Question:
I’ve been on most of the ssris over the years, and they don’t work for me. The best has been the ol’ tricyclic desipramine, but I feel I’d like to try something different. Can those of you who have had success with Serzone give me some feedback? I tried one tablet of it about 4 years ago. I took it right away when I got home from the pharmacy (as per doc) and found myself feeling like I was looking at the world through the wrong end of a telescope. I never took another tablet. In retrospect, perhaps it would have been a good med for me if I had ramped up carefully and taken it at bedtime. I think I read someone say that it helped them think more clearly. I could use that. I also have a lot of problems with insomnia. Any positive news? Also, does it cause a lot of weight gain? If you’re going to go on a tirade against ADs, just save it. I’ve heard it all.
Response:
I had been using Wellbutrin when I changed over to Serzone. The 2 Wellbutrin daily had made me feel kind of like I had coffee jitters. I started with 50 mg Serzone in the evening, then 50mg AM and PM, then 100mg AM and PM. After a week, I found that I was less anxious and distracted, so I could think more clearly. I currently take 1 Welltrin AM, and 1 Serzone PM. I take a second Serzone at times of greater stress. I have regained weight I lost, but I don’t think it’s the fault of Serzone. I never had the feeling you described from Serzone, so it’s possible it won’t work, but it wouldn’t hurt to give it a better try. As for needing to think clearly, that is really the primary difficulty with depression. Disconnection. From yourself. The only real solution I’ve found to that decrease in mental energy, is to drastically simplify my life. And as I improve it gets increasingly irritating to see the things I want to do and not have the energy to do them. Christina
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’ve been on most of the ssris over the years, and they don’t work for me. The > best has been the ol’ tricyclic desipramine, but I feel I’d like to try > something different. Can those of you who have had success with Serzone give me > some feedback? I tried one tablet of it about 4 years ago. I took it right away > when I got home from the pharmacy (as per doc) and found myself feeling like I > was looking at the world through the wrong end of a telescope. I never took > another tablet. In retrospect, perhaps it would have been a good med for me if > I had ramped up carefully and taken it at bedtime. I think I read someone say > that it helped them think more clearly. I could use that. I also have a lot of > problems with insomnia. Any positive news? Also, does it cause a lot of weight > gain? If you’re going to go on a tirade against ADs, just save it. I’ve heard > it all.
Response:
Thank you, Christine, for your thoughtful reply. Mike in L.A.
Response:
I was on it from mid-December until mid-April. It affected my memory and ability to carry on a conversation (knew what I wanted to say but couldn’t utter the words) that it made me more depressed than necessary. I also gained weight. I’m back on Celexa (which originally caused my weight gain and sexual disinterest) but at least I can function at my job. Lori
Response:
x-archive-no: yes i started serzone on a 1/4 dosage, once at night. have only taken it for 2 nights, but it is keeping me awake most of the night. is this normal? is it all part of the "adjustment" i have to go through to get used to this med? anyone have the same experience? i’m very sensitive to meds and also very small, so my pdoc suggested 50mg at night to start. i don’t want to sound foolish since i’ve only taken it for 2 nights so far, but missing all this sleep is getting to me already. also, last night when it kept me awake i was crying for no apparent reason, and feeling very restless. first night, i took it an hour or so before bed, and couldn’t get to sleep. second night i decided to wait till i was real sleepy before i took it, then took it, fell asleep, and woke up unable to get back to sleep. just for the record, this is not a normal pattern for me.
Response:
It’s not normal not to sleep from Serzone. I know! I took it for 10 months then tried going without it and doing counselling therapy. I managed quite well but had a relapse recently. When I was put back on Serzone I was sleepless and manic, very agitated. As it turns out I have a thyroid problem so I don’t know if that made the Serzone ineffective. I’m also told going back on a medication a second time can render it ineffective. Also, if you’re bipolar, an antidepressant can reportedly "uncover" the mania. Don’t ignore your body’s response – go see your doctor! kevin :) Be well.
Response:
When ever I try a new AD I try in in the morning first. I just started serzone a week and a half ago. I started off taking it in the middle of the day. It makes me just a little sleepy, but nothing unbearable. I started off at 100mg and am now at 200mg. This may be a mistake because of the danger that lies in AD’s for me. The rapid cycling and mixed states could actually kill me. Do you tend to have an extreme reaction to AD’s? Like rapid cycling or mixed states? That could cause the crying, but it could also be tiredness or depression (the reason for starting the med to beggining with). Julz – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> i started serzone on a 1/4 dosage, once at night. have only taken it for 2 > nights, but it is keeping me awake most of the night. is this normal? is it > all part of the "adjustment" i have to go through to get used to this med? > anyone have the same experience? i’m very sensitive to meds and also very > small, so my pdoc suggested 50mg at night to start. i don’t want to sound > foolish since i’ve only taken it for 2 nights so far, but missing all this > sleep is getting to me already. also, last night when it kept me awake i was > crying for no apparent reason, and feeling very restless. > first night, i took it an hour or so before bed, and couldn’t get to sleep. > second night i decided to wait till i was real sleepy before i took it, then > took it, fell asleep, and woke up unable to get back to sleep. just for the > record, this is not a normal pattern for me.
Response:
I used to take serzone at night and it either kept me up or woke me up after a couple of hours. The drug seems to "wire" me for about 2-3 hours and then make me drowsy. Currently I am taking it with dinner about 4 hours before bed. This has greatly improved my sleep. I now fall asleep easily and stay asleep. Eric – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> x-archive-no: yes > i started serzone on a 1/4 dosage, once at night. have only taken it for 2 > nights, but it is keeping me awake most of the night. is this normal? is it > all part of the "adjustment" i have to go through to get used to this med? > anyone have the same experience? i’m very sensitive to meds and also very > small, so my pdoc suggested 50mg at night to start. i don’t want to sound > foolish since i’ve only taken it for 2 nights so far, but missing all this > sleep is getting to me already. also, last night when it kept me awake i was > crying for no apparent reason, and feeling very restless. > first night, i took it an hour or so before bed, and couldn’t get to sleep. > second night i decided to wait till i was real sleepy before i took it, then > took it, fell asleep, and woke up unable to get back to sleep. just for the > record, this is not a normal pattern for me.
Response:
x-archive-no: yes thanks, eric… i’m going to try this suggestion tonight. had another sleepless and agitated night last night. if this doesn’t work, well, it’s back to the pdoc to work something else out. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >I used to take serzone at night and it either kept me up or woke me up >after a couple of hours. The drug seems to "wire" me for about 2-3 hours >and then make me drowsy. Currently I am taking it with dinner about 4 >hours before bed. This has greatly improved my sleep. I now fall asleep >easily and stay asleep. >Eric
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