Posted by Brainbeard on October 28, 2011, at 18:40:02
In reply to Med Merry Go Round, Zoloft, Viibryd, or Paxil?, posted by jerseygal1 on October 28, 2011, at 16:30:26
Zoloft can be one of the worst SSRI's with regard to initially worsening anxiety, although this is bound to happen with any SSRI. Zoloft (sertraline) tends to be more activating though, which is more likely to worsen anxiety in the beginning of treatment (first two to four weeks, usually).
Paxil mostly zonked me out when I started using it, although it too gave me extra anxiety for the first four weeks. It was a fine antidepressant, eventually, but did not do all that much for my OCD anxiety. It was, however, a very pro-social drug for me and I think that for social anxiety it can work very well.
When my family doc suggested I'd start using meds for my OCD about a decade ago, he let me choose between the 'golden oldie' Anafranil (clomipramine) and applauded newcomer Paxil (paroxetine, actually called 'Seroxat' here in Holland). I chose Paxil. If I had known then what I know now - that Paxil's withdrawal syndrome is hellish and long-lasting, that Paxil made me not care a damn about my girlfriend, that Paxil made me gain weight like mad - (but especially the withdrawal syndrome, which pushed me into a destructive type of depression) - I would have chosen clomipramine.
Current meds: clomipramine 225mg, fluvoxamine (Luvox) 50mg, methylphenidate 30-90mg, flupentixol 1mg. PRN: oxazepam 5-20mg or other benzo's.
poster:Brainbeard
thread:1001059
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20111027/msgs/1001073.html