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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by BLPBart on January 11, 2002, at 23:14:54
I'm looking for some advice. I was diagnosed with major clinical depression about a year and a half ago. I was first given Celexa which I had strange side effects from. If I took it at night it kept me up but if I took it in the morning it made me sleepy. Iwas switched to Prozac which worked well for me. Unfortunately I did what a lot of us do and quit taking it after about 5 months. I went to a new doctor who put me on prozac again. Unfortunately this time I was really lethargic and oversleeping on it. I was then switched to Wellbutrin which seems to work fairly well for me. He kept me on a lose dose (10 mg/day) of the prozac however for PMS. Suddenly about 2 months ago I started having problems with the fatigue again. I went from a person who would get up every morning at 5:00 and run for an hour to someone who can hardly get up in the morning for work and need to sleep 10-12 hours per day.
My doc told me to quit the prozac although he had a hard time believing such a small dose could be causing this. If this doesn't work we're going to discuss what to do next. I'm a little overwhelmed by all of the information. Not sure if I want to try Effexor (I'm afraid that it will have the same effect as the prozac), some kind of stimulant, or what? Any advice?
ps I've also gained about 25 pounds which I think is a combination of an increased appetite and craving for carbs and no exercise.
Posted by CalvaryHill on January 12, 2002, at 4:20:07
In reply to Wellbutrin plus Prozac and sleepy, posted by BLPBart on January 11, 2002, at 23:14:54
I read all you wrote with interest... I'm thinking you can work with the Prozac and augment it with some stimulating caffeine pills or Ephedra. But some people find that the "sleepy" overpowers the "wakey" of over-the-counter and other stimulants. I still use a caffeine pill every once in a while...I don't understand completely why you went off the Wellbutrin (ultra stimulation in Immediate Release version).
Effexor XR would be a viable possibility for you because it is very tolerable and taken once at bedtime. It also has more chance of conquering all your problems as a result of its combined serotonergic and noradrenergic properties (2 chances to defeat depression). Some people find the noradrenergic property of Effexor XR to be beneficial in overall vigilance...
Effexor has the possibilty of weight-loss too (re: Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Volume 21(2) April 2001 pp 185-189).
***Craving for carbs on SSRIs is addressed here: (http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Carbohydrate-craving-from-.html).I sympathize with your plight,
CalvaryHill
Posted by BLPBart on January 13, 2002, at 1:00:48
In reply to Muchos ideas » BLPBart, posted by CalvaryHill on January 12, 2002, at 4:20:07
Thanks for the ideas. As far as the wellbutrin, I didn't quit taking that. I switched from 20 mg prozac a day to 300 mg wellbutrin plus 10 mg prozac a day. I stayed on the prozac to help with PMS. My doctor and I have now decided to drop the prozac and just stick with the wellbutrin. I go back to see him after the prozac wears off and if the fatigue isn't any better than we'll decide whether I should switch to something like effexor or just add some kind of a stimulant.
Another weird side affect that also just started a couple of months ago was muscle and joint pain, particularly in my arms and hands. My doctor did all kinds of blood tests to rule out any kind of arthritis or anything like that and it appears to be a side of effect of one of the drugs.
> I read all you wrote with interest... I'm thinking you can work with the Prozac and augment it with some stimulating caffeine pills or Ephedra. But some people find that the "sleepy" overpowers the "wakey" of over-the-counter and other stimulants. I still use a caffeine pill every once in a while...I don't understand completely why you went off the Wellbutrin (ultra stimulation in Immediate Release version).
>
> Effexor XR would be a viable possibility for you because it is very tolerable and taken once at bedtime. It also has more chance of conquering all your problems as a result of its combined serotonergic and noradrenergic properties (2 chances to defeat depression). Some people find the noradrenergic property of Effexor XR to be beneficial in overall vigilance...
>
> Effexor has the possibilty of weight-loss too (re: Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Volume 21(2) April 2001 pp 185-189).
> ***Craving for carbs on SSRIs is addressed here: (http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Carbohydrate-craving-from-.html).
>
> I sympathize with your plight,
> CalvaryHill
Posted by Mr. Scott on January 13, 2002, at 15:01:31
In reply to Re: Muchos ideas, posted by BLPBart on January 13, 2002, at 1:00:48
Only after several years on Zoloft did I develop severe intolerance to it which was fatigue and muscle pain. It was like having Chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia. I discontinued the Zoloft and it went away. At the time my blood tests showed an elevated ANA level (Anti-nuclear Antibodies) when I went off the Zoloft the ANA went down.
Now whenever I take any serotonergic drug I feel the same way.. Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Effexor.
Scott
Posted by BLPBart on January 13, 2002, at 18:53:59
In reply to Re: Muchos ideas » BLPBart, posted by Mr. Scott on January 13, 2002, at 15:01:31
I'm pretty sure that I'm having that same type of reaction which is why I'm a little leary about going on Effexor because it might just have the same effect whereas the wellbutrin seems to be working. How long did it take for the side effects to go away?
> Only after several years on Zoloft did I develop severe intolerance to it which was fatigue and muscle pain. It was like having Chronic fatigue and Fibromyalgia. I discontinued the Zoloft and it went away. At the time my blood tests showed an elevated ANA level (Anti-nuclear Antibodies) when I went off the Zoloft the ANA went down.
>
> Now whenever I take any serotonergic drug I feel the same way.. Prozac, Celexa, Zoloft, Effexor.
>
> Scott
Posted by Mr. Scott on January 13, 2002, at 19:43:55
In reply to Re: Muchos ideas, posted by BLPBart on January 13, 2002, at 18:53:59
Fortunately they went away quickly... However now any of those SSRI/Effexor meds seem to cause problems for me..
Scott
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