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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SDA on February 12, 2004, at 14:21:56
Yep, it's me again...
I'm currently at home on medical leave from school for what is currently being called "depression". I met with my old pediatric psychiatrist (who has known me since age 11), and he has prescribed Prozac for me.
I've been on various medications since age 11 for OCD among other things. For a number of years I was on 200mg Zoloft and 150mg Wellbutrin SR. I stopped both of those abruptly over a year ago, and did not experience any immediate withdrawal. I tried going back on the Zoloft several weeks ago at 100mg, but had very bad side effects. These included extreme agitation, shaky hands and limbs, and a constant urge to get up and stretch. I had to stop taking it after about a week due to these problems.
So far after only two 10mg doses of Prozac, I'm feeling very similar symptoms. Is this normal with SSRI's? When I look back at the last 8 years, I realize that despite increased symptoms of OCD, I liked my personality much more when I was off of medication. I remember feeling lazy and somewhat apathetic. It's my personal goal to get as far away from these medications as I possibly can. Unfortunately I don't know how else to rid myself of this brain fog.
Posted by SPhobia on February 12, 2004, at 15:57:37
In reply to Are SSRI's the right choice for me?, posted by SDA on February 12, 2004, at 14:21:56
A few suggestions.
(1) Perhaps you jumped back onto the Zoloft at too high of a dose, too quickly. Zoloft is known for giving many people extreme anxiety if they "dose up" to quickly. My pdoc wanted me to start at 6mgs to be safe!! In fact I think this is why many pdocs put people on Paxil instead. The initial anxiety with Paxil is generally thought to be a bit better.
(2) Zoloft and Prozac are known as being particularly "activating" SSRI's. Many people report trouble sleeping. You may be better trying something like Paxil CR. Some people feel the side effects are worse, but personally I experienced the same S/E with Paxil CR that I did with Lexapro (an SSRI that many report has fewer side effects)
Just my 2 cents...
Good luck!
Posted by Maxime on February 14, 2004, at 11:50:41
In reply to Are SSRI's the right choice for me?, posted by SDA on February 12, 2004, at 14:21:56
Hi, there is one more SSRI you should try and that is Luvox. It is not activating and is used to treat OCD. Then you could start looking at other meds such as Remeron etc. or a small dose of an anti-psychotic. As you know, SSRI are not the answer to all forms of depression.
Take care. :)
Maxime
Posted by PsychoSage on February 15, 2004, at 4:30:04
In reply to Re: Are SSRI's the right choice for me?, posted by Maxime on February 14, 2004, at 11:50:41
I have been on medical leave from university many times, and I am on one now.
I have been on Zoloft, wellbutrin and other serotonin drugs like serzone, the SSRi celexa and effexor.
I don't want to have anything to do with anything that involves serotonin. None of them have been very helpful in my opinion.
They dull me and zoloft made me sleep an extra hour every night. I have been up to 150mg with zoloft. The last time I went back on it I was between 50 and 100. It still gave me the same side effects which are a little different than yours.
I am newly bipolar, and it took 5.5 years for me to get on my first mood stabilizer. That may be the ticket for you since OCD can overlap with bipolar and you are young enough to have a partial diagnosis. It takes 8 years for bipolars to get diagnosed from the first time they get treated for mental illness. Many start out as unipolar depressives. I was diagnosed with major depressive first, then amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder, then schizoaffective, and now I am basically bipolar 2 I think. I am not sure what my current diagnosis is or if they matter since I have had all the major symtoms of many major disorders including inattention and anxiety.
I would look into a mood stabilizer. Antipsychotics are horrible drugs in my opinion. Stay away if you are not psychotic. There are other ways to treat mania and anything else they say an antipsychotic can fix.
I take trileptal. I am not sure if it helps, but supposedly these anticonvulsants work well on anxiety, prevent mania and buffer against depression.
Many SSRIs switch bipolars into mania occasionally. This is common knowlege now.
I personally want to cut back on all the drugs and lower the doses just so it is not so confusing because I feel that taking several at once has to be excessive. I guess being a patient means adding and subtracting these scripts is an unavoidable part of life that lasts forever.
This is the end of the thread.
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