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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rainbowlight on May 20, 2002, at 23:20:26
My pdoc recently lowered my Zoloft from 37.5 to 12.5 mgs. because it was making me physically ill. It only worked for the first month for the OCD, then the physical stuff started happening. Now that I am at the lower dose I get no mental anxiety relief from it. Should I try to slowly ramp up the dose to see if the anxiety relief comes back? Or should I get rid of it and try Prozac? Any advice?
Posted by IsoM on May 21, 2002, at 1:22:58
In reply to Am I waisting my time? Advice needed, posted by rainbowlight on May 20, 2002, at 23:20:26
When you said it made you physically ill, do you mean vomitting? Your dose is so low that I can't see how it could help at all. Yes, I would ask your doctor to try another med on you - there's many diff ADs to try & just because one makes you ill, doesn't mean all the others will too. You need to give another a decent try instead.
Whenever I tried to take Zoloft, I'd throw it back up within a half-hour. The capsule wouldn't even be fully dissolved yet. It was the only one that made me feel really ill.
Posted by rainbowlight on May 21, 2002, at 1:43:27
In reply to Re: Am I waisting my time? Advice needed » rainbowlight, posted by IsoM on May 21, 2002, at 1:22:58
When I take it at a level that is therapeutic for me (37 or 50) I start feeling like I have the flu, achy, bad headache, nausea. So while mentally I feel good anxiety wise, I feel physically ill. But then when I take it down to 12.5 mgs. I lose the mental benefit. I'm stumped as to why it would work for a month, and then start to make me ill. I've never had a med do that before. And then it leaves me wondering if it's a reaction to my other meds. So frustrating! I am thinking of giving Prozax a try. I have tried Paxil (too sedating) and Luvox(also too sedating). What do you think about Prozac for OCD?
Posted by IsoM on May 21, 2002, at 2:02:38
In reply to IsoM, posted by rainbowlight on May 21, 2002, at 1:43:27
Ah, I wish I could give you an answer about OCD but I have no experience with it & have no friends who have it either. Therefore, I really can't say how Prozac would help. There must be others who've had experience with Prozac & OCD that could answer. What about Celexa? It's another SSRI to consider with your doctor.
Posted by Chloe on May 21, 2002, at 18:34:32
In reply to Am I waisting my time? Advice needed, posted by rainbowlight on May 20, 2002, at 23:20:26
> My pdoc recently lowered my Zoloft from 37.5 to 12.5 mgs. because it was making me physically ill. It only worked for the first month for the OCD, then the physical stuff started happening. Now that I am at the lower dose I get no mental anxiety relief from it. Should I try to slowly ramp up the dose to see if the anxiety relief comes back? Or should I get rid of it and try Prozac? Any advice?
Hi Rainbowlight,
I am sorry you are having trouble with Zoloft. Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks of the SSRI's is that they can "poop out"...But perhaps you are actually physically sick? Have you gone to the doc for labs and stuff? You don't want to throw a good med away because you have a virus or something.For me, I found Zoloft the hardest to tolerate because I was sweating (drenched all the time, awful!) so badly...So I would drop the dose to 12.5, still sweat, but get no relief from depression.
I did find switching to Celexa was an improvement for me. I can't tolerate more than 1.5 mgs!, or I am very wired and anxious. So I don't really experience any side effects from it. But I do think it's a good med for OCD and depression though I know it can cause tiredness in some people. I can't speak personally on the OCD, BUT, I know if I go below 1.5 mgs, I do tend to ruminate more about trivial daily decisions. So for that reason I love the Celexa :)
I am also an alum of Prozac. Also a great SSRI. It was the gold standard for depression and OCD, before zoloft, luvox etc came on the scene, if I am not mistaken. For me it was much more stimulating/activating. If feeling too sedated is an issue, I would say prozac is the way to go. Prozac's long halflife can also help you withdrawal from the little amount of zoloft you are still taking.
I hope you feel better soon
Chloe
Posted by rainbowlight on May 21, 2002, at 22:02:36
In reply to Re: Am I waisting my time? SSRI's » rainbowlight, posted by Chloe on May 21, 2002, at 18:34:32
Thanks for responding. Chloe, you are the only other person that I have met that also got relief from only a few mgs. of Celexa. Everyone thinks I am crazy!!! LOL!!! I used to only have to take 1 mgs. of liquid of Celexa in the morning. A bottle lasted forever. They used to tease me at another board that I must lick a 20 mg. tablet once a day for 20 days! I liked Celexa but it screwed with my hormones so I had to stop taking it. Today the Zoloft level seams to be coming up a bit and I am starting to mentally feel better. Cross your fingers for me! If this doesn't work I am going to ask for Prozac.
Posted by IsoM on May 22, 2002, at 0:20:35
In reply to Chloe and IsoM, posted by rainbowlight on May 21, 2002, at 22:02:36
I think it's great that you need so little of a medication - cost & health-wise! Strangely, a few meds have a normal effect on me but most meds don't work unless the dose is high. This is true of everything from ordinary caffeine to anesthesia to pain-killers, etc. I wish a low dose would work.
I'm glad to hear you're feeling better today. Despite how or what meds affect us, there's always good & bad days mixed with the so-so days. I'm learning to accept the variation as life hands it out. I just won't accept constant bad days.
When you say Celexa mixed up your hormones - how? And which hormones?
Posted by rainbowlight on May 22, 2002, at 0:42:13
In reply to Re: Chloe and IsoM » rainbowlight, posted by IsoM on May 22, 2002, at 0:20:35
It messed with my periods actually, it made me have a period every 3 weeks, which was horrible. One week of really bad PMS, one week of my period, then one normal week, and then start all over again. My hormones were out of control, mood swinging all over the place. It is listed as one of the possible side effects and I have talked to many women on the net who have had similiar problems with Celexa. I have also read of similiar problems with Zoloft. I hope not! LOL!
Posted by IsoM on May 22, 2002, at 1:19:20
In reply to IsoM, posted by rainbowlight on May 22, 2002, at 0:42:13
So your periods were normal before & then again, after the Celexa then? I've been spayed :-) so I wouldn't notice anything like that if an SSRI was to affect me. Funny - I know so much about possible side-effects but my eyes must've passed that by each time I read them. Kind of like a man not paying attention to preganancy precautions 'cause he'd never be preganant.
Posted by Sarahmarie on May 22, 2002, at 21:06:31
In reply to Am I waisting my time? Advice needed, posted by rainbowlight on May 20, 2002, at 23:20:26
>I am a big supporter of using Prozac for Depression and OCD (I have both and possibly some other diagnosis)--anyway Prozac has made a huge difference for me with both the depression and the OCD. I am also adding an exercise routine to see if that will help as well. I would feel free to discuss it with your pdoc. I can't imagine feeling as sick as you are and getting any help from the medication. Good Luck to you. Keep us posted. SarahMarie
My pdoc recently lowered my Zoloft from 37.5 to 12.5 mgs. because it was making me physically ill. It only worked for the first month for the OCD, then the physical stuff started happening. Now that I am at the lower dose I get no mental anxiety relief from it. Should I try to slowly ramp up the dose to see if the anxiety relief comes back? Or should I get rid of it and try Prozac? Any advice?
This is the end of the thread.
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