Posted by jay on January 27, 2003, at 0:41:43
In reply to Does anyone feel better OFF an SSR/SNRI?, posted by utopizen on January 26, 2003, at 23:19:24
After tons of research of using tricyclics in panic and anxiety disorder w/ depression, I went on a tricyclic. Now some are different..but the *only* one I couldn't handle was amitriptyline (Elavil)I've read a number of psychiatrists are starting to think that tricyclics (TCA's) seem to not alter peoples core personality, and provide that *numbing* effect, as SSRI's. I can agree to that, having been on both. The weight gain from SSRI's seems FAR worse then any I have gained on a TCA. Sleep is almost 99 percent better, and there is very little loss of sex drive compared to an SSRI. I also recall over my decade of experience, that only the SSRI's brought on angry, sometimes suicidal feeling. On a further note...it seems the only TCA side-effect doctors and drug companies have to play up against TCA's is the 'heart monitoring' condition, which usally only applies to those with heart problems...and a regular EKG(sp?) can detect. My Dad had a mild heart attack many years ago, and has been on Doxepin for 12 years now, and all heart tests show up great.
In fact...I even find that tiredness during the day is LESS than with an SSRI.The other 'negative aspects' big drug companies play with is the fact TCA's can be lethal in overdose. Well, there are some VERY simple answers for that.
One, dispense at a weekly or bi-weekly interval (TCA's are very cheap, so the add-on to start of a pharmacies prescription charge is worth it and STILL can amount to a very small cost. A bottle of 30 of mine cost 5 bucks, with a 4 dollar presciption charge.) 2nd, the doctor can take weekly blood work to make sure you are taking your meds, and not 'stashing' them.There is also some research that the TCA's work much better than the SSRI's on anxiety, and have a far, far less poop-out rate.
One of the scariest things for me with the SSRI's was the way it drastically changed my personality. It's like after awhile, it sucks the colour out of it, and you become almost 'robotic'. Yes, at first they seem to have a robust effect, but down the road, I think they are 'wicked' medications, and you rarely see news stories about people on doxepin 'flipping out' and going postal at work or something like that.
Anyhow...just IMHO...
Jay
poster:jay
thread:137715
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030125/msgs/137727.html