I found prozac too stimulating as well. It aggravated my insomnia. I took paxil for over 10 years. It wasn't a cure, by any means. Did it help my depression? I guess so.
I was pretty sick when I started taking it, and I went downhill for the first week on that med. Then, I felt a glimmer of hope. I had a rare positive thought. I hung on,, and I slowly
came out of my depression. I'm a guy, and it did give me sexual side effects. My orgasm bell turned into a buzzer on paxil. At some point I switched to effexor and took that
for 10 years. Neither med was a big difference maker. Lastly, I took escitalopram for several years. I took 40mg daily, which is a hefty dose, and had zero side effects.
It was at least as effective in treating my depression and related symptoms as paxil and Effexor. Then I discovered the root cause of my depression, which I had segued
into from a post ictal psychosis following temporal lobe seizures. Long story short, I had ECT and took meds for a bout a year until realizing I didn't need them anymore.
Been med free for over 5 years without symptoms for the first time in 40 years. I could recommend Lexapro (escitalopram) if I had to recommend an SSRI. But, if
your depression is as serious as was mine, I would recommend the ECT instead.
