- Is There Anything Else I Can Take?
QUESTION:
Dear Dr. Heller,
I have taken Prozac and Zoloft for panic attacks and both made me feel sleepy and weak. Now I’m on Paxil and still feel the same. I am also very moody all the time and get so stressed over everything. I yell and throw things. I was wondering if there was something different I could take?
ANSWER:
Generally when SSRI medications cause side effects like that the individual has the generalized anxiety disorder, particularly the “cognitive component.” My screening test can give you clues in this regard. These side effects may not really be side effects at all, but a warning that additional diagnoses are present and need to be treated before an SSRI medication can be taken. If the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is also present, Remeron can be extremely helpful. There are many alternatives for medication, including the older TCA medication imipramine – although side effects limit it’s use.
