Posted by europerep on December 23, 2009, at 12:39:08
hey there..
i have a question concerning a possible switch from a combination of venlafaxine/mirtazapine to moclobemide, as treatment for a major depression..
i am somewhat desperate, because my current treatment isn't really working any longer, and my psychiatrist (at a university clinic) says she is running out of ideas, too.. currently i am on 600mg venlafaxine and 60mg mirtazapine..anyways, the point is that she is a relatively young doctor and she does everything according to textbook (this is her who said that). for the switch to moclobemide she wants to hospitalize me for "at least a month", with a washout period of 14 days between treatments.. for several reasons this is not really an option, so I'm kind of stuck.. my question would be whether there are people on here who have switched (themselves or others) the same medications, and if yes, how did you go about it?
i mean the half-life of venlafaxine is relatively short, and while some sources say that 14 days are required, others say four to five halflifes, which would be way less in the case of venlafaxine and its active metabolites.. plus i have a relatively rapid metabolization (according to my doctor).. of course I'm scared of a serotonin syndrome, and I don't want to take any risks, but.. well, I wonder whether I shouldn't search a doctor who'd be willing to do a switch outside of a hospital..yeah, that is it.. i'd greatly appreciate anyone who could give me advice on this (or is it a piece of advice? i think that's what my english prof used to tell me ;) ).. thanks!!!
poster:europerep
thread:930533
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091217/msgs/930533.html