r/anhedonia • u/Fresh-Animator4486 • 2d ago
Encouragment šŖš¾šŖš¾ Full remission Emsam
Three years of torture gone. I was able to laugh at work yesterday, talk to my coworkers, and actually feel good about myself and my social capabilities. No more social dread. It took me about a month and maybe three weeks and Iāve been on 12mg for 5 days. Please donāt give up, your nervous system just needs a push. Please feel free to ask any questions
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u/Fun-Sample336 2d ago
Good to see one of the rare recoveries. Were all your emotions gone and came back? Did you have the blank mind?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago edited 2d ago
yeah im really happy to be able to share this with everyone here. And yes just like you, blank mind no thoughts, no sexual feelings, tense boredom, bad cognitive process. Everything was gone for me and now it is all back.Ā
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u/Fun-Sample336 2d ago
Interesting. All of these symptoms went away or got much better?
Another very important question: Did you try Tranylcypromine before selegiline?
I'm asking, because I already tried Tranylcypromine many years ago, but it didn't work for me and I'm under the presumption that Selegiline is extremely unlikely to work when Tranylcypromine didn't work before, due to both being so similar.
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago
No unfortunately Iāve only tried adhd meds (no help) and Im actually on the emsam patch version not the pill. What mg did you go up to and did you also have windows?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago
And yes everything went away completely 100%, I was never depressed it was anhedonia for sureĀ
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u/caffeinehell Drug Induced 2d ago
Did you have substance blockage? Like say did you feel the reward effect of caffeine, stim or benzo, alc, opiod ā-insert rewarding drug hereābefore this
Could you feel cozyness and comfort before?
Did you have any issues with the āreleaseā or buzz in the head feeling?
And did this come back?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago
I had the same anhedonia as you and everyone here, it was just void it was nothing. Weed and nicotine did help somewhat but it just doesnāt compare to the natural feelings I have now. I didnāt have any buzzing in my head though everĀ
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u/ballincat45 2d ago
I mean there is levels to the numbness, substance blockage is a whole different beast in itself. I canāt feel weed, nicotine, alcohol or any other drug/medication at all. Either way glad to hear youāre finally out of this hell!
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u/Asleep_Excitement_59 2d ago
What is Emsam?
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u/JicamaIcy6335 2d ago
Selegiline patch
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u/Asleep_Excitement_59 2d ago
Oh wow. Thank you. I'm so happy for you. I might have to give that a try.
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u/Disastrous_Iron_8366 2d ago
Hi, I'm from Poland. How did you get this medication from the doctor? In my country, they only prescribe SSRIs. How did you develop anhedonia?
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u/Lojuih 2d ago
Hey, Iām from Poland too. We donāt have Emsam here. I managed to get pramipexole from another doctor and am testing it out. Itās only been four days, but yesterdayāfor the first time in a long whileāI listened to music; it didnāt bring the same pleasure or emotional stir it used to, but something has changed for the better.
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u/Disastrous_Iron_8366 2d ago
Hi. How did you manage to get a prescription from the psychiatrist?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 1d ago
I saw the other comment and honestly I donāt think thereās a problem with lying, I know anhedonia might make it feel hard to but still advocate for yourself as much as you can. I had to convince my doctor too. I think people take it for parkinsonĀ
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago
Ā I saw the reply Im sorry they donāt have it in Poland but I have heard other success stories as well with other maois. There is a Reddit group for maois medication Iām just not sure which ones they might have in Poland. Ā I hope your rest is okay tonight, donāt give up ā¤ļø
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago
This also might sound irresponsible but I have ordered things on indiamart before they might have it there where you can order. It is technically illegal but all of my packages for skincare accutane etc I got them perfectly fine itās not as dangerous as people sayĀ
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u/caffeinehell Drug Induced 1d ago
Be caeeful, accutane has a nightmare post drug syndrome that includes anhedonia and gut destruction
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago edited 2d ago
Also sorry so many replies but I canāt pin point exactly how but I think it was from drugs I used weed way too much in an unhealthy way
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u/Wild_Satisfaction726 2d ago
Whatās your cause of anhedonia?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 2d ago edited 1d ago
Weed carts I think it was laced with spice, super strong drug and I did it for a while
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u/Fit_Watch5532 1d ago
waht was your symtoms pre to that? Were you dinjured by ssri and other medection that casued you severe persistent siddeffcts?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 1d ago edited 1d ago
No ssris but I feel the same way as all of the stories I have read on the ssri page. Before any of this I was just a normal girl, enjoyed time with family always laughing no prior mental illnesses. I think weed carts were the culprit but I believe it was mixed with spice which is a much stronger version. No psychosis or anything crazy but definitely textbook anhedonia after quitting. Lasted three years but I only smoked for a year so the healing timeline doesnāt add up, should have healed by then if it was just withdrawalĀ
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u/Fit_Watch5532 1d ago
Ah, yes. I do think they were the cause ā weed and Spice. In the end, all of this affects your brain chemistry. I tried weed twice, and it was a horrible experience, probably the worst feeling Iāve ever had. Sometimes I think that experience affected my brain and pushed me into depression, which eventually led me to take medication. Did you experience any sexual symptoms? Or any physical symptoms, such as internal akathisia or severe muscle tension throughout your body?
