my cocktail is getting weird

[daisydo]

I was taking prozac for depression, .5mg klonopin daily for GAD, and lithium orotate for suicidal thoughts. I take rozerem at night for non24 sleep phase disorder. 

The prozac stopped working and so my pdoc switched me to lexapro but it made me exhausted all the time- i basically would sleep, wake up, eat a little, go back to sleep... after two weeks she’s switching me over to effexor instead. I am starting at the lowest dose, but I’m not sure when to take it- is this going to be a morning pill? right now i take the lithium and rozerem at bedtime, and was taking prozac, klonopin and then the lexapro in the morning. I switched to taking the lexapro at night when i relized how exhausted it was making me. still, i slept all day and night. 

 

so effexor- i’ve read enough to know it’s an snri, and it’s a bitch to climb back off of. and it can take up to a month to work? is there anything else about this combo i should know, or does anyone have experience with these meds together?

 

 

i’m diagnosed with depression with psychotic features (since the 90s), general anxiety (past five years), non24 SPD, and chronic suicidal ideation. I know the non24 is the weird one, but I’ve found ways to set up my life/work schedule to manage it- i’m not sleep deprived.

any thoughts would be great, i’m a relative newcomer to being medicated- i’ve only had access to a pdoc regularly dor the last three or four years, before that it was just urgent care or ER, random doctors trying to treat me.

[Chichikova]

In my experience Effexor was very activating, so I took it in the morning. 

[daisydo]

I'll try it in the morning to start with then. I'm starting it on my days off so at least I'll have the day free if it gets odd.

 

thanks for replying

[Chichikova]

Sure. I ultimately learned that I can't take SNRI's, but Effexor really worked for me while it lasted. I hope it has some benefit for you!

[CeremonyNewOrder]

If you have depression with psychotic features, why aren't you taking an antipsychotic too? You might find one that can help with both psychosis and depression. Effexor is a great antidepressant. I would still be on it but it eventually stopped working. 

[daisydo]

I've only had psychosis when I've had a really bad bout of depression; once or twice. it's not constant. we talked about adding an anti psychotic but I think they're holding on to those in case we can't get the depression handled with ADs

[daisydo]

taken it in the morning+ haven't been sleeping as much! I even got out to walk my dog instead of just letting him into the yard. so it's a morning pill for me I think. 

I'm a little nervous about it still, I always fear seizures with new medicines. nothing bad yet though. thanks all for replying