r/antidepressants

I've been tapering off desvenlafaxine for almost three months and then stopped taking it a few weeks ago as my doctor advised me to do, and overall I've been fine, I haven't had any withdrawal symptoms like brain zaps or nausea. However, I feel progressively more emotional and honestly very sad each day and it's getting more difficult to manage. Today I couldn't manage to do my day to day things and just laid in bed crying and trying to distract myself. I hate to say this but I feel a bit like how I used to feel before I started taking the meds a year ago, in the sense of having a million voices in my head telling me how I should be better. Fortunately I am not suicidal and I have a much more solid support system. I know I should tell this to my psychiatrist and my counsellor but I could use other people's advice if anyone has one

Just curious if anyone has had a similar experience…short version of my situation:

I was on lexapro (small dosage) for about 7 months. Wasn’t working anymore so doctor had me try Zoloft for 2 months…I now made the switch Zoloft to Wellbutrin (150mg).

For the taper off Zoloft she had me take half a pill for 7 days. And started Wellbutrin immediately. I’ve been off the Zoloft for about 15 days now. Felt fine at first just a little jittery but no increase in anxiety or anything. About 4 days ago I started experiencing the worst nausea I’ve ever had. I also have the floaty and tired feeling. It’s keeping me in bed and causing me to vomit on/off. I’ve also lost my appetite and been having hot flashes. It comes and goes in waves. I also started my period so it’s possible that could be contributing.

My doctor prescribed me Zofran and scheduled a follow up appointment for next week.

Has anyone else experienced this? When did the nausea end?

I’m concerned and not sure if this is coming from being off Zoloft/an SSRI or from the Wellbutrin. But it’s becoming unbearable. I’ve just been staying in bed as much as possible and taking Zofran.

Thanks!

i got prescribed prozac like 2/3 months ago but i havent been taking them cause i dont see any reason in it unless i lose weight. So, for people who take it, did u lose weight ? Or did u gain weight? If u had any weight changes then how much did it change? i js wanna know cause if they make me lose weight then i will start taking them, if not then i wont even touch it. Also i am supposed to take 40mg a day, if that makes any difference..lol

Just curious about any experiences you might have with Lexapro. I fairly rarely feel hypomanic and depression and anxiety are my big struggles. I start Lexapro this weekend and just want to know what to look forward to or look out for! I've also considered mood stabilizers would be a good idea for a bipolar 2 diagnosis, but whenever I go to doctors about my struggles it seems multiple doctors are most concerned with getting me on an antidepressant. My newest doctor used my GeneSight test results to come to this decision for an effective medication.

thank you for any feedback 😊😊

I’ve been taking 3mg of Risperidone for about 4 weeks now and I haven’t seen much of a big difference in my intrusive thoughts, I still get bothered by the thoughts, so I’m thinking about talking to my psychiatrist, so that he can switch my medication to Anafranil. Does anafranil help with intrusive thoughts? And if so, how long does it take to reduce intrusive thoughts? I’ve also tried sertraline and fluoxetine for my intrusive thoughts but it wasn’t doing much for my intrusive thoughts.

I've been ill of burnout for 2,5 years now, since sept 2023, completely dysregulated and then I lost my health, social life, hobby's and job. All I had left was my relationship of 9 years. I lived with him, bought a home together, we wanted to spend our lives together.

I started to get a bit better, felt more like myself (instead of shell), could even say out loud I loved myself. But then I found a lump in my thyroid and it has to be examined if it was cancer. You can imagine my anxiety increased and my progress was lost.

It turned out to be benign and I tried to But my boyfriend lost his faith in our future and started to have serious doubts, and when he expressed them to me (Feb 2025), my whole nervous system detected mortal danger. I became extremely hypervigilant and I couldn't work on myself anymore. I was constantly scared and most of all, my nervous system couldn't rest anymore.

I lost all my motivation for life, could only live in order to not lose my partner, and my self-worth decreased more and more. Until 10 weeks ago, Jan 29th, he broke up with me. I'm going through hell ever since, feeling completely worthless and a burden to everyone.

My friends are there for me. With one of them I watch a baking show online, and this evening I did that again - but I became completely hypervigilant again. And that scared the shit out of me. I thought it was reserved for my ex only, but I had it with my friend, and I became totally stressed and panicking and now I'm afraid I will never be able to heal...

