Conquering Depression by Coordinating Care

June 7, 2004

Conquering Depression by Coordinating Care

"Mary," age 29, has been seeing her primary care physician since she was 25 for recurrent stomachaches, headaches, chronic sleep disorders and anxiety – symptoms with no apparent physical cause. She attributes her symptoms, in part, to job stress. Medications have not alleviated Mary's symptoms and now her doctor feels she may be suffering from depression. She receives a prescription for Paxil, an antidepressant from a category of SSRIs – selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors that are commonly prescribed in the primary care setting. Mary experiences unpleasant side effects . . .