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Is Shifting From Sertraline To Effexor Advisable?

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Posted on Tue, 13 Sep 2016
Question: Hi I am on Sertraline 200mg daily and it causes me severe watery diarrhea and other side effects. Can I change to Efexor straight away and what dose of Efexor should I take. Few years back I was on Efexor 150 mg and it never caused me diarrhea or any side effects as much as I remember. I badly need the antidepressant as I am in an episode of my depression, anxious, full of fear, cannot do the simple tasks, having panic attacks, scared to go out of the house all this because I am encountering many problems which have no solution. Thank you for your help and wish to get your answer today because I cannot stop taking the antidepressant and I cannot afford seeing a psychiatrist right now.
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Answered by Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary (49 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
A cross titration approach can be used

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Thanks for using Healthcaremagic.

Since sertraline is causing intolerable side effects and you have history of good response with effexor I feel you can go for effexor. I must admit that effexor is associated with increase in blood pressure so there must be regular monitoring for blood pressure.

Now regarding the schedule you can do cross titration which means decreasing dose of sertraline and increasing dose of effexor.

If you have been my patient I should have approached in this way
First week
Zoloft 150 mg and effexor 75 mg

Second week
Zoloft 100 mg and effexor 150 mg

Third week
Zoloft 50 mg and effexor 225 mg

Fourth week
Effexor 225 mg

Hope I am able to answer your concerns.
If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you.
If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for my future patients.
In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link:
http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386
Thanks and regards.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dr. Ashok Kumar Choudhary

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2000

Answered : 3355 Questions

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Is Shifting From Sertraline To Effexor Advisable?

Brief Answer: A cross titration approach can be used Detailed Answer: Hello, Thanks for using Healthcaremagic. Since sertraline is causing intolerable side effects and you have history of good response with effexor I feel you can go for effexor. I must admit that effexor is associated with increase in blood pressure so there must be regular monitoring for blood pressure. Now regarding the schedule you can do cross titration which means decreasing dose of sertraline and increasing dose of effexor. If you have been my patient I should have approached in this way First week Zoloft 150 mg and effexor 75 mg Second week Zoloft 100 mg and effexor 150 mg Third week Zoloft 50 mg and effexor 225 mg Fourth week Effexor 225 mg Hope I am able to answer your concerns. If you have any further query, I would be glad to help you. If not, you may close the discussion and if possible you may rate the answer for my future patients. In future if you wish to contact me directly, you can use the below mentioned link: http://doctor.healthcaremagic.com/doctors/dr-ashok-kumar/67386 Thanks and regards.