Posted by jay on March 5, 2003, at 8:05:24
I am interested using a stimulant instead of Effexor. Must keep in mind I have very, very intense anxiety levels. The apathy caused by the mostly serotogenic meds over the past decade seems ground into my brain. I wonder if my dopamine pathways have been deeply dampened by the SRI meds. (Please read my little story of difficulties since childhood below.)
I could still likely take my daily clonazepam, but could absolutely use the motivation caused by a stimulant (again, esp. after I have tried pretty much every a.d. available in Canada. The only one I had a partial response to was Nortiptyline, which I understand is a med also used sometimes for ADD/apathetic/atypical depression. The nortriptyline seemed to lose it's effect even after I got up to 150 mg's, with blood checks and all.)
Interestingly, Zyprexa seemed to help at first, and I understand it increases some extra-cellular dopamine levels, while dampening other mechanisms. But, after a year, it stopped working.
Anybody switched, successfully, from an a.d. to a stimulant? An interesting note aside. In grade school, I was diagnosed with a developmental disorder (back then they nastily would have called me a 'retard'.) I was diagnosed starting at two years of age, because I had very delayed cognitive and physical skills. My Mom told me the doctor had considered I also suffered from some aspects of 'minimal brain dysfuntion'.(My motor skills, everything from my grip to startle reflex showed some pretty severe oddities.)
I was 'held back' in grade one and two. In grade school, I was teamed up with a psychologist and linguistics specialist brought in from Toronto (an hour away) to do special "physical rehabilitation training" as I couldn't even do things like ride a bike. My speech was full of problems, from very bad lisps to taking up until grade 5 to learn to pronounce words right. I did speech, numeral, physical, and cognitive function therapy every evening at home until I was in Grade six. I failed math and English in both grade 7 and 8, and had to take special summer school remedial courses. They thought I might have to eventually go to a "special school" (you know, VERY basic level education where you spend the day doing menial tasks.)
So, with the above combined, does stimulant therapy sound like an option? That "label" stuck with me, and that is why I think I have some of the intense anxiety and depression I do. The reason I say that is because everything else in my life, especially very strong and loving parents who did (and would do) anything for me, was there. Why should I be unhappy, depressed and full of anxiety?
Anyhow..thanks for listening, and any responses appreciated.
Thanks,
Jay
poster:jay
thread:206088
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030301/msgs/206088.html