There is a clinical trial being set-up to research this fairly new antidepressant as adjunctive to reduce negative and cognitive symptoms in stable schizophrenics patients already on AP’s.
Does anyone take this antidepressant? What’s your (general) experience on it?
Adjunctive Vortioxetine in Schizophrenia (AVIS)
No direct exp here, but lots of exp with anti-D’s, and lots of pharmacological grasp of how they work. Brintellix’s mechanism of action on the serotonin system is much more direct than is the m/a of the SSRIs (like Prozac, etc.) and SNRI’s (like Effexor).
The m/a here is closer to – though not exactly like – the old tricyclic anti-Ds (like Elavil). That suggests that the side-effects may be more like those of the tricyclics, as well. Following are the sfx for Elavil:
Common (≥1% frequency) side effects include dizziness, headache, weight gain, side effects common to anticholinergics, but more such effects than other TCAs, cognitive effects such as delirium and confusion, mood disturbances such as anxiety and agitation, cardiovascular side effects such as orthostatic hypotension and sinus tachycardia, sexual side effects such as loss of libido and impotence, and sleep disturbances such as drowsiness and insomnia.[1][2][3][4][13][14]
Thus I’d keep my eyes, ears and interoceptors peeled for such stuff while in the trial.
The listed sfx of Brintellix at this time include… nausea, diarrhea, xerostomia, constipation, vomiting, flatulence, dizziness, and sexual dysfunction.[2] Vortioxetine used alone in high dose or in combination with other medications, such as other antidepressants, can produce a potentially life-threatening drug reaction known as serotonin syndrome.[7][9][10] Incidence of sexual dysfunction is reportedly higher in patients taking vortioxetine than in patients taking placebos,[2] but lower than in patients taking venlafaxine.
But one has to keep in mind that the sfx reports that emerge from trials or from brief use outside the US (where approval is far more liberal) are very often “conservative” (to be euphemistic) vs. what pops up after ten of fifteen years of follow-on research in the US.
I’m on Mirtazapine which theoretically and practically should be save to take in combination with Brintellix.
As for the MoA goes I don’t think you should compare it with other drugs because Brintellix might have a totally different effect (and side-effects) on someone compared to other antidepressant’s in it’s “class”.
I’m interested in Brintellix because it’s a full agonist of the 5HT1a receptor, which in theory might help with cognitive issue’s in schizophrenia patients.
I get that and agree. But I also know (from having observed as many sz and bipolar pts as I have) that anything that comes into the system in this manner has a potential to sort of “over-produce,” especially if the pts’ genetics and/or epigenetics are in any way skewed towards the bipolar spectrum.
I’m not “against” the stuff, just wary and suggesting careful monitoring for agitation, impulsivity, hypomania, anger, etc. And I would definitely do so if you’re going poly with another anti-D.
Let us know how it goes.
More info on this:
Yeah; had seen that already. It’s why I wrote what I wrote to @YoungSchizo . A direct H5T stimulator, as opposed to a reuptake inhibitor. Makes me a little edgy about SS “overdriving.”
I have been taking Brintellix for a week now. My doctor was not sure if it helps with cognitive symptoms or were the claims she had heard just hype. But she let me try it. I started with 5 mg per day and increased it to 10mg today. Too early to say if it really helps but i think my memory and concentration are starting to improve.