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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by caroline h on October 11, 2007, at 21:47:17
I just tried to do an internet search on whether someone who has quit smoking would have increased efficacy with antidepressants, and I only found web pages on the reverse, using antidepressants to stop smoking. What has raised this question for me is that I stopped smoking 10 months ago because I spent more than a month in a hospital ICU unit after an accident. (My brother calls it the most radical smoking cessation program ever.)Although I was a heavy smoker for many years, I have no desire to pick it up again. I also was unsuccessful at treating my depression with antidepressants for many years, and I was wondering whether there was any relationship between the smoking and the antidepressant inefficacy. You name the medication--I tried it and at all levels--I gave up because it was a waste of money. Recently, I received a Mescape publication that said that smokers require higher levels of fluvoxamine than non-smokers because of the mix between the drug and the cigarettes. I do remember that--I once was prescribed a very high level of fluvoxamine. But I was wondering whether it might be the case for other antidepressant meds, and if so, which ones--or whether some specifically work markedly better for non-smokers than for smokers. If that is the case, I would be willing to try those antidepressants again.
Does anyone know about this or has anyone had any experience with this?
Thank you very much.
Caroline H.
Posted by Netch on October 12, 2007, at 5:16:36
In reply to Stopped Smoking + Antidepressant Efficacy?, posted by caroline h on October 11, 2007, at 21:47:17
Caroline, it may be that smoking has an antidepressant effect which minimizes the percieved effect of antidepressants.
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1172948
/Netch
Posted by sometimesblue on October 12, 2007, at 11:23:56
In reply to Re: Stopped Smoking + Antidepressant Efficacy? » caroline h, posted by Netch on October 12, 2007, at 5:16:36
All i can offer is that when i got on bupropion [wellbutrin generic] i stopped craving cigarettes...but that's what you already came across on the internet, correct? Actually, from what i can remember, when i was going thru a rough patch [about of month+ of heavy depression] i started smoking a lot [unsual for me since i was never a heavy smoker], but during that smoke i still felt crappy, i would even go as far as saying that my mood dropped a little bit more as soon as i was done with the cigarette.
-SB
This is the end of the thread.
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