Combining an SSRI with Wellbutrin is a very common tactic for treatment-resistant depression as well as reversing apathetic symptoms that sometimes occur with long-term SSRI treatment. It is...
There is definitely a connection with the sleep-wake cycle and all psychiatric disorders, including panic/anxiety. This has been shown over and over again in clinical studies. I try to keep to a set...
Is he being treated by a psychiatrist? Internists tend to waste time when it comes to antidepressants, either not giving a long enough trial (at least 8 weeks), or not increasing the dose enough...
I've done very well on Zoloft for eight years, but I know many people who have tried Lexapro and do extremely well on it. It is equally effective to the other SSRIs for depression. Stay on it for at...
Most psychiatrists I know consider Paxil to be the worst offender by far among the SSRIs for weight gain, Prozac is the least likely to do it, with the rest somewhere in between. As with any...
Many psychiatrists believe Lexapro does not confer any particular advantages over Celexa in terms of side effects or effectiveness. There may have been some statistical separation in the initial...
Some states have prescribing laws that require the patient to consent in writing when prescribed doses in excess of the FDA limit. It's not a big deal and keep in mind that psychiatrists often do...
What is your diagnosis, George?? It seems like they are treating you like a paranoid schizophrenic who is a danger to himself. Try and go to St. Vincents or Bellevue for care. Both have excellent...
I live in NYC and there are many services available to help you. All you have to do is go to a city hospital and tell them how you are feeling and would like to see a psychiatrist. Are you near...
Justine, Not everyone gains weight from Zoloft, so I wouldn't assume you will have a problem. It certainly is better than Lexapro or Paxil in this regard and the only way to know is for you to try it...
I know it's hard, but what I have found to be helpful when it comes to starting a med, is to remind myself to take things one day at a time. Rather than focusing on symptoms or side effects, I try to...
You should lose the weight once you stop the medication within six months. As long as you wean off with a doctor's supervision, you should only feel mild symptoms of withdrawal (dizziness, insomnia,...
BID means twice a day (every 12 hours)....
Klonopin takes a day or two to build up and reach steady state in your body. After that, you should feel significantly better and see improvement in your symptoms. Let us know how you do!...
It's best to find a psychiatrist who does both psychotherapy and medication management. Too often, the psychologist and psychiatrist don't know each other well and rarely communicate about your...
It's an antihistamine from the 1950's, similar to Benadryl, and is not very effective for anxiety. If you need something short-term as needed, your doctor should prescribe a small quantity of Xanax....
Smitty.....were you the one who posted about seeing a psychiatrist who loves to put all his patients on a complex combo right away?? I seem to recall this issue before, particularly when you...
Zoloft is considered to be weight-neutral for most people, although some do gain a lot over time. It's hard to predict since everyone is different. Are you seeing a psychiatrist for treatment? I...
It takes 4-6 weeks to see what any antidepressant is going to do for you. During this time, you should be seeing your doctor every three weeks for a dose adjustment if there is minimal improvement....
You may be experiencing withdrawal symptoms from stopping the Cymbalta. How long did you take it? It's a very short-acting medication, so it can take time to get off it. In addition, taking Ativan...
Mirtazipine is a very good antidepressant to use if you suffer from IBS or other chronic stomach problems. It can be very sedating at the beginning of treatment, but this usually goes away as you...
My suggestion would be to work closely with your psychiatrist and psychologist so you have a "double-whammy" approach to treating your symptoms. Psychiatrists usually focus on deploying the benefits...
Everyone is different, but there is no question that the SSRIs are notorious for causing weight gain over the long-term. This, along with sexual dysfunction, is the primary weakness of these drugs....
Fish oil has been shown to be beneficial as a supplement to medication. It has NOT been definitively shown to be beneficial on its own for moderate to severe symptoms of depression. In addition, it...
I take Fisol (2 tablets per day) along with my regular dose of Zoloft and Trazodone. The evidence is fairly good that EPA in particular is beneficial to mood disorders. There are no credible studies...
