SSRIs In Thailand

[BangkokBernie]

 

I searched for recent post on this topic to seek answers to my questions below, but I didn't find anything very recent so I decided to post a new topic about it. 

 

It seems the 3 main SSRIs available in Thailand are:

 

1. Escitalopram (Lexapro)

2. Sertraline (Zoloft)

3. Fluoxetine (Prozac)

 

Out of the 3, I've read that Escitalopram is the most well tolerated with the least amount of side effects. It also seems to have the least of any possible side effects on sexual function. 

 

I have a few questions on Escitalopram please:

 

1 - Is it available in Thailand in 20mg tablets so that it can be split in half to save on cost when taking a 10 mg daily dose? Or are there only 10mg tablets available?

 

2 - There is a locally made generic available for Escitalopram in Thailand under the generic brand name Esidep (from Sun Pharma) which sells at around 650 Baht for 28 tablets of 10mg each. Is this the best low cost option for this medication?

 

3 - I saw that there is another generic brand in Thailand of this medication called Esopam. I haven't seen it being sold in pharmacies in Thailand though so I'm wondering if the price is roughly the same as Esidep or is it much different?

 

Thank you. 

[Sheryl]

Sun Pharma is an Indian, not Thai, manufacturer.

 

Thrte are a coupld if Thsi brands that come in 10mg dose:

 

Esopam, which is Thai made, comes in both 10 and 20mg dose. However does not look like the 20mg dose is scored so breaking in hslf not advidable.

 

There is snother Thsi madr brand called Jovia, comes in 10mg only.

 

I can't advise the costs. 

 

While these drugs are sold over the counter in Thailand it is not a good idea to self-prescribe.

 

Additionally, side effect profiles can vary depending on the patient's overall condition and medical history.

 

Taking the advice of a good psychistrist specializing in mood disorders is the best approach. 

[BangkokBernie]

Thank you for your clarifications and concern. After I made my OP earlier, I looked at the box and realized it is indeed made in India and is then distributed through a local Thai pharmaceutical company. 
 

I already have some experience with antidepressant medication. Around 10 years ago, a Thai doctor put me onto Deanxit for an off label use. I think I took it for around 8 to 10 months and it helped me quite a bit for the needed purpose. In fact, I might have stayed on it a bit longer, but at the time I had eventually read some things about the dangers of that drug and how it wasn't even approved for use in the USA, the UK and most of Europe. It's manufactured by a European company, but yet it's only really used in India, Thailand, and a few other developing countries. From some studies I read, which were conducted in India, it turns out the drug is fairly high risk for seizures as well as some other issues. So that is why it's probably not approved for use in most countries and was the main reason I stopped it abruptly. The doctor who put me on it probably wasn't aware of the dangers, unfortunately. In hindsight, I wish I was given a different drug instead, but we can't change the past. And after I stopped taking it, there were luckily no issues and I also realized that I didn't need it any longer anyway. 
 

By comparison, Escitalopram is a much milder drug, and I had no noticeable side effects from using Deanxit for close to a year, so I think I should be fine. My plan is to only use it for a few months at most to help reduce some anxiety, but I'll try it for a month first, and if it's not working well for me, then I'll just stop. It's possible by then I may not even need it any longer. It's not something I'm planning on using long-term, so I'm less concerned about general side effects.

 

Also, I've studied all three of the drugs I mentioned pretty closely and Escitalopram seems to have the least number of side effects overall than the others. So it sounds like it's the most conservative choice as well.