Guest guest Posted July 30, 2008 Report Share Posted July 30, 2008 Hi! Could I add a word about Zoloft - and anti-Ds in general in dementia? According to our respected LBD experts, Zoloft is okay in LBD. That doesn't mean it works for everyone - just as with any med and in any given group of folks. Anti-Ds in general can be helpful. Depression does exist in LBD. The MDs and PharmD with whom I work are careful to sort out what might look like depression d but may actually be the apathy that can be part of how dementia and parkinsonism appear from the outside. Some anti-Ds seem to help anxiety too. Again, not all the chemical formulations are the same. If an anti-D tends to make a person sleepy, the literature says to give it at bedtime or consider another med. No anti-D works magic on anyone. With the best medication, a depressed person - with or without dementia - will have good and less good days. Those without depression, too, for that matter. And LBD is certainly the disease of fluctuations. Long-term clinical observation - the PharmD here says - is the only way to know if an anti-D is working. And finally, there are dosage precautions with anti-Ds: higher doses can be toxic for older people and those taking multiple meds that affect nerves, brain, etc. And, as dementia progresses, the lit says anti-Ds may be not be needed as much as in earlier stages. But it's all individual, of course. I just got this little lesson from the wonderful PharmD I work with - what a storehouse of info! Lin Subject: Re: Zoloft?? To: LBDcaregivers Date: Saturday, July 19, 2008, 7:02 AM Some days it seems to help, and on other days she is still quite depressed and irritable. She has always been on 50 mg. Originally they had her take it 2 times a day, but now it's just one time. I wonder if they should up it?? So very sorry for your loss and thank you so much for sharing your information with me. > > > Subject: Zoloft?? > To: LBDcaregivers > Date: Friday, July 18, 2008, 8:51 PM > > > > > > > Is Zoloft an approved anti-depressant? Mom has been on it for a year > now. She is on a low dosage and she takes it one time in the AM. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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