And now I started to get depressed because it is just way too much to handle. My GP suggested antidepressants but I'm really scared because of the side effects, the difficulties to get off antidepressants and also the impact it can have on my intimate life in the future (because I read many horror stories about that, especially that it can be permanent). I tried escitalopram about a year ago, but it didn't help me and getting rid of it was difficult even though I didn't take it that long.

I gained weight while I was on Citalopram and Lexapro for over a decade and have posted about this gain before but I’ve been noticing a lot of posts specifically about carb cravings on SSRIs. It made me curious about why these cravings happen, so I looked into the science (I have a BSc in Anatomy with Biochemistry) and found out a few things I want to share with everybody.

The simple answer: It’s not a lack of willpower but likely a biochemical feedback loop your brain has built.

Why this Happens

Months 1 to 6: Your fullness signalling starts to fade

SSRIs increase serotonin by preventing it from being reabsorbed between nerve cells. In the short term this stimulates receptors in a part of the brain called the hypothalamus which are responsible for signalling fullness when you eat. This is why many people notice reduced appetite in the early weeks of treatment.

But with prolonged use the stimulation causes the receptors to desensitise and downregulate. When this fullness signalling weakens, your appetite increases and the brain may begin looking for serotonin from another source.

The Loop: Carbs - Insulin - Serotonin

Serotonin is made from tryptophan, but tryptophan has to compete with other amino acids to cross the blood brain barrier. Carbohydrates help with this: they trigger an insulin release, which clears competing amino acids from the bloodstream, giving tryptophan easier access to the brain. So more tryptophan getting in - leads to more serotonin being synthesised - which leads to temporary relief - and this in turn reinforces cravings.

This tryptophan-carbohydrate link is well established science from MIT research going back to the 1970s and is still being studied.

So the full loop looks like this: 

SSRI use → receptor desensitisation → fullness signalling drops → brain seeks serotonin via food → carbs trigger insulin → tryptophan floods the brain → serotonin rises → craving is reinforced - and the process repeats*.*

How this Differs by SSRI

The effect isn’t the same across all SSRIs - weight and appetite changes vary quite a bit depending on which one you’re taking.

At the higher end, paroxetine (Paxil/Seroxat) and escitalopram (Lexapro/Cipralex) are the two most associated with weight gain. A 2024 Harvard study of over 183,000 patients found both carried a 10-15% higher risk of clinically significant weight gain compared to sertraline, with escitalopram slightly ahead on average weight gained. Citalopram (Celexa/Cipramil) sits in the middle - there is evidence specifically linking it to carb cravings early in treatment, though its overall weight gain in the Harvard study was less than paroxetine or escitalopram.

Sertraline (Zoloft/Lustral) is lower risk and fluoxetine (Prozac) is generally considered the most weight-neutral SSRI in the class - the study found no significant difference in weight change between fluoxetine and sertraline. Fluvoxamine (Luvox) is relatively weight-neutral but is used mainly for OCD, so the long-term data is thinner.

That said, it’s important to remember that not everybody experiences appetite or weight changes on SSRIs and for many people the benefits far outweigh the downside. This was true for me despite the weight gain I experienced.

The Key Takeaway

If you’re craving carbs on an SSRI your willpower isn’t failing. Your brain has likely lost a fullness signal it depended on and it’s compensating by using a hardwired pathway which was around long before SSRIs, so it isn’t imagined and it isn’t a character flaw.

I hope this information helps. Has anyone noticed this pattern? - early appetite suppression followed by cravings months later? 

Sources:

-Wurtman & Wurtman (1995) - Brain serotonin, carbohydrate craving, obesity and depression. Obesity Research

-Bouwer & Harvey (1996) - Phasic craving for carbohydrate observed with citalopram. International Clinical Psychopharmacology

-Petimar et al. (2024) - Medication-Induced Weight Change Across Common Antidepressant Treatments: A Target Trial Emulation Study. Annals of Internal Medicine. Harvard Medical School & Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute

-Mouawad, Nabipur & Agrawal (2025) - Impact of Antidepressants on Weight Gain: Underlying Mechanisms and Mitigation Strategies. Archives of Clinical and Biomedical Research

(All these studies are available via PubMed for anyone who wants to do a deeper dive)

Please note that this is educational information only - never adjust medication without speaking to your doctor.

