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Off Lexapro? - apathy syndrome //Help!

Posted by orbital on August 8, 2010, at 15:49:57

Hi everyone,

It's been a while, I posted back in January I think (hi Phillipa *wave*).

I've been on Lexapro for 6 months now, and I can't stand the emotional detachment anymore. The Lexapro worked great for my anxiety, but didn't touch my unipolar depression, and three months into taking it I basically felt like a zombie.

I recently broke up with my BF, I'm isolating from friends and family, my job is like a pastime that I get over with (I wouldn't be surprised if I lost it sometime soon)... absolutely no joy, no pain, nothing. Even though I know, intellectually, that these situations are important, I couldn't care less. If I could have it my way, I'd lay on my couch all day long.

My doctor isn't helping much. She thinks that my Klonopin is to blame for my anhedonia. Two months ago, I dropped my dosage from 3mg to 0.5mg to prove her wrong. Her next -reasonable- suggestion was that my Lexapro dosage was too high, so we dropped it from 30mg to 20, then 10, now 5mg. The apathy remains.

Here's a long list of strategies I've tried these past couple of months:

Added:

* Provigil - revved me up, but no effect on emotions. Still okay, overall.

* Wellbutrin - couldn't tolerate it, unfortunately, I really wanted this combination to work.

* Remeron - made the sluggishness/apathy much much worse.

* Lamictal - no effect whatsoever as of yet, still taking it.

* Switched from Klonopin to Ativan - nothing.

* Gabapentin - lifted my mood, then pooped out. Ditto Lyrica.

* Seroquel - nothing.

* Added low dose of Prozac - best result, but doc isn't keen on this strategy.

I read Blueberry's experience with milnacipran, and I'd like to try that next. My doctor wants me to give Effexor another try. But, really, maybe enough is enough.

Also, I'm weary of SSRI apathy syndrome, and think that maybe I should just call it quits for a while and give my poor brain a rest. I've been on one med or another for several years now. I hate being so detached from life.

In the midst of this biochemical mess, I'm thinking that my original DX (GAD/social phobia and unipolar depression) is long gone, and the medication is just making matters worse. Maybe I should just rely on my Klonopin and Provigil, and quit the reuptake inhibitors for a while.

Any thoughts? I really appreciate your time, thank you!


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poster:orbital thread:957856
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100731/msgs/957856.html