Posted by metric on March 17, 2009, at 15:55:33
In reply to Re: Treatment for emotional numbness???, posted by X_ander on March 10, 2009, at 23:55:22
> Hi Jay,
>
> yep I'm trying the stimulant path now but it seems to be losing it's effect after only a week...I'm taking ritalin 30mg per day..works wonders in the first few days, now I hardly notice it.
>Have yout tried low-dose selegiline? Start very low, 2.5 - 5 mg in the morning and work your way up to 10 mg (preferably in divided doses with meals, but don't take it much after noon, especially if you already have problems with insomnia). It might make you feel a bit neverous/agitated at first, but this should quickly dissipate. Give yourself at least 2 weeks to adjust to a given dose.
Selegiline is rarely sufficient by itself, especially at these doses. What it will do is potentiate the action of stimulants.
Methylphenidate (Ritalin) sucks. Ask your doc for DextroStat (d-amphetamine). If he tries to push Adderall instead, tell him that the presense of racemic amphetamine salts in Adderall makes it more cardiotoxic than pure d-amphetamine and confers no therapeutic advantage (tell him to consult Goodman & Gilman's text -- the most authoritative medical reference on pharmacology -- if he denies this. Start with *small* doses and use the minimal effective dose. Don't take more than 40 mg/day.
You should frequently monitor your blood pressure during this process (this is very important!). Do *not* attempt this combination if you have severe anxiety or are emotionally unstable. You may need a sleeping pill at night, especially at first.
> As regards the opiates...that was actually the use of opiate "antagonists"...essentially the opposite of opiates. Opiate antagonists lower the activity/sensitivity of the opioid receptors. The theory is that too much endorphin production (the body's natural opiates), is the cause of the numbing. Lowering endorphin activity with the antagonist naltrexone would in theory, ameliorate that situation, returning normal feelings and emotions.
>
> So yeah again, anyone overcome emotional numbing?
>
> If you have what meds did you use?
>
> And how long did it take to start feeling again?
>
> (I've found that traditional antidepressants, and the atypical anti-psychotics I've tried didn't do much for this symptom).
>
> All the best, X_ander.
>
>
poster:metric
thread:865523
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090313/msgs/885784.html