Posted by zeugma on September 16, 2004, at 19:09:47
In reply to Re: you all are all wonderful!great advice to link:), posted by linkadge on September 16, 2004, at 18:37:25
> Too much dopamine and i feel that the problem is much more complex than it really is. The SSRI's are the only things that stop me from freaking out as soon as I look at the problem and help me to temper my "interpretation" of the difficulty of the problem.
>
> In other words, I think I may have some limbic ADHD, where my emotions simply shut off my ability to recieve incoming info.
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> I need some way to shut off that FEAR. I'm not dumb but I think my amygdala is in overdrive. How do I shut off the amygdala ?
>
>
> Linkadge
>
> Dr. Amen thinks that TCA's are good treatments for limbic ADD. From my experience TCA's are remarkably powerful at suppressing panic attacks where the amygdala shuts down the prefrontal cortex. On the other hand they have a documented uselessness in social phobia, except for clomipramine, suggesting a specifically antipanic effect.Before restarting nortriptyline I had the periodic feeling of shivering inside. It was not related to any external or internal stimuli known to me- it was fear, pure and simple. This shivering stopped even on 20 mg of nortriptyline which is a tiny dose. On the other hand TCA's can intensify emotions, including negative ones, but not fear or panic. The picture is incredibly complex. I think the noradrenergic and/or anticholinergic effects cause a cognitive 'slowing' which improves the continuity of thought. but this can also exacerbate the perceptions of complexity that are causing you problems. Provigil which I think is powerfully noradrenergic as well as dopaminergic was especially 'slowing' in this respect. It had too many strange s/e for me to stay on it which is a shame because I liked this effect a lot.
if you find yourself prone to panic, and suspect limbic ADHD as well, then a TCA would be a good choice, at least according to Dr. Amen. If you could get your hands on some cymbalta that would probably be even better.
For shutting off the amygdala quickly and cleanly, I would say Klonopin would be the best.
-z
poster:zeugma
thread:391172
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040915/msgs/391692.html