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Do you use biologic together with antidepressant without feeling bad?

Posted by Lorena Egas @lorena1egas, May 20, 2023

I have still disease, a juvenil arthritis and am 51 years old. I am doing fine with BIOLOGIC, already 3 years in remission. I use canakinumab (ILARIS). But already twice I’ve tríed to use a low dose antidepressant (first bupropion and then lexapro 20 mg). Both times the antidepressants overshadow the biologic effects on the brain & nervous system and I get narcolepsy (very sleepy) and already had an accident bc of that. Before I had never had problems with ssri. Do you experienced problems mixing both?

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seniormed | @seniormed | May 20, 2023

I started Lexapro at 5 mg dose. Now at 10 mg for anxiety control.
I may soon find out if your experience happens when I start on Humira
for psoriatic arthritis. My readings led me to discover that autoimmunity
is intricately involved in our mental state as well as joint symptoms.
Are there any other meds you are taking that could cause an interaction?

REPLY
1 reply
Lorena Egas | @lorena1egas | May 20, 2023
In reply to @seniormed "I started Lexapro at 5 mg dose. Now at 10 mg for anxiety control. I may..." + (show)
@seniormed

I started Lexapro at 5 mg dose. Now at 10 mg for anxiety control.
I may soon find out if your experience happens when I start on Humira
for psoriatic arthritis. My readings led me to discover that autoimmunity
is intricately involved in our mental state as well as joint symptoms.
Are there any other meds you are taking that could cause an interaction?

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@seniormed no. I just take the biologic (Ilaris/canakinumab). I fontana use any other medication for my condition. I use CPAD at night for sleep
Apnea level 1 and take slow dose lunesta. No problems at all I am completely functional. The biologic gives me 100% mental clarity. But some months I get burnout 5 days before the next shot. To avoid that the Psychiatrist is helping me with lexapro and I cant continue (had to stop completely). For me SSRIs overlap the great effect of the biologic on my mind. Before I was autoimmune never had problems with taking ssri in general.

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1 reply
lharrison74 | @lharrison74 | May 29, 2023

I'm on the Zoloft generic and methotrexate injections and I tolerate them well

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1 reply
Mentor
Becky, Volunteer Mentor | @becsbuddy | May 29, 2023
In reply to @lorena1egas "@seniormed no. I just take the biologic (Ilaris/canakinumab). I fontana use any other medication for my..." + (show)
@lorena1egas

@seniormed no. I just take the biologic (Ilaris/canakinumab). I fontana use any other medication for my condition. I use CPAD at night for sleep
Apnea level 1 and take slow dose lunesta. No problems at all I am completely functional. The biologic gives me 100% mental clarity. But some months I get burnout 5 days before the next shot. To avoid that the Psychiatrist is helping me with lexapro and I cant continue (had to stop completely). For me SSRIs overlap the great effect of the biologic on my mind. Before I was autoimmune never had problems with taking ssri in general.

Jump to this post

@lorena1egas Have your doctors discussed this ‘burnout’ effect you experience? Is the burnout caused by the biologic or the antidepressant or both together?
I’ve been on Zoloft for a long time and then had to start rituximab and had no problems. This is a very interesting situation—what do the doctors have to say?

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1 reply
Linda Moross | @lmoross | May 30, 2023

I take Actemra and Welbutrin together with ill effects. Best wishes to you to feel better.

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Lorena Egas | @lorena1egas | May 30, 2023

Thanks @lmoross I prever not to try after 2 failures with low doses. Before taking ilaris i took wellbuttin without any problem. Is it helping with all the mental issues including fatigue? Do you cero better on it that without it.

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Lorena Egas | @lorena1egas | May 31, 2023
In reply to @becsbuddy "@lorena1egas Have your doctors discussed this ‘burnout’ effect you experience? Is the burnout caused by the..." + (show)
@becsbuddy

@lorena1egas Have your doctors discussed this ‘burnout’ effect you experience? Is the burnout caused by the biologic or the antidepressant or both together?
I’ve been on Zoloft for a long time and then had to start rituximab and had no problems. This is a very interesting situation—what do the doctors have to say?

Jump to this post

@becsbuddy hello, no the reumathologist doesnt understand why in first place the biologic works for tha mind (brain fog, anxiety and fatigue). In my case works better than anything not onlyfor my still disease body symptoms but for mental clarity too!!! Many patients experience this good effect but there are no studies about the correlation. So, when it starts to loose effect, close to the next shot, is when my mind suffers. Most of the month I am clear headed and on good mood and no fatigue. I think cytokines mess with the nervous system but there are few studies about that. I can discuss that with the psychiatrist next appointment in august. Ive noticed that since using the biologic, medications for the mind (including cbd and some “natural” too) had the opposite effect. Ive usted this cbd before with complete success on anxiety and sleep. Now I cant metabolize it the same it makes my mind slow the sabe with ssri

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Lorena Egas | @lorena1egas | May 31, 2023
In reply to @lharrison74 "I'm on the Zoloft generic and methotrexate injections and I tolerate them well" + (show)
@lharrison74

I'm on the Zoloft generic and methotrexate injections and I tolerate them well

Jump to this post

When I esa on metroxetate I esa on zoloft too!! No problems Using both together. I change metroxetate together with hidroxicloroquine bc of liver problems. Also both together never got me into remission

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