Important Question about SSRIs

[TheSacredTree]

I just got back from my doctors appointment with a new prescription. But this time it's one i REALLY don't want to take. I came in after finding recently that i have both ADD and an anxiety disorder but after discussing this for a bit with my doctor, he decided the best solution would be to put me on Celexa, an SSRI. While i may agree this could help both conditions by leveling out all my thoughts, i've always been rather afraid to take any SSRI's or MAOI's. I say this for multiple reasons.

1. I've seen the results of these drugs on a few people i've known in the past. The side-effects for the first month or two can be pretty horrible and then the withdrawals getting off aren't much better. I already have a hard enough time falling asleep in the nights, i don't want to make them even worse. And those brain zaps coming off...

1. The blunting of emotions some people say they get from these drugs. My friends and family already complain i don't show my emotions enough, i don't want to make it even worse.

1. The reduction/diminishing of effects i'll get off many recreational drugs while on the SSRI's.

So, the whole reason i was prescribed this in the first place was because my doctor says (and again, i don't disagree with this statement), if he was to put me on any of the amphetamines, it would just make my anxiety worse. So he said he was going to put me on an anxiety medication and that's where the Celexa came from (i don't call this an anxiety medication). But let's get down to the purpose of this whole post. I have two questions about this decision.

1. My thought was, since my anxiety is of a more sporadic nature, wouldn't it work if i was to get prescribed a normal amphetamine for my ADD and then get a fast-acting benzo on the side that i can just take whenever i need it? Or would a combination like Adderall and Xanax just cancel each other out? Or even worse, are there any known health issues related to that cocktail of medications? Because it seems they would have more of a synergy than anything else.

1. If i was to just go along with it and take the SSRI, what recreational drugs would i have to avoid while on it? Like, i heard both the SSRI's and MAOI's can just render any form of MDMA useless. I also heard they reduce the effects of some psychedelics (although Caapi is an MAOI and that's a common ingredient in many of the ayahuasca brews). Are there any others that will be affected though?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

P.S. Sorry every one of my bullet points are labelled with a "1". I'm writing all this on an Ipad and dont know how to fix that without turning all of it into just one big wall of text.

 

[_DankOpiAmp_]

Suck up the anxiety and get on Dexedrine. He is trying to prescribe you a bullshit drug that will not help you. He could, at the very least, get you on Dexedrine and clonazepam but no, he wants to put you on a drug that is not only physically addictive and riddled with extreme side-effects but also ineffective.

A take as needed benzo and some form of amphetamine would probably be best.

 

[TheSacredTree]

Suck up the anxiety and get on Dexedrine. He is trying to prescribe you a bullshit drug that will not help you. He could, at the very least, get you on Dexedrine and clonazepam but no, he wants to put you on a drug that is not only physically addictive and riddled with extreme side-effects but also ineffective.

A take as needed benzo and some form of amphetamine would probably be best.

That's exactly what i'm saying. I'm hoping (but starting to wonder) if his mentality in prescribing me this is that he's already listed me as a drug seeker and is now trying to go one step above and actually remove some illegal drugs from my list by prescribing me something that will render them innefective. Let's hope that isn't the case.

But i wish i could just "suck up the anxiety". Well, TBH, it's less of an anxiety disorder and more of a "this bitch is hot as hell and i'm sitting here with her and eating lunch, i wish my hands would stop shaking" when i'm in school. And then an "i hate homework, why dont i go play fetch with my dog and eat a snack." Then an, "Aw man, it's midnight and i only wrote 3 sentences on my 6 page paper. I'm so stressed out" type deal when i get home if you get what i mean.

 

[_DankOpiAmp_]

Is there any reason for him to have labelled you a drug seeker? Did you seem to eager to get the stimulants? It seems your anxiety could be treated with practice and exposure if you had the will to follow through with it.

 

[Foreigner]

I took celexa when it was new on the market some years ago. In the short term I felt some relief but long-term it actually made my anxiety worse because its emotionally numbing effects made it difficult for me to pinpoint what was wrong.

Celexa is only indicated for anxiety when it comes part and parcel with depression, which it did in my case. I don't see it being useful strictly as an anxiolytic though. And yes, if you're on it for more than 6 months, when you try stopping you have the discontinuation withdrawals... which can be hell.

 

[TheSacredTree]

Is there any reason for him to have labelled you a drug seeker? Did you seem to eager to get the stimulants? It seems your anxiety could be treated with practice and exposure if you had the will to follow through with it.

In my mind i dont think i seemed eager but i don't know what he saw me as. I have mentioned that i think i have ADD and anxiety in like 10 of my recent appointments but that's because he hasn't done anything to help me at all whenever i ask (until yesterday). And they are two conditions who's cures are some very easily abusable drugs. My main priority in all of this is just to be cured from these two very crippling conditions though, maybe just 15% of the reason i would prefer a benzo/amphetamine combination would be for recreation but i think that's still much less of a priority in my mind than it would be for most people though.

