you can. See what members of Connect have to say about this drug. Paxil also.

On low dose and it’s works for me Paxil and others did not

@caf

No, I've never taken Effexor, I've only ever had Citalopram. I've had no problems with Citalopram after I titrated onto it. I'm so much happier and freer on it. Panic attacks and depression are gone.

@helenfrances

I've not taken Escitalopram, which is different from Citalopram. I have no problems with it since I titrated onto it 8 years ago. I'm sorry you had problems and glad that you followed your doctor's recommendations. What are you taking now? Is it working for you?

Hello Gail,
We had a ‘phone appointment’.
He thought I was doing well.... focusing on the positive... all that I was grateful for... difficult to do sometimes... so easy to dwell on the negative!
No new med yet.
I have an appointment this month when he returns from vacation.
In the meantime I am reading a book recommended by a friend: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Made Simple. (10 Strategies for Managing Anxiety, Depression, Anger, Panic, and Worry)

I’ve decided that I’m staying the course with lexapro because it doesn’t get any better by trying something else, which I’ve done 3 times now, so I’m right where I should be.

It’s your responsibility to seek out how to take care of yourself in anyway possible. Being depressed constantly is Hell on earth. Each of us is unique by experiences, chemically, physically, spiritually so when we are suffering from anxiety we have to seek professional help to Balance out our body. I bet 90% of us knew even when we were small that we were different than our siblings, classmates, etc. We were told to “just get over it”. That did not help! An important meaning of life on this Earth is, Be Happy! Stay on the journey towards being Happy.

You're right! I've always knew I was different from the rest of my family to the point I questioned if I was adopted.

In reply to @stsopoci Yea, I am on Lexapro too. I have been on everyone and Lexapro helps me the most. Some on my family have inherited my moms illness and it probably went before her. She took her life at age 69. Manic Depressive/Bipolar 1, which my son has inherited. I could go on and on about all my family who fights this disease. But I loved what you said. It brought my spirits up.
I am recovering from a 9 hour back fusion from T-10 to my pelvis. It was a big surgery and I wasn't at all depressed before, maybe a little anxious. But depression has set in now, but I'm going to fight it. Had to give up my dag, but she's at a good place, where we always boarded her and they wanted her and told me how much they loved her. I can't take care of her because I can't bend, twist, or lift anything to heavy. She is a healthy 14 year old papillion, I don't know how she feel around all those dogs. I need to stop crying because I miss her so much, but think she's in a wonderful place that sends me pictures. It is how we think and you have helped me. I wear a brace, but since I'm off all my medicines so I can drive. Yea! Still have lots of healing to do, because my bones are soft and do a daily injection to get my bone density up. Have to do that for 2 years and then on something else. Be happy, some days are easier than others, but the important thing is I'm trying.

It was the anesthesia propofol that killed Michael Jackson.