Posted by Cindy W on July 14, 2000, at 8:54:35
In reply to Re: Prozac and apathy, posted by JohnL on July 14, 2000, at 4:33:27
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> I think this apathy and/or anhedonia phenomenon is much more common with all of the serotonin enhancing medications than is admitted by most physicians. While the SSRIs are indeed wonder meds, they very often leave the patient in an undepressed yet unmotived state, characterized by lack of motivation and lack of joy. The SSRIs do very often relieve the lows, but they also very often chop off the highs, leaving us in a very limited emotional range. That's a welcome relief to someone who has been in a deep depression, but can be a real handicap once the person has begun to recover.
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> This phenomenon happened with me on Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa, Serzone, and Effexor. It wasn't until I branched out and away from these serotonin meds that I discovered apathy is a totally different beast that responds very well to other meds, such as stimulants, some antipsychotics, or tricyclic antidepressants. Sometimes they work well when combined with an ongoing SSRI, and sometimes they work better without the SSRI. We all have different chemistries and will respond differently. I wish there was some substitute for personal trial, but it hasn't yet been discovered.
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> I just wanted to confirm that your comments on Prozac are very real and probably a lot more common than we would like to think.
> JohnL
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> p.s. my ultimate solution was found with Adrafinil. You may want to consider Ritalin, Adderall, Adrafinil, Zyprexa, Risperdal, Stelazine, Desipramine, Nortriptyline. I know that's a lot to choose from. From what you've described though, I think you'll find dramatically better results with one of those than with either Wellbutrin or Prozac. I would start with Ritalin and then Adderall, since they work in 24 to 72 hours. No long trials needed. Then, if they don't work, move on to the others. But Ritalin and Adderall are often added to SSRIs for the very reasons you mentioned...apathy, fatigue.just wanted to add my 2 cents worth--I took Prozac 60 mg/day for about l0 years, and felt like a zombie at times. I had no good or bad feelings at all. After a certain point, I didn't care about anything, but could function well in everyday life. Have experienced this especially with Prozac. With other SSRI's, I didn't feel the affective flattening but did have sexual dysfunction (Luvox, Zoloft). Serzone didn't do any of those bad things. Effexor-XR is working for me, with some very slight delay in reaching orgasm. And it doesn't make me feel like a zombie or affectless.
poster:Cindy W
thread:39734
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000708/msgs/40416.html