And lol, "exposure"? You're recommending he gives me a prescription for sex? I wouldn't mind that.

 

[TheSacredTree]

I took celexa when it was new on the market some years ago. In the short term I felt some relief but long-term it actually made my anxiety worse because its emotionally numbing effects made it difficult for me to pinpoint what was wrong.

Celexa is only indicated for anxiety when it comes part and parcel with depression, which it did in my case. I don't see it being useful strictly as an anxiolytic though. And yes, if you're on it for more than 6 months, when you try stopping you have the discontinuation withdrawals... which can be hell.

My concerns exactly. And that's another thing i found weird when he prescribed me Celexa. He asked if i ever think i have any signs of depression and i said no. Then he asked if i've ever had suicidal thoughts and again, that's a no. So then he prescribes me an anti-depressant instead of a benzo. Makes absolutely no sense to me.

 

[Crashing]

Doc has to follow the protocol. A patient must be on a mood stabilizer in order to get a benzodiazepine prescription and only after a failed series of SSRI and benzo combinations will he turn to prescription amphetamine.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

SSRIs can also cause long-lasting (& in some cases permanent) sexual side effects. E.g. difficulty orgasming & not enjoying it iirc

If you explain to your doctor your concerns & he won't prescribe you a different med class, personally I'd find a new doctor who takes that into consideration. Not saying he should be throwing benzos at you left & right ether tho.

I also know of a girl who's prescribed Adderall & a benzo.

 

[TheSacredTree]

SSRIs can also cause long-lasting (& in some cases permanent) sexual side effects. E.g. difficulty orgasming & not enjoying it iirc

If you explain to your doctor your concerns & he won't prescribe you a different med class, personally I'd find a new doctor who takes that into consideration. Not saying he should be throwing benzos at you left & right ether tho.

I also know of a girl who's prescribed Adderall & a benzo.

Yeah, i think i'm going to write him a letter today and just not take the Celexa. Even if it is able to help with my anxiety (which i doubt it can), i would rather just keep that than gain a whole bunch of new problems.

 

[crestfallen]

Celexa helped me a lot when I first started taking it. It calmed my anxiety and helped me be more social instead of the quiet kid who never talks to anyone. Its up to you but I would at least give it a try

 

[TheSacredTree]

Is it true that it won't even work at all for the first month though? That's the one warning my doctor did give me.

 

[T. Calderone]

Not that they don't work, more like the full effects won't kick in for a few weeks. Celexa can be useful so it can't hurt to go ahead and try them. Then if you find you don't like it speak to your doctor. Finding the right meds is a process, just be patient!

 

[blight12]

SSRI's get a lot of hate. For me personally they worked and made life managable again after breaking my brain with MDMA. So it worked for resolving a physical issue directly. Makes sense. I actually had a good experience with these and no side effects. It was paxil. the only side effect was delayed orgasm which was a benefit and not a side effect.

The only drug it will blunt/block is MDMA. some might say meth a well due to its S activity but i never experienced this, it worked exactly the same before and after i stopped SSRI. MDMA however does not work at all. Everything else seems to be fine and alcohol can be slightly enhanced. Ive never considered the MAOI risk before but that should also be considered if you use those. Your main stream stims, opiates, pychs, weed etc should work as per usual.

Only MDMA would be blocked but if you actually need a SSRI then you shouldnt be taking MDMA anyway.

The problem is when SSRI's are perscribed for random anxiety issues, depression etc when its not even possible to know if there is a physical issue that the medication can resolve. Treating depression for example where its not a physical issue but perhaps a psychological one with SSRI's is a problem and not resonsible.

I have the same issue with lazing parents and doctors giving kids ADHD meds because they are difficult, overactive etc (basically just being kids).
Also, a daily doctor approved amphetamine addiction? WTF? That seems silly, worse then long term benzo perscriptions. I wonder how many meth addicts started out because of adderal and related substance experience.

OP, how was the ADD diagnosis determined. I really struggle with how they diagnose this issue? Not saying its not a real thing but I just dont understand how its diagnosed. I would happilly accept amps perscribed for ADD only after a dopamine deficiency has been proven through some kind of test. Having anxiety for many years i know it can present as ADD, OCD and other things a well and amps wouldnt be the right treatment for that.

So in conclusion, An SSRI for your anxiety might be worth testing first. I would not touch an amp until after the SSRI has had time to show its results as the ADD can be related to the anxiety. Unless of course you want the amps for rec usage which is totally understandable. Perhaps if you described your ADD symptoms that might help.

Lastly I would get a benzo perscription for the sporadic issues, like maybe 10 ativan tabs for a month or something. They are fine with this usually when its not a daily use perscription.

 

[TheSacredTree]

Not that they don't work, more like the full effects won't kick in for a few weeks. Celexa can be useful so it can't hurt to go ahead and try them. Then if you find you don't like it speak to your doctor. Finding the right meds is a process, just be patient!

