Posted by Elizabeth on November 7, 2001, at 10:45:02
In reply to Re: other stuff » Elizabeth, posted by Mitch on November 6, 2001, at 23:29:49
> I took the same measurements at the same times doing the same tasks with the same machine... at Wal-Mart. :)
Did you take several measurements while you were on each drug?
> As far as *symptoms* go I cannot directly correlate the "cold/numb hands-nose" sfx with the BP changes-they may likely be separate events that are independent of the BP changes.
Both changes might relate to changes in your circulation. Serotonin does have some vasoconstricting effect, but SSRIs don't usually cause much change in BP.
> Also, Zoloft had the least BP effect of the meds I mentioned.
That, at least, fits. :-)
> Unfortunately not, but I did question the pharmacist about this and he told me it was probably increased blood pressure and that I should probably do my CV workout immediately after awakening and *then* take my Adderall.
That makes more sense, yes. I always tried to avoid heavy exercise right after taking Parnate, which tended to raise my BP for a short time about a half hour after taking it. (This was a little tricky when I was taking the Parnate six times a day!)
> Well, Prozac clearly did help the most of the SSRi's, and Zoloft clearly does help (but much less so and not so great by itself). The reason I am still "hanging-around" SSRI's basically is that I have not just an attentional *deficit*, it is an attentional syndrome of sorts. I can have trouble switching attenton (OCPD-"like" hyperfocused stuff), and also have great trouble maintaining attention as well (more classic ADHD symptoms).
I understand. I'm like that too, in a lot of ways: I have trouble shifting, I hyperfocus (this is something that's definitely been going on since I was *very* young -- like, my mother and I both can remember it happening when I was 3), I have a hard time getting started on a project or a task, and I have trouble sticking to a project or task when it becomes frustrating or I get bored of it. But I find that serotonin-selective ADs don't help a bit, with that or the depression either.
> Elizabeth, ANY antihistamine *wrecks* my attentional capacities. Remeron whacked it, so does nearly all the sedative TCA's, OTC antihistamines, etc.
Like Benadryl, ChlorTrimeton, etc.? What about the non-drowsy ones (just curious)?
> Yes, I did try desipramine and had a *dramatic* improvement in attention (almost as good as Adderall!). However, I was too anxious on it and had much worse tachychardia and dizziness than with NT.
Yeah, that's a problem with DMI. Beta blockers can help (IME). Incidentally, I'm noticing that the DMI seems to help a little with the attention stuff although buprenorphine is definitely responsible for most of the improvement.
> NT, in summary is the only TCA I have tried that doesn't make me *profoundly* dizzy, confused, or anxious.
Which others have you tried? Ever think about getting your hands on some reboxetine? Also...did you get a serum level on the nortriptyline?
Some people who have serious anxiety just need to take a little Klonopin (or whatever) if they need an AD. ADs, especially SSRIs, can be very hard on people with panic disorder, in particular.
As for the dizziness, my experience has been that it subsides after a little while. The start low/go slow approach might help with something like this (although it can be frustratingly slow for those of us who aren't very patient < g >).
> I would like to retry low-dose Wellbutrin, however, in combo with low-dose activating SSRI. From my two experiences (during seasonal depressions with WB), I *didn't* get any irritability and I actually worked my way up to 150mg/day for a while.
That's cool. I wonder if bupropion would help me. I tried it before WB SR was available and I got *really* anxious, plus my insomnia and appetite problems got worse (and at the time they were really bad already).
> I just read a post yesterday or today about 1-PP, which mentions that it was quite a *potent* alpha-2 antagonist.
Potent means that low doses have an effect, that's all. But there are other factors, such as the extent to which buspirone is metabolized to 1-PP, volume of distribution, etc. Last time I read up on it, the findings were that buspirone didn't cause much significant alpha2-blockade in vivo.
> Also, I think the serotonin 5-HT1a *agonist* activity of Buspar may have contributed just as much to the irritability.
Maybe. Don't get yourself too wrecked trying to pin down the cause. :-) Did SSRIs or other serotonergic drugs ever make you peevish or hostile?
> Also possibly I may have simply had a classic paradoxical hostility reaction to an anxiolytic which is not uncommon with people that have ADHD.
Buspar is more like an antidepressant than like most drugs that are considered anxiolytics. Which other drugs have been known to cause hostility or irritability in people with ADD, though? I don't think I ever heard of that.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:82248
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011104/msgs/83429.html