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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
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?
Posted by Sef on February 21, 2000, at 20:22:28
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?///Why are you switching? Did your prozac lose it's effectiveness? Not work at all?
Posted by sherry on February 21, 2000, at 20:53:01
In reply to Re: Need opinions on prozac vs. zoloft for depression, posted by Sef on February 21, 2000, at 20:22:28
> > 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?
>
> ///Why are you switching? Did your prozac lose it's effectiveness? Not work at all?Okay, here's the deal:
I have been taking the prozac for about 6 months, but
the side affects (shakiness, anxiety) is really beginning to bother me, I mean I can't hardly function without having to explain to someone why I am shaking. So, My doctor prescribed zoloft.
I haven't started taking it because I don't know how wise it is to simply stop taking the prozac...I tried to go 3 or 4 days without it and I felt so paranoid, like everyone was talking about me, although I know that this is quite ridiculous.
Anyway, my doctor acted all nonchalant about it, as if it's no big deal to just stop and start
taking something else, but I don't know how I feel about it.
It's not that the prozac didn't work, I mean, it is helping me...as far as I don't cry everyday...but, you know what?
I have also discovered that I am almost emotionless...and that is not good. It's like I don't really care about anything.
And that sucks, 'cause I am a full time college student...etc..
I just need to know, what's the best thing to do in this situation?
Posted by Julie on February 21, 2000, at 20:57:49
In reply to Re: Need opinions on prozac vs. zoloft for depression, posted by Sef on February 21, 2000, at 20:22:28
It is not dangerous to change from one to the other. I didn't take Prozac long enough for it to be effective, because I couldn't stand the anxiety it caused. Zoloft made my depression go away completely. The side effects I had: some insomnia, some jitteriness (but not really anxiety) and significant weight gain.
You WILL feel better. Feeling hopeless is a symptom of the depression! There is plenty of hope. And if Zoloft doesn't work, there are zillions of other medications to try.
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.
Posted by bob on February 22, 2000, at 18:34:41
In reply to Re: Need opinions on prozac vs. zoloft for depression, posted by JohnL on February 22, 2000, at 5:04:19
What JohnL said. and how.
particularly the part about coming onto Zoloft slowly. I think Prozac stays in your system longest of the SSRIs, so it's not going to be like you suddenly loose one set of senstations and just as suddenly pick up a different set.
I've made this switch myself, and while SSRIs in general just don't cut the mustard for me, prozac did make me considerably more anxious, but also more energetic, than zoloft.
One thing you may want to do is keep a journal every day to monitor how you are feeling over the switch. It may take several weeks to a month or more for the prozac to leave and the zoloft to settle in, so be alert for some instability in your mood, but you need to give them that month before you can really compare the "before" entries in that journal to the "after" entries.
good luck
bob
Posted by peter on February 23, 2000, at 16:22:50
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?The whole point, from my perspective, is to feel normal and whole. And you will. Keep educating yourself and working with your doc UNTIL you feel either normal or (at least) content. My experience is that all the AD meds feel "funny" for the first few weeks but this gradually disappears (often along with other side effects like mild nausea, jitters, etc.) Keep in mind the comments you've heard about prozac's long half life (which was also a boon when I forgot to take it)-- you probably won't be able to evaluate the zoloft for a while (a month??). Do let your doc know about any side effects and wierd feelings in the interim. Good luck!
Posted by sherry on February 24, 2000, at 9:17:08
In reply to Re: Need opinions on prozac vs. zoloft for depression, posted by peter on February 23, 2000, at 16:22:50
> > 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?
>
> The whole point, from my perspective, is to feel normal and whole. And you will. Keep educating yourself and working with your doc UNTIL you feel either normal or (at least) content. My experience is that all the AD meds feel "funny" for the first few weeks but this gradually disappears (often along with other side effects like mild nausea, jitters, etc.) Keep in mind the comments you've heard about prozac's long half life (which was also a boon when I forgot to take it)-- you probably won't be able to evaluate the zoloft for a while (a month??). Do let your doc know about any side effects and wierd feelings in the interim. Good luck!
>
Okay. I think that the best thing for me to do
is to just get off of the antidepressants...I am not severely depressed, it seems to be dysthimia. However, I am starting to feel normal again. I have been exercising and praying. So, my question remains, is it wise to just quit an antidepressant,such as Prozac, or must I slowly come off of it? The reason I ask you all is because I can't be spending $50 to find out from the family doctor. Please Help!
Posted by jd on February 25, 2000, at 1:33:39
In reply to Can I just quit taking prozac? Or must I be weaned, posted by sherry on February 24, 2000, at 9:17:08
Sherry,
I can definitely understand the desire to get off medication, but--especially given what you've said about feeling a bit better recently--I'd be pretty careful about stopping it. (All the more so given what you said above about how strange you felt when you *did* stop the Prozac cold-turkey for three or four days!) In general, antidepressants need to be continued for at least a few months AFTER they've started to work; after this they can be tapered down gradually. Stopping any antidepressant "cold turkey" is never a good idea unless there is a pressing need to do so: relapses and unpleasant withdrawal reactions become far too possible. If you're absolutely intent on quitting, I'd advise doing it over an extended period of time (say a few weeks at declining doses), but I'm not sure I'd even recommend this to someone who says they're "starting to feel normal again". If you can benefit from an antidepressant but really hate the way Prozac makes you feel, perhaps you could speak with your doctor about switching to a different class of medication entirely (i.e. a non-SSRI).
best to you,
jd
> >
> Okay. I think that the best thing for me to do
> is to just get off of the antidepressants...I am not severely depressed, it seems to be dysthimia. However, I am starting to feel normal again. I have been exercising and praying. So, my question remains, is it wise to just quit an antidepressant,such as Prozac, or must I slowly come off of it? The reason I ask you all is because I can't be spending $50 to find out from the family doctor. Please Help!
