[Guest]

i'm considering a switch from serzone to another antidepressant due to things i suspect are side effects, and due to the recent liver damage warning about serzone. i have a lot of muscle tension which fluctuates in relation to the serzone dose i'm on. i had it before the med to a mild degree but it is worse now, primarily in the form of restless legs syndrome. i also have TMJ and chronic headaches which i now think could be related to the overall muscle tension. as a result, i'm considering Remeron as an new option to discuss with my doctor. i read a neurological article that Remeron is sometimes used to treat Parkinson's rigidity symptoms so i'm thinking this would actually help relieve my muscle tension. i also heard it could help with allergies too. what can you tell me about Remeron and how it might differ from Serzone? any info is welcome. (i know about the cholestorol issue already.) by the way, i have exhausted the SSRI's and won't be going back to those.
thanks in advance for your time!

[Guest]

As far as we know, the odds on liver problems with the Serzone are incredibly remote. The package insert will talk about hundreds of thousands of patient years before seeing a case. Of course, the true incidence has not been determined.

If the medication is not satisfactory, that is another matter. Remeron has the advantage of not being in the same chemical class of either Serzone or the SSRI's. It is frequently helpful. Sedation and weight gain are side effects that are bothersome. Some of the sedation may be related to antihistamine like effects. Antihistamines can help allergies and rigidity, but the latter is not a potent effect. Weight gain and sedation do not seem to be dose related.

Another option would be Wellbutrin, but some people feel that it might make restlessness worse, but this is by no means clear. Anxiety scores are shown to improve with long term Wellbutrin treatment.
[quote] i'm considering a switch from serzone to another antidepressant due to things i suspect are side effects, and due to the recent liver damage warning about serzone. i have a lot of muscle tension which fluctuates in relation to the serzone dose i'm on... [/quote]

[Guest]

thanks for your reply. unlike most people, i would welcome the weight gain. between past episodes of IBS and anxiety, i'm fairly underweight.
[quote] As far as we know, the odds on liver problems with the Serzone are incredibly remote. The package insert will talk about hundreds of thousands of patient years before seeing a case... [/quote]