Oh, if they do work a little bit in the early days on it, i might consider. They're still being held at the pharmacy right now. I told them i might or might not take them so they're waiting for me to decide.

 

[TheSacredTree]

SSRI's get a lot of hate. For me personally they worked and made life managable again after breaking my brain with MDMA. So it worked for resolving a physical issue directly. Makes sense. I actually had a good experience with these and no side effects. It was paxil. the only side effect was delayed orgasm which was a benefit and not a side effect.

The only drug it will blunt/block is MDMA. some might say meth a well due to its S activity but i never experienced this, it worked exactly the same before and after i stopped SSRI. MDMA however does not work at all. Everything else seems to be fine and alcohol can be slightly enhanced. Ive never considered the MAOI risk before but that should also be considered if you use those. Your main stream stims, opiates, pychs, weed etc should work as per usual.

Only MDMA would be blocked but if you actually need a SSRI then you shouldnt be taking MDMA anyway.

The problem is when SSRI's are perscribed for random anxiety issues, depression etc when its not even possible to know if there is a physical issue that the medication can resolve. Treating depression for example where its not a physical issue but perhaps a psychological one with SSRI's is a problem and not resonsible.

I have the same issue with lazing parents and doctors giving kids ADHD meds because they are difficult, overactive etc (basically just being kids).
Also, a daily doctor approved amphetamine addiction? WTF? That seems silly, worse then long term benzo perscriptions. I wonder how many meth addicts started out because of adderal and related substance experience.

OP, how was the ADD diagnosis determined. I really struggle with how they diagnose this issue? Not saying its not a real thing but I just dont understand how its diagnosed. I would happilly accept amps perscribed for ADD only after a dopamine deficiency has been proven through some kind of test. Having anxiety for many years i know it can present as ADD, OCD and other things a well and amps wouldnt be the right treatment for that.

So in conclusion, An SSRI for your anxiety might be worth testing first. I would not touch an amp until after the SSRI has had time to show its results as the ADD can be related to the anxiety. Unless of course you want the amps for rec usage which is totally understandable. Perhaps if you described your ADD symptoms that might help.

Lastly I would get a benzo perscription for the sporadic issues, like maybe 10 ativan tabs for a month or something. They are fine with this usually when its not a daily use perscription.

Well, it wasn't really determined at all. I just walked in and told my doctor i have an incredibly hard time focussing on what i'm doing nowadays even when it's something i enjoy doing. And i have a 6 page research paper that i'm only half way through even though it was due in december because i can only get like a sentence done per day. And i haven't even started my senior project which was due weeks ago and it's a graduation retirement. And all of this is 100% true. So he said that's pretty good proof i may have it but i would have to take some test to make sure i really do and i'll be doing that soon but we're pretty certain i have ADD.

But what we don't know for certain is whether or not my ADD is because of my anxiety or my anxiety is because of my ADD. Could be either way. But i think it's both.

But i will admit that i may want to use the Adderall for recreational purposes every once in a while but like i said before, that isn't the main reason i want it. I'm really seeking it for it's real purposes. Same as the benzo to accomany it. Although i would probably use the benzo as an every other day thing because that's when i get my anxiety. I have it one day, then get a break the next and that's how it is all the time.

 

[Cuhpcakes]

When taking SSRIs, one should avoid adding other serotonin provokers in combination. Because too much serotonin may cause serotonin sydome, a VERY adverse disease that may lead to death.

Drugs like MDMA, dextromethorphan and LSD should be avoided. Cannabis, alcohol and nicotine release serotonin as well but in very miniscule amounts so these are fine in moderation and low amounts since SSRIs may potentiate them.

Benzos and opiates should be ok...

Although tachycardia may be present when mixing drugs with SSRIs so be careful with substances that increase blood pressure and heart rate.

 

[TheSacredTree]

When taking SSRIs, one should avoid adding other serotonin provokers in combination. Because too much serotonin may cause serotonin sydome, a VERY adverse disease that may lead to death.

Drugs like MDMA, dextromethorphan and LSD should be avoided. Cannabis, alcohol and nicotine release serotonin as well but in very miniscule amounts so these are fine in moderation and low amounts since SSRIs may potentiate them.

Benzos and opiates should be ok...

Although tachycardia may be present when mixing drugs with SSRIs so be careful with substances that increase blood pressure and heart rate.

What! I'll have to avoid LSD and cannabis? But those are two of my top 4 favorite drugs. I really don't know if i want to take it then.

 

[blight12]

You prob wont have issues using one or the other, but pehaps not all combined at once for example. I think LSD and weed worked perfectly on SSRI's if i rem correctly.

 

[TheSacredTree]

You prob wont have issues using one or the other, but pehaps not all combined at once for example. I think LSD and weed worked perfectly on SSRI's if i rem correctly.

Oh, i never mix my drugs anyways. I just like to get to experience them each seperate so i know which is doing what.