Anti-anxiety agents and antidepressants

Anxiety and depression are frequent symptoms of chronic disease. They are also among the symptoms that can be exacerbated by excess exposure to light.

Patients considering the Marshall ProtocolA curative medical treatment for chronic inflammatory disease. Based on the Marshall Pathogenesis. (MP) may already be taking anti-anxiety agents and antidepressants. As with many drugs, these can act in immunomodulatory ways, sometimes in ways that have yet to be fully understood.

Although the ultimate goal is to discontinue taking these medications, patients experiencing intolerable anxiety or depression should seek relief. If anti-anxiety agents and antidepressants palliate severe symptoms and allow patients to continue the MP in a safe and tolerable manner, these drugs are not contraindicated.

It is important to point out that many patients report that depression and anxiety resolve over the course of treatment with the MP.

The following is a list of some common anti-anxiety agents and antidepressants.

• amitriptyline (Apo-amitriptyline, Elatrol, Elavil, Endep, Laroxyl, Saroten, Sarotex, Tryptizol)
• aripiprazole (Abilify), bupropion (Budeprion SR/XL, Bupropion SR/XL, Wellbutrin SR/XL, Zetron, Zyban SR)
• citalopram (Alcytan, Celexa, Cipramil, Cittá)
• diazepam (Ducene, Ivax Pharm, Stesolid, Valium)
• duloxetine (Cymbalta)
• escitalopram (Cipralex, Esipram, Lexapro, Seroplex)
• fluoxetine (Actan, Fluxene, Lorien, Lovan, Prozac, Tuneluz)
• fluphenazine (Modecate, Prolixin Decanoate, Dapotum D, Anatensol, Fludecate, Sinqualone Deconoate, Dapotum Injektion, Flunanthate, Moditen Enanthate Injection, Sinqualone Enanthate, Prolixin, Permitil, Dapotum, Lyogen, Moditen, Omca, Sediten, Selecten, Sevinol, Sinqualone, Trancin) – shown to be “a direct inhibitor of the innate immune signaling pathway”¹
• nortriptyline (Aventyl, Norpress, Pamelor)
• paroxetine (Aropax, Paxil, Paxil CR, Paxxet, Pexeva, Sereupin, Seroxat)
• S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAM-e)
• sertraline (Eleva, Lustral, Sertra, Xydep, Zoloft) – shown to be “a direct inhibitor of the innate immune signaling pathway”²
• trazodone (APO-Trazodone, Desyrel, Donaren)
• trifluoperazine (Eskazinyl, Eskazine, Jatroneural, Modalina, Stelazine, Terfluzine, Trifluoperaz, Triftazin) – shown to be “a direct inhibitor of the innate immune signaling pathway”³
• venlafaxine (Effexor, Effexor XR, PMS-Venlafaxine XR, Venlafaxine XR)

According to Trevor Marshall, PhD:

Brand name Valium product does not seem to be addictive in our cohort, whereas there are problems weaning off some of the generics.

MP patients should consult with their physicians as their symptoms resolve to experiment with taking lower levels of anti-anxiety agents and antidepressants. Weaning anti-anxiety agents and antidepressants may increase immunopathologyA temporary increase in disease symptoms experienced by Marshall Protocol patients that results from the release of cytokines and endotoxins as disease-causing bacteria are killed..

Though patients on anti-depressants tend to have more extreme Herx [immunopathology] reactions, and there is evidence suggesting antibiotic effects of psychiatric meds which may be counter-productive to the intention of the MP, I do not recommend reduction of anti-depressants until symptoms improve.

Then, very gradual reduction of anti-depressants can be initiated, but one should expect that it will take months and months to slowly wean off.

Greg Blaney, MD