15 replies to this topic

[rvdvaart]

I was reading that SSRI's like Prozac and Lexapro actually stimulate BDNF via serotonin. So would this actually help with learning and memory? Motivation too?

I get really bad anxiety and have mild depression. I tend to procrastinate a lot and put off tasks like studying (even though I know its for my own benefit). I guess its a motivation problem too. Does anyone have experience with SSRI's?


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[KimberCT]

 I can only share my anecdotal experience.

After starting escitalopram, my desire to learn skyrocketed.  My library of books grew from maybe 25 to well over 200.  I took a 52-week (home study) course in Austrian Economics for fun.

Now I'm about 6-months into my study of pharmacology!   

edit: Forgot to mention that I also had really bad anxiety (panic) and the SSRI helped alot with that. 

Edited by KimberCT, 23 August 2010 - 09:05 PM.

[Logan]

Zoloft brand name, but I am biased. I had a very good run on Zoloft functioning at a very high level despite drinking entirely too much alcohol at times. The only reason why it ended was because I stopped taking it and when I tried taking it again a year later it just did not work the same. I may return to Zoloft again though.

[eternaltraveler]

One of the side effects of SSRIs is amotivational syndrome. The opposite of what you're looking for. Still. Individual reactions can vary wildly

[LizerLife]

Try Adderal or some other stimulate. Maby Effexor or something simmular.

Edited by LizerLife, 24 August 2010 - 12:19 AM.

[rvdvaart]

Try Adderal or some other stimulate. Maby Effexor or something simmular.

I used to take Adderall for a few years but it would just make my anxiety 10 times worse and make me socially awkward. That's why I think an SSRI might work. What I thought was ADHD (or ADD-PI) might actually just be anxiety and depression. Being unable to function productively and putting things off are a classic symptom of anxiety and depression. I only feel "normal" when I exercise which leads me to believe I have a serotonin deficiency.

I've tried St. Johns Wort and 5-HTP but they didn't seem to work well.

[Temp]

Try Adderal or some other stimulate. Maby Effexor or something simmular.

I used to take Adderall for a few years but it would just make my anxiety 10 times worse and make me socially awkward. That's why I think an SSRI might work. What I thought was ADHD (or ADD-PI) might actually just be anxiety and depression. Being unable to function productively and putting things off are a classic symptom of anxiety and depression. I only feel "normal" when I exercise which leads me to believe I have a serotonin deficiency.

I've tried St. Johns Wort and 5-HTP but they didn't seem to work well.

So what do you take now to treat that?

[rvdvaart]

Try Adderal or some other stimulate. Maby Effexor or something simmular.

I used to take Adderall for a few years but it would just make my anxiety 10 times worse and make me socially awkward. That's why I think an SSRI might work. What I thought was ADHD (or ADD-PI) might actually just be anxiety and depression. Being unable to function productively and putting things off are a classic symptom of anxiety and depression. I only feel "normal" when I exercise which leads me to believe I have a serotonin deficiency.

I've tried St. Johns Wort and 5-HTP but they didn't seem to work well.

So what do you take now to treat that?

I've tried Piracetam (with and without choline). It worked for a few weeks but then it lost its efficacy. I've tried Acetyl L-Carnatine but that also gives me bad anxiety. I've tried SAM-e and I don't really notice anything.


I take the following everyday:

Fish Oil (2-4 g)
Ashwagandha
Vitamin D
Centrum Multivitamin
B-50 Vitamin Complex
Sometimes Gingko Biloba
Tea or coffee in the morning

I don't really notice any cognitive enhancement from these. I definitely don't get any motivation from them. I exercise 5-6 times a week. And this is what really bothers me. Most people can exercise in the evening and wake up feeling the effects of exercise (decreased anxiety, enhanced cognition, better memory). I can do intense cardio for 1 hour everyday and then wake up with the same brain fog and anxiety in the morning. I can barely function before noon.

Thanks to all those who replied.

Edited by rvdvaart, 24 August 2010 - 02:14 AM.

[Temp]

Try Adderal or some other stimulate. Maby Effexor or something simmular.

I used to take Adderall for a few years but it would just make my anxiety 10 times worse and make me socially awkward. That's why I think an SSRI might work. What I thought was ADHD (or ADD-PI) might actually just be anxiety and depression. Being unable to function productively and putting things off are a classic symptom of anxiety and depression. I only feel "normal" when I exercise which leads me to believe I have a serotonin deficiency.

I've tried St. Johns Wort and 5-HTP but they didn't seem to work well.

So what do you take now to treat that?

I've tried Piracetam (with and without choline). It worked for a few weeks but then it lost its efficacy. I've tried Acetyl L-Carnatine but that also gives me bad anxiety. I've tried SAM-e and I don't really notice anything.


I take the following everyday:

Fish Oil (2-4 g)
Ashwagandha
Vitamin D
Centrum Multivitamin
B-50 Vitamin Complex
Sometimes Gingko Biloba
Tea or coffee in the morning

I don't really notice any cognitive enhancement from these. I definitely don't get any motivation from them. I exercise 5-6 times a week. And this is what really bothers me. Most people can exercise in the evening and wake up feeling the effects of exercise (decreased anxiety, enhanced cognition, better memory). I can do intense cardio for 1 hour everyday and then wake up with the same brain fog and anxiety in the morning. I can barely function before noon.

