SSRIs

Question:

5-htp alone didnt get it done for me. Celexa at higher dosages is better but the sexual side effects are pretty bad. And at several dollars each, Celexa is expensive.  What about low does celexa & 5-htp ?

Response:

Thank you for bringing up the 5-HTP subject… From Psychosomatic Medicine Journal, September 1999: "5-HTP is commercially produced by extraction from the seeds of an African plant, Griffonia simplicifolia, and this extract is available in the United States. Antidepressant effects seem to be more consistent with 5-HTP than with tryptophan." "Although the same potential may exist for 5-HTP to interact with SSRIs, in many studies, they have been successfully combined to enhance the therapeutic effect." >  What about low does celexa & 5-htp ?

With caring, Sal, soldier of Christ

Response:

> > What about low does celexa & 5-htp ? > wouldn’t try it. serotonin syndrome aint fun. > — > James >> Fife, Scotland > ICQ :41149795 – http://www.mp3.com/jameskerr > "there is NO point to life – life IS the point" -me 2001AD

James, I have read the descriptions – I wonder if you had it? Squiggles

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->I have read the descriptions – I wonder if you had it? > i did, when i came off zoloft (about a month ago)… i started taking > 5-htp the day after i stopped the zoloft. for the next 2-3 days i felt > really weird…electric shock feelings in my joints all over my body > when i moved, feeling really cold, and just generally quite bad. > — > James >> Fife, Scotland > ICQ :41149795 – http://www.mp3.com/jameskerr > "there is NO point to life – life IS the point" -me 2001AD

I think electric shocks are nothing close to it – everyone has those with dose fluctuations even – SS is VERY serious, often fatal: http://members.aol.com/atracyphd/syndrome.htm Squiggles

Response:

>(Its

Question:

> do any of you (women) find that your menstrual cycle changes according to > meds? > i get pms more and more and ms less and less > hmmmm > (my hair has gotten straighter too)

Yes. I started missing periods on Tegretol. Missed periods while taking Ativan or Xanax with Zoloft. Now I’m just taking 200 mg Zoloft and seem to be back on schedule. Or is it menopause?  I dunno. — Wordy "Be who you are and say what you feel,  because those who mind don’t matter,…  and those who matter don’t mind." –Dr. Seuss

Response:

lol – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Organization: TelstraSaturn > Newsgroups: alt.support.depression.manic > Underneath all the issues, I like to think I’m pretty smart. > Having said that, there are some things I just can’t answer. > Thanks for reminding me of that fact ;-D > Hugs > Bruce > do any of you (women) find that your menstrual cycle changes according to > meds? > i get pms more and more and ms less and less > hmmmm > (my hair has gotten straighter too)

Response:

> do any of you (women) find that your menstrual cycle changes according to > meds? > i get pms more and more and ms less and less > hmmmm > (my hair has gotten straighter too)

hmm, no, but i can say that the pill tends to make my moods a bit more stable. or that could’ve just been coincidence. who knows at this point. maybe the bipolar makes my hormones go rampant, not the other way around. who knows. who knows.

Response:

> do any of you (women) find that your menstrual cycle changes according to > meds? > i get pms more and more and ms less and less > hmmmm > (my hair has gotten straighter too)

i think its a known side effect of a lot of meds… which ones are you taking? ssris tend to do that… hugs m — ~~~~~>><:>~~~~~ iriXx "you can try the best you can…   you can try the best you can… …the best you can is good enough" radiohead: optomistic

Response:

hai Alexia, -I’m loosing hair because of Depakote (I can’t see it when I look in the mirror, but I definetly see it on my bathroom floor.. – Risperdal made me producing milk, like being pregnant – Depakote is changing my size of bra I guess, two weeks a months, before Depakote, that happened two days a month, but I might be wrong.. Marie-Elise – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> do any of you (women) find that your menstrual cycle changes according to > meds? > i get pms more and more and ms less and less > hmmmm > (my hair has gotten straighter too)

Response:

do any of you (women) find that your menstrual cycle changes according to meds? i get pms more and more and ms less and less hmmmm (my hair has gotten straighter too)

Response:

Underneath all the issues, I like to think I’m pretty smart. Having said that, there are some things I just can’t answer. Thanks for reminding me of that fact ;-D Hugs Bruce – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – >do any of you (women) find that your menstrual cycle changes according to >meds? >i get pms more and more and ms less and less >hmmmm >(my hair has gotten straighter too)

Response:

Question:

I would welcome any other input about my case. I know eric’s mind along with D. Diamond. Thanks Just really scared about the incurable side effects of the schizo drugs even in low doses My fear of germs has escalated since starting/raising the Wellbutrin SR. Just feel the need to wash intensely (lather up) and be concious of what I touch and who I touch. Need to wash clothes in hot water. Don’t like to touch anything before eating (after washing). Excessive doubt as to the cleanliness of things, spoons plates, etc.Feel the need to go the extra mile and then some to placate my worry. On vacation last week in Mexico and out of the house, I am OK and just deal with what I have available. Home life is the target of my obsession. Related is my inability to think clearly about things. Memory fuzzy, foggy thinking, spend lots of mental effort to make qualitative and quantitative decisions. Don’t "know" things. What does come thru loud and clear is my worry about the germs. I know intellectually that germs are good to some degree and that I don’;t live with plague patients either. Just have much heightened anxiety about the germs. Doc has suggested Risperdal along with mylow dose of Zoloft, as way to help my depression and help OCD. I don’t like the side effect of TD though. I have not read too favorable reports from netizens about these drugs. Mostly it seems these anxieties are pronounced and require my increased vigilence. I don’t wash 25 times in a row or check the stove over and over. Rather I am on alert all of the time to subtle possibilities of germs and then excessively try to prevent infection/contamination. When and if germs are encountered I get upset but only temporarily ? I am not sure. Other options are Buspar or switch SSRI I guess. Help

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I would welcome any other input about my case. I know eric’s mind > along with D. Diamond. Thanks > Just really scared about the incurable side effects of the schizo > drugs even in low doses > My fear of germs has escalated since starting/raising the Wellbutrin > SR. Just feel the need to wash intensely (lather up) and be concious > of what I touch and who I touch. Need to wash clothes in hot water. > Don’t like to touch anything before eating (after washing). Excessive > doubt as to the cleanliness of things, spoons plates, etc.Feel the > need to go the extra mile and then some to placate my worry. On > vacation last week in Mexico and out of the house, I am OK and just > deal with what I have available. Home life is the target of my > obsession. Related is my inability to think clearly about things. > Memory fuzzy, foggy thinking, spend lots of mental effort to make > qualitative and quantitative decisions. Don’t "know" things. What does > come thru loud and clear is my worry about the germs. I know > intellectually that germs are good to some degree and that I don’;t > live with plague patients either. Just have much heightened anxiety > about the germs. > Doc has suggested Risperdal along with mylow dose of Zoloft, as way to > help my depression and help OCD. I don’t like the side effect of TD > though. I have not read too favorable reports from netizens about > these drugs. Mostly it seems these anxieties are pronounced and > require my increased vigilence. I don’t wash 25 times in a row or > check the stove over and over. Rather I am on alert all of the time to > subtle possibilities of germs and then excessively try to prevent > infection/contamination. When and if germs are encountered I get upset > but only temporarily ? I am not sure. > Other options are Buspar or switch SSRI I guess. > Help

