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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 48. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by conundrum on March 26, 2010, at 22:11:52
In line with many posts recently about SSRI induced anhedonia and sexual dysfunction, has anyone found a drug that increases feelings of love for ones partner or family? Let me state first MDMA is off the table. Its too dangerous.
Do tricyclics help? low dose APs? anything? I don't want to increase sexual function as much as feelings of love and attachment.
Posted by Sigismund on March 27, 2010, at 0:15:58
In reply to That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by conundrum on March 26, 2010, at 22:11:52
>I don't want to increase sexual function as much as feelings of love and attachment.
Feelings of love and attachment were easier to increase than the other for me.
How do you sleep?
The things I took (except for tianeptine) had a bad effect on sleep.
This might be of interest.....
Rhodiola
Cordyceps
Deprenyl
Hydergine
Afobazol
TianeptineOnly tianeptine worked for me long term.
But they might be of use.
Posted by manic666 on March 27, 2010, at 5:46:19
In reply to That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by conundrum on March 26, 2010, at 22:11:52
i only seem to be able to take ssris , i have no problem conecting with my big family//that warm fuzzy glow you discribe //whats wrong with it//its better than hanging on the cieling with your figernails.//zoloft is cool an i had virtually no probs in the love steaks, combine that with a warm fuzzy glow seems cool to me/ what are you affter you never going to be 100% alert on any med //you do no that dont you./pick the one with the less side effects an your as far as you go
Posted by linkadge on March 27, 2010, at 6:48:21
In reply to That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by conundrum on March 26, 2010, at 22:11:52
>dysfunction, has anyone found a drug that increases feelings of love for ones partner or family?
probiotic yogurt.
good bacteria have been shown to have an antidepressant effect in mice.
Linkadge
Posted by linkadge on March 27, 2010, at 6:55:09
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by manic666 on March 27, 2010, at 5:46:19
I would agree with above poster in that zoloft was better in this regard than other SSRI's for me.
Linkadge
Posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 7:08:18
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling » conundrum, posted by Sigismund on March 27, 2010, at 0:15:58
I sleep ok right now that I'm on medication, but have trouble falling asleep. Without it I have some anxiety type dreams where I wake up. They don't feel as intense as nightmares, but I guess they kind of are.
All those things you listed helped with that? Were there specific ones that helped with feeling love?
Posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 7:09:37
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by linkadge on March 27, 2010, at 6:55:09
Better than prozac? Interesting. I haven't tried zoloft yet.
Posted by manic666 on March 27, 2010, at 8:05:14
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 7:09:37
its no a hard med to take even on start up//. if its not in a tapper you get sleepy an drowsy. but like prozac to me it does take a time to kick in./// so dont bail out after 4 weeks saying its not working//you have to fine tune it// for me 100mg was about right i tried 150 mg but side effects felt bad//50mg is not really enough only my opinion//i moved on to citalopram, as i thought a lot of jiont pain i was getting was from zoloft ,but it seem not as they remain the same //i take 30mg of that but was on 40mg an that was effecting my sex life ,so dropped to 30mg if the sex thing dont get better im back to zoloft pronto// i would say the 2 meds are equal but the sex thing is for some people better on one than the other//me zoloft someone else citalopram ,the only way to no is to try one //if that one wrong try the other,
Posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 10:02:22
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by manic666 on March 27, 2010, at 5:46:19
My problem is that i don't get these feelings for my family and loved ones whether I'm on a drug or not. Its been like this since stopping prozac about 7 years ago. Anhedonia and lack of feelings is my only mood problem. I can be off meds and not feel sad or anxious, its the anhedonia thats terrible.
Right now my grandmom is in the intensive care unit of the hospital, recovering from a big surgery, where they removed a tumor. Whenever she starts coughing or the nurses have to do something unpleasant the rest of my family gets teary eyed and sometimes needs to leave the room, with the exception of my mom. My mom said she cried in private when she found out my grandmom had the tumor and when we found out she might have an infection. I don't think I've shed one tear since finding out about the tumor. I love my grandmom, she practically raised me. yet I don't feel the need to cry. I know I would have cried if we had lost her, but it takes something that extreme to make me feel something. Maybe this is normal for me, i've been anhedonic for so long I don't know how I would normally act. Luckily she is getting better now.
