A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

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ihatelexapro444
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A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by ihatelexapro444 »

https://archive2021.parliament.scot/S5_ ... 651_II.pdf

After reading this and realising that I share most of her symptoms, as well as the fact that I took the same prescription, escitalopram, for two months, it's safe to say that my will to live has diminished dramatically. I used to take cymbalta and was able to get back on my feet fast after stopping it, but something about this drug, escitalopram, appears to have a long-term effect on me. I've been off the drug for 4 months and still get PSSD, a brain dead feeling, gynecomastia, and a general sense of being injured, as if the drug done something to my brain at the atomic molecular level that is exceedingly difficult to repair. I've heard escitalopram is quite selective, possibly the most selective of all the SSRIs? I'm wondering whether this is why it's so difficult to get back to normal; it's just too selective.

I've been on and off of Cymbalta several times in the past, and each time I was able to return to normal, despite the fact that I had sexual dysfunction and brain fog while on it. They always seemed to come back 100 percent, but not this time with escitalopram.
sovietxrobot
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by sovietxrobot »

I had a similar experience after abrupt withdrawal from citalopram. I'm pretty convinced PSSD in my case was caused by 5HT2A activation (and other receptors, certainly). To treat it, I worked backwards from all of the symptoms I was experiencing. Brain fog, anhedonia, emotional blunting- these are also all symptoms of neuroleptic induced deficit syndrome. Androgenic symptoms like gynecomastia could be caused by low test/high prolactin, which could also be a feature of low dopamine. Almost all elements of sexual dysfunction from SSRIs have been linked to 5HT2A, and are treated with antagonists. Furthermore, 5HT2A is known to control dopamine efflux in many brain regions

Based on the above, I've been treating my PSSD with 1) dopamine supplementation (wellbutrin, l-dopa) and 2) 5HT2A antagonism (trazodone), and a few other things I've found helpful through trial and error (yohimbine, buspar, nitric oxide).

Escitalopram is indeed the most selective of the SSRIs, but I dont know what effect that has. Perhaps it suggests a kind of PSSD that is focused on 5HT2A, rather than something more widespread. But thats speculation.

I'd love to take a closer look at those EEG results, the image is too small to read.
Gameclay
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by Gameclay »

sovietxrobot wrote: Tue Jun 22, 2021 10:14 am I had a similar experience after abrupt withdrawal from citalopram. I'm pretty convinced PSSD in my case was caused by 5HT2A activation (and other receptors, certainly). To treat it, I worked backwards from all of the symptoms I was experiencing. Brain fog, anhedonia, emotional blunting- these are also all symptoms of neuroleptic induced deficit syndrome. Androgenic symptoms like gynecomastia could be caused by low test/high prolactin, which could also be a feature of low dopamine. Almost all elements of sexual dysfunction from SSRIs have been linked to 5HT2A, and are treated with antagonists. Furthermore, 5HT2A is known to control dopamine efflux in many brain regions

Based on the above, I've been treating my PSSD with 1) dopamine supplementation (wellbutrin, l-dopa) and 2) 5HT2A antagonism (trazodone), and a few other things I've found helpful through trial and error (yohimbine, buspar, nitric oxide).

Escitalopram is indeed the most selective of the SSRIs, but I dont know what effect that has. Perhaps it suggests a kind of PSSD that is focused on 5HT2A, rather than something more widespread. But thats speculation.

I'd love to take a closer look at those EEG results, the image is too small to read.
Any effect from Wellbutrin/ l Dopa?
sovietxrobot
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by sovietxrobot »

Gameclay wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:58 am Any effect from Wellbutrin/ l Dopa?
Yes, they were both key to the recovery I have made so far. They both helped my sexual dysfunction. for a while, although the effects mostly faded. The real value was in treating my cognitive symptoms. At my worst, I was disabled due to brain fog, avolition, and total apathy. With wellbutrin, I was able to function more or less normally at work, but still had pretty severe anhedonia. The addition of l-dopa was really the breakthrough that resolved my anhedonia and any remaining cognitive issues. I can fully engage in all my old interests and hobbies.
UKContributor
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by UKContributor »

Can you clarify meaning re anhedonia - I have no mental issues (pfs so slightly different) other than disrupted sleep but do have anhedonia - I don’t feel any pleasure on my skin in my body
ihatelexapro444
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by ihatelexapro444 »

sovietxrobot wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 8:46 am
Gameclay wrote: Fri Jun 25, 2021 6:58 am Any effect from Wellbutrin/ l Dopa?
Yes, they were both key to the recovery I have made so far. They both helped my sexual dysfunction. for a while, although the effects mostly faded. The real value was in treating my cognitive symptoms. At my worst, I was disabled due to brain fog, avolition, and total apathy. With wellbutrin, I was able to function more or less normally at work, but still had pretty severe anhedonia. The addition of l-dopa was really the breakthrough that resolved my anhedonia and any remaining cognitive issues. I can fully engage in all my old interests and hobbies.
I've heard several sources stating that L-dopa is neurotoxic, what do you think about that?
sovietxrobot
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by sovietxrobot »

ihatelexapro444 wrote: Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:03 am I've heard several sources stating that L-dopa is neurotoxic, what do you think about that?
by itself, the statement 'l-dopa is neurotoxic' is ridiculous. L-dopa is a crucial amino acid in humans and animals. there has been some debate if the longterm use of high doses of levodopa can cause neurotoxicity. The most recent paper I could find on this was from 2009, my impression is that its no longer controversial. Its been shown that levodopa is not neurotoxic except in some special cases, and in fact has many neuroprotective properties.
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dann888
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by dann888 »

ihatelexapro444,
Feeling happy is not depend at all on your sexual desire. Now I am happy with just 2% of sexuality. Now I don't Think about my disability and live the life freely and confidently. I was also anxious before and thought my brain is damaged and so on.. But you will be gradually ok once you relive from your anxiety. Read buddhism, Vitamin D3 and B combo(Neurobion) helps.
Janie
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by Janie »

This is my case if you want to ask anything. It's been 6,5 years suffering for me. No emotions, cognitive problems, fatigue, full PSSD. I'm trying new protocol now.
Last edited by Janie on Mon Jun 28, 2021 9:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
Janie
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Re: A person's devastating and life destroying experience on SSRI escitalopram

Unread post by Janie »

dann888 wrote: Mon Jun 28, 2021 12:20 am ihatelexapro444,
Feeling happy is not depend at all on your sexual desire. Now I am happy with just 2% of sexuality. Now I don't Think about my disability and live the life freely and confidently. I was also anxious before and thought my brain is damaged and so on.. But you will be gradually ok once you relive from your anxiety. Read buddhism, Vitamin D3 and B combo(Neurobion) helps.
Then you definitely don't have the full syndrome which involves not felling joy in anything, not feeling emotions, being like a "brain dead".
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