Posted by OldSchool on December 26, 2001, at 20:31:02
In reply to Exercise and Depression, posted by bob on December 26, 2001, at 15:50:21
> I have often seen articles and such that suggest that exercise helps with depression. Therapists and doctors have also suggested it to me on occasion. Before I suffered from any mood disorders, I loved to be active. I am now rarely active on medecines. My questions pertaining to this are as follows:
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> 1 - Does anybody who takes antidepressants (especially drug cocktails, or the stronger meds like tricyclics and MAOIs) find it very difficult to participate in vigorous physical activity?Ive found that on the modern class psych meds, exercise isnt interfered with much if at all. I find absolutely no problems exercising while taking modern class antidepresants like SSRIs, Wellbutrin, Effexor, etc. However on the older meds like the Tricyclics and MAOIs its a different story. I did find that tricyclic antidepressants somewhat affected my ability to workout hard. This is probably mostly due to the anti-cholinergic side effects of TCAs. I found Pamelor raised my resting pulse rate and this was due to anti-cholinergic side effects...that definitely causes problems with aerobic exercise. TCAs also can cause a sedation that can interfere with exercise.
With MAOIs, Ive never really been on one except to try one briefly where it rapidly dropped my blood pressure a lot. I cant imagine working out hard with serious MAOI induced orthostatic hypotension. But then again, MAOIs are a much more potent AD so it might be a tradeoff between getting a really good AD effect and having the ability to push it really hard exercise wise.
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> 2 - Does anybody feel that excercise seems to have a delayed negative effect sometimes, where one actually feels worse a day or two after performing it? On the rare occasion when I get up adequate energy to exercise, I seem to experience a rebound from that where I feel expecially bad in the following days. This usually guarantees that I cannot continue exercising.No I havent experienced this I always feel better the next day after working out.
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> 3 - Am I not finding the proper drug cocktail to allow me to be physically active, or is asking someone strung out on antidepressants who has a serious mood to exercise regularly somewhat unrealistic? I have found that the only times I can actually be physically active is on lower doses of medecine -- but it never lasts long, as my disorder takes over.Sounds like the meds are probably overly sedating you. Perhaps a stimulating med like Wellbutrin would be in order.
Old School
poster:OldSchool
thread:87886
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/87908.html