Not sure what to do now

[waterflow]

The zoloft was getting to bothering the bladder too much. Spasms, pain worse and I was having to pee every 15 mintues again. The celexa did the same thing. I didn't take the zoloft today and I am going back down to the "sad side" again. What do I do? Stay on the zoloft and have a worse bladder or stay off of it and keep going down the long black tunnel? :help: If two of these pills bother the bladder won't the rest?

[ICNDonna]

Not necessarily. Please call your doctor and ask for something different to try.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[Briza]

I'm on Prozac and it does not bother my bladder. I don't know that it helps my IC symptoms, but it is a wonder med my depression and anxiety. Takes 2-3 weeks to start working.
Best wishes

[jlp]

I take Wellbutrin XL 150 mg. I am new to this IC, so i have been in a bad flare, so i do not know if wellbutrin is adding to the problem or not. Just thought i would tell what i was taking. It seems to help me with the depression. I took prozac in the past and what i liked about it, was that it made me want everything folded,organized,and in order..doubt that would happen now,i am just happy if it clean.(or does not move)LOL

[Kara29]

Waterflow,

Ask your doctor if you can try another class of Anidepressants.
I know I could not take any of the SSRI's and Zoloft and Celexa are both SSRI's. This class of Antidepressants could be the culprit of your bladder being irritated. I've been there with these meds. I've tried them all! The SSRI's just irritated my bladder so bad.

The SSRI's include: SSRIs (Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors)

Celexa (citalopram)
Lexapro (escitalopram oxalate)
Luvox (fluvoxamine)
Paxil (paroxetine)
Prozac (fluoxetine)
Zoloft (sertraline)

I understand some of the reactions because my bladder could not tolerate any of the above in the SSRI family.

But you could ask your doctor about prescribing an antidepressant from another class such as the Tricyclics:

Adapin (doxepin)
Anafranil (clomipramine)
Elavil (amitriptyline)
Endep (amitriptyline)
Ludiomil (maprotiline)
Norpramin (desipramine)
Pamelor (nortryptyline)
Pertofrane (desipramine)
Sinequan (doxepin)
Surmontil (trimipramine)
Tofranil (imipramine)
Vivactil (protriptyline)

OR there are still yet more to try:

Cymbalta which is an selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI)
WELLBUTRIN (bupropion hydrochloride), an antidepressant of the aminoketone class
Trazodone (Desyrel), is a modified cyclic antidepressant.
Effexor XR is an extended-release capsule for oral administration that contains venlafaxine hydrochloride, a structurally novel antidepressant

You may want to print out this list and give it to your doctor too. Only he/she can prescribe what is best for you. These are just the classes of antidepressants and the list of what each of them are. There are many more too that your doctor can tell you about. These are just the medications that I am aware of.

The best advice I have to offer from my own experiences, is to keep a written journal. Each time you take the medication that the doctor gives you, write down about 20 minutes to an hour how you are feeling, if you are ok write that down and move on throughout the day. Check in with your journal, daily or over the next several days to next several weeks. If you start to notice improvement, write it down, if you start to notice no improvement, write it down. If you start to notice that you are feeling worse write that down too. This way you have a running list of what is helping you and what is not. It also helps the doctor to see this so he/she knows where to go next with you regarding antidepressants.

You can cross of each name in the list that does not agree with you.

I hope your doctor can find something that agrees with your bladder and makes your depression lift! You are in my thoughts!

Sincerely,

Kara

[creatingkarma]

Yes! Please call your doctor and ask for a different anti-depressant to try! I hope this depression leaves you soon!

