Trazodone, Venlafaxine and Setraline together

[Dying_Angel]

Has anyone else been on this combination?


I've had the trazodone and Venlafaxine for about a year. My gp has started me on Sertraline I'm scared to take it but know I need too

[Steel Maiden]

I have heard of combining serotonergics in severe treatment-resistant depression, but perhaps you should ask your psychiatrist.

[Dying_Angel]

Thank you for replying.

I don't have a psychiatrist right now. I have 2 support workers and a care course ordinator

[MissAnonymous]

If you cannot see a psychiatrist and you are concerned about the medication side of things, talk to a pharmacist, they are very knowledgeable. Its not unheard of to be on more than one anti-depressant but there are greater risks with polypharmacy and generally psychiatrists should oversee that sort of combination.

My GP is a specialist in mental health and wanted me on a second antidepressant but had to refer me to a psychiatrist when he put me on it. Its not that a GP can't prescribe it, but you'd need to be followed up very closely and educated on the signs of serotonin syndrome if they were prescribing responsibly. Can you talk to your care co-ordinator about your concerns about what the GP has been doing and ask them about seeing a psychiatrist?

[Dying_Angel]

Thanks for replying

My Care coordinator is useless. My whole team is. I have an appointment with my GP on Friday so I shall try and chat to him altho I never know what to say

[MissAnonymous]

Could you write down your concerns and show the GP; you could start by saying I am on x y and z medications at these doses, just to remind him or her what the current combination is. Then say you are worried about being on that particular combination and would like some information about the safety and likelihood of side effects of it so that you can make an informed choice about taking the combination. I'd ask about serotonin syndrome and what to look out for, and what he/she would want you to do if you had signs. In the meantime you can look on NHS choices and find advice on serotonin syndrome and what to do. You could ask about how often the GP will monitor you and for how long, until they are happy you're unlikely to have adverse effects. Tell him/her, if you can, how you feel the med change has gone and if you dont know just state how you feel or have felt the last week. Just suggestions but I frequently write stuff down and hand it to my GP and he's fine with that.

[Dying_Angel]

Thank you

That's a gd idea to write stuff down. I'm seeing my GP evert 2/3 weeks. Depending how I'm doing xxxx