Comments on: Meds Are Helping, Though Not With BIID http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm Talking about Body Integrity Identity Disorder - Just another disability! Sat, 11 Feb 2012 19:50:52 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Ana http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16936 Ana Sun, 18 Jan 2009 22:46:42 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16936 Hi Thomas, That's a bit weird... I'm AS also, and am on the same dosage of Ciplarex (which I think IS 'lexapro')- After coming down over the years from a higher dose this seems to keep me ticking over ok most of the time. I've found it's also reduced my usually low sex drive to pretty much nil. I would like to address this issue for my husband's sake- but not sure if there is anything that can be done. And, no- BIID doesn't seem to be affected remotely by antidepressants, but they make the rest of life slightly easier to cope with! x Hi Thomas,
That’s a bit weird…
I’m AS also, and am on the same dosage of Ciplarex (which I think IS ‘lexapro’)- After coming down over the years from a higher dose this seems to keep me ticking over ok most of the time. I’ve found it’s also reduced my usually low sex drive to pretty much nil. I would like to address this issue for my husband’s sake- but not sure if there is anything that can be done. And, no- BIID doesn’t seem to be affected remotely by antidepressants, but they make the rest of life slightly easier to cope with!
x

]]> By: Thomas http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16923 Thomas Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:35:15 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16923 Yes, Antidepressants, have the effect of doing a "chemical castration" with regards to sexual drive, leading to "100% Impotence". As a genuinely disabled adult with Asperger's Syndrome/Autism, which in itself causes exceptionally low sexual drive, @ least in my case, has "ended" my capacity for orgasm, & semen discharge. Another side effect I experience, is off & on abnormal REM-State dreaming, & much lower "muscle tone", causing me a great deal of difficulty in rising from lying flat on my back from naps & waking every morning. @ least, I am "less depressed", than without 10mg/day of "Lexapro" Yes,

Antidepressants, have the effect of doing a “chemical castration” with regards to sexual drive, leading to “100% Impotence”. As a genuinely disabled adult with Asperger’s Syndrome/Autism, which in itself causes exceptionally low sexual drive, @ least in my case, has “ended” my capacity for orgasm, & semen discharge.

Another side effect I experience, is off & on abnormal REM-State dreaming, & much lower “muscle tone”, causing me a great deal of difficulty in rising from lying flat on my back from naps & waking every morning.

@ least, I am “less depressed”, than without 10mg/day of “Lexapro”

]]> By: Chloe http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16916 Chloe Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:51:07 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16916 Prozac is definitely not doing anything at all for my BIID, though I wasn't expecting it to. My depression has been better it seems, and I'm glad that medication is working for you too. The last week has been the worst since being on the 60mg Prozac. I'm attributing it to being bummed out about the continuous headache for the last two weeks. Yesterday was the worst headache day, accompanied by nausea. Although I'd rather not be on meds, I have several friends who have been taking antidepressants for more than a decade. Guess it's not that big a deal. I can't say I've noticed any difference in libido, but my baseline was so low to start off with. I still like to cuddle and snuggle just as much though. Does that work for you? Prozac is definitely not doing anything at all for my BIID, though I wasn’t expecting it to.

My depression has been better it seems, and I’m glad that medication is working for you too. The last week has been the worst since being on the 60mg Prozac. I’m attributing it to being bummed out about the continuous headache for the last two weeks. Yesterday was the worst headache day, accompanied by nausea.

Although I’d rather not be on meds, I have several friends who have been taking antidepressants for more than a decade. Guess it’s not that big a deal.

I can’t say I’ve noticed any difference in libido, but my baseline was so low to start off with. I still like to cuddle and snuggle just as much though. Does that work for you?

