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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by femenist on September 1, 2006, at 13:23:17
I have tried every anti depressant. My last hope is Luvox (50mg) it's not working, still very anxious and depressed--is there any medication that I can add to augment the Luvox so that it will be more effective? Any information would be greatly appreciated it!
Fem
Posted by SLS on September 1, 2006, at 13:53:05
In reply to Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 1, 2006, at 13:23:17
> I have tried every anti depressant. My last hope is Luvox (50mg) it's not working, still very anxious and depressed--is there any medication that I can add to augment the Luvox so that it will be more effective? Any information would be greatly appreciated it!
> Fem
You are taking an inadequate dosage of Luvox to be able to evaluate its effectiveness. The range for adults is 100-300mg. Are side effects limiting you? Perhaps you can begin a medication to relieve you of anxiety while you continue to look for an effective treatment for the depression.Is there any history of bipolar disorder in your family?
Which MAOI drugs have you tried?
- Scott
Posted by femenist on September 1, 2006, at 21:33:48
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by SLS on September 1, 2006, at 13:53:05
No bipolar-no side effects from the medication--you belive that uping the dosage will work--I will talk to my pdoc--what do you know about luvox? thanks for your response!
fem
Posted by Phillipa on September 1, 2006, at 22:40:37
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 1, 2006, at 21:33:48
Well since I've literally taken it for years in varying doses. It's the most sedating of the ad's . I was up to l50mg and nothing. So now down to 50mg. Plan to continue going down. And just stick with the benzos for now. They do help the ad's don't help me. Love Phillipa
Posted by Racer on September 2, 2006, at 2:01:53
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 1, 2006, at 21:33:48
> I will talk to my pdoc--what do you know about luvox?
Luvox was the first SSRI on the market, but it is actually approved for OCD, not depression. It's sedating, which may or may not mean anything as far as its effect on anxiety. What is it you want to know about it?
What concerns me, though, are two things: if your pdoc has had you on 50mg of Luvox, I wonder why he'd have you at such a low dose -- and I wonder what it means for the likelihood that you've had adequate trials of therapeutic doses of other antidepressants?
When you say you've tried "all of the antidepressants," though, I suspect you're overstating the matter a bit. A lot of us here have tried a lot of drugs, and still haven't tried ALL of them. Many of us have tried drugs from all the major classes, too. If you want more appropriate suggestions and feedback, it would help to know what you've actually tried so far? In a lot of cases these days, people may think they've tried everything, when they've only tried a few of the newer drugs. Maybe you really have tried everything -- MAOIs, TCAs, SSRIs, newer drugs, etc -- in which case, it would help give you better advice if you told a bit about your responses to them? Did any cause side effects that you couldn't handle? Did any help, at all? What doses? For how long? Et cetera.
Hope that helps a bit.
Posted by Phillipa on September 2, 2006, at 11:34:43
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 1, 2006, at 21:33:48
300mg is the top range. 50mg is the starting dose usually taken at night. When you get to l50mg usually l00mg is taken at night and the 50mg in the am. As the dose escalates the largest dose is taken in the evening with the smallest dose in the am. Not many side effects for me with it. Love Phillipa
Posted by femenist on September 2, 2006, at 14:41:53
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » femenist, posted by Racer on September 2, 2006, at 2:01:53
Thanks for responses: i've only tried all SSRI's and Wellbutrin, Effexor, Cymbalta--had side effects. the only one that worked great was Prozac, was on it for 7 years--poop out. Now the last one i'm on is Luvox (3 months). I suffer from GAD all my life. Just want the anxity to go away--I will not go on the older ones that just sound dangeous like the MOA inhibitors (you can't do anything on that one) any other suggestions? thanks fem
Posted by linkadge on September 2, 2006, at 14:58:45
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 2, 2006, at 14:41:53
The MAOI's are very effective medications for some people. They can also be remarkably free from side effects. They do require some dietary restrictions, but for most people who respond, the inconvinenience of the dietary restictions are so trivial compared to the relief they get from their mood disorder.
I wouldn't close any doors, but thats just me.
Linkadge
Posted by Racer on September 2, 2006, at 16:39:34
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 2, 2006, at 14:41:53
> the only one that worked great was Prozac, was on it for 7 years--poop out. Now the last one i'm on is Luvox (3 months). I suffer from GAD all my life. Just want the anxity to go away--I will not go on the older ones that just sound dangeous like the MOA inhibitors (you can't do anything on that one) any other suggestions? thanks fem
If Prozac worked well for you, I'd think Zoloft would be a better choice than Luvox for you. Often, when one SSRI poops out, another will work, and Zoloft is probably the second most stimulating SSRI, after Prozac.
If anxiety is your biggest concern, have you talked to your doctor about treating ONLY that? Something like Buspar? Maybe Risperdal or Seroquel? Just a thought. Or adding something like that to an antidepressant, to hit both issues?
Hope that helps.
Posted by femenist on September 2, 2006, at 17:06:43
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » femenist, posted by Racer on September 2, 2006, at 16:39:34
My pdoc keeps telling me that Buspar does not work-but some people here say that it does--i'm going to talk to him about that! As for Zoloft it didn't work and i had bad side effects, Paxil too. How do you guys feel about just taking Klonopin everyday?