Posted by JohnL on February 25, 2000, at 5:02:41
In reply to Re: Can I just quit taking prozac? Or must I be weaned, posted by jd on February 25, 2000, at 1:33:39
Prozac has a very long half life and can be stopped abruptly vs weaning. The Prozac in your system will slowly wean down by itself over a period of 5 to 9 days. It takes up to 5 weeks for it to be completely washed out. If any withdrawals are encountered, a single dose as needed might be considered at some point following discontinuation.If someone has done well on an antidepressant however, I must say I cringe at the idea of stopping treatment. Too often we see the depression return in days to months, and too often we find the same antidepressant does not work as well the second time around. Some people do perfectly fine after recovering from a depressive bout, but a significant percentage of people experience a return of their symptoms.
Dysthymia in my opinion is more serious than a straight forward depressive bout. It is harder to treat generally and has more profound enduring negative effects in all areas of one's life. And it often progresses over time into a more serious and a more resistant condition. Antidepressant treatment is the best prophylactic and can be viewed as good insurance. I base my views on my own personal experience as well as feedback from others' experiences and reviews in literature. I've been burned and learned, and I can't help but feel nervous when someone considers quitting their treatment. But regardless, if Prozac is to be discontinued, it can be stopped abruptly due to its long halflife.
Posted by jd on February 25, 2000, at 18:06:47
In reply to Re: Can I just quit?-Yes, no weaning..but..., posted by JohnL on February 25, 2000, at 5:02:41
While JohnL's totally right in saying that Prozac *can* be stopped abruptly due it's rather long half-life (unlike say Zoloft or Paxil), I'm still not sure this is advisable for most people on 20mg or more a day. Studies have varied, but there are reports of mild discontinuation syndromes--even if these can often be dealt with by re-taking a single dose, some sort of gradual taper is generally a safer bet to prevent relapse. I agree wholeheartedly with everything else JohnL has to say, however!
--jd
>
> Prozac has a very long half life and can be stopped abruptly vs weaning. The Prozac in your system will slowly wean down by itself over a period of 5 to 9 days. It takes up to 5 weeks for it to be completely washed out. If any withdrawals are encountered, a single dose as needed might be considered at some point following discontinuation.
>
> If someone has done well on an antidepressant however, I must say I cringe at the idea of stopping treatment. Too often we see the depression return in days to months, and too often we find the same antidepressant does not work as well the second time around. Some people do perfectly fine after recovering from a depressive bout, but a significant percentage of people experience a return of their symptoms.
>
> Dysthymia in my opinion is more serious than a straight forward depressive bout. It is harder to treat generally and has more profound enduring negative effects in all areas of one's life. And it often progresses over time into a more serious and a more resistant condition. Antidepressant treatment is the best prophylactic and can be viewed as good insurance. I base my views on my own personal experience as well as feedback from others' experiences and reviews in literature. I've been burned and learned, and I can't help but feel nervous when someone considers quitting their treatment. But regardless, if Prozac is to be discontinued, it can be stopped abruptly due to its long halflife.
Posted by Sherry on February 28, 2000, at 21:04:25
In reply to Re: Can I just quit?-Yes, no weaning..but..., posted by JohnL on February 25, 2000, at 5:02:41
> I just wanted to say thank you to all of you who took the time to clear up all of the confusion
about my medication! THANK YOU!
> Prozac has a very long half life and can be stopped abruptly vs weaning. The Prozac in your system will slowly wean down by itself over a period of 5 to 9 days. It takes up to 5 weeks for it to be completely washed out. If any withdrawals are encountered, a single dose as needed might be considered at some point following discontinuation.
>
> If someone has done well on an antidepressant however, I must say I cringe at the idea of stopping treatment. Too often we see the depression return in days to months, and too often we find the same antidepressant does not work as well the second time around. Some people do perfectly fine after recovering from a depressive bout, but a significant percentage of people experience a return of their symptoms.
>
> Dysthymia in my opinion is more serious than a straight forward depressive bout. It is harder to treat generally and has more profound enduring negative effects in all areas of one's life. And it often progresses over time into a more serious and a more resistant condition. Antidepressant treatment is the best prophylactic and can be viewed as good insurance. I base my views on my own personal experience as well as feedback from others' experiences and reviews in literature. I've been burned and learned, and I can't help but feel nervous when someone considers quitting their treatment. But regardless, if Prozac is to be discontinued, it can be stopped abruptly due to its long halflife.
This is the end of the thread.
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