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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 0:53:14
I felt emotionless, lack of motivation on the prozac..and upon reading that it was a side effect of the meds I just thought it was no big deal because if I stopped it these sideeffects would just subside...but as of now I have been off it for a month or two and I still feel emotionlesss.I still have a lack of motivation..and I really don't feel any different on the meds then off them.. .....
Posted by alesta on September 6, 2004, at 1:18:50
In reply to emotionless on prozac...emotionless off.., posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 0:53:14
hi, there, :)
sounds like you're still depressed, mike. why don't you try a natural remedy for depression, or another med?
amy :)
Posted by woolav on September 6, 2004, at 8:59:15
In reply to Re: emotionless on prozac...emotionless off.. » mike lynch, posted by alesta on September 6, 2004, at 1:18:50
hello, what mg of prozac were u taking? also, have you tried adding a "augmentor" type drug to it, like lamictal. Because for me, prozac and lamictal is the only combo that has actually made me feel emotions....
good luck
S
Posted by pantt on September 6, 2004, at 11:51:16
In reply to emotionless on prozac...emotionless off.., posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 0:53:14
I had the same problem after quitting prozac. It lasted a loooong time. Ritalin helped though. That was what nudged me back into the land of the feeling as well as the passage of time.
Posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 15:54:03
In reply to Re: emotionless on prozac...emotionless off.., posted by pantt on September 6, 2004, at 11:51:16
> I had the same problem after quitting prozac. It lasted a loooong time. Ritalin helped though. That was what nudged me back into the land of the feeling as well as the passage of time.
So are you completely dependent on the ritalin to feel emotions?? Or did you eventually return to normal without the aid of meds??
Posted by bert99 on September 6, 2004, at 15:59:32
In reply to emotionless on prozac...emotionless off.., posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 0:53:14
I feel the same way, although I just started prozac about a week and a half ago while weaning off of effexor.
I am sitting here, completely void of motivation or energy. I am so tired. So incredibly tired. I am on 60 mg, 400 tegretol, 75 trazodone. My two baby girls are sleeping right now and I am going to take another nap.
I guess it's back to the dr tomorrow ... *sigh*. I am going to try wellbutrin. I stopped the effexor because of the constant waterfall sweating I experienced, plus I gained weight (and I am trying to lose weight right now). I loved effexor but I just couldn't handle those two side effects.
Posted by pantt on September 6, 2004, at 18:20:02
In reply to Re: emotionless on prozac...emotionless off.., posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 15:54:03
No I'm not on Ritalin anymore. I took it off and on for about 3 years. I don't know that I'd call myself normal but I definitely feel a wider range of emotions and feel a lot more like myself than I did on Prozac or the the first couple of years after I got off. I stayed on it for several years and wasn't really aware on how emotionally numb I was until I got off of it. I'm not sure if I would have returned to "normal " without the Ritalin or not. Good luck.
Posted by alesta on September 6, 2004, at 18:29:46
In reply to emotionless on prozac...emotionless off.., posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 0:53:14
this topic is very interesting...i went off the prozac 2 weeks ago and i've already got most of my emotions back...i'm surprised that the "emotionless effect" would linger for that long for some people after the SSRI is out of your system...approximately 3/4 of the prozac is supposed to be out of your system after 2 weeks and all of it after 5 weeks. does anyone know why the "emotionless effect" of SSRIs would still be there for some after the SSRI should be out of the system (after 5 weeks)? or is it somehow staying in certain people's systems for abnormally long periods of time?
thanks!:)
amy
Posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 22:46:32
In reply to how does the emotionless effect last so long?anyon, posted by alesta on September 6, 2004, at 18:29:46
I really doubt it's the prozac still being in my system ..that's causing this feeling..
if it is you'd think the emotionless feeling would have at least improved as more and more of the medicine left my system..but I felt the exact same on 20 miligrams as I do now....and I have currently been off it a month or two..
