Posted by X_ander on November 25, 2008, at 4:51:48
In reply to Re: anhedonia along with severe insomnia, posted by Mikez on November 19, 2008, at 2:32:01
Hi Jade,
I'm not really saying anything about whether mood will improve down the track, due to dopamine conversion to noradrenaline. I'm not a doctor. But I know some basic theory, and I've taken meds myself.
I would assume if a person has anhedonia like we do, then dopamine enhancing meds are the best bet. I'd think the conversion to noradrenaline down the line wouldn't necessarily be a good thing for anhedonia.
But again things aren't that simple to the point where we can say that the conversion to NA is a bad thing for anhedonia and apathy. At the end of the day it really is trial and error... I did research because I know how I responded to serotonergic meds...and most of the docs here don't look beyond the end of their noses..at possible reasons why. The research (well the finding of other ppls research) led me to the dopamine side of things.
I think that is pretty much as far as we can take the neuroscience/chemistry of it because no-one can be certain how anything in the brain works. Psychiatry/neuroscience just isn't that advanced.
Dopamine seems to be THE neurotransmitter most associated with anhedonia/apathy. And I would think we should try as many of the dopamine-enhancing meds (agonists, reuptake inhibitors, MAO-B Inhibitors etc.) until we get a robust response.
I may just have gone a little off track there...lol sorry
Bupropion day 5...now on 300mg, sleep is no better or worse really. I've had fleeting moments of focus and energy but that seems to have dissipated. It certainly doesn't make me jittery or anxious. I think it's definitely on the right track..but I can't help but think it may not be strong enough on the dopamine side of things. I'm pretty sure the dopamine reuptake inhibition is not all that strong in bupropion..certainly not compared to stimulants..probably why it isn't classified as a stimulant :P
Take care X.
poster:X_ander
thread:863507
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081123/msgs/865150.html