Anehdonia can almost make one suicidal in a way. Not that you are in so much pain that you want to die, but you are so apathetic, uninterested in the world around you, not trying to progress in your career and life that you just don't care. Death wouldn't seem too much different than how I already feel.
I'm not sure whether I need SSRIs or not. 2.5 mgs of prozac was the only SSRI recently that helped me and made me more motivated, but didn't really help with emotions. I felt more motivated to do things but didn't really know why i was lol. I know that sounds weird. Higher doses just made me unmotivated again.
Actually reading all the responses has made me feel more hopeful that something will help. So thank you to everyone who replied.
I guess I'm just not a patient person and sometimes I'm scared of making the wrong drug decisions and being stuck on something that doesn't work for months.
My doc will probably increase my pristiq dosage next week. We'll see what that does.
@sigimund
I am interested in hyderzine and deprenyl. I have never tried any nootropic drugs except for supplements, which didn't do much, like CDP Choline, acetyl L carnitine, etc. Maybe deprenyl being selective for MAO B could clear up if I need a dopamine boost or not?I seem to respond well to norepinephrine so if pristiq doesn't work out so well I will try to get a secondary amine tricyclic like nortriptyline, desipramine, or protriptyline. Maybe add low dose prozac to that. I'm also curious about adrafinil the prodrug of provigil. Wish Tianeptine was available in the US. I think that could be something that might help.. Sometimes I think I have permanently elevated serotonin levels from taking prozac.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 10:18:43
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by linkadge on March 27, 2010, at 6:48:21
> >dysfunction, has anyone found a drug that increases feelings of love for ones partner or family?
>
> probiotic yogurt.
>
> good bacteria have been shown to have an antidepressant effect in mice.
>
> LinkadgeYou feel more loving after a yogurt Link?
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 10:33:48
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 10:02:22
>I seem to respond well to norepinephrine so if pristiq doesn't work out so well I will try to get a secondary amine tricyclic like nortriptyline, desipramine, or protriptyline.
Pristiq (as a potent serotonin reuptake inhibitor) is likely to cause the same emotional numbness as SSRIs. This is not likely to be a problem with nortriptyline or related drugs.
Posted by Phillipa on March 27, 2010, at 10:58:03
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders » conundrum, posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 10:33:48
Had no idea what this thread was about I also feel no feelings anymore I attributed it to constant worry? Am I wrong? probably. Phillipa
Posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 11:27:10
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders » conundrum, posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 10:33:48
Yeh, I didn't really want to try an SNRI, but both my GP and then a psych said I needed one. I'm just taking it to get it over with. They seem to have a protocol. Try an SSRI, try an SNRI, added Wellbutrin. I've already tried an SSRI and wellbutrin, so I just need to try an SNRI and hopefully I'll be able to get whatever I want. (yeh right)
Actually pristiq surprised me. I noticed an increase in what can only be described as "color" around me. Usually I only feel it in fleeting moments but that seemed to increase on pristiq after the first day. I think this is from the boost of norepinephrine. It even seemed to improve my sex drive for awhile. Desipramine also can have an effect after the first few dosages. Unfortunately that feeling faded, probably because pristiq isn't a very potent NRI and I'm starting to get some of the spacey feelings that I get from an SSRI. I will probably try 100mgs and have the same thing happen again. Then have the privilage of stopping the drug.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 11:51:52
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders » ed_uk2010, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 11:27:10
> Yeh, I didn't really want to try an SNRI, but both my GP and then a psych said I needed one. I'm just taking it to get it over with. They seem to have a protocol. Try an SSRI, try an SNRI, added Wellbutrin. I've already tried an SSRI and wellbutrin, so I just need to try an SNRI and hopefully I'll be able to get whatever I want. (yeh right)
>
> Actually pristiq surprised me. I noticed an increase in what can only be described as "color" around me. Usually I only feel it in fleeting moments but that seemed to increase on pristiq after the first day. I think this is from the boost of norepinephrine. It even seemed to improve my sex drive for awhile. Desipramine also can have an effect after the first few dosages. Unfortunately that feeling faded, probably because pristiq isn't a very potent NRI and I'm starting to get some of the spacey feelings that I get from an SSRI. I will probably try 100mgs and have the same thing happen again. Then have the privilage of stopping the drug.It sounds like you're being treated according to a flow chart!
