Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jono_in_adelaide on September 12, 2011, at 21:46:51
I hadnt heard of this link between anhedonia and antidepressants before joining this board, and its a bit disconcerting to say the least.
I had always assumed that anhedonia was one of the key symptoms that antidepressants were meant to releive, and to hear that they can cause it makes me wonder if my pills are doing me good or doing me hard, so:
Which antidepressants cause it? Is it mainly SSRI's
Does taking an NARI as well as an SSRI protect me from it?
Would Mitrazepine be a better bet than an SSRI?
Posted by creepy on September 12, 2011, at 22:51:11
In reply to The anhedonia-antidepressants thing, posted by jono_in_adelaide on September 12, 2011, at 21:46:51
Anhedonia is a depressive symptom and a side effect of a lot of psych meds =(
Usually a doc will throw dopamine drugs at it. Stuff like wellbutrin, perhaps dopamine agonists?
Wellbutrin helped for awhile then it pooped out.
One of these days I want to try a serotonin receptor antagonist to see if it helps without all the nasty side effects I have now.
Ive tried leaving serotonin alone, but it seems to have the most involvement in my depression.
Posted by Phillipa on September 13, 2011, at 11:24:09
In reply to Re: The anhedonia-antidepressants thing, posted by creepy on September 12, 2011, at 22:51:11
Jono a very good post as always also thought the same thing. I don't want to fall into a funk thinking that SSRI's do cause this as easy to do on a message board especially if you take things to heart as I do. And with anxiety dopamine isn't something I can take I need my anxiety squelched. Thanks for posting this. Phillipa
Posted by Christ_empowered on September 13, 2011, at 11:43:10
In reply to Re: The anhedonia-antidepressants thing, posted by Phillipa on September 13, 2011, at 11:24:09
I can only speak from personal experience. Reuptake inhibitors that hit serotonin, including the SSRI, SNRI, and TCA meds, seem to make me feel flat and a bit anhedonic. Sufficiently high doses of SSRI drugs can cause amotivational syndrome and frontal lobe syndrome, but I don't know how common that is.
Remeron could be a good call. I've read that the higher doses (I think they come in up to 45mgs tablets, with normal doses going up to 60mgs) don't cause as much sedation or weight gain. Maybe if you wanted to switch, you could start out at 30 and temporarily up the Risperdal for maybe 2 weeks to counter start up stimulation? Just a thought...I was thinking about asking my doc for Remeron, and since the last thing I need is a sleeping pill, that was the strategy (higher starting dose+neuroleptic) I was thinking about using.
But, as always--Your Mileage May Vary and If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Do what works for you, but do be aware of others' experiences and the available literature.
Posted by jono_in_adelaide on September 13, 2011, at 19:28:11
In reply to Re: The anhedonia-antidepressants thing, posted by Christ_empowered on September 13, 2011, at 11:43:10
To be honest, I have never felt that SSRI's did anything to me, I only take one bacase my shrink wants me to, he considered the SSRI's as the basis of all therapy for panic disorder and depression..... I'm considering tapering off the Zoloft over a couple of weeks and see what happens. Go down to 75mg a day for 4 days, 50mg a day for 4 days, 25mg a day for 4 days
Posted by Phillipa on September 13, 2011, at 20:14:05
In reply to Re: The anhedonia-antidepressants thing, posted by jono_in_adelaide on September 13, 2011, at 19:28:11
Two days ago cut out the tiny 2.5mg of lexapro and oh my was I angry the next day added it back had a good day yesterday, repeated the 2.5mg last night not as good as yesterday. I wonder if alternating taking one day skip the next might work better? Oh the luvox was there and low dose benzos. Phillipa
Posted by creepy on September 13, 2011, at 21:56:01
In reply to Re: The anhedonia-antidepressants thing » jono_in_adelaide, posted by Phillipa on September 13, 2011, at 20:14:05
lexapro has a longer halflife than most SSRIs.. I think its second to prozac (?).
I could tell when I skipped a day though, I felt like crap.
2.5mg is a pretty tiny dose. Unless youre a hyper-responder it shouldnt do a whole lot. It usually kicks in around 10-20mg.
Posted by Conundrum on September 14, 2011, at 11:57:17
In reply to The anhedonia-antidepressants thing, posted by jono_in_adelaide on September 12, 2011, at 21:46:51
> I hadnt heard of this link between anhedonia and antidepressants before joining this board, and its a bit disconcerting to say the least.
>
> I had always assumed that anhedonia was one of the key symptoms that antidepressants were meant to releive, and to hear that they can cause it makes me wonder if my pills are doing me good or doing me hard, so:
>
> Which antidepressants cause it? Is it mainly SSRI's
>
> Does taking an NARI as well as an SSRI protect me from it?
>
> Would Mitrazepine be a better bet than an SSRI?You know it is weird it really depends on the person though SSRIs are probably more likely than some other drugs to cause this problem. I started taking Nardil hoping it would help with anhedonia, and so far it has made the situation worse. All I want to do is sleep and I barely even have motivation to play video games which is a new thing.
Some people have the same thing happen when taking dopamingeric drugs, which are thought to prevent anhedonia. Just won't know until you try.
Posted by Phillipa on September 14, 2011, at 19:02:48
In reply to Re: The anhedonia-antidepressants thing, posted by creepy on September 13, 2011, at 21:56:01
Think that the higher dose with the luvox would be okay as for some reason can't get off it? Phillipa
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.