Posted by sukarno on January 15, 2011, at 23:20:02
In reply to Re: Depression in remission on cetirizine (Zyrtec), posted by jjjaspar on December 18, 2010, at 10:09:40
I thought I would report back now (over a month later) that my depression is in remission on cetirizine. I began taking it in early December for allergies.
I haven't used my light box ever since I began taking cetirizine (Zyrtec / Reactine).
I told my pdoc about this and his opinion was that it was not the cetirizine itself, but rather that the cetirizine is potentiating the effects of alprazolam (Xanax).
He could be wrong, but do you think he is right?
The downside is that I feel some anhedonia, a general sense of boredom and dramatically lowered libido.
Maybe Xanax is causing cetirizine to cross the blood brain barrier? Hydroxyzine, the parent drug, is a dopamine D2 antagonist and I think it also blocks some type of 5-HT (serotonin) receptor.
I have no idea what is going on in terms of drug interactions, but cetirizine is working, even if that is only because it is potentiating the effects of alprazolam.
I just wish I had some interest in things. I feel like sitting around and doing nothing. I don't feel particularly happy or sad about anything.
Rx: alprazolam 1mg QID, famotidine 20mg BID, cetirizine 10mg BID, GNC Ultra Mega Gold vitamin supplement BID
Dx: panic disorder with agoraphobia, chronic depression, probable PTSD
poster:sukarno
thread:952158
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110115/msgs/976917.html