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Sarafem

18 years ago

My doctor prescribed it for my anxiety/mood swings. I'm supposed to take it two weeks after my period starts, stop it when I start my period, and so on.

My concern is, if it takes 1-2 weeks to take effect, and I have to go off it for 2 weeks at a time, won't I lose the effect? Or is there a residual effect?

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Comments (5)

Heathen1
18 years ago
I am guessing, because I don't take Sarafem. But I take prozac for my pms... I do the same thing, take if for 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off. Actually for me, it works well and minimized the side affects.
jenn
18 years ago
Usually it takes about that time for a medication that is taken for a long duration to reach the therapeutic level in the blood. I don't know exactly how long it takes with that particular medication, but my understanding is that the positive effects (the ones you are looking for) of anti-depressants/anti-anxiety meds don't begin right away.

When someone reports immediate results, I tend to suspect the placebo effect.
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Heathen1
18 years ago
usually it takes about 3 days for it to take affect for me, but I am sensitive to drugs... say, I have an operation, takes less morphine than most to help me. I am also very sensitive to side affects. I have asked the doc if this is because I metabolize medicine faster than most... he didn't know.
cheerful1_gw
Original Author
18 years ago
I'm concerned because I read about what can happen if you stop taking these drugs abruptly. Is 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off safe?
cheerful1_gw
Original Author
17 years ago
The anxiety was coming back with a vengance while I was still on the Sarafem; I also had constant lightheadedness and felt like I was in a fog all the time. I let my doctor's office know I'm weaning myself off it. I'm open for alternatives.

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