Safe Antidepressant?

[WellEyes]

Hello. I have suffered from severe MGD and dry eyes for one year now and like many of patients like me, I am now badly in depression and anxiety. However the antidepressants are known to cause even drier eyes and we can only hope that they will work for the depression at all. (I know, I've used antidepressants on and off for the last 20 years and dry eyes is not the worst side-effect they come with!) But I feel that I am really hitting the bottom with suicidal thoughts. Sometimes the anxiety is so much that I feel I cannot breathe. And on the other hand my eyes are burning for the most part of the day. Has any of you tried any antidepressant when they have very dry eyes like me? Can you recommend any so I can consult with my psychiatrist?
Thank you

[WellEyes]

Hello Dano. Thank you very much for your reply.
I have the same and for the last weeks sleep disorders started like yourself which makes dry eyes even worse! Though it might be less harsh on the eyes, please let me warn you about Venlafaxine. I had used it myself before I got the dry eye disease (I suffered depression before dry eyes) and I used many different drugs before but it is a very nasty drug to come off. I hesitate to give you advice on this because I would not like to confuse you or add to your despair with question marks in your head. (This is the last thing we need!) But at the same time I do feel the obligation to tell you my experience.
If throughout the time I took it, I missed one dose, next day I experienced unbearable dizziness, brain zaps, wheezy sounds when I turned my head from left to right, simply impossible to function. First I did not know this was because of the drug but one day it hit me. I have these horrible zaps when I forget one dose. Afterwards I googled it to see other patient experiences and wow yes that was it. So I quit this drug and since then I suffer anxiety attacks when I am challenged which was never an issue before. My only problem was depression, not anxiety.

Anyhow, now I feel the need to take antidepressants again desperately but it's a double-edged sword for us isn't it? A vicious circle of dry eye and depression getting each other worse. It is so hard to decide which one is worse, dry eye or depression? Because if severe, both feels like the end of life.
I really hope you will find the good medicine for you and I for myself. But please let us be careful.

[WellEyes]

Thank you and best of luck. God help us all.

[Rebecca Petris]

"Anyhow, now I feel the need to take antidepressants again desperately but it's a double-edged sword for us isn't it? A vicious circle of dry eye and depression getting each other worse. It is so hard to decide which one is worse, dry eye or depression?"

Welleyes, it sure can feel like that but it also works the opposite way as well and it's really important to know that. For many people, taking the edge off the depression is a necessary step in coping, which in turn helps with getting pain and anxiety under control, with navigating complex medical decisions and so on. I know so very many people who went on antidepressants for the first time in their life because of dry eye - and few who regretted it. It was a step on a path bath to wellness, for many, while for some it's more of a long term maintenance thing. I know it's intensely frustrating to have to try different ones though.

[WellEyes]

I do believe it's true what you're saying. Thank you for your support Rebecca.