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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Is this dopamine depletion or something else?

NYDLer

Greenlighter
Joined
Jun 5, 2012
Messages
2
Location
USA
I had been using tramadol for 8 years, first for a back injury and then misuse, I suppose, as I liked the way it made me feel and felt it improved my focus. I was very good about limiting myself to 3 days per week until the last year, and then became full on physically dependent during an especially hard time. I then made the mistake (and I have read other posts on the topic) of beginning selegeline and pea combination. It actually helped me get off tramadol with minimal withdrawals and helped me get through a very busy period at work, but I knew I was going to get into trouble eventually. That was 2 and a half months ago, but it seems like much longer than that. I would do anything to just go back to being dependent on tramadol. I struggled but made it through two days without pea, but then was shocked today when it no longer had any pleasant effect. It still shot up BP, but no help with mood or focus. . . although it was still working before my two day break. This I am not so upset about as I really want to stop this combination. However, I noticed a few weeks ago that tramadol also has no positive effect anymore. It just makes me sleepy, and even sick feeling at more than 2 tablets and I had never experienced that before. I understand that could be because serotonin is getting too high with selegiline on board, although I had taken selegeline and tramadol before without pea and did not notice this issue. Could the pea and selegiline have depleted dopamine and rendered me unresponsive to any pleasant effects of pharmaceuticals? I am desperate for a short term solution to the arechedonia, and have considered bupropion or modafinil but I do not want to do more damage. Any thoughts? Thank you.
 
I can input little more but I can understand some weird side effects. I noticed difference in thinking patterns/mood after stopping a 2month cure with tramadol. I don't want to know how 8years makes you feel.

You're right about the initial effects though, mood and motivation is definetly up. But I'd still use my AMT over Tramadol. Feels safer on my brain...
 
I am done with pea, never again, but would it be better to stop selegiline immediately or ween off? Averaging 5 mg per day, but took more for a while. I accept I will feel slow but don't want work performance to drop off too much.
 
Two quick points:

To answer, selegiline is irreversible so the restoration of MAO-B is kind of a built-in taper. Selegiline is not commonly tapered.

Depression and its cousins are vague, subjective, etc. but selegiline would help with this, not hurt. It sounds, from the very little I've read, that you've been turned off to the idea of medication in general. I'd consider if this is the case, as selegiline isn't known for causing dependency or really 'messing' with balance in that way.
 
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