2 replies to this topic

[Smooth440]

I’ve been prescribed a stimulant for years now and it has become ineffective and doesn’t seem to benefit me at all. It once made me focused and motivated but now seems to have the opposite effect.

I sustained a severe TBI in 2008 which effected the prefrontal cortex the most. Does Zoloft have anything to do with this?

[MichaelTheAnhedonic]

So, the damage to the PFC caused impaired focus? AFAIK, zoloft acts as serotonin reuptake inhibitor, they're known for supressing release of dopamine. Vyvanse is dopamine releaser, if Zoloft is blocking it, it will not work. But I'm not psychopharmacologist, just saying.

Edited by MichaelTheAnhedonic, 15 December 2017 - 07:20 AM.

[Mind_Paralysis]

It should be noted that in the PFC Fluoxetine actually increases activity of DA and NE, that's why it's considered the most activating SSRI.

 

There's evidence that it impairs CYP2D6-enzymes, which break down Amphetamine - HOWever... this means that it instead INCREASES your dosage of Amphetamine - NOT that it decreases it's effects! Drugs.com even has an interaction-warning here, about how it can cause overstimulation.

 

http://www.corepsych...m-not-solution/

 

https://www.drugs.co...0-1115-648.html

 

What you could do though, is to try and actually slightly LOWER your Amphetamine-dosage - perhaps Fluoxetine is causing an inverted bell-curve, meaning your dosage is now suddenly TOO high, to be effective? That's a recorded effect, you know, too high of a dosage.So, try lowering your dosage, and perhaps try adding low-dose Guanfacine (intuniv), since that effects the PFC in an independent way, and also increases focus.

 

 

Since you have suffered actual physical damage to your PFC, I would look into drugs which cause neurogenesis in that region - I only know of two: Dihexa and Lithium. Lithium is the only one with sufficient evidence, the evidence is less strong for Dihexa.

 

If you opt to try neurogenesis of the PFC, then I recommend Lithium Orotate, since that compound is easy to obtain and has a better side-effects profile than traditional Lithium-preparations.