Posted by Snoozy on May 20, 2003, at 14:41:39
In reply to Dopamine Levels .... Depression/Anxiety, posted by JackT on May 20, 2003, at 12:34:57
Hi Jack -
I've been on Provigil for about 2 weeks, starting at 100mg the first week and now 200. It does help some with the sleepiness, but it's nothing like an espresso or Ritalin. I haven't had any bothersome side effects, although that may be misleading. A lot of people get headaches from it, at least early on, but I have had daily migraines for several months, so I don't think I would know if the Provigil was giving me a headache :)
Further complicating things, I am now faced with an incredibly stressful situation that wasn't there when I started the Provigil. So it's hard to determine what effect it has on my mood. But these things can never be easy, can they?
My dx is dysthymia, and I also take 400mg Wellbutrin.
Well, that's input, but I don't know if it's helpful at all ;)
> I tried Haldol (dopamine agonist) and the first four days I felt happy and generally glad to be alive (not manic, just positive feelings of well-being). Then it just pooped out and I felt no benefit good or bad. I assume that I had a dopamine surge at first and then it was down-regulated.
>
> I believe that I have low levels of dopamine because all my dopamine molecules are converted to norepinephrine as a result of my largest problem, GAD. The mild depression (maybe dysthymia is a better description) that I have is probably a by-product of the GAD.
>
> I take benzos for effective relief of the GAD, but I am still left, unmotivated, apathetic and somewhat sad. Therefore, I'm looking for something that had the effect of the first four days of Haldol, but that lasts.
>
> Any input on the dopamine effecting drugs like selegiline, provigil, amulsipride (sp?)or others for dysthymia. I need to add that I've tried Ritalin, and sometimes it has a mood-lifting effect, but it also makes me more anxious.
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> JackT
poster:Snoozy
thread:227888
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030520/msgs/227911.html