Posted by lynn on January 5, 2000, at 9:58:26
In reply to Re: keep an SSRI for OCD, posted by Abby on January 4, 2000, at 21:32:07
You are all so helpful and kind -- I can't tell you how much I appreciate your responses. I realize that what I failed to mention in my previous post is that I have in fact tried adding Wellbutrin to Prozac. For 3 months or so, I took 75 mg Wellbutrin IR with 20 mg Prozac to try to combat the sexual side effects (which were not nearly as intense for me on 20 mg as they are on 40mg). Unfortunately, this combination did nothing for me but made me feel a little out of it and drugged in a sort of wired, nauseated, distracted way (not anxious, really, but a little over-medicated). I am quite small in stature and perhaps there was something about the way I metabolized the medications that just made me feel out of whack. So, for me, the switch would have to be entirely to Wellbutrin. Adding a stimulant is a very interesting suggestion. John L, do you know which stimulants are usually added, and why the positive effect on sexual function occurs? Another complicating factor is that I have anxiety on top of a very anergic depression, so it is hard to treat both of these things simultaneously. I find that almost everything makes me unbearably exhausted (except Prozac), but I have to treat my anxiety at the same time. Interestingly, Prozac does not make me anxious -- rather, I find it mildly sedating. So, in addition to the 40 mg Prozac, I take .5 mg Klonopin every night. The Klonopin stays in my system for 18 hours, so I usually feel pretty good the next morning until later afternoon. I think I am at my best with Klonopin, Prozac, and about 10 oz of black coffee in my system. I find that I am the most relaxed and focused at this time. So, I guess I feel overwhelmed by all the elements here that I need to treat -- OCD, anxiety/panic, and anergic depression. Someone mentioned a low dose of Elavil, too, and told me that Elavil gets a bad rap because it is usually prescribed in very high doses. Does anyone have any experience with it? As a teenager, I was on a very high dose of imipramine and felt better depression-wise, but was overwhelmed with the cholinergic side effects.
poster:lynn
thread:17987
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000101/msgs/18085.html