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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Steve2 on August 1, 2000, at 23:45:50
I have looked over the archieve's, but what is the general verdict on Nefazodone?
Posted by cakes on August 3, 2000, at 10:02:50
In reply to General Verdict on Nefazodone?, posted by Steve2 on August 1, 2000, at 23:45:50
My personal resolution is that it bites! Had a difficult time with it. I'm sure, though, that it's been great for others.
One vote against!!!! :) Cakes
Posted by shar on August 3, 2000, at 11:43:05
In reply to General Verdict on Nefazodone?, posted by Steve2 on August 1, 2000, at 23:45:50
> I have looked over the archieve's, but what is the general verdict on Nefazodone?
> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >
I had to look up nefazodone--can't keep all these names in my head. Serzone!!Serzone was the most horrible AD I've ever tried. It was pretty new when I first tried it, so my former pdoc was probably getting some incentive for prescribing it.
I was kept on it for months, being assured that the "side effects" would wear off. Well, they never did, and one day I decided "this just can't be right."
Went to make appt. with pdoc and he no longer took my insurance. Changed pdocs, went to Zoloft (which I loved). Have used a couple of others between then and now, and have never experienced such horrible side effects since.
On this board, I would say that a few people have a horrible time, many people have some trouble with it, some people really like it, and a few people do great. Sort of like a bell curve.
ADs are so idiosynchratic it is hard to summarize because of the human factor; your mileage may vary. It's like comparing zucchini and pears.
Shar
Posted by yona on August 3, 2000, at 13:54:00
In reply to Re: General Verdict on Nefazodone? (aka Serzone), posted by shar on August 3, 2000, at 11:43:05
one more vote for 'horrible'. i just got off of it after three week trial... for me the side effects impaired whatever it did that was good.
anyways.. yo
Posted by dove on August 3, 2000, at 15:15:34
In reply to Re: General Verdict on Nefazodone? (aka Serzone), posted by yona on August 3, 2000, at 13:54:00
Better than any of the other SSRI's I've ever tried. Excellent-to mind-blowing on the libido end of the spectrum. First 2-5 weeks require some patience as the mood-swings and agitation seem to increase before they decrease. Nefazodone (Serzone) can be taken throughout the day rather than one big dose before bed or whatever most the p-docs have people do with it. Currently I am taking 400mgs, split in 100mgs four times (4x) a day. I am a super-fast metabolizer and can feel the difference when it begins to wear off. So I would highly recommend this approach if you're finding the effects of Nefazodone a little weak during the day.
Number one advice: If you're going to give it a whirl, do not give up before the six weeks are up unless the side-effects are seriously harming you, or causing you to harm something/someone else. Nefazodone's punch becomes a completely different persona once you cross that special and unfortunately invisible line in the virtual sands of time.
dove
Posted by jzp on August 3, 2000, at 16:47:51
In reply to General Verdict on Nefazodone? (aka Serzone), posted by dove on August 3, 2000, at 15:15:34
Hi,
Somebody needs to come down in favor of Serzone, especially since I know what a horrible feeling it is to look up all the archived posts on a med you were just prescribed, and to see all these horror stories. Somehow the positive ones don't make as much of an impression, especially when you're depressed.
I have been taking Serzone for about a month, starting at 50mg and working my way up to 300mg. It has made a tremendous difference for me, and it only took about 2 weeks to start noticing a real improvement. After 20 months of severe depression, it's weird but wonderful to be feeling good again. The only side effects I have had are an occasional slight pressure feeling in my head, and some difficulty falling asleep (although from what I understand, it really helps with most people's sleep, so I don't know what that's about). Nothing major, though. Other antidepressants have give me terrible stomach-aches and often not helped much with the depression.
I hope that this helps a bit.
