Posted by Christ_empowered on January 13, 2011, at 4:03:15
In reply to seroquel or ?, posted by cee on January 12, 2011, at 19:39:42
hey. Other atypicals are used "off-label" for treatment-resistant (and other forms of) depression. Abilify is approved for use in conjunction with an antidepressant. Zyprexa is available as Symbyax, which is a fixed combo of Prozac and Zyprexa.
What symptom(s) does the seroquel help? Agitation, anxiety, etc.? Or does it simply help elevate and regulate your mood? Abilify is associated with less weight gain and much, much less sedation than Seroquel. On the downside, it can cause akathisia and start-up agitation. Geodon can also help, but it can cause sedation and its a 2x daily medication.
Do you think you need an antipsychotic? If seroquel helps with, say, anxiety and agitation, but its too sedating and weight gain is an issue, I would think that a LOW dose of an older antipsychotic might also be helpful--these medications have a higher TD risk (although the risk may be less with lower-potency drugs and depends upon dose and duration of treatment) but tend to cause less weight gain.
Perphenazine (Trilafon) is an older drug that has compared favorably with the newer drugs for schizophrenia. Although it doesn't have antidepressant activity, it can help in lower doses by acting as a tranquilizer. Loxapine is atypical-ish, depending on the dose, and could have similar benefits.I almost forgot...Risperdal. Risperidone is now available in generic. It causes weight gain and prolactin increases, but the weight gain is usually less severe than seroquel or zyprexa. I personally found risperidone dulling, but some people benefit from low(ish) doses for mood disorders+anxiety. Its an atypical.
Good luck
poster:Christ_empowered
thread:976643
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20101231/msgs/976671.html