I’m 58 years old, been in numerous anti depressants through the years (Duloxetime since 2022). Im thankful with a lot of therapy as well as TMS treatments I no longer think about suicide every day, BUT, the emotional blunting is a bummer. Even worse is never being able to have a drink and get “happy, loose and giggly“. Of course I’ve checked out flowers and mushroom, but SSNRI's even keep those from working (and all the warnings not to mix). Anyone found anything to use/take for an occasional "happy" evening? Thank you!

Hello first time poster on reddit here. Forgive me if my post isn't structured properly, or if its riddled with grammar mistakes. Ideally I would like to be asking people I know personally for advice, but no one is in a similar situation to me. This post is a long one. Any advice you could give me would be greatly appreciated.

I 19M recently got a med manager a little over three weeks ago. At first they upped my dosage of Prozac from 40mg to 60mg. When I was on 40mg I was able to drink up to three cups of medium roast coffee a day. Now I can't even drink two cups without feeling very anxious and panicky.

I'm currently a first year college student and I NEED coffee to stay productive.

My med manager now wants to swap me to Lexapro but I declined. I'm not sure if I fully trust my med manager because they said I could "stop taking Prozac". I told them I won't do that because I suffer from withdrawals when I go too long without it. They created a plan for me to slowly get off Prozac by dropping my dosage in increments of 20mg. I declined again, and just asked for another month of 60mgs of Prozac.

Would taking my Med mangers advice and swapping to Lexapro allow me to drink more coffee? Or do I just need to give my body more time to adapt to the 60mgs of Prozac?

Visited this doctor for leg pain and we had a chat about my medication i am taking (Lexapro and Wellbutrin and vyvanne) and she just straight up told me I should stop them. She also asked me if I was in a relationship or had kids (I am 27) and I said no I am just not mentally healthy to want to be in a relationship and make the individuals life hell when I haven’t tried to “fix” myself I guess. Then she just looked at me and said to get a partner start dating and get married and u will never need the medication.

This happened 2 months ago and it’s been non stop playing in my head. Like she didn’t even ask why I am taking it but saw my file of the meds I am taking and told me to not do that. Like you don’t know my story yet you’re already making an opinion. Taking mediation is hard enough cause ik the pros and cons. But having someone like that say that to u pisses you off so bad.

Like okay some intimacy and company is gonna help me. Keep in mind I have lots of friends that I see almost every other day and live with my parents so idk has anyone ever encounter such thing and also does being in a relationship really help (ik it dosnt but I still wanna hear form actual people and not some old women who has no clue what life is like in this time and age for adults)

Brintelix Miles my life destroy 60 years and I must die

I had to start ssri due to my ocd but i didnt know about the side effects, at the same time i have been suffering from PMO addiciton , im trying to reduce but once in a while i relapse but this med has made it really difficult so i end up getting frustrated and go deep into corn and need to watch some crazy shit to get stimulated and be able to orgasm but it doesnt feel good so i keep on doing it again and again

i have been prescribed Paxil 25mg and Clonazepam 0.5 mg , because of my horrible dpdr, insomia and anxiety, and i have been reading all those horrible side effect and dependency on the internet its been 10 days since i am taking it, so can i stop immediately?

I am on 150 mg XL. Day 23.

I take Wellbutrin for ADHD and mild depression.

As someone with a history of OCD (I had beat it years ago), ever since I have started taking Wellbutrin, there have been several instances of very disturbing episodes of rumination in my head - quite similar to what I used to experience with OCD years ago.

My brain comes up with catastrophic scenarios and the same thoughts loop over and over in my head. I am aware these thoughts are irrational. But they get very disturbing. Like whether something dumb I said at work ruined my life and I will be fired in disgrace.