Yes, I take generic sertraline and I haven't found it to be any different than the brand-name. As far as weight gain goes, Zoloft has been far better for me than Paxil was. I probably gained about...
I had diarrhea for a few days and insomnia for about a week. Keep in mind that I also take Trazodone in combination with Zoloft, so that adds something to the mix. I ended up taking 250mg of Zoloft...
Cymbalta works much like Effexor XR (at higher doses) and is similar in side effects. Like any antidepressant, it is effective, but everyone is different in how they do on it. Unfortunately, like...
For me, Zoloft was more or less weight-neutral. I had gained a lot on Paxil when I switched to Zoloft and lost some of the weight. Everyone is different, but in general, the SSRIs can cause weight...
I've been on Zoloft for 8 years as well. Last summer, I had a bad bout with anxiety and depression, despite taking 200mg per day, and my psychiatrist upped the dose to 250mg. After 6 weeks, I felt a...
Remeron is a very good antidepressant if you have a chronic stomach problem. You have to see if it will work for you and whether the side effects are tolerable. In general, it tends to be extremely...
The SSRIs in general are noted for weight gain over time, with Prozac being the least likely to cause it. I gained 40lbs. on Paxil and then lost about half of it when I switched to Zoloft. Work with...
When it comes to psychiatry, the partnership and trust between the doctor and patient is very important to the theraputic relationship. Reducing your medication on your own without telling your...
All drugs have side effects, including aspirin, and have the potential to cause more serious problems in a sensitive individual. That doesn't mean they are bad or dangerous for the vast majority of...
I'm assuming you are a lesbian....please correct me if I am mistaken. I am a gay man who came out to my friends and family when I was young (16). Although they all knew, the coming out experience is...
Chad, Faith is very important and God doesn't care if you've been to church yesterday or 20 years ago. I believe we are all part of something bigger than ourselves. I'm glad you told your parents and...
BlueMoon, I am very upset to read you just stopped taking Effexor without telling anyone. This is definitely not going to help you and it may aggravate how you're feeling right now. I think you need...
It's not a good idea to drink alcohol while taking an antidepressant. For one thing, if you're suffering from depression, alcohol will make it worse since it acts as a CNS depressant. The other is it...
Yes, I've experienced that and I'm sure many others have too. What that usually means is you need a dose increase. Once the higher dose reaches steady state in a few days or a week, you start to feel...
If Prozac is causing weight gain, it's worth trying another SSRI to see if that one is better. Unfortunately, weight gain and sexual dysfunction are the two side effects that cause people to want to...
It really depends on your history, the severity of the index episode (what brought you to medication the first time), how you did once on it, etc. The traditional line of thinking among psychiatrists...
BlueMoon, I hope you're talking to your parents about how you feel lately. The psychiatrist at the campus health center said you were ADD, but you are sounding very depressed to me. Are you taking...
It's very important to take your meds as prescribed every day at the same time. If you don't take them every day, they won't help. It's tough when the depression is keeping you down and feeling...
10-12 weeks is necessary with Prozac because it has a very long half-life and an active metabolite, which takes a long time to build up to a steady blood level. But it is just as good as the others...
Any honest psychiatrist will tell you the meds are never a cure. They simply relieve symptoms, which is very important to staying well and living life to its fullest. There is no evidence of any...
It's tricky when switching from one AD to another. It could be Celexa, withdrawal from Zoloft or both. Although both are SSRIs, they differ in their effect on serotonin receptors and in secondary...
I did great on Paxil for both anxiety and depression many years ago. I ended up on 50mg, but it worked very well. Unfortunately, I also gained 40lbs. on it, so I had to switch to Zoloft. That was 8...
Lexapro is a mixed bag in the weight gain department. Some people do fine, others gain a lot over time. This is very common with the SSRIs....
I'm very glad to hear your daughter is feeling better with no medication! I think you received very poor advice and care from your doctor and if she starts to feel depressed again, you should seek a...