Appreciation of Music and Medications!!

[MMMMKAY?!]

This may be an "unusual" topic. But novertheless one that I am very 'worried' about. About one hear and a half ago I was on the medications: Dexedrine 15mg twice a day and 10mg at 4pm, 2 mg of klonopin a day, 10mg of ambien at night, 1200mg of nuerontin 3 times a day, Buspar 3 times a day, and 50mg diphenyhydramine at night (I was on way too many meds). I was on around that same mix of meds for quite a while. Music has always been my life. Litterally for as long as I can remember music has meant pretty much everything to me. Listening to music, writing music etc. But right now I am on the topic of appreciation of music. When I was on those medications and even before then my music appreciation level was almsot unusually high and wonderful. But just recently I was put into a facility and they took me off of pretty much everything, now i am on (if it makes a difference its my first time on antideppressants) But now i am on: Zoloft 75mg morning, Adderall 30mg xr morning, adderall xr 10mg noon, Trazadone 50mg at bedtime, diphenhydramine 50mg at bedtime, gabapentin/nuerontin 400mg 3 times a day and propanolol 20 mg 3 times a day. I have noticed with this new med change its very hard for me to listen to music, sometimes it even makes me deppressed when i listen to it (though i do love listening to deppressing music, it used to give me another feeling). I feel now when I listen to music I am kinda forcing myself and i HATE it!! . It's like the amazing feeling I used to get from music is no longer there and I know it may seem like something minor, but to me it is extremely agitating and deppressing and I really would like to know anyones opinion. What might be causing it?? What should I get off/on? I have heard that lithium can actually increase your appreciation of music. Is this true? Please give me your opinions guys. Thanks!

 

[laCster]

Yup sounds like the anti depressants

 

[MMMMKAY?!]

noooo! :[ please no. those seem like the only ones i really need! :[. Which one do u think is worse for it the zoloft or trazadone?? hopefully i can get off one of them. Cuz music is seriously everything to me.

 

[pasha]

I'd wager its the propranolol. It blocks norepinephrine and what all gratifying music does is it boosts serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

This is a very hard question since you are taking 6 different meds and the side effect you are experiencing - loss of enjoyment from music - is very specific and not something that is commonly discussed (in medical literature, studies, prescribing info etc) as a side effect of drugs. The closest thing normally discussed/listed as a side effect of certain drugs would be loss of enjoyment from or loss of desire to do things one normally finds enjoyable. Are you noticing this with anything aside from music?

Everyone is different of course too. I have definitely noticed certain drugs to increase my enjoyment of music and certain drugs to decrease it. Out of the ones you are taking, for me I have found:
- gabapentin: to usually increase my appreciation of music and my musical ability
- Adderall: I didn't really notice, (although I think I may have spent less time listening to music while taking it, but that might just be because I was busy doing other stuff)
- antidepressants: I did experience a loss of enjoyment of music and a sensitivity to certain sounds and to loud volume while I was taking an antidepressant before
- diphenhydramine: I found to usually increase my enjoyment of music
- propopranolol: I have not taken it but what Chromophobia said makes sense to me as a possibility.

The fact that you are taking all these meds in combination further complicates things though.

I think the best thing would be to talk to your doctor about this. If you explain it right, that you have lost the ability to enjoy something you used to get a lot of enjoyment from and that this side effect is distressing to you and decreasing your enjoyment of life, they should take it seriously. Then, assuming they are a good doctor, they might be able to make some adjustments to your medication regimen in an effort to try to improve your problem. Certain physical and mental health conditions can cause these kinds of problems too, so that would be something for your doctor to rule out. I think this is a better idea than just trying to add more drugs that might over-ride this effect. I also think your doctor would be better able to understand your situation, health history and drug interactions etc and it wouldn't be wise for us to start speculating about what drugs you might add.

I have heard that lithium can actually increase your appreciation of music.

I have never heard of that, one of the most common side effects of lithium is an overall dazed "zombie-fied" or mentally "numb" feeling, so I'm skeptical that lithium generally would increase appreciation of music. Either way, I don't think it would be wise for you to start taking lithium.

 

[immure]

zoloft is evil - it took me months to realize i was tripping out basically all the time, couldnt sleep pupils were massive - feel pretty bloody depressed without it though

 

[MMMMKAY?!]

Well last night i only took half the propanalol dose at night-at first i took none of it but i started acting pretty impulsively (i didn't think that would happen) so i only took half. I really felt that i did enjoy music more but it might of been a placebo (but the fact that i got more impulsive definently wasn't) but i really doubt that. Then, right when i woke up and listened to music without my morning meds I know forsure it was different- in a positive way. This morning i took all my regular morning meds but only 50mg of the zoloft-i think i'm going to try getting off it. I think the propanolol messes with the music appreciation too but i'm afraid i really need that. between zoloft and trazadone which one do you think has more of an effect on music? I know once I get out of the facility I'm in (a halfway house) that I can definently get on more gabapentin again. Hopefully it will help-I was going to get on it anyway because of anxiety. I was also wondering-because the antideppressants have such a good effect with "Social rejection" if I got off both the trazadone and zoloft and got on bu-spar because buspar also deals with serotonin which deals with social rejection, if you think this same negative music effect would still be there??

 

[pasha]

Well, trazadone, sertraline, and buspirone all act on serotonin amongst other neurotransmitters in different but similar ways so I think it would be difficult to tell which one is causing you this side effect. The only way to know is by using a process of elimination.

I really don't advise you start tampering with your medications without speaking to a doctor.

