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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 rvanson on October 17, 2007, at 20:09:10
In reply to Sleeping too much and getting tired too early, posted by deniseuk190466 on October 14, 2007, at 14:33:14
> I tried adding Wellbutrin about a year or two ago and it didn't seem to do anything but then I had ordered it off the web and thought that perhaps maybe it wasn't the real thing.
>
> I tried Mirtazapine on it's own and with the Seroxat and on it's own it didn't help. It helped a little with the Seroxat.
>
> I don't know what to do or try anymore.
>
> I'm also taking Rhodiola Rosea.
Has that Rhodiola been of any help to you so far?
Posted by deniseuk190466 on October 17, 2007, at 20:09:10
In reply to Re: Sleeping too much and getting tired too early, posted by rvanson on October 17, 2007, at 2:25:14
Hi,
Well not a lot as far as motivation and my depression goes. Just felt really drowsy on it.
At least I think it was the Rhodiola Rosea, as I didn't take it yesterday and today and don't feel so drowsy now just tense, constantly flat, anhedonic.
Denise
Posted by bleauberry on October 17, 2007, at 20:12:13
In reply to Sleeping too much and getting tired too early, posted by deniseuk190466 on October 14, 2007, at 14:33:14
It may be that rhodiola is complicating the picture. You might want to get through a rough couple of days stopping it and then see how you do over a period of 2 weeks without it.
Rhodiola slows down the cortisol response. That is not a good thing if your cortisol is sub-normal. I have low cortisol and rhodiola is not good to me when I try it. Feels good at first, but then the fatigue, sleepiness, with weird anxiety mixed in with it all, creeps up on me and it takes me a while to figure out it is the rhodiola doing it. My doctor had me increase my dose at one time and within 2 days I was crying and sobbing I just wanted to die, and the whole time I was just sleepy yet wired with anxiety. So weird.
You can order a 4 sample per day saliva cortisol lab test online. It would be good to know what yours is, just so you would have a better idea of what herbs to consider, which to avoid, which meds to consider or avoid, and what foods to eat more of or avoid.
Posted by deniseuk190466 on October 17, 2007, at 20:12:14
In reply to Re: Sleeping too much and getting tired too early, posted by bleauberry on October 14, 2007, at 18:08:46
Hi Blueberry,
Well I tried stopping the Rhodiola and the drowsiness is not so bad. I really hadn't realised that the Rhodiola was affecting me at all, so thanks for suggesting that.
Now I need something for this anhedonia, flat feeling all the time. This Seroxat is just not working properly, I know it because I know what it feels like when an antidepressant does work.
Although I'm very cynical when it comes to vitamins, herbs, etc, I might as well try adding things. I've started taking 5mg of folic acid a day to see if that does anything.
Have you got any suggestions? I think I tried L-tyrosine and it didn't seem to do anything.
I'm pretty sure my cortisol levels are low, as I never (touch wood) get flus, colds, infections even when everyone else around me has them. I'd rather have those though than have this depression. Also, when I am not depressed I tend to catch colds etc more easily which is really strange. It's like my depression is stopping me from being like normal people. I had a Dexamethasone suppresion test once and I was normal in that regard.
Anyway, if you have any suggestions I'd be willing to give them a try.
Thanks........Denise
Posted by cumulative on October 21, 2007, at 0:07:08
In reply to To Blueberry, posted by deniseuk190466 on October 17, 2007, at 20:12:14
>Now I need something for this anhedonia, flat feeling all the time. This Seroxat is just not working properly, I know it because I know what it feels like when an antidepressant does work.
stimulants, dopamine agonists (as some people are discussing on the main board), maoi. ENADA NADH? gotu kola? something dopaminergic, please. ssris aren't that good for anhedonia, and paxil is the worst.
Posted by bleauberry on October 23, 2007, at 19:45:24
In reply to To Blueberry, posted by deniseuk190466 on October 17, 2007, at 20:12:14
Anhedonia. Wow, that's a tough one. For me anyway. Andedonia is usually in the dopamine/norepinephrine arena. Things like wellbutrin, pramipexole, requip, amisulpride, zyprexa, risperdal, ritalin, adderall...well, anything that affects dopamine or norepinephrine. I've had anhedonia for years, even when not depressed. Any time I tried an appropriate medication, I got worse depression. So I'm stuck.
But years ago I did have excellent results for anhedonia when I added adrafinil to prozac. Its USA cousin is modafinil. I've tried both and found adrafinil was better, though others have found modafinil better.
Anyway, it just takes trial and error. Generally speaking though, anhedonia is usually not in the serotonin arena.
This is the end of the thread.
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