Posted by bleauberry on February 27, 2010, at 17:14:36
In reply to Mind-numbing/emotional numbing, posted by vic80 on February 27, 2010, at 14:07:47
Well, if these symptoms of mind-numbness and blankheadedness were not there before escitalopram, then yeah, that's it.
These kinds of feelings are fairly common with all of the ssri medications. Lack of motivation and anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure) are components of depression itself, can also be separate syndromes without depression, and are also medication induced by certain drugs. The most guilty ones are SSRIs (celexa and lexapro, paxil, luvox, zoloft, and to a lesser extent prozac), the benzos (xanax, klonopin, lorazepam, valium), and the antipsychotics if their doses are more than very low.
The best bet is to take medications that target a broad spectrum of neurotransmitters...the inhibitory ones as well as the excitatory ones. Right now you are taking two medications that are inhibitory, drowning out anything excitatory.
I guess if lexapro were to help your depression greatly, but leave you numb, the next step would be to add a medication like ritalin, nortriptyline, wellbutrin, anything that targets the norepinephrine/dopamine circuits. But since you say suicidal thoughts are still present at times, then that doesn't speak well for lexapro doing much good for you.
You should probably call the doctor and tell him how badly the meds are changing you, and then see what he does.
poster:bleauberry
thread:938099
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100216/msgs/938116.html