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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rainbowlight on April 17, 2002, at 17:48:12
John, Can you please answer a question for me. I noticed in one of your other posts that you mentioned a med making you feel flattened on a higher dose. I just added Zoloft to my Lamictal/Remeron/Risperdal combo. I noticed when I am taking a 25 mgs. or 37.5 mgs. dose that I felt pretty good mood wise. I bumped it to 50 and started feeling sedated/flattened/depressed even. Could it be that maybe it is just too much? I have noticed this happens to me with other meds too? Is there an explanation for this? And if you know, how to avoid it?
Posted by JohnX2 on April 17, 2002, at 20:46:48
In reply to JohnX2 - question for you, posted by rainbowlight on April 17, 2002, at 17:48:12
> John, Can you please answer a question for me. I noticed in one of your other posts that you mentioned a med making you feel flattened on a higher dose. I just added Zoloft to my Lamictal/Remeron/Risperdal combo. I noticed when I am taking a 25 mgs. or 37.5 mgs. dose that I felt pretty good mood wise. I bumped it to 50 and started feeling sedated/flattened/depressed even. Could it be that maybe it is just too much? I have noticed this happens to me with other meds too? Is there an explanation for this? And if you know, how to avoid it?
Hi RainbowLight,
Well, in my case I think what may be happening is the following (I'll try not to get too detailed, plus there is some scientific wild ass guessing):
Medicines that increase serotonin reuptake like Zoloft, Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, etc , may indirectly in certain areas of the brain cause dopamine to be decreased. There are different types of serotonin receptors, and when more serotonin hits a class of these receptors less dopamine is released in certain areas of the brain. I believe this can cause side effects like anxiety, sexual dysfunction, flat emotions, teeth grinding/jaw tension (I get this).
I'm not sure in your case why the medicine makes you feel more depressed and tired (what was your diagnosis again OCD?), I actually feel more "wired". But my emotions go very flat (I just feel very numb), and I get bad tension headaches and jaw tension.
I have found that medicines that can block specific serotonin receptors, or medicines that just slow down the firing rate of hyperactive serotonin help to alleviate my problems.
This includes mainly Serzone (blocks the bad serotonin receptors). Remeron may also help , but it didn't work for me. Zyprexa, Risperdal and most of the other atypical antipsyhotics have the same properties.
Klonopin and Topamax (I believe mediate hyperactive serotonin firing).
Thats about all I know. I don't know if my neurological quirk is relavent to what you are feeling.
I've tried a bunch of other anticonvulsant medications but they didn't help me.
Topamax, Klonopin, and Serzone are my antidotes.
I haven't exhausted the other atypical antipsychotics, but I did try Zyprexa, it seemed to help a little, but not like Serzone. Remeron did squat (although it blocks the same serotonin receptor..).Who knows..A lot of conjecture.
John
Posted by JohnX2 on April 17, 2002, at 21:21:54
In reply to Re: JohnX2 - question for you » rainbowlight, posted by JohnX2 on April 17, 2002, at 20:46:48
> > John, Can you please answer a question for me. I noticed in one of your other posts that you mentioned a med making you feel flattened on a higher dose. I just added Zoloft to my Lamictal/Remeron/Risperdal combo. I noticed when I am taking a 25 mgs. or 37.5 mgs. dose that I felt pretty good mood wise. I bumped it to 50 and started feeling sedated/flattened/depressed even. Could it be that maybe it is just too much? I have noticed this happens to me with other meds too? Is there an explanation for this? And if you know, how to avoid it?
>
> Hi RainbowLight,
>
> Well, in my case I think what may be happening is the following (I'll try not to get too detailed, plus there is some scientific wild ass guessing):
>
> Medicines that increase serotonin reuptake like Zoloft, Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, etc , may indirectly in certain areas of the brain cause dopamine to be decreased. There are different types of serotonin receptors, and when more serotonin hits a class of these receptors less dopamine is released in certain areas of the brain. I believe this can cause side effects like anxiety, sexual dysfunction, flat emotions, teeth grinding/jaw tension (I get this).
>
> I'm not sure in your case why the medicine makes you feel more depressed and tired (what was your diagnosis again OCD?), I actually feel more "wired". But my emotions go very flat (I just feel very numb), and I get bad tension headaches and jaw tension.
>
> I have found that medicines that can block specific serotonin receptors, or medicines that just slow down the firing rate of hyperactive serotonin help to alleviate my problems.
>
> This includes mainly Serzone (blocks the bad serotonin receptors). Remeron may also help , but it didn't work for me. Zyprexa, Risperdal and most of the other atypical antipsyhotics have the same properties.
>
> Klonopin and Topamax (I believe mediate hyperactive serotonin firing).
>
> Thats about all I know. I don't know if my neurological quirk is relavent to what you are feeling.
>
> I've tried a bunch of other anticonvulsant medications but they didn't help me.
>
> Topamax, Klonopin, and Serzone are my antidotes.
> I haven't exhausted the other atypical antipsychotics, but I did try Zyprexa, it seemed to help a little, but not like Serzone. Remeron did squat (although it blocks the same serotonin receptor..).
>
> Who knows..A lot of conjecture.
>
> JohnRainbowLight,
hmm, why don't you just stay on the lower dose?
John
Posted by rainbowlight on April 17, 2002, at 21:46:55
In reply to Re: JohnX2 - question for you, posted by JohnX2 on April 17, 2002, at 21:21:54
Thanks for answering. I am wondering if it is a temporary feeling (the emotional numbness/sedation) that I would have to go through while moving higher on the dose? The lower dose works pretty well, maybe I'll just stay on it. I see my pdoc on Friday. I added the Zoloft to get rid of the OCD and anxiety. I take Lamictal and Remeron for mood stabilization and for depression. Neither one is very useful for anxiety, at least not for me. The Zoloft is working wonders though. I am almost afraid it is going to go bad (ever had a med work great for a week and then make you feel like crap?)
Posted by JohnX2 on April 17, 2002, at 22:53:22
In reply to Thanks John..., posted by rainbowlight on April 17, 2002, at 21:46:55
> Thanks for answering. I am wondering if it is a temporary feeling (the emotional numbness/sedation) that I would have to go through while moving higher on the dose? The lower dose works pretty well, maybe I'll just stay on it. I see my pdoc on Friday. I added the Zoloft to get rid of the OCD and anxiety. I take Lamictal and Remeron for mood stabilization and for depression. Neither one is very useful for anxiety, at least not for me.
>The Zoloft is working wonders though.
That's good to hear!
> I am almost afraid it is going to go bad (ever had a med work great for a week and then make you feel like crap?)
Usually either they kick in and work for a few hours/minutes and then crap out, they don't work, or they work and keep working. ;-)Good Luck,
John
Posted by Zo on April 22, 2002, at 17:57:03
In reply to JohnX2 - question for you, posted by rainbowlight on April 17, 2002, at 17:48:12
There's lots of us who have to rely on our own reaction to meds and med combinations. In many, many cases, more is not better!
Good luck,
Zo
This is the end of the thread.
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