Posted by Elzabeth on September 5, 2001, at 15:19:43
In reply to Serzone and Wellbutrin - elzabeth and allison, posted by mair on September 5, 2001, at 7:43:17
> > >
> >Elzabeth - everyone reacts to ADs so idiosyncratically, so I wouldn't begin to suggest that my experience is related to yours, but I think that last winter, serzone very definitely made me significantly more depressed and suicidal. I started trying to take it as an augmentation drug to Wellbutrin, titrating it very slowly because I had so many side effects. Over a period of time, as i increased the dose, I kept becoming more and more depressed. My therapist wanted me to talk to my pdoc about the serzone because she thought my slide seemed to coincide with my taking the drug. I avoided calling my pdoc because I didn't think there was anything she could do but take me off. Since I didn't feel I had been on it long enough to determine whether it was going to be of real therapeutic benefit, I wanted to keep taking it. Also, I didn't buy that my depression was related to the serzone. Things sort of came to a head when my therapist started talking about hospitals. I got in touch with my pdoc mostly just to convince my therapist that I was more on top of things than she thought, and my pdoc's suggestion was to start taking serzone only at night (and not 2 x per day). This small adjustment made a huge difference to the severity of my depression and suicidal ideation. I continued with serzone for a couple of more months, eventually building up to I think around 300+ mgs (with 300 mgs of Wb). I never really got to the point where the benefits were at all obvious, and eventually my pdoc took me off it. When she did, symptoms that i had attributed to other things, (forgetfulness, slow mental response rate and poor small motor coordination to name some), went away.
>
> Allison - I'm sorry you haven't found this to be a great combination. I could never really say it made me better, and while I had gotten to the point where I thought I was tolerating serzone really well, I didn't realize how many side effects I still had until I took myself off. Since it's been summer and I was able to cut back at work for a couple of months anyway, I've managed to get by okay without starting something new. But there was a reason I was looking for an augmentation drug to begin with and I know that I have to start thinking again about a new combo. It's such a miserable task to start all over again, and I had such hopeds for this as a good combo. Fortunately, no one has ever felt that I should go off WB and start totally from scratch. At least I have that one constant, however inadequate it may often seem.
>
> Good Luck
>
> Mair (formerly ksvt)
* * * * *Thanks Mair ...
This is all impressing me as a ... big ... puzzling mix.
My pdoc nurse called today. Pdoc recommends increasing Serzone, increasing Topamax, or coming in for a chat. I chose the third item. I'm starting to feel like an experimental monkey. Would really like to know who I am underneath this all. Am feeling so manipulated. Not intentionally manipulated, you know ... just not myself. I have no sex drive. Food doesn't taste good. I feel like a frigging zombie, I'm still depressed, and I'm tired. Excuse my complaining. What good is life, and why do we struggle so ....
I'll share more on my continuing saga when I have anything new to share. In the meantime, thank you all for sharing your stories, and your encouragement. I really appreciate it. XXX, E.
poster:Elzabeth
thread:77445
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010902/msgs/77867.html