Escitalopram induced PSSD?

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Thomas
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by Thomas »

Interestingly (see my first post, edited, report from Septembre 29th), 15 days of oxazepam (10mg) got me at the exact same level I was in June.
This backs up my theory that all my worsening since then was due to anxiety / reading here :)
Now I am back to a mild PSSD... on drugs (worse: benzo)
Next move: replace benzo (I don't want to stay on benzos) by hydroxyzine to stabilize sleep (3 hours are not enough) and see what happens
Escitalopram, 10mg/day, Jan-May 2019. Fluoxetine, May-Sept 2019. Mirtazapine 7,5mg/day, November 2019-January 2020. Escitalopram, 5mg/day, Feb-May 2020.
Symptoms: sexual & emotional numbness
Sascha100
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by Sascha100 »

Am I missing something here? You said your symptoms started when you took hairloss pills. There is such a thing as PFS (post finasteride syndrome).
Thomas
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by Thomas »

I didn't take finasteride, only food supplements. I don't think this is related.
Escitalopram, 10mg/day, Jan-May 2019. Fluoxetine, May-Sept 2019. Mirtazapine 7,5mg/day, November 2019-January 2020. Escitalopram, 5mg/day, Feb-May 2020.
Symptoms: sexual & emotional numbness
Thomas
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by Thomas »

As you can see in my first post (which I just edited, under the "October 30th, 2020" section), my state keeps on improving and I am now feeling way better, within the lower normal range, except for sleep... and the fact my current love life doesn't help any assessment.
I don't consider myself fully cured, because I am still having some troubles despite the drugs I take (hydroxyzine + melatonin), and my low carb diet may help a bit, but I guess PSSD is now behind me.

I really would like to thank Ghost and arahant, whose posts are very interesting and clever. You helped me a lot.
Last edited by Thomas on Fri Oct 30, 2020 1:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Escitalopram, 10mg/day, Jan-May 2019. Fluoxetine, May-Sept 2019. Mirtazapine 7,5mg/day, November 2019-January 2020. Escitalopram, 5mg/day, Feb-May 2020.
Symptoms: sexual & emotional numbness
arahant
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by arahant »

Thomas wrote: Fri Oct 30, 2020 8:59 am As you can see in my first post (which I just edited, under the "October 30th, 2020" section), my state keeps on improving and I am now feeling way better, within the lower normal range, except for sleep... and the fact my current love life doesn't help any assessment.
I don't consider myself fully cured, because I am still having some troubles despite the drugs I take (hydroxyzine + melatonin), but I guess PSSD is now behind me.

I really would like to thank Ghost and arahant, whose posts are very interesting and clever. You helped me a lot.
You are keeping it a fair trial.
I hope everything works out for you.
-Arahant
Wellbutrin (2007 - 2018)
Wellbutrin + Sertraline (2015)
Wellbutrin + Ritalin (2016 - 2018)
Wellbutrin + Ritalin + Sertraline (3 months in 2018)
Buspirone (Feb 2019 - Today)
Ritalin + Buspirone (Nov 2019 - today)
Thomas
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by Thomas »

I updated my log (first post) and it is obvious now that I was wrong when I thought PSSD was behind me. I only had a window. I spent some time to analyze it and any comments would help. See below for my analysis.

This summer I was anxious about PSSD and symptoms were high. Supra healthy life + Oxazepam (10mg) got me at the exact same level I was in June, before knowing about PSSD. So I would say all my worsening since June was due to PSSD anxiety.

