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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by pearlcat on March 22, 2007, at 9:32:05
Does anyone know of a med that helps increase dopamine? I was watching that new HBO show about addiction and depression and they were talking about that after you abuse drugs for so many years that your brain quits making dopamine. Maybe that is my problem. I have no energy. I do not want to do anything. It takes all I have to go out and play with my child. It seems like nothing works on me of course except those damn opiates! Thank GOD they are not readily available. I feel like I am crazy! I just want to enjoy my day. I have a wonderful child so full of life and I just sit and feel sorry for myself. Any thoughts on meds or combo of meds that have worked? My other problem is that everything makes me gain weight except stimulants. I do not want to be on stimulants because of the potential to abuse them.
Posted by TrishP on March 22, 2007, at 10:31:05
In reply to dopamine, posted by pearlcat on March 22, 2007, at 9:32:05
I'd be interested in the answer as well. I'm sick of all the meds making me feel drugged out and lazy and gain weight.
I've taken Phentermine (diet pills) in the past and I felt great!
Wellbutrin, I think, effects dopamine - but is made me mean.
I recently have tried the Emsam patch and it was like speed for me. Too speedy.
Posted by Phillipa on March 22, 2007, at 11:54:12
In reply to Re: dopamine, posted by TrishP on March 22, 2007, at 10:31:05
Did you say you abused opiates as there is the othe buphro something for getting off opiated and heard it works well for depression as well. love Phillipa
Posted by shasling on March 22, 2007, at 12:06:39
In reply to dopamine, posted by pearlcat on March 22, 2007, at 9:32:05
Same with me, and the lasting effect of previous drugs. Took forever to get my doc to try me on dopamine agonists, but after nothing else worked she did and now she's a believer. When I'm dosed Im good, but when not dosed I'm an inanimate zombie - no thought, volition, emotion or words. Blank stare. Its absolute murder just convincing myself to get into the shower in the morning like that. The difference is night and day - people who know me can tell immediately if im off my dose when they see me. Im on low dose abilify and requip, and parlodel, and function well on them. There are others: pergolide (seemed dirty to me, didnt feel good), mirapex (haven't tried it), etc. If you google dopamine agonist you'll get lots of information. Good luck
Posted by Racer on March 22, 2007, at 16:53:12
In reply to dopamine, posted by pearlcat on March 22, 2007, at 9:32:05
The dopamine theories have a certain amount of support behind them, but there's still a good deal of uncertainty about the precise mechanisms. For instance, there was a study done not too long ago using DAT knockout mice which showed that they still responded to Ritalin. This suggested that it wasn't the dopaminergic effects of Ritalin which produced the beneficial effects, but more likely some mechanism related to the ratio of the three catecholamine neurotransmitters.
Increasing dopamine on its own is unlikely to produce the effect you're looking for. It might be part of the answer, but it's unlikely to solve the problem.
I don't know what ADs you've tried, but many of the TCAs, as well as Wellbutrin and the SNRIs, will affect the ratios of serotonin to norepinephrine/dopamine. That might be a better solution than an SSRI, but even the SSRIs are sometimes thought to work by downregulating the serotonin receptors, to up the relative concentration of dopamine in the brain.
Besides, if you're going to place that much stock into the dopamine theory, remember that it includes schizophrenia as resulting from too much dopamine.
What might be much more helpful to you, is to list the symptoms you're trying to address, which medications you've taken and how they affected you, and how long you were on them. Sometimes htat shows you something helpful about possible medication options.
Good luck
Posted by psychobot5000 on March 26, 2007, at 0:57:44
In reply to dopamine, posted by pearlcat on March 22, 2007, at 9:32:05
> Does anyone know of a med that helps increase dopamine? I was watching that new HBO show about addiction and depression and they were talking about that after you abuse drugs for so many years that your brain quits making dopamine. Maybe that is my problem. I have no energy. I do not want to do anything.
While I, personally, think that it's important to remember how incomplete most of these theories about neurotransmitters are (by the way, what you're describing sounds like depression to me), I'll try to give a few ideas for increasing dopamine.
1. Stimulants you seem to know already--relatively reliable drugs, but some people do seem to have problems with abuse.
2. Selegiline - A different drug (like EMSAM, but taken orally, and in lower doses), which prevents the breakdown of dopamine, when given at levels up to 10 or 20mg per day. It's pretty safe at low doses, but isn't commonly prescribed to people other than Parkinson's patients.
3. Fish Oil (specifically EPA-rich fish oil) - Safe and over the counter--there are two major chemicals, and you'd want to choose one with more EPA.
There are various antidepressants that might be useful, too.
Posted by pearlcat on March 31, 2007, at 7:56:45
In reply to Re: dopamine theory » pearlcat, posted by Racer on March 22, 2007, at 16:53:12
Thanks to everone I made list of everthing I took like psychobot said and now I am on Lithium 600 and lamictal 200mg. I hope this works!!!!!!!!!!!
thanx
pearlcat
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