Posted by janejane on January 31, 2009, at 12:10:30
Hi everyone! I've been lurking here for the last few weeks and have learned so very much. Thanks to everyone!
So the thing is, I seem to have developed the dreaded SSRI apathy syndrome after 10 years of prozac use for double depression. My mood is fine (I'm not sad, in any case) but I've got major anhedonia, lethargy, mind mush, and probably other stuff that escapes me right now.
To address these problems, my new p-doc decided to switch me from prozac to cymbalta. I do feel less foggy (though still unfocused) and the depression hasn't resurfaced, but nothing much else has changed. After doing a bit of study here and elsewhere, I've concluded that I could probably benefit from some dopamine boosting. Correct?
Wellbutrin is not an options since it causes tinnitus and ataxia. I think Provigil sounds promising, but my p-doc is reluctant. She thinks it's an "interesting" suggestion, but has decided that we should try upping my cymbalta dose first. Am I the only one who thinks that if anything, it will make the apathy worse?
Anyway, I decided to take some initiative and sample an alternate dopaminergic option to address the apathy. Specifically, I bought a product called "True Focus" made by Now Foods. Two capsules contain 800 mg l-tyrosine and 300 mg l-phenylalanine, along with what seem to be relatively small amounts of taurine, grapeseed extract, potassium, DMAE, gingko, CoQ10, vitamin c and b-6. Suggested usage is 1-2 caps 1-2 times daily between meals.
I've taken one capsule (half dose) first thing in the morning for the last few days. This is followed by my morning latte a half hour later, and breakfast some time after that. Despite a welcome boost in energy, I have also been experiencing bothersome palpitations and hypertension that don't seem to be decreasing with continued use.
This morning, for instance, my BP got up to something like 155/95. Very uncomfortable to say the least. (I admit this was post-coffee, but coffee by itself does not do that to me.) I'm reluctant to take it later in the day because insomnia can be a problem with me, but maybe I should try to wait until the caffeine has worn off. I suppose another option to take even smaller dose, but it seems like I'm taking a pretty small amount as it is. No?
Another thought occurs to me as well, though. Do you think it's possible that taking additional taurine along with the supplement would moderate the heart-fluttery effects I'm getting now? My theory is that I should still get an increase of DA and NE but not so much adrenaline, which seems like it might help keep me from being over-activated. Yes, no, maybe so? I thought I'd consult my fellow babblers about this before proceeding, because in all honesty, all this complex brain stuff is quite new and very confusing to me and I'm just starting (I think) to grasp the very tiniest strands of it. Thoughts?
Thanks in advance for your input!
poster:janejane
thread:877358
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20081006/msgs/877358.html