Hi Al, I can give you a little input, though I confess I don’t know the right drugs for you; hypochondria is often a sign of anxiety and depression.  Wellbutrin increases anxiety as an AD, so if I were to choose an AD, I would choose something more sedating, either SSRI or otherwise depending on how you tolerate them. Squiggles

Response:

>Doc has suggested Risperdal along with mylow dose of Zoloft, as way to >help my depression and help OCD. I don’t like the side effect of TD >though. I have not read too favorable reports from netizens about >these drugs. Mostly it seems these anxieties are pronounced and >require my increased vigilence. I don’t wash 25 times in a row or >check the stove over and over. Rather I am on alert all of the time to >subtle possibilities of germs and then excessively try to prevent >infection/contamination. When and if germs are encountered I get upset >but only temporarily ? I am not sure.

You should give Risperdal a try.  I went through an incredibly manic germ freak phase several years ago after my brother tested HIV+.  I completely lost it and sprayed alcohol, ammonia, and bleach on everything my brother may have touched.  Since then I have been on Risperdal and Seroquel and he just came to visit for xmas.  I handled it surprisingly well, although I absolutely refused to let him use my bathroom. By the way, a germ phobia isn’t necessarily so bad.  In April 2000 I took a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico and hooked up with a cool local who scored me some marijuana.  As is the druggie custom, I smoked several joints with him.  We crashed in his shack and when he began snoring I realized he had a serious respiratory infection.  3 days later I was in Mexico City and sick as a dog.  I could barely move.  I went to a pharmacy and bought tetracycline and erythromycin.  They worked very well but gave me diahrrea and ruined the rest of my trip. Moral of story:  germ phobia can be a good thing, don’t share drugs with anyone!

Response:

Hi Al, First of all, I am no doc.  I have experience cause of my depression all of my life, and my thirty year old son who lives with me has delusions so badly that if he is not on his antipsychotic med, he cannot work, or function. He doesn’t have your experience of germ stuff, but he has his own……. of fearing that someone is "out to get him". It is so traumatic for him, and family of course.  Once he gets stabilized, he is fine. Now that you say that you have this germ fear, I do suggest an antipsychotic, whichever one your doc suggests.  My son is on zyprexa, depacote, etc.  It works for him. When you first posted you did not mention your germ fear.  All I have to give you is my life experience and altho I do have my depression that renders me disfunctional a lot, I have never had any fears such as yours or my sons.  I believe it is referred to as delusional. Give your doc a chance and go for the med that will calm your mind. Obsession about anything can be so disturbing.  Years ago there were no drugs (not so long ago….thirty to be exact cause I was in therapy then, and my pdoc kept telling me there are no pills that would help me)  for you, or me, and now that there are, we might as well relieve our mental pain.  Post again to let us know how you are doing and what you are doing.  Deb

Response:

Hi, – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I would welcome any other input about my case. I know eric’s mind > along with D. Diamond. Thanks > Just really scared about the incurable side effects of the schizo > drugs even in low doses > My fear of germs has escalated since starting/raising the Wellbutrin > SR. Just feel the need to wash intensely (lather up) and be concious > of what I touch and who I touch. Need to wash clothes in hot water. > Don’t like to touch anything before eating (after washing). Excessive > doubt as to the cleanliness of things, spoons plates, etc.Feel the > need to go the extra mile and then some to placate my worry. On > vacation last week in Mexico and out of the house, I am OK and just > deal with what I have available. Home life is the target of my > obsession. Related is my inability to think clearly about things. > Memory fuzzy, foggy thinking, spend lots of mental effort to make > qualitative and quantitative decisions. Don’t "know" things. What does > come thru loud and clear is my worry about the germs. I know > intellectually that germs are good to some degree and that I don’;t > live with plague patients either. Just have much heightened anxiety > about the germs.

Is your doctor aware of this since the AD was increased? > Doc has suggested Risperdal along with mylow dose of Zoloft, as way to > help my depression and help OCD. I don’t like the side effect of TD > though. I have not read too favorable reports from netizens about > these drugs. Mostly it seems these anxieties are pronounced and > require my increased vigilence. I don’t wash 25 times in a row or > check the stove over and over. Rather I am on alert all of the time to > subtle possibilities of germs and then excessively try to prevent > infection/contamination. When and if germs are encountered I get upset > but only temporarily ? I am not sure.

TD can occur but at low does it in not very likely. The newer APs have a lower incidence of TD. The treatment of OCD involves cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) alone or with a combination of CBT and medication  and SSRIs. Clomid is an OCD drug which is not an SSRI. The likelihood that medication will be included depends on  the severity of the OCD and the age of the patient. In milder OCD, CBT alone is the initial choice. As severity increases, medications  will likely be added to CBT as the initial treatment or to use medication alone. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

<snip> First of all, does your doctor know about the increase in your OCD since starting Wellbutrin? If not, make sure you tell her/him right away. Second, I’ve found Seroquel very useful for my own somewhat obsessive thought problems, but I don’t qualify for an OCD diagnosis and my problems are all thought-related. Third, while there is a risk of TD and movement disorders with anti-psychotics, sometimes the risk is worth the result. 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:

> ECT is safer than taking neuroleptics.

Leaving aside the accuracy of this statement, is ECT usually indicated for someone with high anxiety and OCD? No point in doing ECT if it’s not likely to help. 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:

> It IS an accurate statement Fiona. If your primary diagnosis is a MOOD DISORDER > and not a PERCEPTION or psychotic disorder like schizophrenia, ECT is actually > safer in the long run than taking anti-psychotic drugs.

But this person is saying that her/his primary problems are anxiety and OCD, not a mood disorder. None of what you’ve written addresses the question of whether or not ECT is a useful or recommended treatment for someone with severe anxiety and OCD. 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:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Leaving aside the accuracy of this statement, is ECT usually indicated >for someone with high anxiety and OCD? No point in doing ECT if it’s not >likely to help. >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 > It IS an accurate statement Fiona. If your primary diagnosis is a MOOD DISORDER > and not a PERCEPTION or psychotic disorder like schizophrenia, ECT is actually > safer in the long run than taking anti-psychotic drugs. > ECT doesnt cause movement disorders…period. The worst side effect from ECT > usually is memory loss.