Then around Oct 20th, I switched from oxazepam (10mg) to hydroxyzine (25mg) and melatonin (2mg) and reduced carb a little more (almost keto).
And I had this one month window. And I started to live my normal life (less supra healthy, but quite healthy). And in December, slowly, my SD came back... My plausible explainations follow:
1) Rebound from stopping oxazepam? I haven't read about any case, has anyone? And one month seems a bit long for a rebound after one month of any drug.
2) Cumulative effect from oxazepam (out of my system but leaving me relaxed, is that possible?) and hydroxyzine to get me even more relaxed?
3) Window due to hydroxyzine? Meso wrote this could theoritically happen, but lots of people here took hydroxyzine and I haven't read about any window on it. Am I missing something?
4) Living my normal life (normally healthy food, some sports...) = PSSD? Well, I am again leaving supra healthy (except for sleep problems...). Let's see. But I stopped this supra healthy life one month before feeling worse... this seems a bit too much delayed.
5) Mood? I was quite happy when my PSSD came back, and didn't think about it (I hardly ever came here in November or December). I am less happy now, which could explain why I am lower now than in June or October.
6) Last and craziest explaination: I found a hot girlfriend. Exact same schedule than in June (another hot girlfriend ;)): I wasn't thinking about PSSD, I was feeling "normally low" (mild libido), then I found a girlfriend, I had sex with her and... I didn't "work" as I used to (low sex drive, low pleasure, weak erection). Then I felt something was wrong and gradually fell in the "PSSD loop" and things get worse.

Your comments are more than welcome, especially if you can rule out explainations #1, #2 or #3.
And yes, you could argue my overthinking could be a psychological explaination of my decreasing ;)

I am currently trying low dose buspirone (15mg) + melatonin (2mg, long release) + valerian, passiflora & Eschscholtzia (because that is the only way to get melatonin LR in France without prescription)
Last edited by Thomas on Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:24 am, edited 2 times in total.
Escitalopram, 10mg/day, Jan-May 2019. Fluoxetine, May-Sept 2019. Mirtazapine 7,5mg/day, November 2019-January 2020. Escitalopram, 5mg/day, Feb-May 2020.
Symptoms: sexual & emotional numbness
JustOnlyHope
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by JustOnlyHope »

Hi Thomas! You said you’ve been taking some supplements for hairloosing, what was that exactly?
Thomas
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by Thomas »

JustOnlyHope wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:41 am Hi Thomas! You said you’ve been taking some supplements for hairloosing, what was that exactly?
Just supplements (see viewtopic.php?p=36602#p36602), no finasteride ;) and no drugs, except topical minoxidil.
I think supplements are highliy unlikely linked to my condition. And topical minoxidil would be surprising too.
Escitalopram, 10mg/day, Jan-May 2019. Fluoxetine, May-Sept 2019. Mirtazapine 7,5mg/day, November 2019-January 2020. Escitalopram, 5mg/day, Feb-May 2020.
Symptoms: sexual & emotional numbness
JustOnlyHope
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by JustOnlyHope »

Thomas wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:14 am
JustOnlyHope wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 4:41 am Hi Thomas! You said you’ve been taking some supplements for hairloosing, what was that exactly?
Just supplements (see viewtopic.php?p=36602#p36602), no finasteride ;) and no drugs, except topical minoxidil.
I think supplements are highliy unlikely linked to my condition. And topical minoxidil would be surprising too.
I’ve just asked you because I’ve heard that saw palmetto can crash the the same as finasteride sometimes. I used to use minoxidil too. There are some data that minoxidil can crush too but I dont believe it, it sounds ridiculous.
Thomas
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Re: Escitalopram induced PSSD?

Unread post by Thomas »

JustOnlyHope wrote: Thu Jan 21, 2021 6:57 am There are some data that minoxidil can crush too but I dont believe it, it sounds ridiculous.
That is the difference between theory and real life we struggle with here. Theoretically, 1) some share of topical minoxidil would end in your system 2) oral minoxidil is reported with some rare sexual side effects. But it sounds ridiculous, that's why I didn't even listed this in the plausible explaination of my two crashes (both times, I was using topical minoxidil)
Escitalopram, 10mg/day, Jan-May 2019. Fluoxetine, May-Sept 2019. Mirtazapine 7,5mg/day, November 2019-January 2020. Escitalopram, 5mg/day, Feb-May 2020.
Symptoms: sexual & emotional numbness
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