[dragonesk]

I'm a 45-yr-old female. Teacher by profession, overweight, with mild fibromyalgia.

About two years ago, my doctor prescribed 75 mg Zoloft for mild ADD symptoms and depression. When I began experiencing increased insomnia a few months later, he reduced the Zoloft to 50 mg per day (in the morning) and added 50 mg of Elavil in the evening.

It was at about that time that I began gaining more weight than usual. I've always been overweight, but I gained about 30-35 lbs in a year. I have also been experiencing an increase in addictive behavior (in my case, computer/internet addiction) to the point that it is interfering with my home and job responsibilities.

I checked the drug info pages for both Zoloft and Elavil, and I found that apparently there is some sort of problem with combining them. The Zoloft page says "ask your physician about taking this with ... Elavil" and the Elavil page says vice versa about Zoloft.

The other prescription meds I am currently taking are Mobic 15 mg and Protonix 40 mg.

My questions are: 1) Should I be taking the Zoloft and Elavil together? and 2) Could either one or the combination of both be causing the weight gain and increase in addictive behavior?

Thanks,
Debbie

[pharmd06]

they are ok to take together

a side effect of both of them is weight gain. especially the elavil. you could talk to the doctor about using something else or stopping the elavil. i am not sure about the changes in behavior its possible that they can induce manic episodes based on the way they work and that could lead to that type of behavior.

[dragonesk]

Thanks. I'll definitely check into changing one or both. I know that they can't be discontinued cold turkey, but I'll ask my doctor about weaning off from at least one of them. Rather than using the Elavil to help me sleep, maybe I'd be better off using a sleep med occasionally.