Usually, perhaps but sometimes the side effects go so much further. Going to play Russian Roulette with YOUR brain?  Longterm anti-psychotics for someone who is primarily > MOOD DISORDERED is bad ju ju. Your destroying your dopamine system. People who > have unipolar major depression dont normally have high dopamine levels like > schizophrenics do to start out with, so someone whose main dx is major > depression taking neuroleptics is potentially screwing with their dopamine > system…which is VITAL for movement and locomotion, breathing, motor skills > like driving your car or writing or typing all kinds of physical things you > take for granted and dont even think about. > ECT also helps psychosis…its well documented for that.

Actually not, just a few studies based upon a review of records.  ECT is indicated for depression, or when the Psychiatrist can not think of anything else. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I wish I had never touched a neuroleptic. Atypicals is when I become med > resistant years ago and recently when I retried an atypical it fucked me all up > even worse. > I think atypical anti-psychotics for major depression, "rumination" and > "obsessive thoughts" is bullshit. Its just crappola the pharmaceutical > companies invented so they could sell more of their atypical > antidepressants…expand their marketing and sales to depression and not just > schizo people. Id rather just take antidepressants or go get shocked. > Many severe depressives need MORE dopamine, not less dopamine. Just look at the > effectiveness of the MAOIs…they are all extremely dopaminergic > antidepressants. Also, one of the historically most effective antidepressants > for severe depression was a potent dopaminergic antidepressant called > nomifensine. It was pulled off the market after it was here in the USA by the > FDA officially cause it was said nomifensine could cause a "rare blood > disorder." The rumor though is that it was really pulled cause the FDA thought > it was too dopaminergic. > One of the main theories of "SSRI poopout" is dopamine depletion. SSRIs and > similar meds deplete dopamine levels when taken longterm, potentially causing > "poopout" and loss of effectiveness. > And some of these fucking doctors want to put TRDepressives on atypical > antipsychotics? LOL Some of them need MORE dopamine, not less of it. > But the drug companies are scared to go there and develop dopaminergic > antidepressants, because dopamine is associated with addiction and psychosis > too much. But the reality is that some of us with depression NEED more > dopamine. > ECT increases dopamine, anti-psychotics decreases dopamine. Thats why ECT has > off label uses for treating parkinsons disease and movement disorders…even > TD.  Thats a hard fact…look it up yourself on Medline. > Its the war on drugs. Its bullshit. > Eric > "Who Dares, Wins" <motto of ECT patients> > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MergePsychiatryIntoNeurology/

Response:

> <snip> > First of all, does your doctor know about the increase in your OCD since > starting Wellbutrin? If not, make sure you tell her/him right away. > Second, I’ve found Seroquel very useful for my own somewhat obsessive > thought problems, but I don’t qualify for an OCD diagnosis and my > problems are all thought-related. > Third, while there is a risk of TD and movement disorders with > anti-psychotics, sometimes the risk is worth the result. > Fiona

Yes he knows about the OCD and we are lowering with some better results. Clearer thinking, less compulsion. BTW, whats the difference between "thought related disorders" and OCD ? Also, Anyone have input about Buspar ????

Response:

> Yes he knows about the OCD and we are lowering with some better > results. Clearer thinking, less compulsion.

Glad to hear it. > BTW, whats the difference between "thought related disorders" and OCD?

I don’t have a compulsion to do anything. I have certain repetitive trains of thought, once the train is started I have a hard time stopping the cycle from completing. These thoughts can be obsessive on my part, but I don’t have any kind of compulsion to have the thoughts or (thank the Lady) to act on them. It’s akin to rolling a rock downhill, once you’ve started the rock it will keep rolling to the bottom unless something intervenes. For me, Seroquel provides some of that intervention, enough so that I (and my therapist) can stop the rock. One of the reasons that this is a problem is that these cycles are nearly all about killing myself, and I tend to get a little closer to actually trying every time I go all the way down the hill. It also provides a little buffer against my perfectionism and its related anxiety. > Also, Anyone have input about Buspar ????

Sorry, can’t help you there. 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:

Question:

hi there. yea im on neurontin as a mood stabilizer. xanax for anxiety(i have it badly) and zyprexa to chill me out from leaping off tall buildings at a single bound. you have a good xmas too! harp

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> thanks.i will do my best.so far so good. > and i have been on zoloft for a number of years now with good results. > of course they could be better. > im on 200 mgs a day. > whats ther highest dosage they can use??? > harp > as far as i know the highest dose for sertraline hydrochloride is > 250mg… 200 is the standard highest dose though. it makes sense if > you’re on that much that it would be very painful for you cutting > down… i was on 150mg but it aggravated my hypomania so i cut back to > 100mg… that was very hard though, i had a big depressive reaction even > though i did it in small stages, i actually split the pills in half for > a week and took 125mg… i do think its good stuff…. it keeps me > balanced enough while i’m working on the deep things and long-term > solutions with my therapist. yeah, i couldbe better too… maybe adding > a mood stabiliser would be a good idea… do you take a MS ? > hope you’re feeling more stable now, and that you can enjoy a peaceful > day tomorrow, > take care > m > — > ~~~~~>><:>~~~~~ > iriXx > www.iriXx.org > "… faith is being sure of what we hope for, > and certain of what we cannot see"

Response:

> thanks.i will do my best.so far so good. > and i have been on zoloft for a number of years now with good results. > of course they could be better. > im on 200 mgs a day. > whats ther highest dosage they can use??? > harp

as far as i know the highest dose for sertraline hydrochloride is 250mg… 200 is the standard highest dose though. it makes sense if you’re on that much that it would be very painful for you cutting down… i was on 150mg but it aggravated my hypomania so i cut back to 100mg… that was very hard though, i had a big depressive reaction even though i did it in small stages, i actually split the pills in half for a week and took 125mg… i do think its good stuff…. it keeps me balanced enough while i’m working on the deep things and long-term solutions with my therapist. yeah, i couldbe better too… maybe adding a mood stabiliser would be a good idea… do you take a MS ? hope you’re feeling more stable now, and that you can enjoy a peaceful day tomorrow, take care m — ~~~~~>><:>~~~~~ iriXx www.iriXx.org "… faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we cannot see"

Response:

thanks.i will do my best.so far so good. and i have been on zoloft for a number of years now with good results. of course they could be better. im on 200 mgs a day. whats ther highest dosage they can use??? harp

