Posted by sonny liston on January 15, 2007, at 14:23:46
In reply to Re: yxibow » sonny liston, posted by yxibow on January 15, 2007, at 13:53:53
> > Hi Jay,
> >
> > How is going? Could you share a bit about your meds
> >
> > Are you on Zoloft or Cymbalta? Or am totally off target here.
>
> I'm on a polypharmacy set of medications, three of which are not solely of a psychiatric nature. Cymbalta, Seroquel, Valium, Neurontin, Ambien (tapering down with Rozerem) and Robaxin. Also PRN Xanax, PRN Akineton and Artane, PRN Clonidine (all of the PRN which I don't regularly take more than once a day or once or twice a week)
>
> I have Somatiform NOS (not otherwise specified) concomitant with MDD (major depressive disorder, secondary to the prior likely but could be solo), five years now, basically my brain can't filter out visuality (headlights, fluorescent, brightness and contrast and patterns, etc) as others would in an instant, and as I would have before this sprung opon me. It is in the spectrum of OC disorders, but is not a psychosis and is not very much in my control.
>
> That is a summary of things, I have written up more about my disorder in several recent postings.
>
> I have taken Zoloft once I think in the past, in college, I don't remember offhand.
>
> How is it going -- well I wish I could have my prior life back and not be trapped inside a life-robbing disorder, but I have made progress, and at least my doctors if not myself believe that more social and outward interaction will both push away at least a portion of the disorder and allow me to cope with however long it may be.
>
> I still have my mind and intellect intact, I am just hampered by distraction which makes day to day life not what it should be, and not where I should be at 31. I should be at a stage where I have a high level position, a life partner, and all of the above but there has been a gap in life.
>
> I am fortunate to be an only child and have parents, albeit a bit older than some others would have at this point, who can care for me. On the other hand, it would have been nice to have a sibling but that wasn't in the picture.
>
> So that's the story from here. I hope that helps -- and I hope you can be helped by your doctor and your medications.
>
> I can sympathize with GAD, I generally fall in the anxiety spectrum (having lifetime OCD and probable tad of GAD), and I probably haven't had a "good nights sleep" since I was 8 or something, I am an insomniac. And I suppose the depressive nature of my disorder and some of the medications probably too unfortunately contribute to somewhat of an anhedonic, blunted sense of life.
>
>
> As for the low sex drive, for me it comes as much psychologically (I'd prefer my weight to be less as past medicine has contributed to a state I've never been in before, fighting it at the gym), as much as some blockade from the medication. Some years ago I was on Wellbutrin and I can say quite the opposite about sex drive, good heavens that stuff can rev someone up, but we needn't go there. But it was too much eventually in terms of anxiety generating and rather spectacular insomnia, so that was dropped. But sometimes psychiatrists add a small dose of Wellbutrin to those on SSRIs to help with libido. Conversely, those with premature ejaculation, hyperactive libido, etc, are sometimes given a low dose of an SSRI.
>
>
> ILO I assume means in lieu of -- I don't think that in the long term Xanax will shrink anhedonia. Sure, in the short run any euphoric substance will lift things and make one feel less depressed but in the long run benzodiazepines can contribute to fatigue of their own (not saying that it isn't important for GAD) depending on one's reaction to them -- some people claim Klonopin is depressive, others are sort of neutral on that. I think some sort of antidepressant and /or AED (other than a benzodiazepine) is probably needed for anhedonia.
>
>
> -- tidings
Jay thanks for sharing. I know it's not easy sometimes.My Doc prefers K over Xanax that's why I'm on it. She will "RX" it if a new patient comes in and is already on it, but prefers K for anxiety patients who have never tried a benzo.
Like so many I'm maybe looking for something that doesn't exsist. A med to help with anxiety/sleep without causing sedation or stimulation or sexual dysfunction and oh yes some antidepressant properties.
Stay positve and be the best person you can be.
poster:sonny liston
thread:722185
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070113/msgs/722563.html