I successfully use Lexapro. It worked for me within days, and I have no side effects (or if I do, they are so minimal I do not notice) and it helped me in some pretty dark times.

I made the decision to stay on a lower dosage as "maintenance".

There is a strong mind/gut connection and I found when I am on Lexapro, my pouch works much better too.

Good luck,
Tammy

it lifted the darkness in days?

Please talk with your doctor. We can't make recommendations as to which antidepressant works for you. They are prescribed based on your symptoms of depression. Not all antidepressants are the same. If Celexa did not work, tell you doctor and he/she will try another one for you.

Sue

thanks guys. im not asking for anyone to prescribe just wanted to hear pros n cons and see if anyone had my side effects.

It might take awhile to find the right drug. I tried 7 different ones. One put me in the hospital my side effects were so severe. I won't try anymore. Lexapro almost did the same recently. Prozac made me manic, wellbutrin knocked me out in a sleep coma for 48 hours, etc.

You have to try and find the right cocktail. I am over it all.

vanessavy, do you mean youre over the darkness? i feel i can get over this without meds because its chemical from the anesthesia etc. if it came on slowly i could understand but this was overnight darkness immediately post surgery. im not underestimating the power of post surgical depression but id rather ride it out a bit than go through the side effects ive already experienced and the potential ones remaining to be seen...

I can't recommend any pharmaceutical anti depressants, especially Prozac and Zoloft which I used after my first case of dehydration, thanks to my wonderful J Pouch Both those drugs made me feel physically ill.

I am over taking meds unless it is Ativan and Antibiotics. All I take now. Ativan is for sleep since I have a bladder condition that makes it hard to sleep.

My surgical depression took awhile but has gone away so I told my family doctor "no more drugs". She said she'd send me to a shrink but I don't think I need it anymore. Pain is my issue so we were trying to battle that as well. I try to stay active and busy so I am not that sad, even though my pain is so high lately.

With antidepressants, you may have to try several first before you find one that works for you, not to mention one that has minimal side effects, or at least side effects you can tolerate.

Also, most doctors will tell you that you that an antidepressant needs to be trialed for 2-4 weeks before it can be determined if it's effective for you. You may also have to go through dosage adjustments. Also, side effects vary widely from person to person so it's never a given that you will/will not react to a certain med. In that sense, this really isn't the place to recommend meds. Only you and your doctor can decide what is/is not working for you, and you need to be monitored closely by your doctor as you taper on and off the drugs.

That said, just trying to get back into a routine, being as active as possible, spending time with people, etc, can all help to improve your mood. It's important to do this. Antidepressants can and do help many people get over the hump, but at least for me, meds were not the answer or the "cure-all." I know it can be hard to start increasing activities again, especially when you are feeling poorly physically, but if you start slowly and gradually, you might be amazed how good you can feel.

Best of luck!

thank you. im not a patient man and i do not like meds. i agree they cant be prescribed on here i was just looking for experiences. i have been very active from early on. we came to florida to try and live with my colitis in a milder climate but ended up with emergency removal of colon so we are mostly alone here. my folks are here to help us cope but we are moving home after takedown and the stress and anxiety of getting home is killing me. we have over 100 friends and family waiting for us and i just want to be there now. we didnt leave home to leave we left to survive this damn disease. the planning and actual move are overwhelming and at some point my parents will have to go home and i dont think i can handle it. my wife is amazing but has to work so ill be alone again. its just so much to cope with...

chasingtime, you sound like you have a ton on your plate. I also had emergency surgery, and I went through a rough period afterwards; I know it can be hard to adjust to the changes in your life, especially when those changes happen so suddenly and are so widespread. Have you considered therapy? A counselor or psychologist who has experience dealing with chronic illness might be of great benefit to you. A therapist can teach strategies to help you cope with the changes in your life and move forward. It can be a very positive thing, definitely something to consider. Also just talking through all your thoughts and concerns with a professional can be very therapeutic. A pill can sometimes help your mood, but strategies you can learn and continue to apply going forward will be much better in the long run, so that you don't get back into the place you are now. A combo of antidepressants and therapy may also be helpful to you.