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> thanks A BUNCH! > im stayin on it. > i havent seen the new pdoc yet so i dont know what he will want.im sure if > im(reasonably) stable he will keep me on what i take. > my recently"dismissed" pdoc wanted me off all meds. > she was terrible! > harpy > yes, that does sound terrible. i sacked one of my p-docs who decided to > mess with my meds and put me on reboxetine which gave me a terrible > anxiety reaction (((. then he tried to blame it on me cos "im ill, i > cant possibly know"… i thought those sorta doctors werent around any > more… but ho hum… anyhow after him i saw my current p-doc. she just > wanted to make sure i was stable because that incident messed me up so > much. i am really glad of this, she doesnt even want to try me on a mood > stabiliser yet, even though its gonna be the next logical thing, because > she thinks i need time just being stable on what im on. i think thats > really important – always remember that its your choice in the end, and > the doctor is there for you (and not the other way round, the way some > of them seem to like to think! ;o))) > i would think if you are stable he would be happy to keep you on zoloft. > it has a good reputation for being calming too, which im sure has a > slight calming effect on my hypomania as well as helping lots with my > depression. just make it clear to him you want to stay stable, im sure > he will be happy to keep you on it )))). yeah, stay on it until you > see him too… coming off any AD is hard work… and there’s no harm you > can do in taking it, its not like its addictive or anything…. > hope you can have some peace of mind this xmas ))) > take care > m > — > ~~~~~>><:>~~~~~ > iriXx > "… faith is being sure of what we hope for, > and certain of what we cannot see"

Response:

> thanks A BUNCH! > im stayin on it. > i havent seen the new pdoc yet so i dont know what he will want.im sure if > im(reasonably) stable he will keep me on what i take. > my recently"dismissed" pdoc wanted me off all meds. > she was terrible! > harpy

yes, that does sound terrible. i sacked one of my p-docs who decided to mess with my meds and put me on reboxetine which gave me a terrible anxiety reaction (((. then he tried to blame it on me cos "im ill, i cant possibly know"… i thought those sorta doctors werent around any more… but ho hum… anyhow after him i saw my current p-doc. she just wanted to make sure i was stable because that incident messed me up so much. i am really glad of this, she doesnt even want to try me on a mood stabiliser yet, even though its gonna be the next logical thing, because she thinks i need time just being stable on what im on. i think thats really important – always remember that its your choice in the end, and the doctor is there for you (and not the other way round, the way some of them seem to like to think! ;o))) i would think if you are stable he would be happy to keep you on zoloft. it has a good reputation for being calming too, which im sure has a slight calming effect on my hypomania as well as helping lots with my depression. just make it clear to him you want to stay stable, im sure he will be happy to keep you on it )))). yeah, stay on it until you see him too… coming off any AD is hard work… and there’s no harm you can do in taking it, its not like its addictive or anything…. hope you can have some peace of mind this xmas ))) take care m — ~~~~~>><:>~~~~~ iriXx "… faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we cannot see"

Response:

thanks A BUNCH! im stayin on it. i havent seen the new pdoc yet so i dont know what he will want.im sure if im(reasonably) stable he will keep me on what i take. my recently"dismissed" pdoc wanted me off all meds. she was terrible! harpy

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> yes, it does… i take zoloft and i find if i miss a dose , i’ll be a > weepy wreck by the evening. im on 100mg. > my pdoc has always said to me if it helps being on it then i should stay > on it… we’ve talked about the alternative of switching me to a MS, but > she doesnt want to do that just because stability is so important to me > right now. i reckon you could make that point to your p-doc as well, > that being stable is what you need…. is he trying to take you off it? > i’d suggest dont worry about decreasing it right yet…. just try to > keep stable, and raise the point with him if and when he suggests coming > off it… sometimes you might need to be on them for some time (im > thinking maybe i might need to be on them for life or at least another > few years…) > take care and i hope you feel better soon > ((((((((((((((harpy)))))))))))))))) > m > does it exist? sure feels like it when i try to get off it no matter how > little i decrease it. > i dont WANNA  get off it but it would be good to have something concrete to > take to my new pdoc should he try and get me off the med. > my head feels like a damned baloon when i try and come off that stuff and i > cant think or function. > but it helps me tenfold being on it. > any good advice on this is welcome or input. > thanks > harpy > — > ~~~~~>><:>~~~~ > iriXx > www.iriXx.org > "…faith is being sure of what we hope for, >   and certain of what we cannot see"

Response:

thanks jim.yep..those are the bad effects described to a tee. im staying on it thats for sure!!! harp

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I took Zoloft for about a year and then the pdoc changed me over to > wellbutrin SR 300MG.  I experienced a lot of headaches and malaise during > that time but she still changed it.  I hope you can persuade him to keep you > on it if it works for you. > Jim > does it exist? sure feels like it when i try to get off it no matter how > little i decrease it. > i dont WANNA  get off it but it would be good to have something concrete > to > take to my new pdoc should he try and get me off the med. > my head feels like a damned baloon when i try and come off that stuff and > i > cant think or function. > but it helps me tenfold being on it. > any good advice on this is welcome or input. > thanks > harpy

Response:

yes, it does… i take zoloft and i find if i miss a dose , i’ll be a weepy wreck by the evening. im on 100mg. my pdoc has always said to me if it helps being on it then i should stay on it… we’ve talked about the alternative of switching me to a MS, but she doesnt want to do that just because stability is so important to me right now. i reckon you could make that point to your p-doc as well, that being stable is what you need…. is he trying to take you off it? i’d suggest dont worry about decreasing it right yet…. just try to keep stable, and raise the point with him if and when he suggests coming off it… sometimes you might need to be on them for some time (im thinking maybe i might need to be on them for life or at least another few years…) take care and i hope you feel better soon ((((((((((((((harpy)))))))))))))))) m > does it exist? sure feels like it when i try to get off it no matter how > little i decrease it. > i dont WANNA  get off it but it would be good to have something concrete to > take to my new pdoc should he try and get me off the med. > my head feels like a damned baloon when i try and come off that stuff and i > cant think or function. > but it helps me tenfold being on it. > any good advice on this is welcome or input. > thanks > harpy

– ~~~~~>><:>~~~~ iriXx www.iriXx.org "…faith is being sure of what we hope for,   and certain of what we cannot see"

Response:

does it exist? sure feels like it when i try to get off it no matter how little i decrease it. i dont WANNA  get off it but it would be good to have something concrete to take to my new pdoc should he try and get me off the med. my head feels like a damned baloon when i try and come off that stuff and i cant think or function. but it helps me tenfold being on it. any good advice on this is welcome or input. thanks harpy

Response:

