What are recommended dosages for cancer patients.
Higher or lower than for depression and anxiety without cancer?
What are people getting? e.g. for Ativan, Paxil, Cymbalta, Buspar etc.

trt,

I never was prescribed any and I'm not sure I ever needed them.

I guess I'm wondering why you want to know. The dosage you get should be one that works, so I doubt it would be a lot lower than the dose doctors normally start out with. In the case of antidepressant and anti-anxiety drugs, it isn't really a case of more is more effective usually.

Nelie

I have taken paxil since shortly after diagnosis. Depression is depression, and causitive factors really don't affect the level of medication.

Ativan is often used with H&N patients during radiation because it is very fast acting, and can be administered prior to being put into the mask.

Talk to your Doctor. They will likely start you out on a lower dose and increase it as needed until you find effective levels. That can take several weeks, but it really does help if you need it
Wayne

Do you normally have to see a Psychiatrist or can they be prescribed by RO and MO

I heard an interesting presentation on Public Radio today while driving my grandkid to and from piano lessons. The general gist was that there is a real difference between "clinical depression" and depression associated with a sudden trauma or loss or having to deal with grief. The point was that the two are not the same and should not be treated the same. Clinical depression is an ongoing situation that may need life time tx., whereas event related depression calls for a different direction. The meds rx's might be the same in some cases for a short period of time, but the overall goals are vastly different. It made sense to me, because I recognize that my "depression-ie grieving" is not the same as a life long state of depression. I guess what I am trying to say is that the word "depression" is too loosley and easily thrown about these days. We need to do a better job of being honest about what we are dealing with and figure out how to meet our challanges head on, rather than with a myriad of drugs. Amy in athe Oz

Not me. I had enough to meet head on, I was happy with pain meds, antidepressants (Zoloft 100 mg), and I would have taken sleeping pills if I needed them. The fact is that modern anti-depressants are not "happy pills." They just reduce the depression and anxiety to a point where I can deal with them.

Anyway, they work for me. I haven't noticed any side effects. My wife says I'm less of a jerk on them, so there might be side effects if I quit

Oh, I forgot to mention that I got mine from my MO.

yes, my MO prescribed Ativan (which I didn't take very often) and would gladly have given me an antidepressant if I had asked. I never felt the need.

I was on Zanax (for anti-anxiety) the entire time during treatment and was later prescribed Paxil (for depression - which I ended up not taking). Your dose rates are dependent on your weight and other factors and you can find that information on line just by Googling the medication name.

Ativan is used a lot for mild nausea and can be applied sublinglily (under the tongue) or orally. In extreme cases it can be inserted into a Compazine suppository and used rectally as well.

Like most others my MO prescribed all of my meds.
Amy is absolutetly correct in her post about antidepressants. IMO if you are on long term types, even Paxil, you should be managed by a psychiatrist. Short term depression is also known as "situational" depression, vs. chronic depression which required drugs to maintain brain chemistry balance on an ongoing basis. Depression meds are often inappropriately prescibed, over prescribed and not properly monitored.

Thanks Amy and Gary for the info. I agree with you Amy. I'm not a doc and have no idea who does and doesn't need these types of meds but I will say it seems that they are so freely offered without the doc getting to know the patient. Thus later comes the lack of proper monitoring, and many times over time a person changes as well as chemical make ups change as well per medicine changes ect. This can lead to trouble down the road. For me I like to atleast see if I can deal with what is in front of me with the help of my friends and family. This forum is like an anti anxiety med as well as an anti depressant. It also works as fast. And their are no side effects. Please I mean no offense to anyone. I was presribed an antidepressant a few years ago by my PCP and it helped. I was indifferent towards everything. Problem was I didn't want to be indifferent I wanted to have real feelings and deal with them. I figured out how to do that and have been very grateful that I didn't give up on myself to quick. Good luck trt , I hope you find what it is that you need. I'll be praying for you to get what you need. Lee