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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SLS on January 1, 2004, at 9:54:45
Hi all.
I was wondering what dosage of Zoloft people take when treating severe depression.
Thanks.
- Scott
Posted by jms600 on January 1, 2004, at 14:52:37
In reply to ZOLOFT - Dosage??? , posted by SLS on January 1, 2004, at 9:54:45
About 6 months ago I took 50mg of Lustral (Zoloft), for about 8 weeks, to help my depression. I'm unsure whether to class my depression I had then as severe - most of the time I wasn't suicidal, but I did struggle with things such as going out of the house. I also experience terrible anxiety with my depression.
Personally I found the 50mg to be a complete waste of time. It was as if I was taking sugar pills! Lustral/Zoloft had absolutely no bearing on my depression or anxiety at all. My doctor raised the dose to 100mg, but still it made no real difference.
Maybe I should have increased the dose further, I don't know. My doctor certainly wasn't keen on putting it up any higher. I personally don't rate the drug, but I hear some people have had excellent results from it.
I found Seroxat and Effexor to be much more efficient.
Posted by cajunbelle on January 1, 2004, at 16:22:05
In reply to ZOLOFT - Dosage??? , posted by SLS on January 1, 2004, at 9:54:45
> Hi all.
> Hi Scott..I was on 50 mgs of zoloft for nearly 10 yrs,whic worked really well for me and my anxiety.It was considered areally low doase,but It worked for me and everyone is different..Most people respond from anywhere to 75-150mgs maybe even higher,it depends on the person...What has your Doc recommended you to take ?Cajunbelle
> I was wondering what dosage of Zoloft people take when treating severe depression.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by SLS on January 1, 2004, at 16:48:05
In reply to Re: ZOLOFT - Dosage??? » SLS, posted by cajunbelle on January 1, 2004, at 16:22:05
> Most people respond from anywhere to 75-150mgs maybe even higher,it depends on the person...What has your Doc recommended you to take ?
Thanks for responding, Cajunbelle.
I think he wants me to get up to 200mg before I see him next. I've been taking 100mg for about a week. I might be getting some benefit from it already, so I wanted to get some idea whether or not I should keep increasing the dosage.
My depression is quite severe and I am quite impatient!
- Scott
Posted by cajunbelle on January 1, 2004, at 16:59:42
In reply to Re: ZOLOFT - Dosage??? » cajunbelle, posted by SLS on January 1, 2004, at 16:48:05
Scott when do you see your Doc again ? My personal opinion is that you may not need 200 mgs if you are already feeling better on 100 mg.It is your body and you have the right to make choices even over your Doc.When i was on zoloft my doc always suggested me going up to 100 mgs,but i did well enough on 50 so thats where i stayed.Listen to what your own body is telling you..If 100 mgs works for you,thats great...If a little later on you feel that its not really doing a whole lot then bump it up to 125 or 150...You do have say so in your treatment...Good luck and let me know how you are doing on it:)
Cajunbelle
> > Most people respond from anywhere to 75-150mgs maybe even higher,it depends on the person...What has your Doc recommended you to take ?
>
> Thanks for responding, Cajunbelle.
>
> I think he wants me to get up to 200mg before I see him next. I've been taking 100mg for about a week. I might be getting some benefit from it already, so I wanted to get some idea whether or not I should keep increasing the dosage.
>
> My depression is quite severe and I am quite impatient!
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by metalflipflop on January 1, 2004, at 17:29:55
In reply to Re: ZOLOFT - Dosage??? » SLS, posted by cajunbelle on January 1, 2004, at 16:59:42
hi scott,
i am on zoloft (highest dose 150mg), and i did not find much relief until the dose was that high. my pdoc added lamictal as a booster, and with that i have been able to reduce the zoloft to 100 as it was making me jittery.
my doc also told me that pfizer, who manufactures the drug, has been criticized by many in psychiatry b/c the lowest 'therapeutic dose' of 50mg does not really equal the starting doses of other ssri's (e.g. 20mg of prozac, 20mg of celexa) in terms of strength. most people need more, more often than with other ssri's. in his opinion (only one doc, of course), zoloft is not usually effective for severe depression until a dose of around 150mg.
i say go up to 200 and see how you feel--unless the side effects are really bad, you may as well stay there awhile. your maintenance dose may end up being lower, but in the initial stages of pulling yourself out of the depths, why not treat aggressively? one of the biggest probs in mental health, especially in the treatment of depression, is that people don't take a high enough dose for long enough, and relapse is then imminent. the goal for the 21st century: remission, not just response.good luck!
liz
Posted by SLS on January 1, 2004, at 17:53:50
In reply to Re: ZOLOFT - Dosage???, posted by metalflipflop on January 1, 2004, at 17:29:55
> my doc also told me that pfizer, who manufactures the drug, has been criticized by many in psychiatry b/c the lowest 'therapeutic dose' of 50mg does not really equal the starting doses of other ssri's (e.g. 20mg of prozac, 20mg of celexa) in terms of strength. most people need more, more often than with other ssri's. in his opinion (only one doc, of course), zoloft is not usually effective for severe depression until a dose of around 150mg.
> i say go up to 200 and see how you feel--unless the side effects are really bad, you may as well stay there awhile.
I like that idea. I seem to be tolerating it very well so far.
I'm also taking Lamictal 200mg.
> one of the biggest probs in mental health, especially in the treatment of depression, is that people don't take a high enough dose for long enough, and relapse is then imminent.
> the goal for the 21st century: remission, not just response.
Absolutely. Hear, Hear!
Thanks for the input.
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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