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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 underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
I am just wondering which of the SSRI family has the least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing effect? I mean like when you are writing something, you don't suddenly find words falling out of your head like I had when I was on Paxil, and not feeling 'love' (spark/anxiety) for someone I like or some of the highs in life.
I've been doing some searching, and a lot of people say Zoloft for many reasons, but the problem is it makes people feel quite emotionally flat despite all the stimulation, because it is heavy on the blockade of 5HT. Other people say Prozac has a good balance of the stimulation while not being too numbing in emotions, but other people disagree. Then there is Lexapro which some people claim to get very few side-effects from but again other people say it's as bad as the other SSRIs.
I am looking for an SSRI that isn't going to be too sedating, allowing me to still feel some emotion, as well as at the same time allow me to feel motivated to still do the things I like.
I am not really interested in any of the other antidepressants, just the SSRIs.
I'd like to hear people's thoughts on Prozac, Lexapro and Zoloft and to a lesser degree Celexa (although it is still something I will consider due to its lower blockade of 5HT accounting for fewer side-effects in theory), regarding the above points.
Thanks
Posted by Phillipa on August 9, 2012, at 19:06:37
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
Will or are you planning on only taking an SSRI and no other meds? Or are you on others as well? No anxiety? Phillipa
Posted by Raisinb on August 9, 2012, at 21:18:19
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
I would say give Lexapro a shot; I've experienced emotional flatness on zoloft and Prozac (though it went away after a bit) and Paxil, also. However, these meds affect everyone differently, so if Lexapro doesn't do it for you don't rule out other SSRIs.
Posted by herpills on August 9, 2012, at 22:31:00
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
I think it's just as much about the dosage as it is the actual med. 5mg of Lexapro was fine for me, but 15mg was very numbing. herpills
Posted by rjlockhart37 on August 9, 2012, at 22:47:01
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
you should try pristiq or effexor...even though there not SSRI's they do work on serotonin and then norephinehrine to give a kick. It's like taking wellbutrin without the dopamine feeling.
Paxil is the worst....makes some people so calm when there's an explosion or something they don't react like normal people would.
Also try buspar with SSRI...it gives a calming feeling.
rj
Posted by bleauberry on August 10, 2012, at 16:15:41
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
Throughout literature and in my own experience, I think prozac is the least numbing. But, they all cause the numbing. Prozac maybe not as bad, but it's still there.
More important than the actual med, maybe, is the size of the dose. If one needs to take a dose for their depression that is high enough to cause numbing, then like it or not there will have to be another substance in the mix to counterbalance all that extra serotonin. It's all the flooding or serotonin without attention to other neurotransmitters that causes numbing and all sorts of other problems, in my opinion anyway.
To fit your desires however, there are 3 good alternatives to choose from to add to your ssri, which ever one you decide on, and they are not meds. Rhodiola rosea, or tyrosine, or dlpa. Any of those can not only prevent/reverse the numbing, but also make the whole antidepressant response more robust, and without any more meds. I might have had some ideas on other meds but you said you weren't interested in those, and thus the above suggestions instead, which actually can work better than any meds anyway.
Posted by phidippus on August 10, 2012, at 18:35:29
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
I didn't have any problems with Viibryd.
Eric
Posted by Novelagent on August 10, 2012, at 20:49:45
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
Try Emsam. It's an MAOI-A, and doesn't have sexual side effects that I know of.
> I am just wondering which of the SSRI family has the least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing effect? I mean like when you are writing something, you don't suddenly find words falling out of your head like I had when I was on Paxil, and not feeling 'love' (spark/anxiety) for someone I like or some of the highs in life.
>
> I've been doing some searching, and a lot of people say Zoloft for many reasons, but the problem is it makes people feel quite emotionally flat despite all the stimulation, because it is heavy on the blockade of 5HT. Other people say Prozac has a good balance of the stimulation while not being too numbing in emotions, but other people disagree. Then there is Lexapro which some people claim to get very few side-effects from but again other people say it's as bad as the other SSRIs.
>
> I am looking for an SSRI that isn't going to be too sedating, allowing me to still feel some emotion, as well as at the same time allow me to feel motivated to still do the things I like.
>
> I am not really interested in any of the other antidepressants, just the SSRIs.
>
> I'd like to hear people's thoughts on Prozac, Lexapro and Zoloft and to a lesser degree Celexa (although it is still something I will consider due to its lower blockade of 5HT accounting for fewer side-effects in theory), regarding the above points.
>
> Thanks
>
Posted by CaffeinePoet on August 14, 2012, at 19:35:19
In reply to Least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing SSRI, posted by underthesky on August 9, 2012, at 17:18:16
> I am just wondering which of the SSRI family has the least cognitive impairing/emotionally numbing effect? I mean like when you are writing something, you don't suddenly find words falling out of your head like I had when I was on Paxil, and not feeling 'love' (spark/anxiety) for someone I like or some of the highs in life.
>
> I've been doing some searching, and a lot of people say Zoloft for many reasons, but the problem is it makes people feel quite emotionally flat despite all the stimulation, because it is heavy on the blockade of 5HT. Other people say Prozac has a good balance of the stimulation while not being too numbing in emotions, but other people disagree. Then there is Lexapro which some people claim to get very few side-effects from but again other people say it's as bad as the other SSRIs.
>
> I am looking for an SSRI that isn't going to be too sedating, allowing me to still feel some emotion, as well as at the same time allow me to feel motivated to still do the things I like.
>
> I am not really interested in any of the other antidepressants, just the SSRIs.
>
> I'd like to hear people's thoughts on Prozac, Lexapro and Zoloft and to a lesser degree Celexa (although it is still something I will consider due to its lower blockade of 5HT accounting for fewer side-effects in theory), regarding the above points.
>
> Thanks
>
What is the diagnosis that you are treating? That is a factor. Depression? Anxiety? Something else?
This is the end of the thread.
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