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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Buspar § Zoloft
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
Buspar § Zoloft
by Banaich, May 18, 2001 12:00AM
For quite some time, I have been taking Buspar for my anxiety attacks and it was fairly effective in reducing them. Over the past few months, my anxiety and my attacks began to increase. First, my doctor increased my Buspar (now 45mg per day), but then also put me on Zoloft this week (starting at 25mg and increasing to 50mg). My first question is if this is a common treatment. I thought that the two were similar drugs, so I am curious as to why she would prescribe both together.
Also, for a long time, I have had problems sleeping. I have recently discovered that this is one of the common side effects of Buspar. Lack of sleep is also a contributing factor to anxiety. Is it possible I'm doing myself more harm than good by using the Buspar? Should I get it off it and try a different drug that doesn't have this potential side effect? A couple of weeks ago, my doctor gave me Ambien to help me sleep, but I know that is not a long term solution.
Thanks
Banaich
Also, for a long time, I have had problems sleeping. I have recently discovered that this is one of the common side effects of Buspar. Lack of sleep is also a contributing factor to anxiety. Is it possible I'm doing myself more harm than good by using the Buspar? Should I get it off it and try a different drug that doesn't have this potential side effect? A couple of weeks ago, my doctor gave me Ambien to help me sleep, but I know that is not a long term solution.
Thanks
Banaich
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., May 21, 2001 12:00AM
, May 21, 2001 12:00AM
Buspar is more for anxiety zoloft is more for depression, and both have overlapping effects and unpredictable effects on sleep. At this point it is all trial and error. Personally I favor weaning off everything and starting over carefully but that is a matter of judgement for you and your doctor.
But anyways, I haven't been able to sleep, either! My doctor never mentioned that symptom. I always thought it was the Wellbutrin that was keeping me up nights. Now, I wonder, maybe it's the Buspar. I was on Zoloft once too. I didn't like it. It did nothing for me.
>A couple of weeks ago, my doctor gave me Ambien to help me sleep<
My doctor gave me something like that too. I don't know if it was "Ambien." Is that pill big and green? I only took it twice. I started to hallucinate on it. Thought I better stop, then.
I am currently on Zoloft, 100mg/day, as well as Buspar, 45mg/day
I've been feeling better, my sleep hasn't really been disturbed, and I'm supposing this was a good idea on my doctor's part. However, my question is this: if Zoloft's job is to up the seratonin production, and Buspar's job is to slow it down, don't the two cancel each other out??
This may sound like a dumb question, but I'm concerned that maybe these two drugs, together, will work to do nothing.
Any advice?
thanks!
Cathi
sruggling to figure out what has been going on with me for about two months now. At first i thought i was depressed so i went to see my Doctor and she put me on Zoloft which worked for some time and then i became moody again so ithought it was a mood disorder and went back and she put me on Topamax which has worked well with my mood swings!! Since i have gone off the Zoloft i have been having symptoms of anxiety, so i did some research and feel that i have alot of the symptoms, so now she has put me back on Zoloft and also added Xanax as a PRN for a real bad anxiety attack..so the bottom line is i feel i have an anxiety/mood disorder. My Dr. d/c my Topamax when she added the zoloft and Xanax and said that she couldn't give me both Zoloft and Topamax. During my research i found this is not true..Anyone with experience have any advise i would appreciate it..I have an appointment in a couple weeks...thank you plz e-mail with advise @ jada_21_99***@****