[waterflow]

I felt really awful this morning when I got up. I thought maybe it was due to skipping the zoloft yesterday so i took half of one and that was a big mistake. ended up feeling worse and it is the zoloft that makes my heart flutter and I have even been having small sharp pains a few times there. Plus I couldn't even tell the heparin had been done. So, zoloft is deffenitly out. Also, had a pounding migraine.
Thanks Kara for the list of pills. I will print it out and leave it with the nurse. That way doc can read it before I get there. Not sure if he will be able to help me. He said he didn't know much about them. Had to ask my GP doc and he said the zoloft. If he says he won't do it and I need to see my GP then I will just have to drop it. I won't go back to him. Walked out and told him I wouldn't bother him again. Need him for the insurance purpose and not about to find another GP doc. Not many on the list to begin with and already switched to him after having problems with the other one.
I feel like I'm doomed not matter what I do and I do no understand why pills hate me.
Having some family problems as well, which I don't know how to handle either. Was hoping one of the pills could hlep me to just forget about everything.
Thanks everyone for helping me out on this. :kissing:

[ShePurzz]

I would just add that I am taking Lexapro for depression and it also is supposed to help with anxiety and panic -- it helps the depression for sure -- not sure how it is doing on the anxiety and panic as I am trying to withdraw right now from Klonopin -- I don't suggest using it at all if you are ever offered it.

However, the Lexipro is getting along good with my bladder -- the down side -- I cannot take the Elmiron while taking the Lexapro -- the two don't seem to get along at all -- I had been on Elmiron and was doing well -- then I started taking the Lexapro and I had lots of problems.. The URO suggested stopping the Elmiron and the problems went away -- a few months later I tried again and I had the same thing -- so I am not taking Elmiron now -- also, never had a problem with my instills until Lexapro either... Hmm anyone else have this same interaction???

I am fortunate that I am not in a flare currently and the Lexapro has been great for the depression -- I am down to 1/2 the dose I was started on and not having the depression -- just the anxiety and panic!

Hope this helps some...
Hugs,
Mary

[ICLori]

Just wanted to say I hope you feel better soon. I know what struggling with depression is like, and I can't take any antidepressants because they hurt my bladder right now. I do take fish oil capsules, which are supposed to help with depression and they don't hurt my bladder.

I hope that you can find an antidepressant that will help you without causing you bladder pain.

Blessings,
Lori

[vm]

I've been on Lexapro for 3 years now, I think? I take it along with Elmiron with no problems. The Lexapro actually helped my bladder - it was kind of the missing piece for me. :)

[ShePurzz]

I've been on Lexapro for 3 years now, I think? I take it along with Elmiron with no problems. The Lexapro actually helped my bladder - it was kind of the missing piece for me. :)


Wow, Kim, that is great! I hope that in the future I will be able to take the Elmiron if I do go into a flare again -- however -- I guess I hope I just don't ever flare again at all -- that would be even better!!! :woohoo:

But good to know too that the Lexapro is helping your bladder -- I wonder what that is from? I will try to remember to ask my doctor when I see him in a couple of weeks -- interested in knowing about the drugs I am using and how others have done on them... even if we are all unique, I sure see a lot of similarities on the board!

Best to you!
Mary

[vm]

I wonder why Lexapro helped me, too. I sure wasn't expecting it to at all - was worried it might hurt my bladder. I don't know if it was a side effect of the med OR if being less anxious helped. Either way - I'm glad! :)

[ShePurzz]

I wonder why Lexapro helped me, too. I sure wasn't expecting it to at all - was worried it might hurt my bladder. I don't know if it was a side effect of the med OR if being less anxious helped. Either way - I'm glad! :)


Good point -- anxiety really does add to the IC doesn't it??? :help:

I don't know why the Lexapro and Elmiron collided for me -- I was very concerned at first, but when I had to stop the Elmiron, I didn't get any bladder flare back -- Praise the Lord -- because I only tried it once after that and the two meds just don't seem to get along for me.

I have since only had one flare and tried the Elmiron (as stated) and it caused other medications interactions, so I tried the instills -- that was horrible -- the ONLY time my instillations were unbearable -- I didn't even get the fourth one!

Fortunately, that flare has passed and I haven't had a return since...

Peeing is still an issue, as are other IC symptoms, but they are all manageable -- the pain is the worst and I just feel so badly for anyone suffering in pain and not getting relief...

Anyhow, that is probably the link to the Lexapro -- it does help with anxiety and depression -- so that reasons that it helps with the bladder!!!