![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by De on January 10, 2008, at 12:23:39
I was on effexor sr 150 for about a year before sinking back into depression - up'd to 225 for 3 wks, then to 300 for the past two weeks... Still no where near "normal". Although being able to actually actually post here, is sort of a spark of hope for me I suppose.
My question, if anyone would be kind enough to share experience or opinion.. is Have I given this medication enough time at this dosage? Should I switch or add to? Doc said adding zoloft might work - but am concerned about being more of a zombie?
Suggestions much appreciated - so far I have been called recurrent major depressed - then bpII - then back to rmd - dont know what I am - but I am sick of bein sick!
Thanks
Posted by sunnydays on January 10, 2008, at 12:32:18
In reply to Effexor - How long is sufficiant?, posted by De on January 10, 2008, at 12:23:39
I know it took me a full three months to see an effect at 150mg, but I don't know about higher doses. Try to hang in there a little bit longer. Also, you shouldn't feel like a zombie, so maybe it's time to switch meds altogether? Talk to your doc. I hope you can find what's best for you.
sunnydays
Posted by Racer on January 10, 2008, at 14:40:29
In reply to Effexor - How long is sufficiant?, posted by De on January 10, 2008, at 12:23:39
The general rule is that it takes four to six weeks at an adequate dose to see benefits from a medication, with full response taking about eight weeks. On the other hand, you were on Effexor, apparently successfully, at a lower dose for some time, so I would expect you to get an idea of whether it was going to work by about four weeks at an increased dose. So, I'd give it an additional two to three weeks before looking at alternatives.
Adding Zoloft, though, raises the risk of serotonin syndrome. I wouldn't think of it as a combo, for that reason. If your doctor thinks it's OK, maybe I'm being too cautious, but it's not an option I'd vote for.
There are two basic choices with medication which isn't working: switch, or augment. For augmentation of Effexor, I'd look at Remeron, Wellbutrin, or maybe one of the old tricyclics. Wellbutrin has the benefit of potentially increasing energy, although it can also increase anxiety if you're susceptible to that. Remeron can be helpful for sleep, and the combination of Effexor and Remeron is quite popular these days.
What's best for you really depends on what symptoms you're trying to target, and how tolerable you find the medications. Often side effects are a big part of choosing medications, since tolerability is so important in treatment.
I hope that helps.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.