-Jannette
Posted by shar on August 3, 2000, at 20:28:44
In reply to Re: General Verdict on Nefazodone? » Steve2, posted by cakes on August 3, 2000, at 10:02:50
Steve,
Are you getting what you want in this thread? Or is it too demoralizing to hear about bad times? Has it changed your decision to use Serzone? That would warrant a discussion.To sort of emphasize what I said in my post, ADs are very different for different people. You could absolutely love one that I thought was awful and vice versa.
For every med discussed here, people report loving it, hating it, being unaffected by it, getting sick from it, etc. In a thread like this you are bound to hear from both sides.
I'd hate to see you demoralized, and also I want to tell the truth.
Shar
Posted by Cindy W on August 3, 2000, at 21:14:14
In reply to Re: General Verdict on Nefazodone?, posted by shar on August 3, 2000, at 20:28:44
> Steve,
> Are you getting what you want in this thread? Or is it too demoralizing to hear about bad times? Has it changed your decision to use Serzone? That would warrant a discussion.
>
> To sort of emphasize what I said in my post, ADs are very different for different people. You could absolutely love one that I thought was awful and vice versa.
>
> For every med discussed here, people report loving it, hating it, being unaffected by it, getting sick from it, etc. In a thread like this you are bound to hear from both sides.
>
> I'd hate to see you demoralized, and also I want to tell the truth.
>
> Shar
Steve2, I took Serzone for a couple of months (and still take 75 mg/night to help me sleep). I like it a lot because it reduces my social anxiety and also helps me sleep (Effexor-XR 375 mg/day tends to make me feel energized and to interfere with sleep). I'd be taking just Serzone if it had as good an impact on OCD as it did for me for depression. It took about 4 weeks for me to feel pretty good, though (the first two weeks were hard...sudden mood changes for no reason, some dizziness and fatigue). After four weeks, I wished I could take it forever! I can't remember how much I was taking when it was the only thing I was taking (much more than I'm taking now); it made me feel really great. But unfortunately, it didn't stop the OCD thoughts and rituals.
Posted by JennyR on August 3, 2000, at 21:58:24
In reply to Re: General Verdict on Nefazodone?, posted by Cindy W on August 3, 2000, at 21:14:14
I'm a success story. A year and four months now. The initial side affects wore off in 10 days. I was sleeping better in about 2 weeks. The problem is over time I have had to keep having the dosage raised becasue the waking up pattern would start in again. After the initial build-up I was on 300 mg at bedtime, then increased a few months later to 400, then a couple of months ago to 600. That is the max and if it "poops out" at this level, I will probably have to endure what other people have been through - a human guinea pig trying all different meds and combinations. I am really scared of that and am hoping it doesn't get to that. But for now, I give it a thumbs up.
Posted by LouieG on August 5, 2000, at 16:32:22
In reply to General Verdict on Nefazodone?, posted by Steve2 on August 1, 2000, at 23:45:50
Steve, my Dr recently prescribed Serzone, and after trying about 10 diff AD Serzone seems to be the one with less side efffects (at least for me). For the first time I feel hopeful and I am almost positive I've finally found the AD I should have been taking from the beginning. Give it a try and see what happens, treating depression is a long process of trial and error. Louie. Good luck
Posted by NikkiT2 on August 7, 2000, at 11:05:38
In reply to Re: General Verdict on Nefazodone? » Steve2, posted by cakes on August 3, 2000, at 10:02:50
Nevber made much of a difference in me to tell the truth,... nit as bad as Paxil, but just not much ise!!
Sorry!
Posted by Noa on August 9, 2000, at 12:06:09
In reply to Re: General Verdict on Nefazodone? » Steve2, posted by cakes on August 3, 2000, at 10:02:50
For me, a difficult start on it, but it has been very helpful.
It counters the over-activating effects of effexor (sleeplessness, agitation, twitching, restlessness, etc.) and adds more AD effect. It helps me sleep without being overly sedating. I take it around 6 pm, so it is ready at bed-time and sedation gone by morning.
The start is hard--moodiness, rage, tears, lack of coordination, grogginess, but after about 2-3 weeks, all that went away.
This is the end of the thread.
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