Posted by garylee on May 30, 2008, at 4:01:10
In reply to Re: Mirapex sleepyness question » garylee, posted by satsumas on May 29, 2008, at 22:07:01
> Thanks, Gary. Could you describe a bit more how mirapex felt? Was it similar to Ritalin (if you tried that) or different? Did it resolve anhedonia if that was a problem?
>
> My issue is also lack of motivation, but i've come to realize it is more than that. I am also addicted to the internet. There is something screwed up in my "reward" system, such that natural rewards, even things I "know" I like (like playing squash, going for a bike ride, calling friends), I am not motivated to do. I don't know if it is an affect of the SSRIs I ahve been on, part of the depression itself, or a result of the 3 years I was on ephedra supplements in college, or if it's just my genes (dad was an alcoholic/abused cocaine).
>
> But I've come to realize that natural rewards and desires, things like romance, sex, success, achievement, fun, hobbies -- I am simply apathetic about. And in response or as substitution, I use the internet far too much. It has affected every corner of my life, including my career.
>
> And after a 3 week suicidal depression after coming off Emsam and switching back to Effexor (Emsam did help with the motivation, gave me more "free will"), I realize that this has to change, and thus, wan tto try some dopaminergic agents.
>
> Hence the mirapex.
>
> Interested in knowing why you think the mirapex didn't work 2nd time around? Do you think it did a down/upregulation? What other DA things did you try?
Hey SatsumasI can't particularly describe how I felt on the Mirapex when it was first working. All I can say is just a feeling of 'normality'. It was like one morning, 'PING' woke up earlyish, after about 5 days of max dosage, not really tired, able to get out of bed easily and start on chores/work etc. The motivation just came out of nowhere, BUT it was nothing like an amphetamine buzz like Ritalin or recreational phet's.
My Doperminergic quest came about from substance abuse a few years back. To be precise, Cocaine. It was the only recreational drug that made me feel 'normal' and totally in control of myself. I don't really feel a high as such; just my baseline mood/depression has just been shunted upwards to an acceptable level. Obviously Cocaine is not a good path to travel down to self medicate, but it did get me researching on the net (I know how you feel about internet abuse! I spend endless hours researching mad and wonderful medications that will hopefully one day cure me..!) For the Doperminergics out there. Mirapex had the most research done on Bipolar so I tried it out!
I looked into the mechanism of the DA's, like what receptor's they hit and what affinity they had to certain other receptors. Mirapex was said to have a D2/D3 agonist mode of action, but with a higher affinity to the D3 receptor, kind of known to be the 'antidepressant' receptor (very armchair psychopharmacology here!). Anyway, my feelings were correct. Had a very, very, understanding Pdoc back then he basically let me take anything I showed evidence for, as he had exhausted all his know avenues!.
The only side effect I ever experienced from the Mirapex was a major urge to smoke! Bad nicotine cravings! I was a very light social smoker before hand and turned into a chain, 20 a dayer smoker! I researched this back then, and there was evidence to show that Dopamine receptors had a connection with nicotine receptors, hence why most schizophrenics on antipsychotics smoke too. I'm hazy on it all now it was so long ago.
As for continuing my Dopamine quest, next up hopefully is Amineptine, the ONLY SDRI ever produced. It was apparently the best AD produced but obviously withdrawn worldwide by the FDA because it made people feel good. Go figure?? Anyway, have found a 'grey market' source so am awaiting the tabs in the next week or so. Apart for that, I am deeply researching D1 agonists, they interest my massively, but there are none commercially available right now...
Opiates are my next option too. Other than the Mirapex the only other remission type effect a med has had was Subutex. Only worked for 4 weeks though and gave me severe constipation, lol, too much to handle! :OS
I've written too much to know where I am so I'll add these last bits before you reply, the other Dopamine med I tried was Abilify, a Dopamine 'stabilizer'. Once again, worked well first time round but I couldn't handle the akathesia, like have insects crawling under my skin with serious RLS.
Lol, I'm lost now, written too much. Have a read if it makes sense and get back to me with feedback?
Gary
poster:garylee
thread:831950
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080528/msgs/832034.html