I took Zoloft for about a year and then the pdoc changed me over to wellbutrin SR 300MG.  I experienced a lot of headaches and malaise during that time but she still changed it.  I hope you can persuade him to keep you on it if it works for you. Jim

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> does it exist? sure feels like it when i try to get off it no matter how > little i decrease it. > i dont WANNA  get off it but it would be good to have something concrete to > take to my new pdoc should he try and get me off the med. > my head feels like a damned baloon when i try and come off that stuff and i > cant think or function. > but it helps me tenfold being on it. > any good advice on this is welcome or input. > thanks > harpy

Response:

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

Response:

Question:

Hello group, I got a rather strange call from a (somewhat unreliable, somewhat alarmist) friend at three in the morning last night. He was listening to some radio show (he hadn’t ascertained the qualifications of the guests) in which *all* SSRIs were being denounced as a "total medical disaster," and futhermore, they made the astonishing claim that all SSRIs were being immediately recalled by the FDA. I am on Serzone, which seems to be working well for me. This drug, along with Celexa, Zoloft, Paxil, and a host of other SSRIs (along with Ritalin), were implicated as death-dealing drugs. (Again, I have no idea, nor did my friend seem to have any idea, exactly who was making these claims.) My friend held the phone up to the radio and I listened to a bit of it (admittedly half asleep). I heard a woman saying that depressed people, contrary to what the APA originally believed, have a *preponderence* of seratonin, not an impoverishment. She went on to say (in discussion with another unidentified woman) that SSRIs are causing agressive behavior, psychosis, an increase in depression, and (allegedly), in thousands upon thousands of cases, sudden death. The woman (a "doctor") made it sound as if this was "breaking news," and in my drowsy state I half expected to turn on CNN in the morning and hear, "SSRIs kill thousands, massive recall!" as their top story. So far, I haven’t heard a thing, and there seems to be no big stir on this newsgroup (and surely if there were anything cataclysmic afoot, you folks would be the first to know, right?). So where is this SSRI alert coming from? Have any of you heard anything about it? Many thanks, Heather "Make my make believe believe in me" Buck, Mills, Stipe

Response:

Not true or accurate… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I got a rather strange call from a (somewhat unreliable, somewhat alarmist) > friend at three in the morning last night. He was listening to some radio show

Response:

>Sounds like your friend heard one of these dickhead anti-psychiatry med >activists talking about SSRIs. Perhaps Dr. Tracey Anne Blakely or Peter >Breggin. There are a lot of these anti-psychiatry med assholes running around >nowadays

It was Ann Blake Tracy. She was on the Art Bell talk show Sat. night. She sounds like a real idiot.

Response:

Whatever Ann Blake Tracy may be, it’s worth checking out her web site, especially the first-hand SSRI horror stories that people have mailed in: http://www.drugawareness.org/Archives/Survivors/survivor_index.html. I find it hard to believe that she would have taken the trouble to fabricate all of these. Perhaps extreme adverse reactions are statistically rare, but they are not to be taken lightly.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Sounds like your friend heard one of these dickhead anti-psychiatry med >activists talking about SSRIs. Perhaps Dr. Tracey Anne Blakely or Peter >Breggin. There are a lot of these anti-psychiatry med assholes running around >nowadays > It was Ann Blake Tracy. She was on the Art Bell talk show Sat. night. > She sounds like a real idiot.

Response:

Question:

I had been on Zoloft to treat depression for a long time, many years. However, it interfered with my sleep.  I couldn’t sleep, actually.  So I told my doctor I was going to gradually reduce the dosage & stop taking it to see what happened.  Well, I have been very depressed lately & yesterday I had a panic attack at work.  Today I went back to the doctor & asked if there were any other drugs I could take that wouldn’t interfere with my sleep as much & they gave me Celexa.  Where can I find information about this drug?  Has anyone here taken it & did it make you wide awake in the middle of the night?  Thanks. Kim Miller Bow-Wow: http://members.tripod.com/allaboutdogs/ Christmas Dreams: http://members.tripod.com/joyfulchristmas/ Surf Minnesota: http://www.surfminnesota.net/ Personal Homepage: http://members.tripod.com/dreamspinner3/ ICQ: 48547727

Response:

Hello Kim. About 18 months ago I was on Celexa. I think out of all the SSRI’s I have tried, and they all make me manic, I slept the best on Celexa. You may be tired for a week or so when first taking it or increasing the dosage, but sleep for me and overall wakefulness was the best with Celexa. Right now I’m on Paxil 20 mg. from 30 mg. Mania is a horrible feeling,although productive but irritable and restless. Also on Paxil 30 mg. I lost my pleasure in a lot of things. People say they lose interest in sex or sustaining a relationship but for me I lost interest in everything but sex. I am just starting to feel like I’m getting back to the things I love, and that’s an anti-depressant in itself. Hope all goes well for you Philip

Response:

> I had been on Zoloft to treat depression for a long time, many years. > However, it interfered with my sleep.  I couldn’t sleep, actually.  So > I told my doctor I was going to gradually reduce the dosage & stop > taking it to see what happened.  Well, I have been very depressed > lately & yesterday I had a panic attack at work.  Today I went back to > the doctor & asked if there were any other drugs I could take that > wouldn’t interfere with my sleep as much & they gave me Celexa.  Where > can I find information about this drug?  Has anyone here taken it & > did it make you wide awake in the middle of the night?  Thanks.

I was on Celexa, and it made me drowsy, so I took it at night because I have insomnia. —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

<snip> >wouldn’t interfere with my sleep as much & they gave me Celexa.  Where >can I find information about this drug?  Has anyone here taken it & >did it make you wide awake in the middle of the night?  Thanks. >Kim Miller

Hi Kim, I’ve been on Celexa for about 2 years now and find that it’s an excellent anti-depressent.  I have no trouble sleeping on it, though it does give me really vivid dreams that sometimes wake me up 3 or 4 times in a night, but I have no trouble getting back to sleep. Cheers, Peter.

Response:

Thanks everyone.  I am not doing so good right now & it is nice to find a supportive group like this.

Response:

Yes, Zoloft seemed to help me for a long time except for the sleeping problem.  Thanks for the info.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> It appears from your post,  that Zoloft helped you for > many years except for your one problem with insomnia.. > The  idea of  trying Celexa does not seem like a bad > idea.   But no way to tell ahead of time where this > will all end up. > For your situation as described in your post,  where > you were able to take  Zoloft for many years the idea > of trying Celexa as suggested by the Doctor could turn > out OK due to the reduced side effects of the drug. But > no way to know.  If it doesn’t work, you might want to > consider going back to your "old faithful" Zoloft, and > then solve the insomnia problem some other way. > Good luck in your efforts.