]]> By: Sean http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16915 Sean Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:28:35 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16915 Cath, the thing is, I was having chronic nightmares before getting on the Effexor. The ones I got from skipping a day might be due to the lack of the drug in my system, too. Dunno. Thing is, I wouldn't want to get back to having nightmares every night. I'll keep on them a while. My GP said that typically they'd want me on them for a year, then see. So we'll see. Cath, the thing is, I was having chronic nightmares before getting on the Effexor. The ones I got from skipping a day might be due to the lack of the drug in my system, too. Dunno. Thing is, I wouldn’t want to get back to having nightmares every night.

I’ll keep on them a while. My GP said that typically they’d want me on them for a year, then see. So we’ll see.

]]> By: Sean http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16914 Sean Thu, 15 Jan 2009 21:26:16 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16914 Claire, yes better with Effexor than without. Claire, yes better with Effexor than without.

]]> By: Cath http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16912 Cath Thu, 15 Jan 2009 18:08:43 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16912 Sean - I've been on the same tablets for over 5 years apart from when Ive gone high, at varying doses from 75 - 300mg. It is said to be the rolls royce of antidepressants - more effective - and a lot more expensive - than prozac or the other SSRIs. At the moment I take 225mg. A lot of men experience erectile dysfunction with it. It isn't supposed to be addictive, but it is hard to come off. Nightmares come from withdrawal, not from the depression itself. If you stop it completely you may also experience muscle cramps in your fingers and periods of tearfulness without good cause for a month or more before things settle. This is not the depression coming back - just the withdrawal. I have been there many times when I have forgotten doses/gone for periods without. I know what it does for me and I can live with needing it because the alternative is unthinkable. Anti depressants only ever treat biological symptoms anyway - ie poor sleep, loss of appetite, anxiety, lack of energy/motivation and slowed cognition. They can't help with long term psychological issues or past events and so unless you experience the physical symptoms of depression you may prefer to try and get off them altogether. Sean – I’ve been on the same tablets for over 5 years apart from when Ive gone high, at varying doses from 75 – 300mg. It is said to be the rolls royce of antidepressants – more effective – and a lot more expensive – than prozac or the other SSRIs. At the moment I take 225mg.
A lot of men experience erectile dysfunction with it.
It isn’t supposed to be addictive, but it is hard to come off. Nightmares come from withdrawal, not from the depression itself. If you stop it completely you may also experience muscle cramps in your fingers and periods of tearfulness without good cause for a month or more before things settle. This is not the depression coming back – just the withdrawal. I have been there many times when I have forgotten doses/gone for periods without.
I know what it does for me and I can live with needing it because the alternative is unthinkable.
Anti depressants only ever treat biological symptoms anyway – ie poor sleep, loss of appetite, anxiety, lack of energy/motivation and slowed cognition. They can’t help with long term psychological issues or past events and so unless you experience the physical symptoms of depression you may prefer to try and get off them altogether.

]]> By: Claire http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16911 Claire Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:05:16 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16911 I disagree. There are some times when the only option is to be dependent on medication. I mean, what other option is there? Go off it and start feeling (even more) miserable again? Doctors only want you to avoid being dependent on medication if there is some hope of improvement without them (which I believe has been ruled out), or if the side-effects are worse than the problem being treated. So, all in all Sean, are you better off with the Effexor than without it? I disagree. There are some times when the only option is to be dependent on medication. I mean, what other option is there? Go off it and start feeling (even more) miserable again? Doctors only want you to avoid being dependent on medication if there is some hope of improvement without them (which I believe has been ruled out), or if the side-effects are worse than the problem being treated.

So, all in all Sean, are you better off with the Effexor than without it?

]]> By: Sophie http://transabled.org/thoughts/sean-thoughts/meds-are-helping-though-not-with-biid.htm/comment-page-1#comment-16910 Sophie Thu, 15 Jan 2009 15:07:38 +0000 http://transabled.org/?p=1393#comment-16910 seems like a situation your doctor would want to avoid, being dependant on the anti depressants that is. seems like a situation your doctor would want to avoid, being dependant on the anti depressants that is.

]]>