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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Deneb on May 9, 2009, at 23:27:23
I read about emotional blunting/numbing, that comes with taking high doses of SSRI, but I don't have that.
I take 40 mg Prozac and 40 mg Celexa, as well as 1 mg Risperdal.
My emotions are just right I think. For me, bad emotions have been blunted a bit but the good emotions are as strong as ever.
Posted by Phillipa on May 10, 2009, at 0:09:23
In reply to I'm on a lot of SSRI and I feel great, posted by Deneb on May 9, 2009, at 23:27:23
That's great Deneb glad to hear you're doing well. Phillipa
Posted by sowhysosad on May 10, 2009, at 8:54:52
In reply to I'm on a lot of SSRI and I feel great, posted by Deneb on May 9, 2009, at 23:27:23
I was the same on SSRI's - none of the emotional blunting or low motivation many complain about. I felt happy when life was good and down when it wasn't (although not excessively so and I could work my way through problems more rationally).
And that's not to say I didn't have any signs of dopamine depletion either.
> I read about emotional blunting/numbing, that comes with taking high doses of SSRI, but I don't have that.
>
> I take 40 mg Prozac and 40 mg Celexa, as well as 1 mg Risperdal.
>
> My emotions are just right I think. For me, bad emotions have been blunted a bit but the good emotions are as strong as ever.
>
>
Posted by Meltingpot on May 10, 2009, at 10:54:08
In reply to Re: I'm on a lot of SSRI and I feel great, posted by sowhysosad on May 10, 2009, at 8:54:52
Hi,
Just wanted to say from my experiences when SSRIs work then you do feel great, it's when they don't work properly that you get the emotional blunting.
I've experienced them working and them not working and so I know.
Denise
Posted by bleauberry on May 10, 2009, at 18:47:25
In reply to I'm on a lot of SSRI and I feel great, posted by Deneb on May 9, 2009, at 23:27:23
I suspect it is the Risperdal doing the trick. In combination with ssris, as with other APs, it increases dopamine and norepinephrine levels in specific brain regions, thus balancing out and complimenting what the ssri is doing on serotonin. Plus the serotonin blockade of risperdal is probably doing some good things. Just a hunch based on reading things on pubmed. For example, prozac increased dopamine and norepinephrine levels something like around 50% by itself, but something like 200% when zyprexa was added to it. Those numbers are nowhere near exact, but the overall pattern/trend is. Risperdal or Zyprexa in combo with Prozac increase dopamine and norepinephrine a lot.
Personally I think the Prozac/Zyprexa combo is extremely under-utilized, as is probably the Celexa/Zyprexa, Celexa/Risperdal, Paxil/Risperdal combos. In another example from pubmed, a small group of treatment resistant patients on Milnacipran had almost complete recovery when Risperdal was added, and another case report of the same thing happening when Zyprexa was added.
Not all ssris are the same however. When Zyprexa or Risperdal are added to Zoloft, dopamine is increased but not norepinephrine.
Posted by Deneb on May 10, 2009, at 20:04:48
In reply to Re: I'm on a lot of SSRI and I feel great, posted by bleauberry on May 10, 2009, at 18:47:25
I think you are probably right. I am just not sure how much of my good mood is from SSRI, Risperdal or just life.
It is probably a combination of them all.
I am pretty happy. I used to be borderline and always suicidal, but now I want to live until I am 120.
I am actually doing everything I can to avoid dying now.
I have downs still, but they don't last long.
I love life. :)
This is the end of the thread.
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