Thanks to all those who replied.

Yeap I PT for 50 minutes at 5:30am. I get decreased anxiety but it only lasts at most 2 hours...however I take about 100mg of Picamilon under my tongue before I work out and by the time I am done I feel "happier" then I normally get from exercise alone. It might be placebo, been doing it only for the past 2 weeks but so far it "Seems" to work.

[KimberCT]

 

I've tried Piracetam (with and without choline).  It worked for a few weeks but then it lost its efficacy. I've tried Acetyl L-Carnatine but that also gives me bad anxiety.  I've tried SAM-e and I don't really notice anything.


I take the following everyday:

Fish Oil (2-4 g)
Ashwagandha
Vitamin D
Centrum Multivitamin
B-50 Vitamin Complex
Sometimes Gingko Biloba
Tea or coffee in the morning

I don't really notice any cognitive enhancement from these.  I definitely don't get any motivation from them.  I exercise 5-6 times a week.  And this is what really bothers me.  Most people can exercise in the evening and wake up feeling the effects of exercise (decreased anxiety, enhanced cognition, better memory).  I can do intense cardio for 1 hour everyday and then wake up with the same brain fog and anxiety in the morning.  I can barely function before noon.

Thanks to all those who replied.

It sounds like you'd really benefit from an SSRI.  Target the anxiety and the brain fog and lack of motivation will resolve as well.


Keep in mind, even if you're a high responder to an SSRI, you'll still get all the nasty side effects on startup.  Start very low and work you're way up as the sides fade.  I started at 2.5mg escitalopram and by the time I got to 10mg around 3 weeks in something "clicked" and I literally felt much of my anxiety fade away.  Very cool.

[dubcomesaveme]

Avoid stimulants like amphetamine\coffee except Cocoa. Also Picamilon and sublingual 5HTP might help but last too short and have rebound effects in my experience.

I had great results micro-doseing 2-CI and found it an extremely effective anti-depressant pro-motivator. At low-doses it probably has somewhat similar serotogenic effects as SSRIs.

At high doses it has the side effect of being a recreational drug, but I never noticed any withdrawal symptoms whereas drinking a decent amount of alcohol completely saps my serotonin stores the next day.

Edited by dubcomesaveme, 25 August 2010 - 12:43 AM.

[rvdvaart]

Avoid stimulants like amphetamine\coffee except Cocoa. Also Picamilon and sublingual 5HTP might help but last too short and have rebound effects in my experience.

I had great results micro-doseing 2-CI and found it an extremely effective anti-depressant pro-motivator. At low-doses it probably has somewhat similar serotogenic effects as SSRIs.

At high doses it has the side effect of being a recreational drug, but I never noticed any withdrawal symptoms whereas drinking a decent amount of alcohol completely saps my serotonin stores the next day.

I have an appointment with a psychiatrist next week. I'll ask her if I can get an SSRI like Lexapro or what KimberCT takes. I like your suggestion but I would rather take something that's been clinically proven to work

Edited by rvdvaart, 25 August 2010 - 06:05 AM.

[noos]

I have an appointment with a psychiatrist next week. I'll ask her if I can get an SSRI like Lexapro or what KimberCT takes. I like your suggestion but I would rather take something that's been clinically proven to work

Please update. Have you tried an SSRI?. Thanks.

[rvdvaart]

I have an appointment with a psychiatrist next week. I'll ask her if I can get an SSRI like Lexapro or what KimberCT takes. I like your suggestion but I would rather take something that's been clinically proven to work

Please update. Have you tried an SSRI?. Thanks.

Yes, I tried Lexapro first. That caused me to go hypomanic and have crazy thoughts.

Now the doctor has me on Prozac. It's not great but it seems to be working for the tiredness and lack of focus. The brain fog is gone too. The only problem now is severe lack of motivation but coffee seems to help with that.

Edited by rvdvaart, 18 January 2011 - 01:20 AM.

[kikai93]

Try Adderal or some other stimulate. Maby Effexor or something simmular.

I used to take Adderall for a few years but it would just make my anxiety 10 times worse and make me socially awkward. That's why I think an SSRI might work. What I thought was ADHD (or ADD-PI) might actually just be anxiety and depression. Being unable to function productively and putting things off are a classic symptom of anxiety and depression. I only feel "normal" when I exercise which leads me to believe I have a serotonin deficiency.

I've tried St. Johns Wort and 5-HTP but they didn't seem to work well.

Why not exercise regularly? If you feel normal when you do exercise, it seems to just make good sense...

[kikai93]

Try Adderal or some other stimulate. Maby Effexor or something simmular.

I used to take Adderall for a few years but it would just make my anxiety 10 times worse and make me socially awkward. That's why I think an SSRI might work. What I thought was ADHD (or ADD-PI) might actually just be anxiety and depression. Being unable to function productively and putting things off are a classic symptom of anxiety and depression. I only feel "normal" when I exercise which leads me to believe I have a serotonin deficiency.

I've tried St. Johns Wort and 5-HTP but they didn't seem to work well.

Why not exercise regularly? If you feel normal when you do exercise, it seems to just make good sense...