Shown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Denise1966 on June 20, 2005, at 13:01:53
Hi,
Not sure what to do, the 40mg of paroxatine (Seroxat) which started helping me about 2 years ago is now just making me feel numb and devoid of any emotions at all. It's either the paroxetine or breakthrough depression I really don't know anymore.
Anyway my psychiatrist has added 15mg of Remeron to my regimen a week ago but I still feel really numb, like I've got no nerves at all now.
Has anyone on this board suffered the same feelings and do they know of anything I can add to take the numbness away. I hate it although I guess it's not as bad as the anxiety.
Trouble is when I complain of these numb feelings to my boyfriend he just thinks I'm complaining unnecessarily and am just after perfection.
I'm seriously thinking of trying ECT next because I've had enough of this.
I feel crap on antidepressants and crap off them, I'm feel caught between a rock and a hardplace.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Denise
Posted by Jazzed on June 20, 2005, at 16:15:29
In reply to Can't stand this numb feeling anymore!, posted by Denise1966 on June 20, 2005, at 13:01:53
Oh gosh,
Don't do ECT, unless it's the last resort.
Tell your p-doc exactly how you feel and see if you can't try some other meds, or med combos.Jazzy
Posted by ed_uk on June 20, 2005, at 16:30:07
In reply to Can't stand this numb feeling anymore!, posted by Denise1966 on June 20, 2005, at 13:01:53
Hi Denise,
>I still feel really numb.......
Perhaps you could add a dopamine agonist such as pramipexole (Mirapexin, Mirapex). You might feel better if you reduced the paroxetine to ~20mg.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the antidepressant efficacy and tolerability of adjunctive pramipexole, a D2-D3 dopamine agonist, in patients with drug-resistant depression. METHODS: The study sample consisted of in-patients with major depressive episode, according to the DSM-IV, and drug resistance. Pramipexole was added to antidepressant treatment with TCA or SSRI, at increasing doses from 0.375 to 1.0 mg/day. Two independent response criteria were adopted: a > 50% reduction of the Montgomery-Asberg Depressive Rating Scale (MADRS) total score and a score of I or 2 on the Clinical Global Impression scale (CGI-1) at endpoint. Side-effects were assessed by the Dosage Record Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (DOTES). RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were enrolled. Of these. 16 had unipolar depression and 21 had bipolar depression. Six patients dropped out in the first week. Of the 31 patients included in the analyses. 19 completed the 16-week follow-up. Mean maximal dose of pramipexole was 0.95 mg/day. Mean scores on MADRS decreased from 33.3 +/- 8.4 at baseline to 13.9 +/- 11.5 at endpoint (p < 0.001) and the CGI-S decreased from 4.6 +/- 0.8 at baseline to 2.8 +/- 1.3 at endpoint (p < 0.001). At endpoint, 67.7% (21/31) of patients were responders on MADRS and 74.2% on CGI-I. Of the 37 patients enrolled, 10 discontinued pramipexole because of adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary data suggest that pramipexole adjunction to antidepressant treatment may be effective and well tolerated in patients with resistant major depression.
......................................................................................................
On the other hand, perhaps you'd feel better if you came off Seroxat and replaced it with an MAOI.
~Ed
Posted by TomG on June 20, 2005, at 16:38:19
In reply to Can't stand this numb feeling anymore!, posted by Denise1966 on June 20, 2005, at 13:01:53
I am like this all of the time even off meds. Flat affect is very common with the negative symptoms of schizophrenia rather than the pain and emotional sadness and hopelessness of a deep depression. I'm not saying you're schizophrenic like me, because I think SSRI's can be the guilty party in making you feel numb rather than making you happy.
I know it doesn't feel good, but ask yourself is it better than the despair you feel in your depression. I sometimes welcome the fact I am flat emotionally rather than having the pain associated with the hell that clinical depression can bring. I've been like this most of my life so I guess I'm sort of used to it, but I know life would be much more enjoyable without the numbness. Did you have the numbness before the Paxil? I've had limited sucess with the antipsychotic Geodon at restoring my emotions along with helping most of my other symptoms.
If you do decide on ECT you might find it hard to get a doctor to be amenable to your plan if your list of 'tried' medications is short. I've been on damn near 20 meds over 8 years and the mere mention of ECT with my last two docs has caused a quick change of subject. I'm not saying you can't get ECT, but it might take a few consulations with different pdocs.
Good luck
Tom
Posted by Chairman_MAO on June 20, 2005, at 16:42:40
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore! » Denise1966, posted by ed_uk on June 20, 2005, at 16:30:07
Ed_uk is on the money. Adding a dopamine agonist (cabergoline, pramipexole, or ropinirole are preferable; amantadine is another option) is a well-known strategy for eliminating that "numbness".
