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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by crabcakebenny on June 9, 2014, at 20:30:33
I've been in an endless process of switching, tweaking and adding different psych meds for the past year. I'm currently on 225 mg of Effexor and 20 mg of Latuda. I feel dull & blunted; I don't really feel the 'fullness' of emotions anymore. I'm used to it, but it depresses me and it's all I think about. I feel like I'm some idle passenger in my own life; things that I enjoyed and used to make me feel alive don't really have much effect anymore.
I'm pretty desperate to find treatment options that won't cause emotional blunting/apathy/dullness, what have you. benzos and stimulants aren't an option currently. I've come to resent antipsychotics because of what I stated before. I keep skipping doses of Latuda to see if I can increase my emotional response, and I'm attempting to lower the Effexor. this is all discouraged by my doc, who's pretty much set on atypicals & sris being my only treatment options.
Social phobia is the main issue i'm trying to deal with, as well as dysthymia, intrusive thoughts & compulsions. the works.
So if I choose to be go off medication, it'll probably end up in a huge mental relapse. If I'm on it i'm relegated to feeling numb all the time.
uh, wow. anyways, that's it. sorry for the lengthy post. I've just felt really isolated in this struggle and I'm hoping some of you seasoned psychmedheads could throw out some ideas.
thanks guys.
Posted by phidippus on June 9, 2014, at 22:31:23
In reply to Feel trapped on meds, posted by crabcakebenny on June 9, 2014, at 20:30:33
Latuda is kind of notorious for blunting affect. Have you tried any other atypicals?
There are other ways to augment treatment of OCD than by using atypicals. Have you ever tried Riluzole?
Eric
Posted by Catling on June 10, 2014, at 11:40:39
In reply to Feel trapped on meds, posted by crabcakebenny on June 9, 2014, at 20:30:33
Hi Crabcakebenny, I can definitely relate to where you're at. I spent two years trying different ssris and snris trying to find a combo that would work for me. They are definitely not the magic bullet that will cure everything! Have you tried a tca or maoi? Some people respond better to them than the ssri/snri route. Also, I think it's important that if your doctor won't work with you on trying other meds sometimes you just have to go to a different doctor. It sucks and is no fun, but unfortunately you have to be willing to self-advocate or your chances of getting the care you need are slim. Next month I'm going to my 3rd doctor in six months because I'm just not having much luck finding one who isn't an *ssh*l* and who can work with me. And I can handle them being an *ssh*l* if they're competent, but *ssh*l* AND incompetent is a no-go for me. Anyway, I don't know if seeing another doctor is an option for you or at least getting a second opinion, but I thought it was worth mentioning. Best of luck with your journey.
Cat
Posted by Beckett on June 10, 2014, at 14:05:52
In reply to Feel trapped on meds, posted by crabcakebenny on June 9, 2014, at 20:30:33
I've been thinking about how to deal with social anxiety (and other anxiety issues). From what the others have posted, I'm wondering how specialized your doctor is dealing with social anxiety and what sounds like ocd. This could be wrong (and if so, maybe someone could correct me), but I didn't think antipsychotics were used for SA or OCD. They definitely reduce tension in that they are sedating, but that's no way to go, IMO. Do you deal with depression as well?
Posted by Phillipa on June 10, 2014, at 16:35:25
In reply to Re: Feel trapped on meds, posted by Beckett on June 10, 2014, at 14:05:52
I agree with Beckett!!!!
Posted by Catling on June 10, 2014, at 16:47:03
In reply to Re: Feel trapped on meds, posted by Beckett on June 10, 2014, at 14:05:52
OP mentioned dysthymia in the original post, I figured that was the underlying issue the doctor was trying to treat with the snri/AP combo... but yeah, not a lot there for SA or OCD.
Posted by crabcakebenny on June 10, 2014, at 20:06:16
In reply to Re: Feel trapped on meds » Beckett, posted by Catling on June 10, 2014, at 16:47:03
Thanks so much for the thoughtful responses. I'm in a weird situation with my pdoc; i'm in this transitional living/halfway house type of thing for addiction issues, and my therapists & psychiatrist are already set up for me. I don't think I have a choice pertaining to who I want to see right now. I'm still relatively young & dependent on my parents.
