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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Coming off of Meds
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.
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Coming off of Meds
by sHANE nEEDHAM, Oct 26, 1999 12:00AM
I have suffered from anxiety for 3 years that I am aware of. Recently I started to cut down on my doses of Zoloft. I started at 100mg then 50 then 25 then 0. I thought I was doing pretty good, but then started to feel alot of anxiety. I started back on 50mg about a week ago.
I am still feeling alot of anxiety. I am wondering if even after being on the medication for about two years will it still takes several weeks for it to kick back in again?
Also my doctor is suggesting a different drug that might be even better for anxiety and mild depression. It is called Serzone. I am skeptical but most worried about how to come off one and start another.
Any answers or comments would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Shane Needham
I am still feeling alot of anxiety. I am wondering if even after being on the medication for about two years will it still takes several weeks for it to kick back in again?
Also my doctor is suggesting a different drug that might be even better for anxiety and mild depression. It is called Serzone. I am skeptical but most worried about how to come off one and start another.
Any answers or comments would be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Shane Needham
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS.MD-AJ, Oct 31, 1999 12:00AM
Shane,
It sounds like you suffer from anxiety and depression that responded to treatment with Zoloft, and which recurred when you discontinued the Zoloft, for reasons that you did not disclose. It would therefore seem logical to resume treatment with Zoloft. It may take anywhere between 2-6 weeks before you begin to feel the full benefits of the Zoloft again. I am not aware of any consistent data that support Serzone's superior efficacy over Zoloft, in the treatment of anxiety and/or depression. It is usually safer to inform one's treating physicians of plans to discontinue medications. I urge you to discuss your concerns further with your treating physician/psychiatrist.
It sounds like you suffer from anxiety and depression that responded to treatment with Zoloft, and which recurred when you discontinued the Zoloft, for reasons that you did not disclose. It would therefore seem logical to resume treatment with Zoloft. It may take anywhere between 2-6 weeks before you begin to feel the full benefits of the Zoloft again. I am not aware of any consistent data that support Serzone's superior efficacy over Zoloft, in the treatment of anxiety and/or depression. It is usually safer to inform one's treating physicians of plans to discontinue medications. I urge you to discuss your concerns further with your treating physician/psychiatrist.
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You may also want to refer to a post on "PAXIL WITHDRAWAL" by Debbie on 10/20/99, with my response dated 10/21/99.
I was given Serzone for a trial period by my physician, and the side-effects were very 'inconvenient' to say the least. I became a raging nymphomaniac, and it didn't help me with my anxiety or depression or anything else. It might sound amusing to some, but believe me, it was too much to cope with. My doctor said he hadn't heard of anyone else with similar side effects, so that it could be a one-off, totally idiosyncratic occurrence, but ask your own doctor. Believe me, you don't need the hassle.