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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by conundrum on March 12, 2010, at 6:46:34
Before anyone says anything, yes I know its a copycat drug. But the samples were free, and since my GP doesn't prescribe very many ADs I'm sure she can keep me well stocked if it works.
I'm not sure my reasoning for starting it was the soundest. I basically had to admit that I have an obsessive personality which is different from OCD. For me it means that everything as far as meds has to be just right and that I can't trust a doctor to make the right choices. Its very hard for me to accept that you just trial drugs randomly until something works.
So I had been taking 1.25 mgs of prozac which wasn't helping as much as 2.5mg. However I was getting impatient and didn't want to wait 5 weeks for it to start to kick in and only help a little. Sometimes I think if I had given it more time it would have a more profound effect. Also I figured if I needed to augment prozac with a tricyclic or something, I'd probably have to have tried an SNRI first.
So I asked my doc what she would do and she said she would try something else, and since she takes effexor she recommends pristiq although I'm her pristiq guinea pig she told me. (yay?)
So I took the first one in the office. Man its a trip. I'm not gonna say the side effects for any hypochondriacs who might want to try it. They are bearable but I would recommend taking the first dose on a weekend if possible. Also take it early in the day.
Its the beginning of day 3 now and i feel ok no difference. AFter the first night I did feel this pleasantly aroused feeling, like some extra energy, but nothing significant. Its nice because it doesn't seem to cause headaches for me like lexapro and prozac. We'll see what it does in time.
Posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2010, at 12:29:57
In reply to Starting Pristiq, posted by conundrum on March 12, 2010, at 6:46:34
Okay I won't say a thing. But can I ask a question? What's the difference from Ocd personality and Ocd as I have one or the other. I don't trust docs as been burned too many times. I need to be in charge of my meds. But do I need meds? As what helped doesn't help anymore. I hope it works for you. Love Phillipa
Posted by conundrum on March 12, 2010, at 19:10:56
In reply to Re: Starting Pristiq » conundrum, posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2010, at 12:29:57
Hmm
Check out the following link for a detailed description.
http://www.ocdonline.com/articlephillipson6.php
For me I have some of these problems but not all. I have perfectionism when it comes to what medications and supplements I should take. I used to see a traditional chinese medical doctor and tried to make them give me supplements I wanted and the same with my doc and psychiatrist I saw for awhile. I don't want to delegate to someone else cuz I think they will mess it up.
I also am extremely morally rigid although I've kind of learned to ignore it. Deep down I'm a puritan.
Also I couldn't believe in Christianity when I was not able to make sense of it logically. Most people accept religion based on faith not whether it make sense or not.
The funny thing is I don't have symptoms, like need for order, or hoarding old items.
Do you need meds? Only you can determine that. How do you feel?
Posted by Phillipa on March 12, 2010, at 22:04:49
In reply to Re: Starting Pristiq » Phillipa, posted by conundrum on March 12, 2010, at 19:10:56
I'm not OCPD by have OCD traits I think the low dose of luvox has helped but not eliminated. I'd like things certain ways but impossible as I think my partner is the OCPD person so now what? ps he hoards all things twisters on bread, every scrap piece of paper. Me I'll shove things in drawers, can't wait to throw thing out, just like what's seen to look clean and neat. Phillipa
Posted by conundrum on March 15, 2010, at 20:08:04
In reply to Starting Pristiq, posted by conundrum on March 12, 2010, at 6:46:34
So far so good, I haven't noticed any bad side effects from this drug. I do feel spacey and out of it towards the evening. Unfortunately it seems like every drug does this. I hope I start too feel more normal after a couple weeks. When I'm listening to music it sounds different. Like when you talk on a plane and your ears need to be popped.
Posted by sukarno on March 16, 2010, at 8:09:51
In reply to Re: Starting Pristiq » Phillipa, posted by conundrum on March 12, 2010, at 19:10:56
Thanks for posting that link. I read the entire article and it was very well written. It describes me in some ways. I also have OCD and panic disorder with agoraphobia, but the panic and agoraphobia are well controlled with medication.
