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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Too much of a good thing
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.
Too much of a good thing
by brian, Nov 07, 1999 12:00AM
I have recently phased off of 113mg Effoxor/day and onto 600mg SAMe and 20mg Vinca Minor (Periwinkle). I was cautioned by my Doctor that I could get too much of various neurotransmitters, causing other negative side effects. I have been very pleased with the SAMe/Periwinkle treatment, but am noticing that I am becoming very impatient with people around me. Is this agitation possibly related to my medication?
Doctor's Answer
by HFHS MD - RG, Nov 08, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Brian,
I am not familiar with the mechanism and its side effects of SAMe. However, you failed to mention how long you were taking Effexor and how long you had phased yourself from Effexor. It is recommended that you are tapered off slowly from the medications because of withdrawal symptoms like agitation.
Like your doctor, I would be very cautious taking any type of medications without adequate research studies that goes along with it. Just because when you experience symptoms like you do, there is only limited information available for clinicians and patients alike.
Like all medications, herbal medications are without any side effects.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD - RG
I am not familiar with the mechanism and its side effects of SAMe. However, you failed to mention how long you were taking Effexor and how long you had phased yourself from Effexor. It is recommended that you are tapered off slowly from the medications because of withdrawal symptoms like agitation.
Like your doctor, I would be very cautious taking any type of medications without adequate research studies that goes along with it. Just because when you experience symptoms like you do, there is only limited information available for clinicians and patients alike.
Like all medications, herbal medications are without any side effects.
Sincerely,
HFHS MD - RG
Member Comments (2)
by brian, Nov 08, 1999 12:00AM
I contacted my doctor about the switch and I knew that I would have to slowly go off the Effexor and on to the SAMe. I was on Effexor for 1+ year. Why does the (American) medical community know (and look at) so little about what is being used elsewhere in the world?
