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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Alone_in_a_Crowd on September 3, 2003, at 8:50:15
Greetings,I've taken quite a few different SSRI's and my vision gets extremely blurry. I'm a little short sighted and wear glasses when I drive at night or ride my motorcycle, but when taking an SSRI my vision is very blurred (especially at night).
I had the Lasix operation on my eyes a few years ago, so my vision is not too great at night anyway - but taking an SSRI makes it almost impossible to drive at night, and very dangerous to ride my motorcycle.
I'm extremely sensitive to medications in general (my metabolism is extremely fast), I feel completely different (over happy?) after just 1 20mg Prozac, 50mg Zoloft or ... I forget all the names I've tried.
I keep to myself a lot, spend a lot of time in my own head. It's not good to think so much. Not for me at least. It's always negative thoughts, suicide - anger at everything and everyone - hatred - etc.etc. The SSRI's makes me feel fake and happy when I know I'm not, but at least it keeps the bad thoughts away, sometime. When I speak to people I feel a smile in my face, but I don't know why I'm smiling, or why they are smiling!
A few years ago I tried some LSD in a club - my life has never been the same since. It triggered panic attacks I was unable to deal with at the time, thought I was going insane. Unfortunately I've learned since that I am not insane, sometimes I wish that I was tho - at least then I won't know what I'm thinking and all the thoughts can stop.
LSD can trigger mental illness in borderline cases, but I feel as tho my life has been on a downhill for the last 7 years. It's horrible, I don't want to be around people anymore and most times just wish I could build myself a little cabin in the woods and hide there from humanity for the rest of my life. But then I think about all the things I would miss out on, and then I think about why I'm thinking that way because there's not much that attracts me anyways etc.etc. Just a vicious circle of bad bad thoughts.
I get bored extremely quickly and can never concentrate on anything for very long. Ritalin helps, but my muscles don't agree. They become extremely stiff and cramp, even at low doses.
Anyways, I've babbled way to much. If someone can perhaps suggest a anti-depressant that will not blur my eyes - I will be eternally grateful.
Ciao.
Posted by Bill L on September 3, 2003, at 9:51:31
In reply to Blurred vision's and fake smiles., posted by Alone_in_a_Crowd on September 3, 2003, at 8:50:15
The SSRI's, especially Paxil, can cause blurry vision in some people. It comes from causing dryness in the eyes. Here is an excerpt from an article:
"Paxil in also unusual in that it has significant "anticholinergic" properties. This means that, unlike the other SSRI's, it tends to block the action of the neurotransmitter acetyl choline. This can result in a few of the side effects seen with the tricyclic antidepressants, including dry mouth, dry eyes, or blurry vision. Again, this effect is very weak compaired to the tricyclic antidepressants, and these side effects are seldom problematic."
Based on your post, I would say that you definitely need to continue taking an antidepressant of some kind.
Posted by Ima on September 3, 2003, at 10:06:49
In reply to Re: Blurred vision's and fake smiles., posted by Bill L on September 3, 2003, at 9:51:31
You mentioned ritalin, and paxil.
Are these your only prescribed meds?
Posted by Kacy on September 3, 2003, at 16:57:29
In reply to Re: Blurred vision's and fake smiles., posted by Bill L on September 3, 2003, at 9:51:31
Effexor causes me to have blurry vision. My vision also changes on me so the blurriness level is not always the same. Ten days off Effexor and I could read the phone book again, easily. A couple of weeks later, back on Effexor and I was back to needing reading glasses to read the directory again.
If we took choline supplements to counter that effect, would it also counter the effect of the ssri?
Three ounces of beef liver a day gives you a full supply of choline. The recommended supplement is 550 mg/day for men and 425 mg/day for women. Too much supplementation causes side effects that include smelling like a fish.
This is from the Linus Pauling Institute's web site. "The Linus Pauling Institute's Micronutrient Information Center is a source for up-to-date, scientifically accurate information regarding the roles of specific vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals (plant chemicals that may affect health), and other nutrients in preventing disease and promoting health." Here's the link to the choline page.
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/othernuts/choline/choline.html
Posted by Sebastian on September 3, 2003, at 20:30:46
In reply to Blurred vision's and fake smiles., posted by Alone_in_a_Crowd on September 3, 2003, at 8:50:15
You know thats exactly how I feel. why don't my meds seem to improve that distant feeling. They all seem to cloud my vision. I wonder do the meds actulaly make you distant and dead feeling. I haven't been happy since I started my meds, inside that is. I took a lot of LSD in the past, some of the meds I have taken give me flash backs, those are the meds I stop. I have a hard time staying in a conversation too, I usualy just give up and walk away after a few breff words.
Posted by Alone_in_a_Crowd on September 4, 2003, at 2:41:06
In reply to Re: Blurred vision's and fake smiles., posted by Ima on September 3, 2003, at 10:06:49
Currently, yes. But I've tried Edronax, Efexor, Prozac, Cipramil, Zoloft, Stilazine.I didn't have my Prozac yesterday, so my eyes are a bit better today.
Bye.
> You mentioned ritalin, and paxil.
>
> Are these your only prescribed meds?
>
Posted by Bill L on September 4, 2003, at 9:06:15
In reply to Re: Blurred vision's and fake smiles., posted by Alone_in_a_Crowd on September 4, 2003, at 2:41:06
Please do not stop your medications. It's like giving up. Fight it!
> I didn't have my Prozac yesterday, so my eyes are a bit better today.
This is the end of the thread.
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