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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 Rayray on December 16, 2006, at 14:25:03
Hi,
I'm interested in the opinons of people who have taken both Zoloft and Lexapro with regard to efficacy and side-effects (particularly sexual ones).For years I have taken Zoloft 150mg and Wellbutrin 300mg per day. Most of the time it works reasonably well, sometimes less and sometimes more, but never great. I've tried Serzone and Cymbalta in the past, but always wound up returning to Zoloft because I tolerate it pretty well. Recently, I've heard some comments about Lexapro that makes me think it may be worth a try. Any thoughts out there?
Thanks,
Ray
Posted by Phillipa on December 16, 2006, at 17:57:53
In reply to Zoloft Vs. Lexapro, posted by Rayray on December 16, 2006, at 14:25:03
May I follow your thread as a med change may be on the way. Thanks so much. Love Phillipa ps in the past I've been on both. zoloft I could tolerate but only went to 50mg. I should of gone higher.
Posted by Cairo on December 16, 2006, at 22:37:58
In reply to Zoloft Vs. Lexapro, posted by Rayray on December 16, 2006, at 14:25:03
My daughter was on Lexapro for social anxiety, but it caused too much fatigue and brain fog. Zoloft works just as well for the SA, but has a better cognitive SE profile. Zoloft is definitely more stimulating than Lexapro was.
I think both have quashed her libido, but it's hard for a mother to judge... :-) She doesn't seem as enamored of boys as her peers, but that may be the SA.
From my experience with her medications and medications I've tried, I think SE are very individual. Initial SE may fade with time, or new ones may emerge with chronic administration. I'm wondering if her reward circuits have been "fried" with long term SSRI use or it may be atypical depression that we're seeing. It's so hard to figure these things out.
I can't wait until medicine is able to subtype mental issues as depression or anxiety or whatever present differently in different people.
Good luck.
Cairo
> Hi,
> I'm interested in the opinons of people who have taken both Zoloft and Lexapro with regard to efficacy and side-effects (particularly sexual ones).
>
> For years I have taken Zoloft 150mg and Wellbutrin 300mg per day. Most of the time it works reasonably well, sometimes less and sometimes more, but never great. I've tried Serzone and Cymbalta in the past, but always wound up returning to Zoloft because I tolerate it pretty well. Recently, I've heard some comments about Lexapro that makes me think it may be worth a try. Any thoughts out there?
>
> Thanks,
>
> Ray
>
Posted by blueberry1 on December 17, 2006, at 15:09:59
In reply to Zoloft Vs. Lexapro, posted by Rayray on December 16, 2006, at 14:25:03
I liked zoloft a lot better than lexapro. I felt some improvement from both of them on the first day, but zoloft's improvement was more pronounced and encouraging and enduring. Lexapro worsened my depression over time. Zoloft improved it. Lexapro was just too much pure serotonin action for me. Zoloft has a bit of dopamine action to it that I like.
My main problem with zoloft was the same as all ssri's though maybe not quite as bad as the others. That is, flatness of emotions, blah. Not depressed really, but not happy either.
What symptom would you like to improve? Is it the blahness? If so, I know of a few good meds that go excellent with ssris for that. Or is there some other specific symptom you want to target?
Posted by Rayray on December 17, 2006, at 17:10:10
In reply to Re: Zoloft Vs. Lexapro » Rayray, posted by blueberry1 on December 17, 2006, at 15:09:59
> I liked zoloft a lot better than lexapro. I felt some improvement from both of them on the first day, but zoloft's improvement was more pronounced and encouraging and enduring. Lexapro worsened my depression over time. Zoloft improved it. Lexapro was just too much pure serotonin action for me. Zoloft has a bit of dopamine action to it that I like.
>
> My main problem with zoloft was the same as all ssri's though maybe not quite as bad as the others. That is, flatness of emotions, blah. Not depressed really, but not happy either.
>
> What symptom would you like to improve? Is it the blahness? If so, I know of a few good meds that go excellent with ssris for that. Or is there some other specific symptom you want to target?
Hi Blueberry,
Thanks for the reply. The main thing I'd like to do is get some libido back. I've learned to live (more or less) with the blah, but it would be nice to experience some joy and enthusiasm.Ray
Posted by blueberry1 on December 17, 2006, at 18:22:01
In reply to Re: Zoloft Vs. Lexapro, posted by Rayray on December 17, 2006, at 17:10:10
>
> Hi Blueberry,
> Thanks for the reply. The main thing I'd like to do is get some libido back. I've learned to live (more or less) with the blah, but it would be nice to experience some joy and enthusiasm.
>
> Ray
>Hmmm, that libido thing is a tough one. Choices would be buspar which works sometimes, remeron or zyprexa to block the serotonin receptors involved with the lack of libido, modafinil, adrafinil, or dopamine agonists like bromocriptine, pramipexole, requip.
To conquer the blahs and libido at the same time, I think that would in my humble opinion narrow the list down to modafinil or adrafinil. But as you know, mileage varies, so without actually trying different meds for a few weeks each it would be impossible to predict what would work.
To work on just the joy pleasure thing and forget about the libido, 50mg amisulpride with or without modafinil/adrafinil is about the best thing I've ever tried.
And oh yeah, the stimulants like ritalin and adderall are good candidates. Since they are fast acting you could try each one in late afternoon to see how they affect your libido and then take them as needed on sex nights. Some people use them continously as part of their combo to increase the joy pleasure thing.
Any way you look at it, this is a difficult topic to master. Trial and error. But at least there are some things here that can work. It's hard to predict, but I would think switching to lexapro would not be much help. But stranger things have happened.
This is the end of the thread.
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