side effects serzone

[KathyPeck]

Do these side effects wear off?
I have been on serzone for about 3 weeks now-started low and for past week have been on 300mg that i take all at one time (night).
I am constantly tired, my vision has become strange-hard to focus, plus (this is strange) I see little floaty black dots, but when I reach out there is nothing there (kind of scares me, is this a regular side effect?)and I havn't even begun to feel any helpful effects.

I was taking Paxil but was afraid of the weight gain etc. I did some research on the serzone and it looked pretty good-the side effects didn't seem to be much.  But I just feel blah.  Like I don't want to do anything-no motivation whatsoever.
That may just be because it hasn't started working yet, but i don't really know.
I originally started the Paxil for social anxiety (also panic)-is the serzone effective for this.  Should i give it a little longer, or what?
Your advice is greatly appreciated!
Thank you

[HFHS.MD-AJ]

Kathy,

I apologize for the delay in replying to your post. As stated in the Disclaimer section of this forum, replies to questions are usually posted within 7 to 10 days. However, due to the complexity of some questions, response times may vary. Remember, this forum is for general educational purposes only, and should not replace evaluation, advice,  and/or treatment by your physician or other health provider.

Serzone (Nefazodone) is an antidepressant which may have all the side effects that you describe. It is difficult to predict if these side effects will go away or not. To limit the development of adverse effects, the usual recommended starting dose of Serzone is 100 mg two times daily, with gradual increases by 100 to 200 mg a day, at intervals of no less than 1 week per increase. Older patients and people with liver disease may require lower doses.

In common with other antidepressants, it may take up to 2 to 8 weeks before the full benefits of Serzone are achieved. There is a small body of literature surporting Serzone's  usefulness for the treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder, but it is not FDA-approved for both conditions yet. The standard treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorder at this time are the SSRIs (such as Paxil or Zoloft) and/or benzodiazepines (such as Klonopin or Xanax), preferably combined with cognitive-behavioral therapy. I urge you to discuss your concerns further with your treating physician/psychiatrist.

[Mark]

Kathy:
I took Serzone for about 1 1/2 years. It takes ahile to work to it's capability -- about 6 weeks. The drawback I had would be frequent dizziness. My pupils seemed to be enlarged a lot of the time and I think this was the cause. Although it did help me somewhat, I finally realized I still could feel better, and moved on to another med. This isn't to say this med isn't right for you, or to say the side effects you're feeling won't lessen or disappear. You probably should give it some more time.

Good Luck,

Mark

[Is a Dr. going to answer my queastion? T]

Hello.
Am waiting for a reply to my queastion. How many days does it take?
Thank you

[marcia]

The doctors usually answer questions quickly (most often within one or two business days), which is phenomenal considering they have patients and other responsibilities in the 3d world. Don't panic--this is a holiday weekend, so you may experience a delay, but I'm sure they'll get to you as soon as possible.

marcia

[dave]

My experiences with Serzone are similar, it just takes a while to adjust.  I was complaining of the side effects at first, but now, about 4-5 weeks into it, I feel great mentally, the side effects have prcatically disappeared.  Stick with it, it's worth it.  I speak from experience, I have had this problem for 10 of my 30 years.

[for dave]

Its been 6 weeks and i havn't felt any lessening of my anxiety. I was on 100mg for a week, 200 for a week and 300 for four weeks.
How long did it take for you?