Posted by alesta on September 7, 2004, at 14:50:53
In reply to Re: how does the emotionless effect last so long?anyon, posted by mike lynch on September 6, 2004, at 22:46:32
thanks for your reply, mike...i didn't think that made any sense, but i just had to ask the question..:) well, so, like i said in the beginning, it looks like you're depressed...(i guess you already know this:)). hope you can find a remedy for this...:)
amy:)
Posted by mike lynch on September 7, 2004, at 19:48:14
In reply to Re: how does the emotionless effect last so long?anyon » mike lynch, posted by alesta on September 7, 2004, at 14:50:53
I don't know what it is....all I know is that I don't feel like myself at all..even when I am on SSRI'S (even though they seem effective) i guess I have to try another class of ad's...
Posted by alesta on September 7, 2004, at 20:30:39
In reply to Re: how does the emotionless effect last so long?anyon, posted by mike lynch on September 7, 2004, at 19:48:14
> I don't know what it is....all I know is that I don't feel like myself at all..even when I am on SSRI'S (even though they seem effective) i guess I have to try another class of ad's...
it sounds like you are experiencing anhedonia. (you don't have to be on an ssri to experience this.) i would suggest you try some natural remedies or medications that enhance dopamine. if you want to go the med route, parnate would be a good one to try. it increases dopamine as well as norepinephrine and serotonin. nardil does this also (as well as increasing gaba), but many cannot tolerate its side effects. but you may be able to tolerate them, depending on your individual body chemistry (but i would definitely try parnate first!)
if you want to go the natural remedy route (i would try this first), some great remedies which increase dopamine (and other neurotransmitters) are l-theanine, rhodiola, and tmg. it is very important that you buy *quality* brands of these, or you may receive no benefit..
there are other meds that affect dopamine as well, such as abilify, selegiline, i think, and others. (stimulants would also increase dopamine, but i would definitely try the other options first.) if you want any further info on any of this, please let me know, or email/babblemail me.:)
good luck,
amy:)
Posted by mike lynch on September 7, 2004, at 23:49:03
In reply to Re: how does the emotionless effect last so long?anyon » mike lynch, posted by alesta on September 7, 2004, at 20:30:39
> > I don't know what it is....all I know is that I don't feel like myself at all..even when I am on SSRI'S (even though they seem effective) i guess I have to try another class of ad's...
>
> it sounds like you are experiencing anhedonia. (you don't have to be on an ssri to experience this.) i would suggest you try some natural remedies or medications that enhance dopamine. if you want to go the med route, parnate would be a good one to try. it increases dopamine as well as norepinephrine and serotonin. nardil does this also (as well as increasing gaba), but many cannot tolerate its side effects. but you may be able to tolerate them, depending on your individual body chemistry (but i would definitely try parnate first!)
>
> if you want to go the natural remedy route (i would try this first), some great remedies which increase dopamine (and other neurotransmitters) are l-theanine, rhodiola, and tmg. it is very important that you buy *quality* brands of these, or you may receive no benefit..
>
> there are other meds that affect dopamine as well, such as abilify, selegiline, i think, and others. (stimulants would also increase dopamine, but i would definitely try the other options first.) if you want any further info on any of this, please let me know, or email/babblemail me.:)
>
> good luck,
>
> amy:)
>
>
THanks for the advice...i'll definitely check it out..I am currently on sam-e..and really doesent seem to do much..it seems to last for only a short period of time..I'll probably end up going on a maoi...like u suggested I need something that's actually going to work..although the last thing I want to worry about is an maoi diet...
Posted by alesta on September 8, 2004, at 0:29:23
In reply to Re: how does the emotionless effect last so long?anyon, posted by mike lynch on September 7, 2004, at 23:49:03
hi, again mike,:)
i tried SAMe, too, and it didn't do anything for me. just thought i'd also post a link with some info i posted to sandy that might be helpful as well:
http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040904/msgs/387846.html
i wish you luck with whatever you try...but i know your solution probably does need to involve dopamine, whether you take a supplement or a med. you might want to look into abilify (sounds good, i think, but very expensive) or selegiline if you don't want to take an maoi..i don't know much about selegiline...it could be your answer!!
amy:)
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