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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by PeterMartin on August 11, 2015, at 11:51:42
Vortioxetine (trade name: Brintellix) has been approved since December 2013 for the treatment of depression in adults, but did not become actually available before May 2015. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy. Such an added benefit cannot be derived from the dossier because it contained no data evaluable for the assessment.
More:
http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-08-vortioxetine-depression-hint-added-benefit.html
Posted by SLS on August 11, 2015, at 14:00:12
In reply to Vortioxetine in depression: No hint of added benef, posted by PeterMartin on August 11, 2015, at 11:51:42
> Vortioxetine (trade name: Brintellix) has been approved since December 2013 for the treatment of depression in adults, but did not become actually available before May 2015. The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator therapy. Such an added benefit cannot be derived from the dossier because it contained no data evaluable for the assessment.
>
> More:
>
> http://medicalxpress.com/news/2015-08-vortioxetine-depression-hint-added-benefit.htmlI have not seen the statistics on the efficacy of vortioxetine. Even if there is no "added benefit" in terms of pecentage of responders, that in no way portrays its true worth as a treatment. For instance, if fluoxetine (Prozac) and vortioxetine both produce a rate of response of 50%, it is conceivable that between the two drugs, 100% of people will benefit from drug treatment. For every new drug that comes to market, a certain percentage of previously treatment-resistant people will go on to respond to it. Some people are responders to reboxetine. It is their miracle drug, despite its reputation for being an inferior drug.
Being treatment-resistant, I welcome the appearance of new drugs, even if they are theoretically "me too" drugs. Obviously, our theories regarding mental illness are inadequate, so I think it is foolish to think that any two drugs can be identical in physiological or clinical effects. The ability to predict the worth of drugs based solely upon pharmacology has been elusive.
How are things going with you?
- Scott
Posted by PeterMartin on August 11, 2015, at 17:58:33
In reply to Re: Vortioxetine in depression: No hint of added benef » PeterMartin, posted by SLS on August 11, 2015, at 14:00:12
Yea I agree. Better to have meds available even if they only help certain people or perhaps work best as an adjunct/etc.
I've just gotten addicted to checking http://medicalxpress.com/ in the morning and thought that was pertinent.
I'm doing pretty good, thanks. Still continuing w/ my restart of Marplan (just short of 3 months). I had a few days of super-focus which I used to get when I was taking it in the past so that's encouraging. Overall definitely good - just a bit bumpy (string of good days then a couple down days).....but I am BP1 afterall so.
You seem to be posting fairly frequently these days which I hope is a good sign! Hope all is well on your side on things - always appreciate your posts.
Posted by SLS on August 11, 2015, at 22:36:24
In reply to Re: Vortioxetine in depression: No hint of added benef, posted by PeterMartin on August 11, 2015, at 17:58:33
> I'm doing pretty good, thanks. Still continuing w/ my restart of Marplan (just short of 3 months). I had a few days of super-focus which I used to get when I was taking it in the past so that's encouraging. Overall definitely good - just a bit bumpy (string of good days then a couple down days).....but I am BP1 afterall so.
How much Marplan are you taking?
I tried Marplan once, but I didn't go above 40 mg.
- Scott
Posted by SLS on August 12, 2015, at 5:48:26
In reply to Re: Vortioxetine in depression: No hint of added benef, posted by PeterMartin on August 11, 2015, at 17:58:33
> Overall definitely good - just a bit bumpy (string of good days then a couple down days).....but I am BP1 afterall so.
I forgot to ask - were you ever an ultra-rapid cycler?
I was an ultra-rapid cycler for at least 3 years before the additon of lithium stopped the cycling. Unfortunately, doing this left me in a state of chronic depression. Previously, I had a cycle of exactly 11 days - 8 days of depression followed by 3 days of euthymia. I never reached a state of mania during this time, so it looked more like unipolar depression than bipolar depression. Even though I don't cycle dramatically anymore, I will still have 3 consecutive days when my depression worsens.
If the depression becomes problematic, you might want to try taking Lamictal. It is known to help with the depressive symptoms of bipolar disorder. Some researchers have suggested that Lamictal will even help reduce or abolish ultra-rapid cycling, but it can take 6 months for it to penetrate the cycle.
Have you ever tried Parnate or Nardil? If so, can you describe how you reacted to them?
Thank you.
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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