Customer Reviews

Zoloft, Paxil, Luvox And Prozac:: All New Information To Help You Choose The Right Antidepressant

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Despite its claim to offer the latest news regarding antidepressants, this book basically is compilation of already published information. It barely mentions the newer classes of drugs (post SSRIs: Remeron, Effexor, Wellbutrin, Serzone) and doesn't even mention the most popular SSRI in the world, Celexa. As far as I could tell, the author, a pharmacist and not a doctor, got all of his anecdotal evidence from one actual physician--the one who wrote the brief introduction. There is nothing in this book that one couldn't easily find surfing the Internet (particularly at these drugs' own Web sites) in about half an hour.

This book, published in April 1999, claims to offer "new information" on the new antidepressants. If you have not done any research whatsoever on these drugs you may find this to be true. However over 1/2 of this book is dedicated to a review of each of the 4 antidepresants in the title. The information is almost straight out of the technical documents already published by the manufactures of the drugs. Additionally the author is a pharmicist and NOT an M.D. I do not mean to knock the pharmacy profession but I would feel more comfortable getting this kind of information from a qualified M.D. I must admit that I had done research on these drugs on my own prior to reading this text. If you are considering using these drugs and have not done any research you will find a lot of useful information here.

These medications should not be "chosen" by the patient. Considering the side effects and withdrawal symptoms associated with all of these medications, they should not be "chosen" at all. This book is very misleading and could be very dangerous to the general public. These medications do have their place in society, but only at the discretion of a fully-informed psychiatrist along with his full testing and evaluation of the patient.

This book is deficient in providing information regarding the well documented and real risks in SSRI antidepressants. It seems little more than a restating of drug company propaganda. It does not adequately discusss the risks of akasthesia, tardive dyskinesia, risk of suicidality, sexual dysfunction, neurotoxicity, and other numerous side effects. The public is ill served by further reassurance that these toxic agents are safe and effective. The book is also deficient in discussing safe, effective alternatives to SSRIS such as St John's Wort, SAM-e, Omega 3 oils, dietary and lifestyle changes, psychotherapy, and spiritual work.

Ronald Feintech, Ph.D.