Posted by Phillipa on September 2, 2006, at 19:45:34
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 2, 2006, at 17:06:43
Right now I'm weaning back to just a benzo as most of my problems began with an ad. A lot of posters love klonopin. Me it depresses. I do better with valium. Some take xanax and do fine with no abuse issues. Have you talked with your pdoc about trying this? And have you ever tried it before. I did and it worked quite well. Love Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on September 2, 2006, at 19:47:51
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help, posted by femenist on September 2, 2006, at 17:06:43
> My pdoc keeps telling me that Buspar does not work-but some people here say that it does--i'm going to talk to him about that! As for Zoloft it didn't work and i had bad side effects, Paxil too. How do you guys feel about just taking Klonopin everyday?
If you have anxiety mixed in with your depression I personally would continue to go up on the dose of Luvox. As noted, 50mg, you have already seen whether your system can stand it. Luvox is the most sedating of SSRIs which is good for people with anxiety and depression, Paxil somewhat similarly in terms of sedation, not necessarily all the levels of transmitters and whatnot, although all SSRIs have similarities.
Luvox has a very wide range of dosage and in fact the 300mg dose is only a PDR reference, it has been dosed routinely to 400mg and sometimes even 450mg.
Buspar was a failed (well, it does begin to have D2 potential at some astronomical amount, which was used mildly successfuly against TD) antipsychotic that had enough serotonin potential to try as an anxiolytic. The trouble is that only about 30% of the population will have good response to it, and it does have a greater likelihood of dizzyness as a side effect.
Klonopin, and I take each report on here with a grain of sand, seems to have a greater amount of depression effects on individuals already depressed, although any benzodiazepine can. Valium might be a better choice, but if you can stray from the benzodiazepines (though they are the safest psychiatric medications when taken as directed and not diverted or used for non medical purposes) there are other agents to augment, such as a very low dose of Seroquel to an SSRI, say 50mg or 100mg.
I'm not suggesting going the AP direction, but some people with treatment refractory depression combine (fill in the blank with your favourite SSRI) and (a relatively low potential neurlopetic).
One just has to remember if you decide to go with a benzodiazepine + an SSRI (I'm assuming you're taking for depression plus anxiety, because otherwise there is no reason for a benzodiazepine in either case, its an anxiolytic), that a long term one such as Klonopin or even better Valium should be used and the minimum effective dose of said drug should be use to lessen tolerance.
Hope that helps-- Jay
Posted by tizza on September 2, 2006, at 20:31:53
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » femenist, posted by yxibow on September 2, 2006, at 19:47:51
Luvox was the only AD that actually worked for me but I was on 300mg, unfortunatly it pooped out after 10 months. It just calmed me down but also gave me a wide range of side effect like chronic diarrhea (I sh*t myself at work a few times, lucky I live close to work), sexual dysfunction and apathy. My body can't tolerate AD's especially SSRI's, SNRI's, RIMA's and TCA's. So for now I'm 11 months AD free and life is still a struggle some days but I get by with Valium when needed. So basically when Luvox worked for me it was quite good but everyone reacts differently to different drugs, good luck.
Posted by johnnyj on September 5, 2006, at 17:00:09
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » femenist, posted by Phillipa on September 2, 2006, at 19:45:34
Hello,
What side effects did you have when you started Luvox? Did it make you more anxious? Can you give me some detail? I would really appreciate it. Thank you Phillipa.
Johnnyj
Posted by femenist on September 5, 2006, at 19:13:42
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » Phillipa, posted by johnnyj on September 5, 2006, at 17:00:09
I don't believe i have side effects i think i'm back to the way i use to be (all my life basically 33 years now i'm 40), irritable, angry and very anxious--(GAD). From all the postings i believe i need to up my Luvox to 75 or 100mg and take klonopin as needed--right now i just don't give a sh*t anymore...just really angry hate that feeling...thanks
Posted by Phillipa on September 5, 2006, at 21:09:17
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » Phillipa, posted by johnnyj on September 5, 2006, at 17:00:09
Hi Johnny. No side effects at all. I was in the hospital and the pdoc said since you're here lets try a new med even though my low l0mg dose of paxil whas working. I took the first 50mg and sat there waiting for something bad or unfamiliar to happen. But nothing did nothing at all. I must add I was also on ativen lmg 4-5times a day at the time. But I've now been on luvox too long according to my pdoc now so she is weaning me off. I'd like to try EMSAM. And I take valium and can can xanax as needed. But I got up to 250mg the first time and I think what happened is I had a remission as I've been depressed anxious since a child. I said gee I feel manic the pdoc said you just don't know what normal is. But don't fear luvox. Love Phillipa
Posted by johnnyj on September 6, 2006, at 8:44:59
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » johnnyj, posted by Phillipa on September 5, 2006, at 21:09:17
If it is working why change meds?
What does the doctor mean by you have been on luvox too long?
Do you mean you had remission on luvox or paxil?
sorry for the questions.
johnnyj
Posted by Phillipa on September 6, 2006, at 18:17:05
In reply to Re: Luvox Problem Please Help » Phillipa, posted by johnnyj on September 6, 2006, at 8:44:59
Sorry after 3 months the l0mg of paxil did work. The part I forgot is my thyroid went out of wack again and it looked like my anxiety was through the roof which it was. Hence the hospitalization. That's when the found out and adjusted the synthroid. Yes the pdoc changed to luvox. And for two weeks or so it worked. Now it's like a security blanket since no side effects I keep gravitating back to it. And now it is doing nothing hence why she wants to change meds. Love Phillipa
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