You should increase the dose as directed by your GP. Biologically, ten days is the earliest the dose should be increased, but taking an extra few days won't matter. However, in terms of side-effects severity there is no advantage in delaying increases. Any subsequent side-effects spike will be about as severe when upping the dose at 10 days as at 100 days.
The usual doxepin dose range for healthy adults is 75-150mg with a maximum of 300mg for severe cases in an inpatient setting. So the first step should be to get to 75mg. Only time will tell if you will need to take a higher dose.
The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.
I am 150mg of Doxepin but I read they no longer prescribe it to new patients. Never have a problem getting my prescription. It's been so easy to tolerate compared to Ssri's. It helps me a lot but I still.take Lorazepam 2mg too and now hrt..
Doxepin is now regarded as a sedating antihistamine instead of an antidepressant (AD). Which doesn't mean it doesn't work, but it relies on sedation rather than stimulating neurogenesis which is the mechanism of true ADs (and also cognitive/behavioural/mindfulness therapies).
The tricyclic class ADs (TCAs) tend to have less initial side-effects than SSRIs/SNRIs, but that is often at the expense of more ongoing issues such as constipation and dry mouth. They are also less prone to poop-out.It's been so easy to tolerate compared to Ssri's.
I can't tolerate SSRIs either, but TCAs have kept my PD under control for 37 years.
Do you take the lorazepam daily, or only as needed?It helps me a lot but I still.take Lorazepam 2mg too and now hrt..
The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.
I take 150mg of Doxepin. It's still available in the UK. It has really helped me the last 6 years but now I am perimenopausal, my anxiety is sky high and I'm not sleeping at all. I need a change of antidepressant I think, and I am on my 5th week of hrt.
The heightened anxiety might be being driven by the hrt and may settle down, but as doxepin isn't really an antidepressant and may have an uncertain future now might be a good time to switch to another TCA such as amitriptyline, or imipramine.
Once stabilized on an effective AD please talk to your GP about weaning off the lorazepam if you're taking it regularly as benzodiazepines block the mechanism by which AD work.
The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.
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