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Taking Zoloft For Anxiety. Any Effective Medicine?

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Posted on Mon, 6 May 2013
Question: add onsany good add ons for anxiety currently on 200mg zoloft
doctor
Answered by Dr. Susanta Padhy (33 minutes later)
Hi,

Zoloft contains sertraline, a SSRI group of drugs. It is a good and effective antidepressant.
Kindly make your question elaborate and descriptive, I would be able to address your query only with an elaborate history.

Thanks and look forward to hear elaborate answer from you...


Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Susanta Padhy (2 hours later)
ok where shoul i start i have been on zoloft for 8 years started on 100 mg and two years ago went to 200mg a day by docs orders. it worked very good at the start of my depresion and anxiety now i have noticed more and more anxiety attacks i went to see my new doc because the other one moved out about two years ago and he got me app with psyhologist i have been seing her for two months now and we both come to a conclusion that i might need an add on to zoloft, she is not very sure about them so i asked my doc and i think he doesnt specielize in that field he put me on buspar 5 mg a day but i find out they have been discontinued at 2012 for some problems now he is not very sure which one is good and what types. please help.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Susanta Padhy (23 hours later)
Thank you for some detailed description

People with depression and anxiety who are stable on a medication, but show a recent exacerbation of symptoms, the following should be kept in mind and treatment follows accordingly. They are:
- Recent irregularity in medication intake or any dosage reduction
- Any increased or addition of alcohol use or smoking or any other drugs
- Any psychosocial problem that has come up in recent times or any ongoing chronic unresolved suppressed problem that has not been resolved
- Any other medication that has been added to you that might decreased blood level of sertraline
- Any recently diagnosed medical condition like diabetes, hypertension, thyroid problem etc

Now,
1. If such problems are there, then they need to be tackled along with continuation of sertraline 200 mg/day without adding any other medications

2. If such issues are not there, then one can consider increasing sertraline by 25 mg, if you are tolerating.

3. Buspar contains buspirone which is also an anxiolytic but a mild one and used for short term
If you have no exacerbation of depressive symptoms but anxiety symptoms are worsened, then instead of buspar, benzodiazepines like clonazepam may be a better alternative

I would suggest, overall, better to seek a psychiatrist who is knowledgeable about these drugs. Til that time keep meeting your clinical psychologists.

Hope this will be of some help. I am available for further clarification

Good luck

Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
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Answered by
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Dr. Susanta Padhy

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :1998

Answered : 415 Questions

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Taking Zoloft For Anxiety. Any Effective Medicine?

Hi,

Zoloft contains sertraline, a SSRI group of drugs. It is a good and effective antidepressant.
Kindly make your question elaborate and descriptive, I would be able to address your query only with an elaborate history.

Thanks and look forward to hear elaborate answer from you...