![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sregan on October 27, 2006, at 22:00:43
I've suffered from a depression/anxiety for about 3 years and recently tried TCAs amitriptyline and imipramine. The palpatations and rush I feel from the excess NE is much different than my anxiety which does respond to Klonopin and Xanax.
I've read of anxiety happening in the case of low or high NE, low serotonin or high dopamine. But how do the Glutimate receptors factor in? My understanding is that the GABA/Glutmate receptors act as a volume switch of sorts. Stimulate Glutimate or block GABA and the volume goes way up. The opposite the volume goes down. But does the stimulation of the Glutimate receptor itself cause a "flavor" of anxiety?
It's a shame we don't have a better vocabulary to describe symptoms. We have no way to express variations in our similar symptoms. I definitely experienced a different type of anxiety on the TCAs because of the high NE than I've experienced in the past.
Does anyone have any experiences or ideas on what different flavors of anxiety there are? Sometimes I read descriptions that you just know something is very wrong like you are dying (outside the high NE side effects that might scare someone) just an inner feeling that this isn't going to end well.
Posted by chiron on October 28, 2006, at 1:27:08
In reply to Anxiety: Norepinephrine vs. Glutimate, posted by sregan on October 27, 2006, at 22:00:43
I agree with the idea of different anxiety terms. Anxiety isn't one of my main issues, but I did experience a severe anxiety-type time that seemed to be a depression-agitation-anxiety mix. Anxiety seemed to be the main component, but describing it as "anxiety" doesn't seem to completely fit. Every minute was a freaked-out-anxiousness for no reason hell-on-earth.
And now that I think of it, I often experience what I call in my feeling log as "anxious emptiness". I haven't heard of anything else that fits how I feel.
Posted by Lindenblüte on October 28, 2006, at 16:48:57
In reply to Re: Anxiety: Norepinephrine vs. Glutimate, posted by chiron on October 28, 2006, at 1:27:08
Hi sregan (nice to meet you :)
I also get a rush of NE effect, as you call it. I take SNRI cymbalta. I feel it many nights, and it's often enough to prevent me from falling asleep for an hour or two. It's kind of like my heart is beating too loudly. Not as strong as acute panic, though, and I might only be aware of it for a few minutes at a time. I also get a little bit of twitchies, maybe a few big muscles will decide to contract, or my legs feel restless. I also feel a little "awake".
What do you want to call it? I have nicknamed my norepinephrine "Neffy". Maybe I'll call it "Neffy-knocking".
yeah. and next thing you know, I'll be telling my pdoc about this and ... he'll think I'm crazy. Oh wait. I guess I probably AM crazy :o)
-Li
Posted by sregan on October 28, 2006, at 17:45:54
In reply to Re: Anxiety: Norepinephrine vs. Glutimate, posted by Lindenblüte on October 28, 2006, at 16:48:57
> What do you want to call it? I have nicknamed my norepinephrine "Neffy". Maybe I'll call it "Neffy-knocking".
I get it in my solar plexus area also. My serotonin jitters are much different, more like I'm a little more heightened and slightly jittery. The worse type I'm not even sure what causes it. I think it's the Glutimate receptor getting overloaded. When this comes I need to take something.
> yeah. and next thing you know, I'll be telling my pdoc about this and ... he'll think I'm crazy. Oh wait. I guess I probably AM crazy :o)
Only the pdocs who actually have had to take ADs can relate. On the down side would you want one who is depressed.
Posted by Lindenblüte on October 28, 2006, at 23:00:27
In reply to Re: Anxiety: Norepinephrine vs. Glutimate » Lindenblüte, posted by sregan on October 28, 2006, at 17:45:54
Hey Sregan,
My pdoc was surprised to hear that cymbalta was activating in the hour or so after taking the medicine. However, he did take me seriously and he is a very good listener. He told me to keep taking it in the evening- augment with a tiny bit of seroquel, which is good, since I was getting middle of the night panic and intrusive thoughts that was keeping me up most nights for about a month or two.I'm not convinced that a pdoc has to have personal experience with a psych med or a mental illness to understand certain symptoms or side effects. I do wish that everyone's pdoc was as creative and as good a listener as mine. When I'm thinking well, he treats me more like a collaborator than a patient, and when I'm not feeling or thinking well, he somehow manages to reassure me that we're going to get everything straightened out ((((pdoc))))
-Li
Posted by sregan on October 29, 2006, at 9:37:50
In reply to Re: Anxiety: Norepinephrine vs. Glutimate » sregan, posted by Lindenblüte on October 28, 2006, at 23:00:27
> Hey Sregan,
> My pdoc was surprised to hear that cymbalta was activating in the hour or so after taking the medicine.I tend to think if you've got the right medicine you should feel something (even small) positive right away.
> I do wish that everyone's pdoc was as creative and as good a listener as mine. When I'm thinking well, he treats me more like a collaborator than a patient, and when I'm not feeling or thinking well, he somehow manages to reassure me that we're going to get everything straightened out.That's great, I've had one that treated me like a child if I didn't do exactly what he said. There is only so much suffering someone can take (even if they think you're on the road to recovery).
Shawn
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.