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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Crystal on January 12, 1999, at 5:05:39
After more than four years of suffering with depression I finally sought the help of a doctor. I feel that I have found a really good doctor that takes the time to listen to me and makes me feel like I have control over my treatment. Which for me is extremely important! In Sept I went on Zoloft and over the past four months I found that it provided me with periods of relief but I didn't feel like I was getting a constant relief from my depression so this past Thursday at my doctor's appointment I requested to change medications. Through all of my reading I was under the impression that I would have to taper off of the Zoloft and slowly add the new medication which is Effexor. But instead he told me to stop taking the Zoloft (100 mg) and just start with 37.5 mg of the Effexor. I can't say how I was really doing for the first four days because at my request he prescribed Prosom for my sleeping difficulties. It knocked me out for the entire weekend. I haven't taken it for the past two nights because of how it affected me and I have two young children. Anyway today I had been feeling tired but this evening I felt like I could pass out. I got the feeling of just not feeling right. Now I am really wondering if my doctor was correct in telling me to stop taking Zoloft cold turkey and starting Effexor like I did. Can anyone offer any advice, thoughts, anything? Thanks in advance!
Posted by Toby on January 12, 1999, at 12:48:35
In reply to Changing Meds Q, posted by Crystal on January 12, 1999, at 5:05:39
Discontinuing an SSRI cold turkey is safe, but for some people can be very uncomfortable. Some people get a flu-like syndrome that lasts from a few days to a couple of weeks. The syndrome can be mild with a little nausea to really nasty with vomiting and headache, dizziness and aches and pains.
If you have been taking the Effexor since last Thursday, the serotonin in the Effexor should take the place of the Zoloft and therefore not let you have a withdrawal syndrome. Also, if you didn't take the prosom the last few nights, you could just be feeling strange because of that. However, it is difficult for me to tell since I don't know all of your symptoms. You may want to call your doctor and see if it would be OK to take a Zoloft and see if the symptoms go away (if it is a withdrawal syndrome, a dose of the Zoloft will reverse it) and then talk with him about a taper (usually 75 mg per day for 3 days then 50 mg per day for 3 days then 25 mg per day for 3 days then stop).
Posted by Crystal on January 13, 1999, at 13:51:40
In reply to Re: Changing Meds Q, posted by Toby on January 12, 1999, at 12:48:35
Thank you for your help! Shortly after writing my question I went back and looked over the side effects of the Prosom. It seems that was the problem. I started taking it again and have started feeling better. Now its just a wait and see situation to see if the Effexor will help my depression. Once again thanks for your help!
This is the end of the thread.
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