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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
wellbutrin and 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.
wellbutrin and zoloft
by wendy70, Aug 06, 2004 12:00AM
Hi. I've just read thru a number of posts in the archives of your site, but still have a few questions:
• I'm a 33 yrold female
• I began taking Lexapro and gained about 15lbs in about 9 months.
• I've since switched to Wellbutrin (450mg a day) and it's been working wonderfully and I"ve even lost a little weight. I'm also taking 2 lorazipam every night to sleep -- will not sleep without it.
• A few-- I started having uncontrollable panic and what my analyst has called "suicidal ideation". I don't think i'd actually kill myself -- but was having visions of crashing my car, jumping off bridges, hanging myself....For obvious reasons this was FREAKING me out...
SO -- I went to a top psychiatrist in nyc and he just added zoloft into this mix bc he said wellbutrin is good for depression but zoloft is needed for anxiety and the obsessive thinking (he too thinks the suicidal stuff is ocd and anxiety).
I'm currently taking 300mg of wellbutrin + 50mg of zoloft + 2 lorazepam at night.
My questions are as follows:
1. What will the zoloft do to my weight?
2. It's only been 2 days of zoloft and I feel like I'm on speed -- is this normal and will this pass?
3. Does this oveall treatment plan sound right to you?
Last thing - I'm in intensive psychotherapy 4x a week for the past 2 years.
Thanks very much for taking the time to respond...
wendy70
• I'm a 33 yrold female
• I began taking Lexapro and gained about 15lbs in about 9 months.
• I've since switched to Wellbutrin (450mg a day) and it's been working wonderfully and I"ve even lost a little weight. I'm also taking 2 lorazipam every night to sleep -- will not sleep without it.
• A few-- I started having uncontrollable panic and what my analyst has called "suicidal ideation". I don't think i'd actually kill myself -- but was having visions of crashing my car, jumping off bridges, hanging myself....For obvious reasons this was FREAKING me out...
SO -- I went to a top psychiatrist in nyc and he just added zoloft into this mix bc he said wellbutrin is good for depression but zoloft is needed for anxiety and the obsessive thinking (he too thinks the suicidal stuff is ocd and anxiety).
I'm currently taking 300mg of wellbutrin + 50mg of zoloft + 2 lorazepam at night.
My questions are as follows:
1. What will the zoloft do to my weight?
2. It's only been 2 days of zoloft and I feel like I'm on speed -- is this normal and will this pass?
3. Does this oveall treatment plan sound right to you?
Last thing - I'm in intensive psychotherapy 4x a week for the past 2 years.
Thanks very much for taking the time to respond...
wendy70
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Aug 09, 2004 12:00AM
, Aug 09, 2004 12:00AM
Wendy, it does sound like a good plan. The speed effect of Zoloft should go away...the weight gain is not for everyone, so you can't predict..it doesn't have to happen. Stay with the intensive therapy but see if you can zero in on your fears as not just free floating,but tied to some decisions you have to make about your life in order not to feel stuck, and to open up a good future.
I've been taking Zoloft for almost 2 years for anxiety...It is a very good thing...However, certain situations come up that demand a little more punch. Like hubby's Xmas party...Lunch with scary higher ups, etc...For that I have Klonopin (sic). Zoloft causes sexual boredom...I have just been prescribed Wellbutrin to counteract this ho-hum attitude. We shall see...Good luck with the pharmacutical Mix.
Barbo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b30iwhEw9ho
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azkLQpyiGHA&mode=related&search=