Better yet, switch to an MAOI. Both Parnate and Nardil (which I currently take) provided me with an antidepressant effect many orders of magnitude better than SSRIs did--while still allowing me to cry my eyes out when appropriate! Try that on an SSRI! If you have significant anxiety complaints (GAD or social phobia, especially) Nardil + DA agonist would be a great treatment. Parnate already had a strong DA effect, so adding a DA agonist is probably not necessary.
You definitely should try MAOIs before ECT!
Posted by TomG on June 20, 2005, at 17:04:45
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore! » ed_uk, posted by Chairman_MAO on June 20, 2005, at 16:42:40
One more thing. If you do decide to go the antipsychotic route ask your doc about Abilify since people are bringing up dopamine agonists. I've heard people doing really well on just 2.5mgs. In simple terms it has the ability to increase dopamine in underactive areas of the brain and decrease dopamine activity where it is overactive thus it is labeled a 'dopamine stabilizer'.
Tom
Posted by linkadge on June 20, 2005, at 20:53:31
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore!, posted by TomG on June 20, 2005, at 17:04:45
Yes, I agree, don't do ECT. I strongly believe it can make your situation much worse.
Linkadge
Posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 5:41:21
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore! » Denise1966, posted by Jazzed on June 20, 2005, at 16:15:29
Jazzy,
Thanks for the advice but why should I not consider ECT? Have you had it?
Denise
Posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 5:42:45
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore! » Denise1966, posted by ed_uk on June 20, 2005, at 16:30:07
.
Posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 5:45:17
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore!, posted by TomG on June 20, 2005, at 16:38:19
Hi Tom,
Yes I have had success with Zyprexa but I really don't want to take it every day although it has always been a God Send for me.
The last Psychiatrist I spoke to is willing to let me try ECT because I have tried many medications over the past 4 years.
Posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 5:49:29
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore! » ed_uk, posted by Chairman_MAO on June 20, 2005, at 16:42:40
Hi Chairman MAO,
Nardil was the last drug I tried before going on a higher strength of Seroxat and I didn't like it.
Nardil also made me feel flat and I had no motivation on it. But I'm wondering now if the Nardil actually did something which made the Seroxat start to work when I took it afterwards.
I'm really not sure anymore but am reluctant to have to go a month on Nardil just to see if I can come off it and then after a two week washout period try the Seroxat again.
I will however mention mirapex to my Doctor.
Kind Regards....Denise
Posted by ed_uk on June 24, 2005, at 10:39:20
In reply to Re: To Chairman MAO, posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 5:49:29
Hi Denise!
>Nardil also made me feel flat and I had no motivation on it.
Have you tried tranylcypromine (Parnate)? Many people find it very different to Nardil.
What side effects did you get from Zyprexa? Have you tried any other atypicals? eg. Abilify.
Kind regards
~Ed
PS. I'm going to start a new thread about ECT soon.
Posted by Nezirov on June 24, 2005, at 14:21:05
In reply to Can't stand this numb feeling anymore!, posted by Denise1966 on June 20, 2005, at 13:01:53
In my opinion ECT is a barbaric procedure. Some authorities beleive that it causes brain damage. It wouldn't surprise me, because in essence you are just electrocuting the brain.
Nezirov
Posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 14:40:32
In reply to Re: Can't stand this numb feeling anymore!, posted by Nezirov on June 24, 2005, at 14:21:05
Hi,
Yes but so is suicide pretty barbaric and sometimes I'm very much on the verge of it.
I'm prepared to try just about anything in the hope that if it doesn't help then maybe it will just kill me instead.
Denise
Posted by Nezirov on June 24, 2005, at 15:01:09
In reply to Re: To Nezirov, posted by Denise1966 on June 24, 2005, at 14:40:32
Well, I can't stop you, of course. But have you done some research on ECT? If not, you may be shocked at what you find.
Nezirov
Posted by Nezirov on June 24, 2005, at 15:02:06
In reply to Re: To Nezirov, posted by Nezirov on June 24, 2005, at 15:01:09
Previous pun *not* intended.
Posted by Denise1966 on June 25, 2005, at 3:11:54
In reply to Re: To Nezirov, posted by Nezirov on June 24, 2005, at 15:02:06
:-) Yes I've done absolutely loads of research, the thing is no matter how much research you do there are no guarantees so doesn't really help.
But I do know if I do have it I'm going to make sure I put myself in good hands so will find the best hospital with the best ECT Specialists to do it.
Thanks for your advice.
Denise
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