Question:

Dear All I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice.  I am being treated for depression by my GP (in the uk).  I have taken prozac on and off for several years, and recently doctor suggested that I should go back on it long term.  However, a couple of weeks after starting it I got this really bizarre side effect – my throat felt really swollen and sore, like there was a lump stuck in it.  Went back to the doctor, he took me off the prozac, said I should wait until the throat got better (which it did after 2 1/2 weeks), then start taking Sertraline (Lustral in uk, Zoloft elsewhere?).  After 3 days, the throat symptoms are back. My questions are these – 1) how long should I take the sertraline before knowing for certain that the throat feeling is not going to get better? and 2) if I can’t take prozac and sertraline does that mean I will have the same symptoms with all SSRIs? and 3) if I can’t take SSRIs to help with my depression, what can I take? I have a light box to help with the SAD in winter, and try to exercise whenever I can, but I’m still not really leading a normal life – particularly with all this bother with the throat – it just makes me even more ‘ratty’! Any advice would be greatfully accepted Thanks Alison

Response:

<snip> > My questions are these – 1) how long should I take the sertraline before > knowing for certain that the throat feeling is not going to get better? > and

I don’t know anything about your throat problem, so I can’t comment on that. Though it seems like your doctor should try to figure out what the throat problem is exactly. > 2) if I can’t take prozac and sertraline does that mean I will have > the same symptoms with all SSRIs? and

No, not necessarily. Although the SSRIs are all broadly similar, they do have slightly different side-effect profiles. 3) if I can’t take SSRIs to help > with my depression, what can I take?

There are lots of other anti-depressants available that are also generally well-tolerated and effective. The SSRIs are just the newest class of them, and in some ways considered to have the most tolerable side effects and most effectiveness. Check out a site like www.mentalhealth.com or www.rxlist.com to see some of the others. Bright blessings. Fiona — If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste the adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.      – Anne Bradstreet, Meditations Divine and Moral, 1664

Response:

Thanks for your reply – I think I must have been checked out for most things – I seemed to have about a million different blood tests before the doctor was convinced it was depression.  My blood pressure was quite high for a while too, so they tested loads of things then!  What would be the symptoms of hyperthyroidism? Alison – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Did your GP have you checked for hypothyroidism? > Dear All > I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice.  I am being > treated for depression by my GP (in the uk).  I have taken prozac on and > off for several years, and recently doctor suggested that I should go > back on it long term.  However, a couple of weeks after starting it I > got this really bizarre side effect – my throat felt really swollen and > sore, like there was a lump stuck in it.  Went back to the doctor, he > took me off the prozac, said I should wait until the throat got better > (which it did after 2 1/2 weeks), then start taking Sertraline (Lustral > in uk, Zoloft elsewhere?).  After 3 days, the throat symptoms are back. > My questions are these – 1) how long should I take the sertraline before > knowing for certain that the throat feeling is not going to get better? > and 2) if I can’t take prozac and sertraline does that mean I will have > the same symptoms with all SSRIs? and 3) if I can’t take SSRIs to help > with my depression, what can I take? > I have a light box to help with the SAD in winter, and try to exercise > whenever I can, but I’m still not really leading a normal life – > particularly with all this bother with the throat – it just makes me > even more ‘ratty’! > Any advice would be greatfully accepted > Thanks > Alison

Response:

Hi Alison, Welcome to the ng. > I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice.  I am being

Zoloft can cause difficulty swallowing…what has your Internal Medicine doctor advise? Tehere are several calsse of ADS…TCAs, MAOIS, NARIs…etc. Please discuss options with your doctor. Take care. Lynda

Response:

Alison, I have been taking Cipramil (another SSRI) for most of this year and had a very similar problem a few months ago – feeling like I had a lump in my throat.  I went to my doctor but she couldn’t see anything – my throat looked completely normal.  At the time I was also suffering very badly from headaches and went to get some acupuncture for them.  I also mentioned the strange lump in my throat feeling and the acupuncturalist immediately seemed to know what it was and described it as ‘plum stone throat’, a condition caused by stress.  This did make sense as  the sensation was just  the same as the lump I get in my throat if I’m trying not to cry, except it went on for days – plus I knew the headaches were stress-related anyway.  She treated me for it with needles and it did indeed go away and I’ve not had it again – acupuncture tends to work quite well for me, but it might not for everyone. Do get your thyroid checked out (I’ve had mine checked frequently and it’s fine) but if there’s no physical lump my guess is it’s a stress-related thing, or maybe a side effect of the SSRIs causing a stress-like reaction. Bug

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Dear All > I was hoping you might be able to give me some advice.  I am being > treated for depression by my GP (in the uk).  I have taken prozac on and > off for several years, and recently doctor suggested that I should go > back on it long term.  However, a couple of weeks after starting it I > got this really bizarre side effect – my throat felt really swollen and > sore, like there was a lump stuck in it.  Went back to the doctor, he > took me off the prozac, said I should wait until the throat got better > (which it did after 2 1/2 weeks), then start taking Sertraline (Lustral > in uk, Zoloft elsewhere?).  After 3 days, the throat symptoms are back. > My questions are these – 1) how long should I take the sertraline before > knowing for certain that the throat feeling is not going to get better? > and 2) if I can’t take prozac and sertraline does that mean I will have > the same symptoms with all SSRIs? and 3) if I can’t take SSRIs to help > with my depression, what can I take? > I have a light box to help with the SAD in winter, and try to exercise > whenever I can, but I’m still not really leading a normal life – > particularly with all this bother with the throat – it just makes me > even more ‘ratty’! > Any advice would be greatfully accepted > Thanks > Alison

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