Posted by ed_uk on December 16, 2004, at 7:58:41
In reply to Treatment strategy (Ed), posted by tensor on December 16, 2004, at 7:38:57
Hi Mattias,
Increasing the Zoloft seems like a sensible strategy. After all, it wouldn't make sense to try a different drug until you'd found out whether an increased dose of Zoloft could help. Have you ever been on a high dose of an SSRI before?
You seem worried about the lithium. I hope this extract from a medical journal will help to reassure you. It gives a bit of information about lithium augmentation ie. adding lithium to treatment with standard antidepressants.
'To date, this treatment approach called lithium augmentation is the best-documented approach in the treatment of refractory depression. In international treatment guidelines and algorithms, lithium augmentation is considered a first-line treatment strategy for patients with a major depressive episode who do not adequately respond to standard antidepressant treatment. In a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, lithium augmentation has demonstrated to also be effective in the continuation treatment phase to prevent early relapses. From animal studies there is robust evidence that lithium augmentation increases serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission, possibly by a synergistic action of lithium and the antidepressant on brain 5-HT pathways. '
I've never taken lithium myself but many people on babble have. People often seem afraid of starting lithium but they generally discover that it's not as bad as they expected. Hope you don't mind having blood tests though!
It's 2.00 pm and I haven't had lunch! I'll be back later :-)
Ed.
poster:ed_uk
thread:430194
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041211/msgs/430200.html