Anhedonia and depression are a common symptom of non-selective beta blockers like propranolol. Try telling your doctor about these side effects and maybe getting switched to beta-blockers that carry less of them like non-selective beta blockers.

 

[MMMMKAY?!]

But the only beta-blocker that works for PTSD is the propanalol (correct me if im wrong?)
I really dont think its the buspar since i was on it before.
I understand your concern though completely but I can't promise I'll follow it. ha. sorry.
I guess the only way of knowing is if anyone that uses these fourums has been on any of these medicines?

 

[Swimmingdancer]

Have you talked to your doctor about this at all? Your doctor would really be best qualified to help you. I have to reiterate what Chromophobia said, that it is not advisable to start altering your medications without discussing it with your doctor.

I guess the only way of knowing is if anyone that uses these fourums has been on any of these medicines?

No, because as I said, everyone is different when it comes to the effects and side effects of any given drugs, plus even if that wasn't the case there isn't going to be anyone who is/was on this exact combination of drugs in those doses. The best thing would be to talk to your doctor and then go through a trial and error of making adjustments to your meds, but they can help you do it safely and wisely instead of you just trying out stuff based on our speculations.

 

[MMMMKAY?!]

I can't. I'm in a place where its very restricted when and who the doctor is. Last time I talked to him he said since im in a halfway house he doesnt wanna make any changes so once i get out ill get my old doctor.
i understand ur guy's concern tho

 

[pasha]

Norepinephrine is responsible for supplying oxygen to the hippocampus in order to consolidate emotional memories, all beta-blockers block norepinephrine essentially denying access and storage of these memories. No beta-blockers have absolute proven efficacy for PTSD in humans, but several including propranolol have some.

Talk to your doctor about this and he/she should be able to recommend several ones.

 

[MMMMKAY?!]

Thanks alot for the suggestion.
Are you saying this because you are pretty sure that the propanalol is the problem?
Cuz I also found this: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com...ts-changed-your-appreciation-for-music-80646/
And theres also another I found about someone with OCD who lost his love for music after being on escitalopram.
Or do you think maybe it's a combination of the two? And dont worry about me making any changes to my own meds-im not i would just feel better with a plan.
Im thinking maybe of getting off ssri's and trazadone and maybe getting put on something like wellbutrin for this.
The only reluctance I have with switching the propanolol is that it's seriously the most success I think I've ever had with a medication. It actually makes me think alot clearer and more with my logical brain than with my emotional brain if that makes sense?
Do you think the other non selective beta blockers would do that?

 

[pasha]

Wellbutrin is an effective AD and could help you.

I'm not sure it's the problem but just making an educated guess. Whether or not other beta-blockers could help you is up to your psychiatrist and their opinion on the matter, and how you respond to them.

There's really no point in speculating based on what other people say based on their experiences because as SD mentioned, no one shares your biochemistry/neurochemistry and no one is taking your cocktail of medications in the exact same dose. If you google any random side-effect of any random drug I'm sure 80% would come back positive in some individual(s).

See if your doctor is willing to supervise you using the process of elimination by deducting 1 medication at a time until you find the culprit. If she disagrees then there's probably good reasons for that.

 

[MMMMKAY?!]

I understand what your saying. Basically Like, im the only one that knows what I feel n stuff and i totally understand that, I'm really curious though if anyone has had simmilar problems. And you say you don't believe that that's the problem. I'm curious as to what you think it may be?? And when you say you dont think that "that's" the problem are you talking about the beta blocker or ssri?

and I'm curious, what do you guys think about Dexedrine vs. Adderall for listening to music??

 

[Jabberwocky]

I'm sorry it's because you've lost your dexedrine. Adderall is a pile of shit. Dexedrine makes Katy perrys voice sound like Jesus himself speaking to you and then pushing you into heaven. Adderall makes you robotic and unappreciative of everything. I mean fuck, the first time I took it, I genuinely believed I'd taken a bunk tablet or a fake just because how shit it was in comparison. People thought I was trolling for gods sake, but I thought it would be so amazing, all I found was shit.

I am 99.99% positive about this one.

 

[pillboxskid]

I also have BPD and its a very difficult question to answer my friend.Its like asking to be made unstable again.See what we dont know is this facility you,ve been put in and the change of medication you,ve been put on and the reasons for wanting you to be stabalized may be very much complicated for anyone person to answer.!!! But there must be a reason.So i would try and stick in with it soldier give it a little time and your great appreciation for music may well automaticly return.

 

[RobotRipping]

@synthetix: i always thought people preferred adderall because of the levo isomer giving it that fucked up peripheral stimulation that people like? Personally id prefer dexedrine but i find either are shitty for listening to music.

SSRIs definitely decreased my appreciation of music and as a musician that's unacceptable, it also flatlined my other emotions as well. Music is a very emotional thing so it seems logical that SSRIs would affect it.

as for propranolol ive taken it and it didnt make a difference for me anxiety or music wise.

trazodone is a shitty med IMO, i wouldnt take it as an AD or a sleep aid. For everything else youd really only be able to find out through trial and error and speaking to a psychiatrist who knows these things.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Oh god no, the Levo-amphetamine part of it I think is what really fucked me up. I hated it so damn much, I just felt robotic and horrendous. The come down was next to unbearable too - even worse than Ritalin.

 

[stompbox]

when i was usin g alot of speed and i mean ALOT my music appreciation seemed higher than usual id play guittar for 5 dauys straight and end up with swolen bloody hands and that isnt a joke it actually happened bahah. when i stoped i found it abit harder to get into it. plus ur on antidepresants...thats the killer dude.

is levo amphetamine active? cause levo methylamphetamine isnt at all... thats a confusing one