Antidepressant warnings on E-Cigs

[Shadzi]

Never heard of this ether, is it possible to take a picture of the warning? Would be interesting to see the reason behind the warning if true.

Did a quick search and found many articals that say...
The fact that researchers are actually documenting the effects which support the idea that tobacco cigarettes may actually be a drug that smokers are using to treat their underlying chronic anxiety and depression. (See earlier post on the effects of Nicotine.).......

....If we assume that this is true, the antidepressant effect of cigarettes may be an effective way to treat the underlying
We propose that one effective alternative to the tobacco cigarette which delivers nicotine (thought to deliver the antidepressant component) in a safer fashion is the electronic non-tobacco cigarette.

Source: I cant post as I dont have 15 posts q.q

Google "e cig and antidepressant" 4th link down "what you should know.... link.


Its possible e-cigs would mess with anti depressants in a few people. But no more than the number that is already effected by smoking regular cigarettes I would think. Another words nothing to cause alarm unless you are on many different medications and sitting at a smoking bar would set you off.

I highly doubt there's anything in e-cigs that would interact adversely with any antidepressant. *Disclaimer: I am not a doc, psych, pharmacist, or chemist.*
Edit: I hadn't finished reading the thread before I posted, particularly about the MAOI issue. I'm not sure where I'd stand on this earlier statement now.

I've done a lot of reading of medical journal submissions, mainly in the areas of depression, anxiety, bi-polar, ADHD... (Future psych major and compulsive self-educator here) and there is a noticeable trend in people self-medicating themselves with nicotine, tobacco, and alcohol for various disorders. Nicotine, as well as a few other chemicals in cigarettes, exert a certain influence on the reward pathways of the brain, helping to mitigate the symptoms of whatever neurobiological things are out of whack. For me and my depression and anxiety, it's definitely noticeable. My family was leery of my attempts at cold-turkey quitting because when I do that, I turn into a wreck.

I would think that those warnings are to protect their own butts in case an end user isn't conscious of what they're doing. Unfortunately, depending on their wording, that warning may just be enough fuel for the FDA's anti-vape fire.

Again, not a doctor, psych, pharmacist, or chemist. Your mileage may vary.

Shadzi

 

[Shadzi]

it seems the presence of "smoking".. they wont say nicotine.. affects the way a patients body handles the clozapine drug..

the doctors whos main job is to feed the patients chemicals and get the dosage right are in a bit of a tizzy..

patients in various stages of "stopping smoking" have messed up their tried and tested dosage patterns..

i found this out by accident the other day.. it seems if the patient stops smoking the clozapine dosage need to go down by 1/3..

Jebus. This, exactly. It's not just clozapine, either, but a lot of the benzodiazepines in general as well as some antidepressants like Wellbutrin, plus MAOIs and more. Doses *do* have to be adjusted depending on what you're taking, whether by rx, otc, or nicotine/alcohol. It's a very complex field, and it's easy to make mistakes or just plain not know.

i mentioned nicotine.. the doctor replied defensively "i never said nicotine" i said "what then"... he said we dont know and mumbling something about 3000 chemicals he scurried off... he he he

Medicine, for all it's advances, is so insanely broad a field that it's unrealistic to expect any doctor to know 'enough'. I am a huge proponent of patient education for this exact reason. While there is a huge burden on the doctor to not mis-prescribe, any patient should know that what they're taking, even if it's OTC, can affect other medications. If in doubt, ask a pharmacist. It's what they're trained in, and if they don't know, they ought to know where to go to find out.

Shadzi

 

[Shadzi]

I take Zoloft for anxiety. I am very sensitive to things that make my heart race, like sugar, antihistamines, caffeine, alcohol, etc... I actually have felt much better since switching to ecigs, except I do forget to dial down my nic mg at night, and have trouble falling asleep if I don't smoke something lower.

I wake up every day with a nasty headache because of antidepressants, but it does seem to be getting better after going off analogs.

I hated Zoloft. I was on Prozac, and never noticed any issues with my caffeine or nicotine intake.

What nic level do you vape during the day vs at night?

Shadzi

 

[Crystal Pistol]

I would bet money, if I had any left after buying PV stuff, that antidepressant warnings on e-cigs are just another bit of ... coverage.

There may not be any specific reason for the warning to include antidepressants, but the lawyer that wrote/proofread the warning page probably thought it couldn't hurt.

A quick (read: lazy) search shows me that some FDA approved smoking cessation devices (the two I looked up, patch and gum) have warnings about antidepressants too. That tells me that any warning on e-cigs is only there because it's a warning on "approved" quitting products as well. Back to the lawyer trying to make sure every that avenue towards being sued has a roadblock

YES sounds like ... coverage to me too.

