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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by garyengelm on December 6, 2007, at 15:39:46
Serzone pooped out for me. I lost my 39 y.o. brother last December unexpectedly in front of my eyes. I originally got on the Serzone for frequent panic attacks. After my brother died, I developed GAD and it has kept me out of work since March. I am an RN and have practiced x 13 years with no problem until the Generalized Anxiety Started. I'm anxious to get back to work, but my anxiety is just so bad. I have tried low doses of several SSRI's aand I get so sick after just a few doses, not the usual nausea, diarrhea you hear about, but debilitating Nausea, chills, diarrhea, and increased anxiety. I got my dose of Serzone down from 400mg to 300mg, but still can't even tolerate 1.25mg of Lexapro without getting the above symptoms. Is this partially Serotonin Syndrome I'm getting, or something related to the P450 enzyme? I get the depression lift with the SSRI's for the short period I'm able to take them, but thats about it.
Posted by Jeroen on December 6, 2007, at 19:03:57
In reply to Can you add an SSRI to Serzone ?NEED HELP !!!!!, posted by garyengelm on December 6, 2007, at 15:39:46
10 mg of lexapro is enough, if you take 2 you get toooooo much energy, i was on it for months so i know what i talking bout in 2003
taking 2 Seratonin anti depressants i think that is risk for seratonin syndromei once got symptoms seroquel and Lexapro, not a good idea, i'm saying
Posted by Phillipa on December 7, 2007, at 0:26:08
In reply to Can you add an SSRI to Serzone ?NEED HELP !!!!!, posted by garyengelm on December 6, 2007, at 15:39:46
Gary hi what else have you tried? Phillipa
Posted by yxibow on December 7, 2007, at 4:52:31
In reply to Re: Can you add an SSRI to Serzone ?NEED HELP !!!!! » garyengelm, posted by Phillipa on December 7, 2007, at 0:26:08
> Gary hi what else have you tried? Phillipa
I take 150 Trazodone at night with 200 Luvox, so yes, if your doctor is careful there shouldn't be any clinical displays. Maybe subclinical S.S. will appear momentarily as some slight nausea but this can be adjusted by lowering and tapering up the various medications. Now when you get to three or four or five, you really need a rather knowledgable (aka expensive ) psychopharmacologist, if at all.
Posted by Dove on December 7, 2007, at 9:29:24
In reply to Can you add an SSRI to Serzone ?NEED HELP !!!!!, posted by garyengelm on December 6, 2007, at 15:39:46
I have never been a huge fan of Serzone as either an anti-depressant or anti-anxiety med all by itself. I have always taken it in conjunction with other either TCA's or SSRI's. Best results were Serzone 400 mgs, with Prozac 20 mgs and about 75 mgs of Amitriptyline at bedtime.
If I recall correctly, I did have similar side-effects and discovered that they were not due to serotonin syndrome but due to the meds wearing off. I eventually dumped Serzone because I got sick of the wearing-off effect in addition to it not doing a whole heck of a lot.
~dove
Posted by Racer on December 7, 2007, at 16:35:45
In reply to Can you add an SSRI to Serzone ?NEED HELP !!!!!, posted by garyengelm on December 6, 2007, at 15:39:46
Anafranil would be my first recommendation -- it's a TCA, with 5-HT reuptake inhibition, and if the SSRIs are helpful for your depression, it may also be effective. Elavil is another option worth looking into -- again, a TCA. Sinequan also comes to mind.
Otherwise, I'd strongly recommend finding a way to deal with the GI problems, because they do usually pass in a few weeks. If the drug is actually effective, it's worth trying to get through the adjustment phase issues, because the SSRIs have far milder side effects than the TCAs for most people. (Although the GI problems are more common with SSRIs...) Truly -- I'm not dismissing the discomfort, because I'm experiencing similar problems with a non-SSRI medication I'm trying right now. I'm hating this, and spent a full session with my therapist yesterday mostly complaining about how to deal with the next six weeks -- since my doctor says twelve weeks to see if this medication will help -- so I know it's hard to put up with this sort of discomfort. That said, if you can find a way to get through it, you may find that you have a good, workable treatment for what ails you.
Good luck.
This is the end of the thread.
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