Posted by WhatToDoNext on August 5, 2008, at 12:56:22
Started last Thursday at 25mg/day....Did this x 2 days, then went to 25mg twice /day.....No side effects, so Yesterday I went to 25mg three x day. In the late afternoon my anxiety completely lifted, which it hasn't done in months. My mood has been lifting as well. I'm starting to laugh and play more with my kids as I was disinterested before as I felt so bad.
Woke up today with a little anxiety out of bed which quickly abated and feeling great today so far. I'm still on Klonopin 50mg / day, but it never did anything for me even at 150mg. I'm on nothing else but Xanax XR and Klonopin, and 10mg of Propanolol daily for rapid heartrate which is controlled.
I've tried all the SSRI's, some mood stabilizers, and low dose antipsychotics, all with NO results. This is my first Tricyclic and I guess my problem was norepinephrine over Serotonin. I kind of knew this as I took 5-HTP for about 3 weeks while on the Zoloft and started getting Serotonin Syndrome and had to stop. That told me right there that my Serotonin levels were up, but I never felt well from the increased levels.
I think 5-HTP is the test folks....If you take it and don't feel better than your problem most likely isn't Serotonin, and may be Norepinephrine. I decided on Nortriptyline over Cymbalta or Effexor, as Nortriptyline works much harder on Norepi than Either Effexor or Cymbalta. Look up the pharmacology and you'll see Effexor works 8 to 1 on Serotonin/Norepi.... Cymbalta is even worse at 30 to 1, and Nortriptyline is 2 to 3. Are you getting my point ? Hope I'm not confusing anyone here.
BTW, I've had zero side effects thus far. Fingers and toes crossed. I deserve this break as my Anxiety has been severe over the last 18 mos. and it has been daily. My depression was bad too, but no where as much as the Anxiety, which just persisted all day. Amazingly, I could sleep like a baby but the minute I woke up, I was in a Frenzy and freaking out, short of breath, shaking, brain fogged, rapid heart racing, and irritable as could be. So yesterday and Today I feel like my old self and can leave the house and conquer the world...lol I'm not manic or anything, but just excited to feel better....It's been hell as most of you can relate to.......
Will keep you posted on my progress.......Steve
poster:WhatToDoNext
thread:844325
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080805/msgs/844325.html