Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 50682

Shown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.

Luvox

Posted by Bob on January 1, 2001, at 14:55:51

I saw an interesting "survey" on the internet the other day asking what people's favorite mood stabilizer was. It listed all the typical ones, such as lithium, tegretol, lamictal, etc..., but it also had Luvox on there. All the other literature I've ever come across has this listed as an SSRI. Has anybody else ever seen it classified as a mood stabilizer, per se?

Re: Luvox

Posted by JohnL on January 1, 2001, at 17:57:27

In reply to Luvox, posted by Bob on January 1, 2001, at 14:55:51

> I saw an interesting "survey" on the internet the other day asking what people's favorite mood stabilizer was. It listed all the typical ones, such as lithium, tegretol, lamictal, etc..., but it also had Luvox on there. All the other literature I've ever come across has this listed as an SSRI. Has anybody else ever seen it classified as a mood stabilizer, per se?

Bob,
Though antidepressants sometimes cause cycling or hypomania in a very small percentage of patients, generally I think they usually actually act as mood stabilizers, even though that's not what they are called. After all, they tend to hold neurochemistry stable in a predetermined way. SSRIs for example hold serotonin steady. Luvox, like other SSRIs, could be numbing emotions--both ups and downs--and thus be viewed as stabilizing mood.

In your next post you asked about Zoloft. It's kind of in the middle of the road. That is, weight gain sometimes, sometimes not. A little sedating with some people, a little uplifting for others, and generally rather neutral. Generally Paxil is viewed as being slightly sedative, Prozac somewhat stimulating, and Zoloft somewhere in the middle. Of course, mileage varies all over the map.
John

Re: Luvox

Posted by Bob on January 1, 2001, at 22:40:44

In reply to Re: Luvox, posted by JohnL on January 1, 2001, at 17:57:27

> > I saw an interesting "survey" on the internet the other day asking what people's favorite mood stabilizer was. It listed all the typical ones, such as lithium, tegretol, lamictal, etc..., but it also had Luvox on there. All the other literature I've ever come across has this listed as an SSRI. Has anybody else ever seen it classified as a mood stabilizer, per se?
>
> Bob,
> Though antidepressants sometimes cause cycling or hypomania in a very small percentage of patients, generally I think they usually actually act as mood stabilizers, even though that's not what they are called. After all, they tend to hold neurochemistry stable in a predetermined way. SSRIs for example hold serotonin steady. Luvox, like other SSRIs, could be numbing emotions--both ups and downs--and thus be viewed as stabilizing mood.
>
> In your next post you asked about Zoloft. It's kind of in the middle of the road. That is, weight gain sometimes, sometimes not. A little sedating with some people, a little uplifting for others, and generally rather neutral. Generally Paxil is viewed as being slightly sedative, Prozac somewhat stimulating, and Zoloft somewhere in the middle. Of course, mileage varies all over the map.
> John

Well, I guess I agree that most ADs could be considered to be mood stabilizing... but I saw it as odd that Luvox was on the list of other conventionally accepted mood stabilizers, but no other ADs were.

Bob

Re: Luvox » Bob

Posted by Cam W. on January 3, 2001, at 19:53:22

In reply to Re: Luvox, posted by Bob on January 1, 2001, at 22:40:44

Bob - Actually, when you think about all the disorders that the SSRIs are used for (depression, OCD, panic disorder, social phobia, PTSD, premenstrual dysphoric disorder, migraines, aggressiveness, impulsivity, etc), they really should be called "mood modifiers", rather than "antidepressants".

Just a thought - Cam

P.S. The same argument could be made for the atypical antipsychotics (Clozaril, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, and ziprasidone).

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