Response:

I meant to say I got a prescription for it.  My sister is on it too & so far, she has no trouble sleeping but has tremors.  I don’t know how long she’s been on it, she said not too long.  My doctor listens to me too & if a drug is not helping me, I will speak up.  If a doctor doesn’t listen to me the first time, they will the second time or I’ll find one who will. >BTW  Meant to ask what you meant when you said the >doctor "gave you" Celexa. Did that mean a "free" >sample?. Or did it mean a prescription.? . Was not >aware that  Celexa has free samples so your information >could be of help on that point. >Have been wondering how come it is not prescribed more. >Whether that could be because Celexa is not a US drug, >or because it is not advertised here like the others on >television,   or whether on not the free sample >situation  might be a factor.

Kim Miller Bow-Wow: http://members.tripod.com/allaboutdogs/ Christmas Dreams: http://members.tripod.com/joyfulchristmas/ Surf Minnesota: http://www.surfminnesota.net/ Personal Homepage: http://members.tripod.com/dreamspinner3/ ICQ: 48547727

Response:

Yes, my doctor had a 7 day package. I guess the pharmaceutical company is on a hot marketing campaign for Celexa.  I am certain that it works well for other people.  My sleep wasn’t disturbed and I am listening to what Zoloft is doing to sleep patterns for others. I haven’t started the Effexor yet. Planning on doing that next Thursday.  Just needed to chill a little more after the Celexa experience. I am so pleased that this doctor listens to me. I would bolt and hide in this deep, dark hole for a while.  Not a pleasant thought, but I insist on having some control over what happens to my brain! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Yes, Zoloft seemed to help me for a long time except for the sleeping >problem.  Thanks for the info. >There has been quite a bit of discussion lately on >Celexa and I felt that one of the things being missed >in this and  other threads,  was the superior side >effects of Celexa. >Though Celexa does have side effects and those side >effects can still be sufficient to be bad news for some >people.   >Sort of  3 situations. >Situation 1 >You like the SSRIs, they help you, get along with >things like Zoloft, and are likely to get along with >something like Celexa "too". >For you the tradeoff is if you stay on Zoloft, you have >a "sure winner:"    However,  you have already decided >that you would like to be off of Zoloft and would like >to try something else. Maybe already off it  in part. >And  have a doctor working with you ,  recommending >Celexa. >There is a  reasonable chance of having Celexa at least >working for the depression , and maybe better for you >due to lower side effects as compared to your Zoloft. >But the entire thing is like a gamble.  Might get >something better, might screw it up. >The important thing is that it should be  "your >decision" based on whatever information you can find >including what the doctor recommends.   >We  can all hope  your new try at  "Celexa" works for >you. >—– >Situation 2 >Another  thread  about Celex , where Marilyn has a >number of really awful side effects.  Both on a prior >attempt at Zoloft, and on a recent excursion into >Celexa.  In that situation she is fortunate to have a >doctor that "listens" to her    In the situation 2 >thread , she and her doctor are about to try Effexor >We can all hope that in her case "getting rid’ of the >Celexa works for her. >Situation 3 >A situation where dictator doctors try to get people to >use Celexa (or Paxil or Zoloft or other SSRIs) , for >"life" .   In spite of some very bad side effects.  And >bad enough to disrupt some  functionally of living. >And bad enough for "some"  people to want to some extra >relapse risk.     >It is too bad, because the "dictator" type of   doctors >end up in a situation of  de facto declaration of >"war",  on their own  patients.  And thereby end up >depriving them of even the medial care they might have >obtained ,  if they did not take the  "order" the >patient to do this or that  approach. >—- >So seems like it is: >Full speed ahead for you on Celexa,  and your possible >new magic bullet. With the doctors help.   And full >speed ahead on "getting rid" of Celexa for Marilyn. >And on to hopes of Effexor as her possible magic >bullet. . With her  doctor’s help.  And for  those few >(hopefully very few), situation 3 people,  it is full >speed ahead getting rid of Celexa – or equivalents. >In some case with the doctor’s help. In some others >without the doctor’s help. >BTW  Meant to ask what you meant when you said the >doctor "gave you" Celexa. Did that mean a "free" >sample?. Or did it mean a prescription.? . Was not >aware that  Celexa has free samples so your information >could be of help on that point. >Have been wondering how come it is not prescribed more. >Whether that could be because Celexa is not a US drug, >or because it is not advertised here like the others on >television,   or whether on not the free sample >situation  might be a factor. >>It appears from your post,  that Zoloft helped you for >>many years except for your one problem with insomnia.. >>The  idea of  trying Celexa does not seem like a bad >>idea.   But no way to tell ahead of time where this >>will all end up. >>For your situation as described in your post,  where >>you were able to take  Zoloft for many years the idea >>of trying Celexa as suggested by the Doctor could turn >>out OK due to the reduced side effects of the drug. But >>no way to know.  If it doesn’t work, you might want to >>consider going back to your "old faithful" Zoloft, and >>then solve the insomnia problem some other way. >>Good luck in your efforts.

Response:

Question:

