Posted by caroline h on October 11, 2007, at 21:47:17
I just tried to do an internet search on whether someone who has quit smoking would have increased efficacy with antidepressants, and I only found web pages on the reverse, using antidepressants to stop smoking. What has raised this question for me is that I stopped smoking 10 months ago because I spent more than a month in a hospital ICU unit after an accident. (My brother calls it the most radical smoking cessation program ever.)Although I was a heavy smoker for many years, I have no desire to pick it up again. I also was unsuccessful at treating my depression with antidepressants for many years, and I was wondering whether there was any relationship between the smoking and the antidepressant inefficacy. You name the medication--I tried it and at all levels--I gave up because it was a waste of money. Recently, I received a Mescape publication that said that smokers require higher levels of fluvoxamine than non-smokers because of the mix between the drug and the cigarettes. I do remember that--I once was prescribed a very high level of fluvoxamine. But I was wondering whether it might be the case for other antidepressant meds, and if so, which ones--or whether some specifically work markedly better for non-smokers than for smokers. If that is the case, I would be willing to try those antidepressants again.
Does anyone know about this or has anyone had any experience with this?
Thank you very much.
Caroline H.
poster:caroline h
thread:788616
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071009/msgs/788616.html