![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
Are there any anti-depressants that don't make you feel drugged/foggy?
I took Effexor XR for the last year and half and while it lifted the depression/anxiety, I slept a lot, took naps a lot. I didn't seem to care or have the anxiety, so I guess it cured that.
I have over long time tapered off that, and now I'm taking Wellbutrin 150XL. While I don't feel drugged or foggy or spacy, I am feeling kind of sad and lonely again.
I tried Zoloft about 10 years ago which helped, but felt an "emotional blunting" with it too.
Is the only answer "feel the emotions and depression" or don't feel anything???
Any AD's that arent so much one or the other?
*john*
Posted by crazychickuk on December 8, 2003, at 9:48:40
In reply to Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
Only advice i can offer is to just try everyone till you find one that works... everyone is different.
Posted by linkadge on December 8, 2003, at 10:14:45
In reply to Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
First find the drug that makes you feel most like yourself. Then work yourself down to the lowest effective dose. Along the way supplement with things like folic acid, fish oil, exercise, inositol etc.
This approach helped me very much.
Linkadge
Posted by Bill LL on December 8, 2003, at 16:48:26
In reply to Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
John- Wellbutrin is used by itself, but its more often used in conjuntion with another antidepressant. It is often used to offset the tiredness caused by a different antidepressant. In addition, it is used for ADD.
If I were you, I would consider 2 alternatives:
1) increase the dose of Wellbutrin, or
2) add Effexor to your Wellbutrin since Effexor worked in the past. The Wellbutrin could offset the apathy caused by the Effexor.Ask your doctor what he or she thinks.
Everyone reacts differently to these drugs so its basically trial and error. Dosage also plays a large role in determining effectiveness for all antidepressants.
Posted by stjames on December 8, 2003, at 18:05:49
In reply to Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
This is so individual I don't think one
can say X AD does not make one feel drugged.
Trial and error will indicate whick one is best for you. All AD's make some people feel drugged.
Posted by loolot on December 9, 2003, at 16:39:54
In reply to Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
You wellbutrin dose is small! If you up the dose I bet the depression symptoms will be reduced. Wellbutrin is the only AD i feel 'natural' on. I have to take the highest possible dose, though, and I wish I could go higher.
Posted by brussell on December 9, 2003, at 22:31:31
In reply to Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
> Are there any anti-depressants that don't make you feel drugged/foggy?
>
> I took Effexor XR for the last year and half and while it lifted the depression/anxiety, I slept a lot, took naps a lot. I didn't seem to care or have the anxiety, so I guess it cured that.
>
> I have over long time tapered off that, and now I'm taking Wellbutrin 150XL. While I don't feel drugged or foggy or spacy, I am feeling kind of sad and lonely again.
>
> I tried Zoloft about 10 years ago which helped, but felt an "emotional blunting" with it too.
>
> Is the only answer "feel the emotions and depression" or don't feel anything???
>
> Any AD's that arent so much one or the other?
>
> *john*
>
I can really relate to your dilemma. I am an artist and have had to quit AD's numerous times because they made me foggy or emotionally numb. The SSRI's are well known to have this effect. I also had bad results with Remeron (horrible) and Effexor.Welbutrin is the only current generation drug that helps with depression and doesn't make me feel impaired. You should definitely try 300mg a day. That is considered a normal theraputic dose. Since welbutrin tends not to blunt emotions, you will definitely feel sad and lonely sometimes. Hopefully you will be able to relieve these emotions like most non-depressed persons can (spending time with friends, favorite hobbies, etc.)
If, like me, you find that Welbutrin doesn't do enough to control the depression you might want to consider a MAOI like Parnate or Nardil. I have just started Parnate a few days ago, so it's too early to tell how much AD effect it will have. I am excited, though, since it is the first AD I've tried since Welbutrin that doesn't impair my creativity or make me feel drugged or *unable* to feel miserable. (Feeling miserable sometimes is part of being human--the key word being *sometimes*) :-)
As a previous poster mentioned, everyone responds slightly (or very) differently to these drugs. You might have great results from another current generation combo. If nothing seems to be working start thinking about a MAOI. Many pdocs are scared of them because of the dietary restrictions (which have not been a problem for me) but they have been lifesavers for many.
Best Wishes
Posted by John2222 on December 9, 2003, at 23:24:39
In reply to Re: Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by brussell on December 9, 2003, at 22:31:31
Thanks for the comments, support and advice.
I keep reading about all the others I haven't tried that seem popular (Lexapro, Celexa, Paxil, Prozac, etc.) Lots of people complaining about weight gain. My weight was about the same with Effexor except that I gained some over a year and half due to sleeping more and exercising less. Yes, it did the job but I felt out of touch with everything. No emotions at all, but then I guess that's what it is supposed to suppress.
So how can I just feel "normal" --- the $64,000,000 question? whatever normal is. I don't want the emotional blunting I had with Effexor and previously with Zoloft. I just want to be ME.
I'm not even sure how my dr. picked Wellbutrin after Effexor, but maybe because I said I was feeling so lethargic on Effexor.
Posted by CraigD on December 9, 2003, at 23:35:08
In reply to Re: Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by brussell on December 9, 2003, at 22:31:31
So far, Celexa makes me feel the least drugged. Prozac was too emotionally blunting.
There is some emotional blunting on Celexa, but WB just can't deal with my anxiety. Plus, it gave me a caffeinated, over-happy feeling that didn't seem too natural.
But it all depends on your own circumstances...
Posted by Sebastian on December 11, 2003, at 12:38:29
In reply to Any antidepressants that don't make you drugged??, posted by John2222 on December 8, 2003, at 9:40:28
Take a combination
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.