In this morning's medical news, Pfizer has issued a nationwide recall of Effexor/venlafaxine (a SSRI or SNRI), because a drug used for heart arrhythmias has shown up in somebody's bottle. The two drugs are packaged on the same line, suggesting to me that the pills are of a similar size and shape, and perhaps a pill or two could get stuck inside ( Read more... )

The new finding is that 10 year old children of persistently depressed mothers have larger amygdalas. This new finding makes me wonder.......about our society. But-- a little orientation for those of you who don't read about the brain all the time. The amygdala is part of the mammalian or limbic brain, and it is the part that helps us feel fear ( Read more... )

( notes on new study findings )

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According to this short update on a new study that is. They tested 5 SSRI's on over 800 patients and found them "moderately" beneficial, with 3 of the SSRI's showing greater responses than the others. They want us to prescribe these antidepressants in addition to the antipsychotics that are standard 1st line therapies. My question: If the ( Read more... )

And limit the use of steroids.
"People with brain tumors should not take antidepressants or other medications or use supplements that increase serotonin." --Schor
( notes from Denver Naturopathic newsletter and abstracts from several supporting studies )

ANTIDEPRESSANTS POSE CATARACT RISK: The first major study on this topic has ( Read more... )

Well so we already knew that drugs that increase serotonin levels decrease bone density over time. Medscape's new report says that osteoporosis is associated not just with SSRIs, but with benzos and some mood stabilizers other than lithium. Tricyclic antidepressants are protective for bones, but they have other gnarly side effects ( Read more... )

ABILIFY/aripiprapazole
new med
something to add to antidepressant if SSRI doesn't work for you
abilifytreatment.com
SE: suicide, stroke, high blood sugar, coma, death, siezure, trouble swallowing
not approved for dementia

SSRI Shows Promise as Restorative Therapy Following Stroke CME
News Author: Caroline Cassels
( From medscape---and mind you, I'm not recommending SSRIs for post-stroke tx based on just this one study! Just keeping track of what the drug companies are pushing. )