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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 hoolahoop on January 8, 2008, at 3:02:56
hi
im new here , im new to meds too , i have depression and anxiety , ive been on prozac for a while but i still feel the same, what other meds are there i can try?thanks
Posted by Mikez on January 8, 2008, at 3:32:36
In reply to im new, posted by hoolahoop on January 8, 2008, at 3:02:56
Hi, prozac is considered very weak and actually I've heard 30% of people don't even respond to it at all. Meds can take 6 weeks to work so If you've been on it for longer than that you might want to ask about something like Lexapro. Its excellent for anxiety also.
Posted by Phillipa on January 8, 2008, at 11:31:12
In reply to Re: im new, posted by Mikez on January 8, 2008, at 3:32:36
Hi welcome to babble what symtoms are you in the process of treating that would make a difference in the meds you try. Phillipa
Posted by Racer on January 8, 2008, at 22:30:15
In reply to im new, posted by hoolahoop on January 8, 2008, at 3:02:56
Welcome to Babble!
There are about a bazillion medications out there for depression, and which one works best for you is a matter of trial and error. In general, some medications are better than others for depression with certain symptoms -- for instance, Wellbutrin is generally better for those with vegetative symptoms than those with a lot of anxiety. The general rules, though, won't necessarily apply -- I have depression and anxiety, yet Wellbutrin is a great medication for me.
As Mikez pointed out, it takes a while for these medications to show whether or not they're planning to be helpful. Conventional wisdom says six weeks, a recent study shows longer times may be even better. If you've been taking it less than six weeks, the hard answer is "stick it out" and see if it kicks in.
Generally, the algorithm says that if you see some improvement at six weeks, raise the dose or add an augmenting agent. If there's no improvement whatsoever, change to another medication. And there are a number of algorithms that can be used to predict the next medication to try.
I hope something in there helps. Feel free to ask for any clarification I can offer.
This is the end of the thread.
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