![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Michael D on August 10, 2006, at 5:03:55
I've tried several SSRIs and they all increase my anxiety and stop me from being able to cry.
Has anyone found that tricyclics are different in this respect?
Has anyone found that certain SSRIs are different in this respect?
Michael
Posted by SLS on August 10, 2006, at 5:42:48
In reply to Crying: Tricyclics vs. SSRIs, posted by Michael D on August 10, 2006, at 5:03:55
> I've tried several SSRIs and they all increase my anxiety and stop me from being able to cry.
>
> Has anyone found that tricyclics are different in this respect?When a tricyclic works, it will generally relieve anxiety. However, this will take the usual minimum of 2 weeks to begin to happen. However, some of these drugs act to relieve anxiety even before this. Amitriptyline, doxepin, trimipramine are the first ones that come to mind. These drugs do not generally cause apathy or blunt affect, so they should not stop you from crying.
> Has anyone found that certain SSRIs are different in this respect?Prozac and Lexapro are noted for producing anxiety early in treatment. However, this can happen with any SSRI depending on the individual. I would say the same thing applies regarding apathy and blunted affect. I'm not sure which of them tend to be the worst offenders.
- Scott
Posted by SLS on August 10, 2006, at 6:00:12
In reply to Re: Crying: Tricyclics vs. SSRIs, posted by SLS on August 10, 2006, at 5:42:48
> When a tricyclic works, it will generally relieve anxiety.
This is only if the anxiety is a symptom of the depressive disorder. These drugs will not generally act as an anxiolytic to treat anxiety disorders like GAD, SAD, or panic disorder.
> However, this will take the usual minimum of 2 weeks to begin to happen.
It might take as long as 4-6 weeks to see results.
- Scott
Posted by silvercoin on August 10, 2006, at 8:15:55
In reply to Crying: Tricyclics vs. SSRIs, posted by Michael D on August 10, 2006, at 5:03:55
> I've tried several SSRIs and they all increase my anxiety and stop me from being able to cry.
>
> Has anyone found that tricyclics are different in this respect?
>
> Has anyone found that certain SSRIs are different in this respect?
>
> Michael
I found desipramine to increase my anxiety, particularly initially, but it was excellent at allowing me to feel emotion and be able to cry, having almost a spiritual aspect to it. However, I have read other anecdotes saying almost the exact opposite. I think nortriptyline is a better med for anxiety, and it also seems to be a good AD, the major drawback being the sedative aspects of it that can be too much for some people.SSRIs in general do seem to blunt emotions; although, this is certainly not true in every case. I found Prozac to be the worst SSRI in terms of increasing anxiety. Zoloft increased it initially for me, but this tended to go away relatively quickly.
Todd
Posted by SLS on August 10, 2006, at 8:28:23
In reply to Re: Crying: Tricyclics vs. SSRIs, posted by silvercoin on August 10, 2006, at 8:15:55
> > I've tried several SSRIs and they all increase my anxiety and stop me from being able to cry.
> >
> > Has anyone found that tricyclics are different in this respect?
> >
> > Has anyone found that certain SSRIs are different in this respect?
> >
> > Michael
>
>
> I found desipramine to increase my anxiety, particularly initially, but it was excellent at allowing me to feel emotion and be able to cry, having almost a spiritual aspect to it.How long did you remain on it? What caused you to discontinue it?
I found reboxetine, another selective noradrenergic drug, to be very anxiogenic. Actually, it made me suicidal. I had to stop taking it before two weeks had elapsed. I don't think the anxiety or suicidality would have dissipated. I was in too much pain and too afraid to find out.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on August 10, 2006, at 12:25:56
In reply to Re: Crying: Tricyclics vs. SSRIs » silvercoin, posted by SLS on August 10, 2006, at 8:28:23
I can cry on luvox. Love Phillipa
Posted by silvercoin on August 10, 2006, at 13:00:18
In reply to Re: Crying: Tricyclics vs. SSRIs » silvercoin, posted by SLS on August 10, 2006, at 8:28:23
> > > I've tried several SSRIs and they all increase my anxiety and stop me from being able to cry.
> > >
> > > Has anyone found that tricyclics are different in this respect?
> > >
> > > Has anyone found that certain SSRIs are different in this respect?
> > >
> > > Michael
> >
> >
> > I found desipramine to increase my anxiety, particularly initially, but it was excellent at allowing me to feel emotion and be able to cry, having almost a spiritual aspect to it.
>
> How long did you remain on it? What caused you to discontinue it?
>
> I found reboxetine, another selective noradrenergic drug, to be very anxiogenic. Actually, it made me suicidal. I had to stop taking it before two weeks had elapsed. I don't think the anxiety or suicidality would have dissipated. I was in too much pain and too afraid to find out.
>
>
> - Scott
It was a combination of things. I got a little tired of the constipation and dry mouth and was interested in trying an MAOI, which seem to be better balanced antidepressants to me. Even though desipramine very strongly blockades NE reuptake, I believe it increases serotonin transmission considerably more than reboxetine does.Todd
Posted by linkadge on August 10, 2006, at 16:51:37
In reply to Re: Crying: Tricyclics vs. SSRIs » SLS, posted by silvercoin on August 10, 2006, at 13:00:18
I would think that the TCA's with a higher ratio of norepinephrine to serotonin uptake might be less likely to inihibit crying.
The longer half life SSRI's seemed to cause more emotional blunting. Ie, I can second Phillipa in that luvox wasn't so bad in this area, but celexa zoloft, prozac completely inhibited emotion.
Linkadge
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.