I wonder if SSRIs, since they blunt emotions in some people, might help with OCPD. People with OCPD easily get upset if things aren't just right and we tend to beat ourselves up over any mistakes we make. I think this could be why we end up depressed.
SSRIs supposedly make people feel much less bothered by events surrounding them. Things being out of place or irritating neighbours will no longer upset the sufferer of OCPD. At least, that's what I hope (in theory) would be the result.
The article suggests there is cognitive behavioural therapy for it. I would like to try that. I've lived around OCPD-type people growing up (it's like living on pins and needles), so I think it rubbed off on me. Probably it is learned and not genetic (just my guess though).
I'll try to make some clear cut changes in my personality now that I've read that article.. until I can get to a competent psychologist/counselor who can treat it.
Thanks again for that link. No other place on the web has explained it that concisely.
Regards,
Sukarno
Posted by conundrum on March 16, 2010, at 22:30:53
In reply to OCPD/perfectionist personality, posted by sukarno on March 16, 2010, at 8:09:51
No problem,
I'm glad someone found it useful.
I think pristiq may be helping a little bit with this. It definetly feels like its adding a tiny bit of color, but I feel detached from the ability to experience it. Also I don't get the headaches I normally get from strictly serotonergic medications. So far so good. I'm starting my 2nd week now.
Posted by g_g_g_unit on March 19, 2010, at 21:21:42
In reply to Starting Pristiq, posted by conundrum on March 12, 2010, at 6:46:34
> I basically had to admit that I have an >obsessive personality which is different from >OCD. >For me it means that everything as far as >meds has >to be just right and that I can't trust >a doctor >to make the right choices. Its very >hard for me >to accept that you just trial drugs >randomly until >something works.
this is a concept i've been battling with tremendously in my journey to 'getting well'. i've been diagnosed with OCD, yet can relate wholeheartedly to everything in that link you posted regarding obsessive compulsive personality disorder.
i recognise that my fascination with meds is just another outgrowth of an obsessive condition, but i also feel like distrusting psychs is a natural response to a medical field that cares very little for patients' overall wellbeing (in my opinion).
for example, you complain about chronic anhedonia. i have a friend who was on an SSRI for four years, and now battles with concentration difficulties, etc. she said her solution was to simply 'get on with life', i.e. get a fulltime job. that's something i just can't stomach, which is why i repeatedly butt heads with psychs.
prozac, for example, destroys my sleep, leaving me essentially non-functional during the day. but emotionally i'm doing okay. my psych's suggestion? get a fulltime job to 'get your mind off things'.
sometimes i feel like my perfectionism is simply a measure taken to receive adequate treatment. it may be a futile endeavor, but at this point i'd rather die trying, i guess.
Posted by sukarno on March 19, 2010, at 22:35:49
In reply to Re: Starting Pristiq, posted by g_g_g_unit on March 19, 2010, at 21:21:42
"i have a friend who was on an SSRI for four years, and now battles with concentration difficulties,"
I'm thinking we need to bring back the TCAs as first-line therapy as these SSRIs seem to cause too many problems for too many folks. Concentration difficulties, anhedonia, apathy, loss of motivation, etc.
The secondary amines such as nortriptyline and protriptyline have less side effects than tertiary amines (e.g. amitriptyline, clomipramine, imipramine). Lofepramine is said to have even less side effects as it is a third generation TCA, but it is only available in the UK unfortunately.
I've never met anyone on a TCA who felt anhedonic or apathetic. Weight gain and sexual dysfunction are also rare on TCAs. TCAs such as nortriptyline tend to enhance cognitive function and are used to treat ADD when the patient cannot tolerate CNS stimulants or Strattera.
If the dosage is started up slowly and proper precautions are taken such as a pre-treatment ECG/EKG, glucose monitoring, evaluation for structural heart disease/defects, etc, tricyclic antidepressant use is quite safe.
SSRIs themselves also are cardiotoxic as they prolong the QT interval. I think a lot of doctors exaggerate the side effects of TCAs in order to promote the on-patent SSRIs.
There is also a mistaken belief among pdocs that "old drugs don't work" or don't work as well as newer drugs. Hogwash. :-)
This is the end of the thread.
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