Lately there has been a bunch of crap being posted on here about the SSRIs, such as Prozac and Paxil. Keep in mind that most of this information being posted is being posted by those  with a dx of hardcore bipolar manic depression. This is  a fundamentally different psychiatric illness than unipolar major depression. Many of these bipolar manic depressives trash SSRIs left and right every chance they get, making these drugs outto be the devil’s drugs or something. However the specifics are being left out in many of these bipolar’s posts which denigrate the SSRIs. Anytime you read something, especially when claims are made aboutsomething, you should ask yourself "who is this person who wrote this?"  You need to find out who they are, what their personal biases and slants are. So their posts can be taken in context of that person’s experiences. First of all, its a well known general rule in psychiatry that hardcore manic depressives do best to stay away from SSRIs if at all possible…ESPECIALLY Prozac. Its well established in the psychiatric literature that SSRIs can easily activate mania or hypomania in individuals with bipolar manic diagnosis. Prozac in particular is extremely dangerous for those with bipolar dx. This is due to Prozac’s extremely long half life…it takes forever for all of the Prozac to be excreted outof your body if you discontinue it. Oftentimes up to five weeks…sometimes more if the Prozac dose was  a large dose. If the Prozac activates mania or psychosis in a bipolar person, this means that the person must wait weeks or months before the Prozac is out of their system thus prolonging mania/psychosis/hypomania…Prozac can very much complicate a bipolar person’s life. Its best avoided  if you have a hardcore bipolar dx. However the same goes for all the SSRIs, Paxil, Zoloft…whatever. These drugs can all activate mania in susceptible individuals (bipolar).  What irritates me is when these bipolar people come onto a NG mainly oriented for unipolar depression and trash the SSRIs left and right, making these drugs to  sound as if they are totally evil and worthless for nothing. That might be true if you are a manic depressive, but its hardly true if  your dx is unipolar major depression or if you have a anxiety disorder like panic attacks, OCD, etc. The preferred "core" meds used for the bipolar manic spectrum mainly revolve around mood stabilizers like lithium, depakote, Topomax, Tegretol, etc. As well as various anti-psychotic medications. These are the meat and potatoes meds for those diagnosed with bipolar. If an antidepressant is needed Wellbutrin is the preferred AD as it has a reputation for having a low incidence of activing mania or psychosis. Sometimes bipolar folks do go on SSRIs or Effexor, with varying results. Sometimes it results in activation of mania/hypomania and sometimes that results in being hospitalized. So these bipolar people hanging out on ASDM lately they need to be much more specific in their posts. Sure, SSRIs might have been the absolute worst drug for THEM, but  keep  in mind what their diagnosis was to begin with. I mean what the fuck do you expect when your dx is bipolar manic depression and you go on an SSRI and  you subsequently flip out and activate into mania/psychosis. Surprise surprise surprise…actually no surprise at all its predictable. For those of us who are unipolar and not bipolar, these terrible things that happen with SSRIs with bipolar folks simply do not happen…sorry but you people need to be more honest in your posts and be more honest with you who are…bipolar manic depressives and your needs and requirements DO  NOT apply to those of us with unipolar depression. Please be more specific in your posts from now on. Such as saying, "yeah, SSRIs activated severe mania in me but then again what do you expect cause Im a bipolar manic depressive." Eric Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be used conservatively http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FactsAndFallaciesOfDepression MIBS (Minimally Invasive Brain Stimulation) http://www.musc.edu/psychiatry/fnrd/tms.htm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Lately there has been a bunch of crap being posted on here about the SSRIs, > such as Prozac and Paxil. Keep in mind that most of this information being > posted is being posted by those  with a dx of hardcore bipolar manic > depression. This is  a fundamentally different psychiatric illness than > unipolar major depression. Many of these bipolar manic depressives trash SSRIs > left and right every chance they get, making these drugs outto be the devil’s > drugs or something. However the specifics are being left out in many of these > bipolar’s posts which denigrate the SSRIs. > Anytime you read something, especially when claims are made aboutsomething, you > should ask yourself "who is this person who wrote this?"  You need to find out > who they are, what their personal biases and slants are. So their posts can be > taken in context of that person’s experiences. > First of all, its a well known general rule in psychiatry that hardcore manic > depressives do best to stay away from SSRIs if at all

possible…ESPECIALLY – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Prozac. Its well established in the psychiatric literature that SSRIs can > easily activate mania or hypomania in individuals with bipolar manic diagnosis. > Prozac in particular is extremely dangerous for those with bipolar dx. This is > due to Prozac’s extremely long half life…it takes forever for all of the > Prozac to be excreted outof your body if you discontinue it. Oftentimes up to > five weeks…sometimes more if the Prozac dose was  a large dose. If the Prozac > activates mania or psychosis in a bipolar person, this means that the person > must wait weeks or months before the Prozac is out of their system thus > prolonging mania/psychosis/hypomania…Prozac can very much complicate a > bipolar person’s life. Its best avoided  if you have a hardcore bipolar dx. > However the same goes for all the SSRIs, Paxil, Zoloft…whatever. These drugs > can all activate mania in susceptible individuals (bipolar).  What irritates me > is when these bipolar people come onto a NG mainly oriented for unipolar > depression and trash the SSRIs left and right, making these drugs to sound as > if they are totally evil and worthless for nothing. That might be true if you > are a manic depressive, but its hardly true if  your dx is unipolar major > depression or if you have a anxiety disorder like panic attacks, OCD, etc. > The preferred "core" meds used for the bipolar manic spectrum mainly revolve > around mood stabilizers like lithium, depakote, Topomax, Tegretol, etc. As well > as various anti-psychotic medications. These are the meat and potatoes meds for > those diagnosed with bipolar. If an antidepressant is needed Wellbutrin is the > preferred AD as it has a reputation for having a low incidence of activing > mania or psychosis. Sometimes bipolar folks do go on SSRIs or Effexor, with > varying results. Sometimes it results in activation of mania/hypomania and > sometimes that results in being hospitalized. > So these bipolar people hanging out on ASDM lately they need to be much more > specific in their posts. Sure, SSRIs might have been the absolute worst drug > for THEM, but  keep  in mind what their diagnosis was to begin with. I mean > what the fuck do you expect when your dx is bipolar manic depression and you go > on an SSRI and  you subsequently flip out and activate into mania/psychosis. > Surprise surprise surprise…actually no surprise at all its predictable. > For those of us who are unipolar and not bipolar, these terrible things that > happen with SSRIs with bipolar folks simply do not happen…sorry but you > people need to be more honest in your posts and be more honest with you who > are…bipolar manic depressives and your needs and requirements DO  NOT apply > to those of us with unipolar depression. > Please be more specific in your posts from now on. Such as saying, "yeah, SSRIs > activated severe mania in me but then again what do you expect cause Im a > bipolar manic depressive."

Even you were 100% correct and SSRIs only activate homocidal mania in bipolars.. How do you explain the "normal" test subjects becoming suicidally depressed? regards, Bob ps Hope your feeling better and your changes help.. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Eric > Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be used conservatively > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FactsAndFallaciesOfDepression > MIBS (Minimally Invasive Brain Stimulation) > http://www.musc.edu/psychiatry/fnrd/tms.htm

Response:

<< Even you were 100% correct and SSRIs only activate homocidal mania in bipolars.. Yes I am right about SSRIs activating mania in bipolar manic depressives. Its well established that SSRIs do this to the bipolar people. VERY WELL ESTABLISHED. Prozac is usually contraindicated in bipolar. Anyone who has a strong bipolar history and messes with SSRIs is asking for it. This is well known in psychiatry. The antidepressant of choice for bipolar is Wellbutrin, preferably the extended release form of it Wellbutrin SR. Bipolars mostly stick to mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics as their "meat and potatoes" drugs…antidepressants for bipolar is usually not the most important drug. >How do you explain the "normal" test subjects becoming suicidally depressed?

