Posted by JohnL on February 22, 2000, at 5:04:19
In reply to Need opinions on prozac vs. zoloft for depression, posted by sherry on February 21, 2000, at 13:13:02
> I am soon to be changing from prozac to zoloft, is this dangerous?
> what kind of side affects will I be facing?
> Will I ever feel normal?It's hard to predict what side effects Zoloft will give you. You may get one, some, all, or none of the expected side effects. It varies with everyone.
You can switch over directly without a wash-out period, but be aware Prozac will still be in your system from 1 to 5 weeks after you stop taking it. So temporarily it could confuse the picture in terms of side effects. It might be a good idea to start at 25mg the first week while waiting for the Prozac blood levels to come down.
The most common side effects of Zoloft I've heard of (and personal experience) are hand shakiness and diarrhea/loose stools. Both of these side effects, if encountered, go away in one to several weeks. Insomnia is less than Prozac, and anxiety is not common after the initial adjustment phase.
There is a lot of anecdotal evidence suggesting Zoloft is more effective than Prozac, depending on what criteria are used to define success. Though it is specific for serotonin, it also has a fair amount of action on dopamine which may contribute to its overall effectiveness. Some studies showed Zoloft to be a better choice for many patients, especially those with anxious and/or melancholic subtypes. I once asked my pdoc if she had to choose just one antidepressant to use for the rest of her career, which would it be? Her preference was Zoloft.
Will you feel normal? And what side effects will you have? Only a personal trial will tell.
poster:JohnL
thread:22929
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000220/msgs/23039.html