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Re: Switiching medications.. please help

Posted by Racer on May 1, 2005, at 13:24:10

In reply to Re: Switiching medications.. please help, posted by Jaymee on May 1, 2005, at 10:34:16

Zoloft is an SSRI: Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor. Effexor is an SNRI: Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitor. That does mean that they're different classes of drugs, which means that there's a good chance that they'll have different effects for most people.

That's the simple answer, of course. The slightly more complex answer is that both Zoloft and Effexor are potent inhibitors of serotonin reuptake, and both provide mild reuptake inhibition of dopamine. Effexor adds in moderate reuptake inhibition of norepinephrine as well. Serotonin is the neurotransmitter most commonly associated with depression and anxiety; dopamine is the party guy in the bunch, involved in the reward system; and norepinephrine -- you know, I'm not entirely sure what norepinephrine does, ccome to think of it... Hmph... Better start my research, huh?

Anyway, the bottom line is that the two meds are different in their targets and their effects, so there's a pretty good chance that you'll respond. Of course, everone is different, so you mileage will vary.

As far as statistics go, though, pretty much ALL the anti-depressants are more or less equal: roughly the same percentage of people will respond adequately to any of them. Statistics are really not that meaningful, though, in this situation, since you really only want to know if you can expect to feel better, right? You're asking what the chances are that you'll feel better, and the answer is going to be the same for most all the meds out there: somewhere around 60% of patients have an adequate response to any of them. Whether this is the drug that will work for you is something you can only tell by trying.

I can tell you that Effexor has been very effective for a lot of people, if that helps.


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