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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by alesta on August 8, 2004, at 5:19:54
First, I want to say that this is a great site! I have learned so much from you guys. Thanks for all your insight!
I wanted to try Parnate for social anxiety and atypical depression, which I'm not sure works quite as well for social anxiety as Nardil due to not affecting GABA, but from what I hear it'll probably still do a pretty good job and also help with depression. I started prozac about 5 weeks ago, so I'm still giving that a trial first, and it definitely helps me a lot, for now. I have a few months' supply of that to go through, so I was thinking of experimenting by adding L-Theanine after a while. Since dopamine, serotonin, and GABA are thought to possibly be the most implicated in social anxiety disorder (in varying degrees probably in different people), then Prozac (affecting serotonin) and L-Theanine (affecting dopamine and GABA) might work great. Note: It is important to make sure it is a Suntheanine brand of l-theanine, which is the pure form.
There are contradictory studies concerning whether or not L-Theanine reduces serotonin, raises it, or has no effect at all on it. So the only potential problem I can foresee with this combo would be if it lowered serotonin substantially, thereby negating the effect of the SSRI. Has anyone tried this combo or plan to? I would also like to try L-Theanine by itself and see how that goes.
(I know some people dislike the SSRIs, so when I say "perfect for social anxiety", I only mean that concerning those who respond well to/take SSRIS. Although adding L-Theanine might provide a different effect.)
Posted by crazychickuk on August 8, 2004, at 9:48:13
In reply to Perfect for Social Anxiety: L-Theanine and SSRI?, posted by alesta on August 8, 2004, at 5:19:54
my advice would be to ask a physc first they have great knowledge.. you dont wanna over do the seritonin cus of the syndrome... do lots of research first..
hope someone can help you
Posted by alesta on August 8, 2004, at 20:40:52
In reply to Re: Perfect for Social Anxiety: L-Theanine and SSRI?, posted by crazychickuk on August 8, 2004, at 9:48:13
thanks for your reply, crazychicuk! Good point about the serotonin syndrome. Absolutely. i think i'll just wait until the jury's out on how l-theanine works before combining it, and maybe try it by itself at some point.
Posted by alesta on August 10, 2004, at 0:52:50
In reply to Perfect for Social Anxiety: L-Theanine and SSRI?, posted by alesta on August 8, 2004, at 5:19:54
After a thorough evaluation of myself on Prozac for depression and social phobia, I have to say that this medication sucks. As those who’ve taken SSRIs know, increasing serotonin, by itself, is emotionally numbing, I guess due to a reduction in dopamine. So forget the l-theanine/Prozac combination. The percentages of the neurotransmitters would be not ideal, since there would still be the way-too-high level of serotonin, causing emotional numbness. The additional dopamine might reduce the level of serotonin, but I doubt it, since adding Wellbutrin to Prozac is supposed to double the effect of both medications.
For social anxiety, serotonin probably plays a much smaller role than GABA and dopamine anyway, since tricyclics have a minimal effect on social anxiety.
Posted by linkadge on August 10, 2004, at 8:52:27
In reply to Forget it--HATE PROZAC!, posted by alesta on August 10, 2004, at 0:52:50
Boosting serotonin boosts gaba. That was one scientific observation made by a few researchers. Consistant SSRI use led to a chronic increase in brain GABA levels.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on August 10, 2004, at 8:54:11
In reply to Forget it--HATE PROZAC!, posted by alesta on August 10, 2004, at 0:52:50
You have gone from saying that this is the *perfect* combo for you, to saying it sucks, all within a matter of a few days. What do you think has been influencing your oppinions the most??
Linkadge
Posted by alesta on August 11, 2004, at 3:10:44
In reply to Re: Forget it--HATE PROZAC!, posted by linkadge on August 10, 2004, at 8:52:27
> Boosting serotonin boosts gaba. That was one scientific observation made by a few researchers. Consistant SSRI use led to a chronic increase in brain GABA levels.
>
>
> LinkadgeHi, Linkadge,
That's interesting; good to know. Thanks for the info! Now if only it increased dopamine.
Posted by alesta on August 11, 2004, at 3:31:41
In reply to extremely quick change in oppinions, posted by linkadge on August 10, 2004, at 8:54:11
> You have gone from saying that this is the *perfect* combo for you, to saying it sucks, all within a matter of a few days. What do you think has been influencing your oppinions the most??
>
> Linkadgei can see how i would come across as wishy washy. i haven't actually taken l-theanine + prozac combined, which is why i was *asking* about the combo. i've only taken prozac by itself. it had only just started working for me, and i was just relieved to be free of depression. but after some serious thinking and observing myself on this drug the last couple days, i feel i can now really say how i feel about it. maybe i'm searching for the answers too soon, but i just found out that my grandma isn't doing well and that i need to visit her soon before it's too late. i feel absolutely nothing. i am scared to visit because i don't think i'm going to act appropriately. i feel like i have to go off this med now so i can visit without freaking out that i am too chipper. i have a HUGE family and social anxiety and feel too anxious now to visit her now or after she dies, and then my family will probably dislike me. so, yeah, i've done a rash analysis of the prozac, but only b/c i feel like i have to make up my mind right now whether i like it or not. in the future, when i start a new drug, i'll make sure to give it some time to see what i think of it before i start speculating about combos and such. i do appreciate your response. i'm sure some others were thinking the same thing. :)
Posted by linkadge on August 11, 2004, at 8:05:54
In reply to Re: extremely quick change in oppinions, posted by alesta on August 11, 2004, at 3:31:41
Just visit her before its too late. In the end, you're not going to blame yourself for visiting her when you were too happy or too sad, but you will blame yourself for not visiting her at all.
I don't think it will go as bad as you anticipate.
Linkadge
Posted by alesta on August 11, 2004, at 16:01:29
In reply to Forget it--HATE PROZAC!, posted by alesta on August 10, 2004, at 0:52:50
i just found out through my own research that prozac, unlike the other SSRIs, can take up to 8 weeks to work. i wish my psydoc had told me this. i'm going to stop jumping the gun here and give this med a fair trial. (and stop posting with every new revelation that i have. hope i'm not being too annoying.:))
prozac is also less likely to cause weight gain than the other SSRIs.
Posted by TexasChic on August 11, 2004, at 16:19:43
In reply to Prozac can take up to 8 WEEKS to work, weight issu, posted by alesta on August 11, 2004, at 16:01:29
I've been told it can take up to 3 months to work. All SSRI's work differently with different people. You will probably have a range of strange feelings when you first start off. But if you continue to feel numb, then that may call for a decrease in dosage, or a switch to an intirely different med. It definitely something to keep an eye on, but not panic about. Paxil and Lexapro made me feel terrible, but they help other people fine. Prozac is the one SSRI that helps my depression.
Posted by alesta on August 11, 2004, at 23:51:25
In reply to Re: Prozac can take up to 8 WEEKS to work, weight, posted by TexasChic on August 11, 2004, at 16:19:43
thanx, texaschic. that's good news to hear. and i'm glad it's working for you.:)
This is the end of the thread.
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