Anyways, I pretty much forced my pdoc to try me on a MAOI(Nardil) at one point. I was also taking zyprexa at the time, and I'm thinking that just f*ck*ng masked it, the Nardil I mean.@Catling yeah, the constant trial of ssris/snris is how it goes. It seems like I'm stuck w/ having the option of two classes of medication, which I both dislike. She(the shrink) takes a pretty conservative, unimaginative route with her treatment methods. not gonna rag on her anymore though.
@Beckett She treats rehab patients. I'm definitely a stand-out in the realm of that; i'm a f*ck*ng headcase compared to those people. :p Atypicals actually work pretty decent for my anxiety/OCD objectively. Though it seems like I function more optimally, it's at the expense of feeling like I have half a brain all the time. I'll never get over the way they make me feel. They slow my thoughts down & make me more 'detached' which is where I think the therapeutic value comes from.
Posted by phidippus on June 11, 2014, at 18:20:29
In reply to Re: Feel trapped on meds, posted by crabcakebenny on June 10, 2014, at 20:06:16
>Anyways, I pretty much forced my pdoc to try me on a MAOI(Nardil) at one point.
There's not a lot of data supporting MAOIs as an effective treatment for OCD.
>It seems like I'm stuck w/ having the option of two classes of medication, which I both dislike
There are plenty of other drugs which have shown some efficacy in treating OCD:
Keppra
Tramadol
Riluzole
Trazadone
Topomax
Dextroamphetamine
OndansetronEric
Posted by Beckett on June 11, 2014, at 19:08:35
In reply to Re: Feel trapped on meds » crabcakebenny, posted by phidippus on June 11, 2014, at 18:20:29
How does tramadol work for ocd? Have you tried it at one point and in combination?
Posted by phidippus on June 11, 2014, at 22:18:18
In reply to Re: Feel trapped on meds » phidippus, posted by Beckett on June 11, 2014, at 19:08:35
Tramadol's mechanism of action lends itself well to the treatment of OCD. First it is a seratonin norepenehrine reuptake inhibitor. Second, it agonizes mu-opioid receptor, a mechanism which has been investigated in the treatment of OCD. Third, Tramadol is an NMDA antagonist.
I have used Tramadol succesfully as monotherapy to treat my OCD.
Eric
Posted by Phillipa on June 12, 2014, at 18:40:38
In reply to Tramadol and OCD » Beckett, posted by phidippus on June 11, 2014, at 22:18:18
Can you take it with a low dose SSRI? Thanks Eric
Posted by phidippus on June 13, 2014, at 11:52:33
In reply to Re: Tramadol and OCD » phidippus, posted by Phillipa on June 12, 2014, at 18:40:38
I took it with a high dose SSRI and had no problems.
Eric
Posted by Phillipa on June 13, 2014, at 20:33:05
In reply to Re: Tramadol and OCD » Phillipa, posted by phidippus on June 13, 2014, at 11:52:33
Eric thanks think it would help severe osteoarthritis?
Posted by phidippus on June 15, 2014, at 14:37:50
In reply to Re: Tramadol and OCD » phidippus, posted by Phillipa on June 13, 2014, at 20:33:05
Its comparable to codeine.
Eric
Posted by Phillipa on June 15, 2014, at 20:21:07
In reply to Re: Tramadol and OCD » Phillipa, posted by phidippus on June 15, 2014, at 14:37:50
Eric that is what I thought not heavy at all.
Posted by porkpiehat on June 19, 2014, at 22:12:46
In reply to Feel trapped on meds, posted by crabcakebenny on June 9, 2014, at 20:30:33
Wow. I feel like I could have written your post myself. I too am completely obsessed and tweaking doses while life seems to sneak past.
For me the big question is when to stop? How will I even know which med is "right?" Feelings, side effects, underlying problems have all become a la carte.
This is the end of the thread.
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