 

[redgirl]

I hated Zoloft. I was on Prozac, and never noticed any issues with my caffeine or nicotine intake.

What nic level do you vape during the day vs at night?

Shadzi

I usually vape 24 or 36mg during the day. I haven't been able to cut down on the nic during the day. At night I vape low, like 10 or 12. I probably should go lower since I still have problems with my heart racing at night.

I'm on the lowest possible dosage of Zoloft, but I've tried Lexapro also and didn't like that either. I have gained 25 lbs. and am now having bad headaches, like a dull headache all day. And the only thing that remotely helps is Exedrin and that has caffeine in it and it makes me all jittery. I am going to talk to my psychiatrist and try to get off of Zoloft. I've had different psychiatrists with different philosophies. One said I'd probably have to take meds the rest of my life, one said I could get off it if I found coping methods to deal with my anxiety. I'm gonna try to get off it, but not looking forward to that, either.

 

[The Fool]

I have suffered with a low level depression since my teens. I never found any relief until Prozac came on the market and it was like the sun came out for me for the first time. I actually felt normal. I successfully used a low level dose of an SSRI for many years without any problems, that is, until I quit smoking. I had 5 months smoke free, but was still using nic gum when I crashed and burned. Seemingly overnight I went into a classic clinical depression, a bad one, my thinking became so clouded that I couldn't even decide what to wear in the morning. I ask my doctor if he though it would help if I started smoking again, he said that even though he hated to say it, that it might, so I did. Even though I was smoking again, it wasn't helping the depression. I went to a psychiatrist at that point, who upped my dosage of SSRI's in increments, hoping that a higher dose would knock me out of this. It didn't, she then added Remeron, which, as I understand it, works on the dopamine production within the brain. Less that 24hrs after taking my first dose I felt like myself again. I have remained on this combination, although I've gone back to a lower dosage of the SSRI's, for the past 5 years. Quite frankly I am fearful of going off the medication. Even though the depression only lasted 3 months, they were the worst 3 months of my life.

When I first started using the e-cig, I watched my mood like a hawk. I think I sort of held my breath till I passed my 5 month mark. I have had no problems and really haven't noticed anything, other than a little hypo-mania in the early days, which I attributed to my delight at being free of cigarettes.

I realize that I have gone off topic, I just felt it important to share my story. I think that many, if not most of the members of our forum struggle with some degree of chemical imbalance. Psychiatry is not an exact science, far from it. Most of the time they are just shooting in the dark, trying out things that they hope will work. Frankly, I am amazed that the mental health community is not taking more of an interest in a product with such a phenomenal success rate as the e-cigarette at breaking an addiction when the pharmaceutical industry has failed so miserably in their attempts.

 

[k_a_r_i]

I just bought the NJOY and have the packet insert handy, so here is exactly what it says:

"NJOY products are intended for use by persons of legal smoking age not by nonsmokers or by children, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or persons with or at risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or taking medicine for depression or asthma. Consult a physician if you experience nicotine misuse symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dizziness, ........, weakness and rapid heartbeat."

 

[WomanOfHeart]

I've been on my share of anti-depressants, too. The last time I took any medication on a regular basis was when I was put on Welbutrin and Depakine. It turned me into a zombie and I hated it so I quit taking them. I have since learned to become more aware of how I'm feeling and why I'm feeling that way. I also meditate and I'm learning how to relax. I have to admit, nicotine helps and vaping has probably just saved my life in more ways than just my physical health.

 

[JeffTM]

I take Celexa and have taken just about every other anti-depressant in the past. I highly doubt that e-cigs will react with meds any more than analogs will. I personally have had no problems.

As a worker in the field of mental health, I can say that finding the right anti-depressant can unfortunately take a lot of trial and error. Usually, people find that a mix of two or three meds is best. It's just important to find a good psychiatrist (which isn't easy) and stay in contact with him/her. Depending on what you're taking the meds for (Depression, Anxiety, Panic, OCD, etc.) you may or may not have to take them for a long time. I personally think it's not OK for a psychiatrist to tell you you'll need to take meds your whole life. Statistics show that individuals who take meds for over 9 months or a year (can't remember which) have a MUCH higher rate of remaining stable after discontinuing meds, while people who stop earlier have a MUCH lower rate and often relapse back into depression/anxiety. If you decide to stop, please wean yourself off as directed by a psychiatrist. NEVER stop taking them suddenly. I'm sure you know that, but I just had to say it.

EVERYONE reacts differently to medications. I hope you find a good doc and stay in contact with him/her. Don't give up on finding something that works for you.

 

[VangeKnitter]

My roommate and I are both on psych meds and we have had no problems. It's been a little over a month since we started vapeing so the 2-3 week rule for meds clearing out of the system is up. Actually thinking about it having gotten rid of the analogs

 

[JeffTM]

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