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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Panic AttacK on March 1, 2002, at 9:23:26
Hello everybody... me again. I winded up in the hospital again last night... i was having weird convulsions and trembling and extreme anxiety. I have tried a few SSRI's but the side effects were imbarable. So doc prescribed me SERZONE. I havent began taking it yet... {want to wait for my day off}. Im a little scared to take it... im very sensitive to meds and I was wondering if it is effective for panic/anxiety? Are the side effects tolerable? What are the side effects? Well... gotta go to work. *Cynthia*
Posted by DINGBAT on March 1, 2002, at 9:40:17
In reply to Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?, posted by Panic AttacK on March 1, 2002, at 9:23:26
Hi
I've found that Serzone has been very well tolerated and effective as an anxiolytic (anti-anxiety) medication. I've mainly prescribed it for people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or Generalised Anxiety Disorder or so-called 'Agitated Depression'. The trick is to start on a small dose for Week 1 (e.g., 50mg morning and night). Next it's 100mg morning and night for Week 2 and Week 3. Last you push the dose into the therapeutic range which is normally 200mg morning and evening. The EFFECTIVE dose is very individual and some people need to go as high as 600mg daily while others get away with 200mg daily. Expect a little sedation, mild headaches, somnolence and the like in the first week or so. Thereafter patients report an 'absence of anxiety' rather than the 'presence of side-effects and/or sedation). I'd say give it a go. You can normally drastically reduce or even eliminate other drugs when the Serzone 'kicks in'. Wishing you well ... Dingbat
Posted by beardedlady on March 1, 2002, at 11:07:41
In reply to Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?, posted by Panic AttacK on March 1, 2002, at 9:23:26
I have insomnia-related panic and have been taking Serzone for three years. It's wonderful. I only need 300 mg., and I take it at night before bed. I usually sleep about nine hours and feel okay the next morning. It causes no sexual side effects and is weight neutral. The few side effects I had went away in a few weeks.
If you're in a real state of panic, it sometimes doesn't keep you calm, but it really works to keep you from panicking.
Here's the problem: the black box warning. Serzone causes liver failure in what they call one in 250,000 patient years. But who knows what that works out to be for me. I think I have a one in 83,333 shot. I can't really figure it out.
So my doc is reducing the Serzone and replacing it with Gabitril. I am frightened, but he said he's had a lot of success (he has a lot of patients with my problem) with this replacement.
Anway, in answer to your question, Serzone is great. But take it at night (ask your doc). And I'd worry about that black box.
Posted by paulb on March 1, 2002, at 14:04:11
In reply to Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?, posted by Panic AttacK on March 1, 2002, at 9:23:26
NM
Posted by Joy on March 1, 2002, at 17:26:21
In reply to Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?, posted by Panic AttacK on March 1, 2002, at 9:23:26
Hi,
It is my humble opinion that the liver problem with Serzone does not warrant even starting that med. For me personally Serzone made me very agitated after the first 8 or 10 days [200 to 350 mgs], and my pdoc took me right off. For severe anxiety, in my humble opinion, Xanax [alazoprom] or it's generic, Alazopram from Purepac or Greenstone Labs works very well on an 'as needed' basis. I have been on Paxil and Prozac and took the Alazopram at night for sleeping while on Prozac. I still take it at night and as needed for anxiety. If you do not have depression and you are med sensitive, I would try a very small dose of Xanax/Alazopram with your doctor's okay. It's cheap, no major side effects, as you udon't have to take it everyday unless you need it that way for a while. Check with your doc; Im not a Serzone fan for a few reasons. I'm glad it's worked for a couple of people responding to you, but I find it does not work well for most people.
Good luck.
Joy
> Hello everybody... me again. I winded up in the hospital again last night... i was having weird convulsions and trembling and extreme anxiety. I have tried a few SSRI's but the side effects were imbarable. So doc prescribed me SERZONE. I havent began taking it yet... {want to wait for my day off}. Im a little scared to take it... im very sensitive to meds and I was wondering if it is effective for panic/anxiety? Are the side effects tolerable? What are the side effects? Well... gotta go to work. *Cynthia*
Posted by geno on March 1, 2002, at 18:23:30
In reply to Re: Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?, posted by Joy on March 1, 2002, at 17:26:21
Id say remeron is the best for anxiety. Serzone is ok, but cannot compare to remeron.
geno
Posted by JohnX2 on March 1, 2002, at 23:10:57
In reply to Re: Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?, posted by beardedlady on March 1, 2002, at 11:07:41
I don't understand the paranoia over the
black box warning.I'm bipolar.
I have a 1 in 5 chance of commiting suicide
based on statistics for bipolar disorder if I
am not treated correctly.If I take serzone and it cures me and I take it
for 20 years (which is probably long), the risk
of me getting liver disorder is 1 in 12,500.I think that is a good risk/reward scenario.
I'm much more likely to die of a car accident,
suicide, or some other disease than serzone liver
disorder. right?-John
>
> Here's the problem: the black box warning. Serzone causes liver failure in what they call one in 250,000 patient years. But who knows what that works out to be for me. I think I have a one in 83,333 shot. I can't really figure it out.
Posted by JohnX2 on March 2, 2002, at 3:01:17
In reply to Re: Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?, posted by geno on March 1, 2002, at 18:23:30
Hi Geno,What do you base that statement on?
I would say the concensus is that Serzone
is a better anxiolytic than Remeron.Have you tried Serzone? (I've tried both)
Regards,
John
> Id say remeron is the best for anxiety. Serzone is ok, but cannot compare to remeron.
> geno
Posted by beardedlady on March 2, 2002, at 6:09:20
In reply to Re: Is SERZONE effective for PANIC? » beardedlady, posted by JohnX2 on March 1, 2002, at 23:10:57
For me, however, it's not worth it. I'm not depressed, bipolar, or suicidal. I'm in pretty good health. My doctor has taken most, if not all, of his patients off Serzone because he thought the risk was substantial. (It's difficult to calculate it because it's done in "patient years," and I don't know how many people's livers have actually been affected by it.) Has your doctor suggested you get a liver-function blood test?
Do you think Remeron might work for my anxiety/panic-induced insomnia?
Posted by allisonm on March 6, 2002, at 21:40:55
In reply to Re: Is SERZONE effective for PANIC?for JohnX2, posted by beardedlady on March 2, 2002, at 6:09:20
I have taken both Remeron and Serzone for significant lengths of time. Serzone works better on my anxiety. Remeron was better for sleep, but Serzone is enough most of the time. I asked my doctor about the new warning. He said he is being more cautious about prescribing it to patients who have not tried it. He also has said that he has had little luck with it in the past. However, it is working very well for me (my body/brain never seem to react to things the way he anticipates). He said that since I have been taking it for about a year and have shown no signs of trouble, he is inclined to keep me on it. I agreed. I have tried 8 or 9 drugs and Serzone and Wellbutrin have been the only effective ones.
This is the end of the thread.
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