Posted by Eloy on February 9, 2002, at 15:49:04
In reply to SERZONE and weight gain??, posted by Milena on February 8, 2002, at 16:01:13
i'm in my early 40's and suffer with social anxiety and intermittent periods of depression, and i also have a chronic liver disease. i've been on Serazone for a few years with very good results and minimal weight gain. If i did not have a chronic liver disease, i would probably unreservedly remain on Serzone inspite of the recent report that it can cause liver damage. It works so very well for me in stabilizing my anxiety and depression, and the only adverse side effect that i have is a gradual weight gain of eight pounds. Because i now have to take special care of my liver, which is vitally responsible for filtering the toxins in my body, and now learning of the liver damage that Serzone can cause, the Dr. is weaning me off of it and prescribed Remeron, but after reading up on Remeron lastnight- No Way! Because of my age (and my liver impairment), i already have a natural slow metabolism (ie: heart rate, cellular growth, and rate to burn off food), therefore i should not take a medicine that would cause constipation and weight gain of 15 to 20 pounds. i think not, because then i'd be overweight which would ironically increase my depression rather then help my condition, and not to mention causing a host of additional problems which stem from becoming overweight, like blood pressure issues and diabetes and the increase chance of heart attacks, etc. (i also believe, though long term follow-up research is lacking, that the sexual dysfunction side effect commonly attributed to many anti-depressants will increase the risk of testicular cancer for long-term using males, which are maintained on these particular anti-depressants associated with this side effect). No i'm not going to take this new Remeron, it's my body and my health and i don't want to carelessly damage it. i'm going to see if the Dr. will prescribe Wellbutrin (known not to cause an increase in weight) together with a Anti-anxiety medicine (one that doesn't cause harmful side effects) and cause any irreversible health damage in the long run. i use to take Ativan years ago, i wonder if this medicine would be safe for me.
Does anyone know of any Anti-anxiety medicine that does not cause weight gain or sexual dysfunction or is too hard for the liver to metabolize?
poster:Eloy
thread:14476
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020208/msgs/93471.html