Posted by g_g_g_unit on December 28, 2012, at 7:15:39
In reply to GGG Unit, posted by jono_in_adelaide on December 27, 2012, at 22:11:14
Thank you so much, Jono .. I really appreciate your concern. Well, here goes nothing. Please bear in mind my psychiatrist strongly believes I am a slow-metabolizer and thus far more prone to side-effects at standard doses than your average bear.
SSRIs:
Lexapro (tried up to 20mg) .. GOOD: improved physical side-effects of depression (e.g. leaden paralysis) BAD: caused apathy, emotional blunting, worsened ADD and completely lost any sense of will/drive .. I vividly remember spending like 30 minutes debating with myself in an effort to force myself to leave the house and run some errands.
Luvox (tried up to 100mg) .. GOOD: helped anxiety, best SSRI for sleep, BAD: similar sfx to Lexapro, plus restless leg syndrome
Prozac .. GOOD: activating, BAD: akathisia, couldn't sleep
Zoloft .. GOOD: helped cognition and ADD slightly at just 25mg, BAD: felt very restless, anxious, OCD quite severely worsened, poor sleep
Nortriptyline .. GOOD: improved ADD, BAD: too activating for sleep (at just 25mg a day .. prescribed for that purpose, prior to ADD dx.)
clomipramine .. GOOD: nothing, BAD: agitation, akathisia, worsened sleep
Strattera .. GOOD: had quite consistent effect on alertness and mental energy, BAD: became more agitated and anxious as doctor pushed me up to "adult" doses (prior to slow-metabolizer theory); also had weird effect on sleep where I would ritualistically wake up 3 hours into the night.
Neurontin .. GOOD: *cured* my hyper-vigilance and agoraphobia, BAD: worsened apathy, felt quite dulled mentally and socially
Dexedrine .. GOOD: can have good effect on stress-response, motivation, confidence, sometimes improves attention, BAD: effect can be erratic .. sometimes just feel sleepy, and also can grow a bit agitated and short-tempered with continual use
Nardil .. GOOD: motivating, helped anhedonia, etc., BAD: trouble sleeping, began to feel anxious on higher doses 60mg+, though only remained on 90mg for 3 weeks, so don't know if the activation would have passed .. gave up because I couldn't sleep
Parnate .. GOOD: improved ADD, motivation, drive .. also had an effect I've never experienced on any other AD where I would feel this wonderful sense of warmth and joy that felt completely organic (i.e. no euphoria or 'high'), though it would only ever occur at night. I have no idea why. During the day, I was driven but a bit emotionally empty.. BAD: increased anxiety and OCD, worsened sleep quality
Seroquel: GOOD: none, really .. BAD: causes akathisia, even at like 12.5mg
Zyprexa: GOOD: thing it was a bit more motivating .. BAD: increased anxiety and OCD in combination with 20mg of Lexapro
Mirtazapine: GOOD: helped sleep at 15mg .. BAD: worst drug ever for my OCD at 30mg, became dysphoric and suicidal
Benzos: mixed bad .. really can't track any consistent effect .. sometimes they calm me, sometimes I get a paradoxical reaction. Last night I took 2mg of clonazepam to induced sleep and felt like Michael Jackson; tonight I took 2mg again, and feel wired and vigilant 2 hours later, so it's really hard to make a definite judgement on how they effect my anxiety.
poster:g_g_g_unit
thread:1034023
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20121217/msgs/1034055.html