Posted by manic666 on March 27, 2010, at 14:09:12
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 10:02:22
since stopping prozac i never felt the same//you no what i have heard that a thousand time,s/// prozac was for most people over 40 an now there first med, an there first taste of normality or even obove that in years,///i have never found a med that made me feel like the old prozac, then again i had never had an AD before//my therory is your the same .i remember my old mum dieing of cancer //an the prozac started kicking in,///at the funeral i never cried// an at the wake it felt more like a wedding to me// with the prozac high// it hurt me as my mum was special as my old man was a bastered to her an me ,i should have been deverstated, but the prozac would not let me///you have depression full stop, an you need a med to do a prozac on you//i tried all snri,s they dont like me//all i can say is zoloft or sertraline in my case the generic one , came close to prozac ,as does citalopram.//these meds i take on there own not as a combo //an dose,s in the middle to high range,s
Posted by linkadge on March 27, 2010, at 16:13:26
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling » linkadge, posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 10:18:43
>You feel more loving after a yogurt Link?
Yes, yes I do.
Linkadge
Posted by Sigismund on March 27, 2010, at 17:03:44
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling » Sigismund, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 7:08:18
>All those things you listed helped with that?
Kind of
>Were there specific ones that helped with feeling love?
Well, I dunno about love. Maybe they are just somewhat dopaminergic?
Posted by Sigismund on March 27, 2010, at 17:05:51
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 10:02:22
>I seem to respond well to norepinephrine
Milnacipran?
Posted by bleauberry on March 27, 2010, at 18:41:37
In reply to That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by conundrum on March 26, 2010, at 22:11:52
Out of the dozens or hundreds of meds/herbs I've taken, none were good at creating that closeness feeling. All seemed to be blunting to spirituality and the feelings you described.
With the exception of vicadin or marijuana.
Posted by alchemy on March 27, 2010, at 21:31:34
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by bleauberry on March 27, 2010, at 18:41:37
Strange how ecstacy increases serotonin & makes people want to hug, etc. But SSRIs can do the opposite. The brain is weird.
I don't think oxytocin is something to you take, but...
"Oxytocin is known as a love hormone because it goes beyond the mother-child connection to bonding in intimate relationships. Oxytocin is released during hugging and intimate touch; it also plays a strong role in sexual relationships"
Posted by floatingbridge on March 28, 2010, at 0:40:36
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders » conundrum, posted by ed_uk2010 on March 27, 2010, at 11:51:52
Yes, my pdoc showed me the one in vogue here....
Not in the u.k.?
Posted by conundrum on March 28, 2010, at 0:52:45
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by bleauberry on March 27, 2010, at 18:41:37
Only tried vicadin once, didn't do anything. Mary Jane makes me wanna sit and stare at the wall.
MDMA increases oxytocin. Too neurotoxic IMO i've known some people who've taken it and have had some scary aftermaths.
I'm thinking nortrityline might be good since I seem to respond to the NRI part of pristiq. I can tell since it feels different from SSRIs and kicks in right away. Also nortripytline is a antagonist at certain 5HT post synaptic receptors, so this might increase motivation similar to how prozac does. Still don't know if that will make me feel love more.
Maybe something dopaminergic with a 24 hour half life that can build up would help? I don't respond with shorter acting drugs.
Posted by floatingbridge on March 28, 2010, at 0:55:04
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling))All responders, posted by conundrum on March 27, 2010, at 10:02:22
Mmm, could you add Wellbutrin if you think ne is a key?
I feel similar lack of emotion, though it's getting better--there are moments of feeling. However, our anhedonias are different beasts.
Zoloft has very good reports--most say it helps w/ anxiety, though sounds like that's not the issue for you.
OK, don't hate me for this--do you engage in therapy? I only venture that because it's taken a (very) multi-pronged approach to effect any change for myself (granted, a depression sufferer.)
Best to you.
Posted by floatingbridge on March 28, 2010, at 1:27:54
In reply to Re: That warm fuzzy feeling, posted by conundrum on March 28, 2010, at 0:52:45
I'm sorry to hear about your grandmum.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on March 28, 2010, at 9:43:38
In reply to flow chart » ed_uk2010, posted by floatingbridge on March 28, 2010, at 0:40:36
> Yes, my pdoc showed me the one in vogue here....
>
> Not in the u.k.?Sort of, there's plenty of guidelines. Wellbutrin isn't used though.
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