I dont know. I suspect that the extreme SSRI activation that SSRIs can cause early in starting an SSRI scares some patients, especially ones with prominent anxiety. Perhaps this activation with increased anxiety that SSRIs cause can make some depressives more depressed for a few weeks, I do agree that SSRIs oftentimes make you feel actually worse for a week or two when you first start taking them. This is probably where it comes from. I do agree the pharmaceutical companies…and doctors also….should do a better job of informing people who are going to take SSRIs of the early onset adjustment side effects of these meds, the "SSRI activation" especially as it can be quite scary for some who do not understand what is going on. The key to the SSRIs is to realize they make you feel shittier in the beginning but once the body adjusts after a few weeks you begin feeling much better. Eric regards, Bob ps Hope your feeling better and your changes help.. Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be used conservatively http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FactsAndFallaciesOfDepression MIBS (Minimally Invasive Brain Stimulation) http://www.musc.edu/psychiatry/fnrd/tms.htm

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> << Even you were 100% correct and SSRIs only > activate homocidal mania in bipolars.. > Yes I am right about SSRIs activating mania in bipolar manic depressives. Its > well established that SSRIs do this to the bipolar people. VERY WELL > ESTABLISHED. Prozac is usually contraindicated in bipolar. Anyone who has a > strong bipolar history and messes with SSRIs is asking for it. This is well > known in psychiatry. > The antidepressant of choice for bipolar is Wellbutrin, preferably the extended > release form of it Wellbutrin SR. Bipolars mostly stick to mood stabilizers and > anti-psychotics as their "meat and potatoes" drugs…antidepressants for > bipolar is usually not the most important drug. >How do you explain the "normal" test subjects becoming suicidally depressed? > I dont know. I suspect that the extreme SSRI activation that SSRIs can cause > early in starting an SSRI scares some patients, especially ones with prominent > anxiety. Perhaps this activation with increased anxiety that SSRIs cause can > make some depressives more depressed for a few weeks, I do agree that SSRIs > oftentimes make you feel actually worse for a week or two when you first start > taking them. This is probably where it comes from. > I do agree the pharmaceutical companies…and doctors also….should do a > better job of informing people who are going to take SSRIs of the early onset > adjustment side effects of these meds, the "SSRI activation" especially as it > can be quite scary for some who do not understand what is going on. > The key to the SSRIs is to realize they make you feel shittier in the beginning > but once the body adjusts after a few weeks you begin feeling much better.

Well in that case just prescribing them and sending people away verges on criminal irresponsibity.. and there should be some prosecutions to go along with the SSRI horror stories. regards, Bob – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Eric > regards, > Bob > ps Hope your feeling better and your changes help.. > Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be used conservatively > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FactsAndFallaciesOfDepression > MIBS (Minimally Invasive Brain Stimulation) > http://www.musc.edu/psychiatry/fnrd/tms.htm

Response:

>First of all, its a well known general rule in psychiatry that hardcore manic >depressives do best to stay away from SSRIs if at all possible…ESPECIALLY >Prozac.

I was treated with ssri’s for years, after being dx’ed bipolar, you need a ms……duh. Remove the **** from my address for email replies…. —–= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =—– http://www.newsfeeds.com – The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! —–==  Over 80,000 Newsgroups – 16 Different Servers! =—–

Response:

Question:

Hello all,         Does anyone in this newsgroup have experience with Zoloft or Klonopin increasing panic attack and weird dreams – at least for the first few days. If so, how long does it take to go away. I noticed that my shakes involuntarily sometimes too. I have been on Klonopin and Zoloft  for 2 nights. Thanks. Jon

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > << Hello all, >         Does anyone in this newsgroup have experience with Zoloft or > Klonopin > increasing panic attack and weird dreams – at least for the first few days. > If so, how long does it take to go away. I noticed that my shakes > involuntarily > sometimes too. I have been on Klonopin and Zoloft  for 2 nights. > Thanks. > Jon > Yeah Jon, all the SSRIs like Zoloft increase anxiety during the first couple > days to several weeks of taking these meds. For some individuals the increase > of anxiety when starting SSRIs is quite severe and uncomfortable. The solution > is simple. Keep on taking the Zoloft so you can "get to the other side" so to > speak.

Just like the solution to patients who complain about ECT is to keep administering shock…. > The increased anxiety goes away after a while and gives  way to an > anti-depressant and anti-anxiety effect once the Zoloft has kicked in > good…usually after about a month. > So to put it point blank to you, you might have to suffer a little with "SSRI > activation" side effects from the Zoloft for a few weeks. Til it kicks in and > your body adjusts to the Zoloft. My advice is to keep on taking the Zoloft  no > matter how bad the panic attacks get. My guess is if you can make it to the one > month mark you will begin feeling a lot better.

Or you can respect what your body is telling you about the stuff you are forcing into it and try another drug.  Perhaps welbutrin sr, or an older drug like a MAOI.

Response:

Question:

Did anyone here experience a flattening of emotions with Zoloft and did it get better with continued use so you were able to feel happiness after it?  What they call Flat Affect (not effect) in medical terminology?  Neither happy nor really sad, just kind of numb? H.

Response:

yeah i did,  all the anti-depressants kill my emotions. ive never had it get any better with time. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Did anyone here experience a flattening of emotions with Zoloft and did it get >better with continued use so you were able to feel happiness after it?  What >they call Flat Affect (not effect) in medical terminology?  Neither happy nor >really sad, just kind of numb? >H.

Response:

I started taking Zoloft a few months ago and I didn’t notice a flat affect with it.   Before that, I took Paxil for about 8 years with no flat affect noticed. Christine

Response:

With me it did cause some flattening-but in my case that was good as my emotional turmoil had worn me out….now that I supplement with the Wellbutrin I feel more like me, but still able to function well…. bunnyfire – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->>Did anyone here experience a flattening of emotions with Zoloft and did it >  get >>better with continued use so you were able to feel happiness after it?  What >>they call Flat Affect (not effect) in medical terminology?  Neither happy >  nor >>really sad, just kind of numb? >>H. > I notice the opposite with SSRIs like Zoloft. Im more "flat" off meds because I > become more depressed. Severe depression causes "flatness." Numbness, > nothingness, inability to "feel" emotions, whatever youd like to call it. Go on > an SSRI and some of that ability to feel emotion comes back. Least thats been > my personal experiences. > Eric > Steroids caused my depression…prednisone should be used conservatively > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FactsAndFallaciesOfDepression > MIBS (Minimally Invasive Brain Stimulation) > http://www.musc.edu/psychiatry/fnrd/tms.htm

Response:

> Did anyone here experience a flattening of emotions with Zoloft and did it get > better with continued use so you were able to feel happiness after it? What > they call Flat Affect (not effect) in medical terminology?  Neither happy nor > really sad, just kind of numb? > H. > I noticed a little flattening of emotion,,,but got better after a few

months.  I have been off and on Zoloft a few times….It works really well if I give it a chance…..a foot note….I could not orgasim the first month on it…..but that went away. "FORGET ABOUT IT"

Response: