Anyone else have depression, who is on medication and still has bouts of sadness.....?

Question

...I've been on Effexor for several years and have been feeling fine....until I started this summer Chemistry class. It is only a 5 week semester, and I have been struggling because it utilizes a lot of info from the prerequisite course (which I haven't had in 24 years)...and I'm finding it a struggle. I feel so stupid, and in the last few days, I've become really depressed and it is making studying even more difficult. I'm just wondering if anyone else has been stressed out by a situation and fallen into a depression because of it....how did you handle it? Should I tell my doctor (I really don't want more meds)? Anyway, thanks for letting me vent.

Answer 1

I've suffered from depression for decades and I have been on lots of meds.  I have had similar problems.  I find school, regardless of subject, extremely stressful so I tend to get depressed while taking classes.  Then of course, my attendance suffers because I don't feel good and my grades fall because I can't think clearly or hardly at all.  Then I get even more depressed because I feel like I'm stupid and a failure.  It is a viscious cycle.  You should definately tell your doctor.  What I have found is when things are good and life is less stressfull I need a smaller dosage of my anti-depressant.  However, when I'm stressed (school, family, work, death of a loved one, loss of a job, etc) I need a little higher dosage.  I doubt your doctor will add an additional med right off.  He/She will probably try having you take a higher dose of Effexor (unless you are already on the max dosage) for a few weeks before adding or trying something else.  I usually just leave a message for my doctor saying that life has been especially difficult the past few weeks and it's seriously effected my mood and I'm just not "bouncing back" and I ask if I can raise the dose of the med I'm on.  Also even if they add a medicine you most likely won't have to take it longterm like the Effexor.  You'll probably be able to get off of it after the stressor (your chem class) has passed.   Keep up the hard work!  Best Wishes!!

Answer 2

Hi there

i have been on Effexor for 6 months and i have days on the medication we're i'm really sad and nothing can change this. and then i have days that the medication makes me happy. but i think you should make appoitment to see your doctor just to check up.

take care of yourself

Britney