I am also afraid that even if I quit now my brain will get stuck with these thought patterns I will now lose years of relief from OCD.

context: i started effexor as my first antidepressant in august 2025. i started at 37.5mg and slowly increased to 112.5 mg while adding 150mg wellbutrin.

i started an antidepressant for a plethora of reasons including depression, anxiety, social anxiety, and panic attacks. the reason my prescriber chose effexor over other meds is because my most bothersome symptoms were physical anxiety symptoms, and effexor is supposedly really good at treating those. effexor has worked insanely well for my anxiety, and the only reason we added wellbutrin because i wasn’t seeing much improvement in my depression and needed a little motivation boost.

the only downsides i’ve experienced this far are side effects. i only have two really bothersome ones which are night sweats and high blood pressure, and i can’t pinpoint which med is causing what.

fast forward to january, i started experiencing a bunch of personal circumstances, and they just kept coming, and coming, and coming, and my mood really took a hit from this. since then i’ve been feeling more depressed and extremely unmotivated. i started seeing a different practitioner within the same practice (only because she specializes in psych) and at my first appointment yesterday, she immediately suggested that i taper off effexor and start lexapro. i agreed, because i’m not really one to argue with my doctors, but now i’m really second-guessing this decision.

it’s not even the withdrawal process that i’m terrified of. i’m just terrified of starting over and losing my progress. effexor has literally been a miracle drug for me, prior to starting medications i didn’t know it was possible to feel as good and anxiety-free as i do. like i said, the only downsides have been the side effects and lingering depression. in regards to my personal circumstances, things are looking up for me in the next month or so, and i feel like this combined with starting a little therapy and replacing my wellbutrin could make a significant improvement to my mood. i just feel like since i’ve found something that treats 3/4 of my conditions, i should leave it alone and just focus on treating the side effects and depression.

i need thoughts and opinions because i have no one in my life who knows enough about these meds to talk to. feel free to ask any questions if i left anything important out. TIA 🫶🏻

Been on Emsam for 2.5 weeks. Upped to 9mg three days ago. Overall just feeling worse. More depressed and lifeless than before. Less functional than my baseline functionality. Wondering if I should stop

I was diagnosed with a moderate depressive episode in 2021 but wasn't medicated until about 2023. By now, I basically check all the boxes for a major depressive episode, but don't have a diagnosis for it.

Things only got worse for me despite seeing a therapist regularly and trying out different meds. I've been on small dosages of Fluoxetine, Sertraline, and now I'm on 20 mgs Lexapro.

Fluoxetine and Sertraline literally made me feel nothing and I was never given a dosage above 10 or 20 mg for either of them. I've been taking Lexapro for months and the only thing it did was make me feel more suicidal and miserable than I already was. I didn't feel stabilized or happy or even numb, just worse. The days when I sis feel good were never because of the pills.

A week ago, I had enough of them and decided to quit cold turkey. I know that's stupid, but I'm out of pills anyway and can't afford to get new ones, so there was no way around this.

I've been feeling the worst I have ever felt. I constantly think about harming or killing myself, I'm irritated all the time, I don't eat, I'm dizzy, I have tremors, I have the most excruciating nightmares. The nightmares every night are the worst thing. Tried going outside and my legs wouldn't stop shaking like crazy. I can't think straight or focus on things and I just feel like I'm actively dying if that makes sense.

I wish these pills did something for me other than give me horrible side effects and I hope that they work well for other people. I don't really know what to do to make my symptoms less severe or feel at least slightly less like I'm in another terrible nightmare.

I was wondering if anyone else has suffered the same, I am around 3-4 months into 50mg of Sertraline and I am suffering every day with my nose running like a tap, constantly sniffling and having to blow my nose. I am at my limit with it now and before I look crazy going to the GP to be dismissed, I just wanted to see if anyone else has dealt with the same.

Did it get better? Did you take anything to help etc..?

So I started fluoxetine(Prozac) 20mg when I was like 16/17 and it worked amazing for a while, got upped to 40mg when I turned 21 because it wasn’t as effective, then the 40mg wasn’t working well so they put me on Wellbutrin 20mg to start…absolutely no effect just made me tired all the time, so now my depression is getting worse and I think I need new meds but idk what other antidepressants would be worth trying or asking the doctor about? Ik this may seem messed up but I want something that kinda makes me feel numb emotionally I guess idk ik it’s weird but when I first started Prozac I felt slightly numb but also felt happier idk how to explain it, I was just more productive and like got things done and I was taking better care of myself and I need that back rn, I’m 22 and my life is in shambles tbh, and it feels like my life is over (ik it’s not) but I’m like way behind for my age group and I need to get my shit together. Ik that this Reddit isn’t a substitute for medical/medication recommendations but I just need some info from people who are actually on antidepressants vs what my doc prescribes me/thinks will work

Edit: I have major depressive disorder if that matters or anyone else relates to it in terms of meds