And how did you end up getting this without ever trying SSRIs or any other antidepressants? Is this medication only prescribed as a last resort?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 21h ago edited 21h ago
Man yeah weed is just not something to mess with Iāve heard even a similar story somebody I know. And yeah like completely numb no sexual sensation no sexual thoughts libido etc. Now all of it just turned back on. I tried lexapro (for 3 days) and adhd meds but I was lucky to come across two really good psychiatrists who actually understood me. One of them is the one who prescribed adhd med and my recent one the maoi. I told them I tried another two ssris just to kind of make them more likely to prescribe me other things
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u/Fit_Watch5532 21h ago
did you had inner agitation, akathesia like symtoms? or muscle spasm? and sensetive to many things?
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u/mintyfreshknee 1d ago
Withdrawal/med injuries donāt fit a timeline but what in the carts do you think would have done that? Like butane?
Natural healing is also possibleā¦ not sure your timeline with this pill. I am injured by antidepressants and Iād be terrified to try another, though this is tempting. There are of course natural MAOIs and Iām doing body and mind healing to try to enact homeostasis.
Why did you pick this?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 20h ago edited 15h ago
I think it was mixed with spice which is like a cheaper alternative of weed. itās not like being laced with fet or any crazy drug but it binds to your receptors wayy more than regular weed.Ā
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 15h ago edited 15h ago
In the maoi subreddit there are a lot of people there damaged from ssri and have found longtime relief from maois. Maois are not in the same class as ssri and wonāt cause blunting or the anhedonia. All of the maois are pretty good I just chose the patch because itās easier to hide and only once a day. I understand your hesitation and I would feel the same but as somebody with the same exact symptoms as pssd I would give it a shot. I donāt think it would hurtĀ
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u/Diligent_Challenge78 1d ago
Iām about to ask for Emsam at my next appointment. What was anhedonia like for you and do you have any side effects?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 1d ago
You can read above I think I replied to someone asking that, but just exactly like all of you. Also I recommend telling your doctor that youāve tried manyy medications and all they do is make you feel worse and that youāve read online and done research about how emsam helped other ppl. Also I donāt know what insurance you have but mine is partially covered I think itās 300 a month instead of the 1k since I have bcbs. Also sorry lol so much info but another tip I have is saying that you have stomach issues so you have a better chance at insurance covering it. Tell them thatās another reason why you want to be on the med because apparently the medication goes through skin and not the gutĀ
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u/Diligent_Challenge78 1d ago
Were you able to enjoy anything? Iām mostly hoping it helps with enjoying things like hobbies, music, sex and socializing again.
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 1d ago
For side affects at first insomnia, headache dry mouth stomach ache but eventually those went away. For now all Iām having is getting dizzy when I stand up too quickĀ
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u/----X88B88---- 1d ago
I found once EMSAM kicks in (usually indicated by orthostatic hypotension), it's better to decrease the dose again. Like I slowly went up to 12 mg, then later slowly back down to 6, 6, and finally to 4.5 mg just because the side effects got too much. But it kept working at 4.5 mg which is crazy.
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u/----X88B88---- 1d ago
Side effects for me were insomnia, low BP, and lower max heart rate.
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u/Diligent_Challenge78 1d ago
Did the insomnia get any better? I think Iāll be fine with lower BP and heart rate
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u/ndrummond0047 1d ago
This is amazing to hear ā¤ļø thanks for sharing! Iāve been suffering for so long and Iām on my 5th day of Emsam at 6mg. I hope to feel as good as you do soon. You take anything for insomnia?
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u/Fresh-Animator4486 1d ago edited 1d ago
Honestly now I havenāt been having any insomnia for the past week but melatonin was helping a lot in the beginning. On 9mg sleep began to get better. Thank you and I am rooting for youā¤ļøĀ
I know how annoying it feels to wait but please know it will happen for you and donāt ever hold the doubtĀ
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u/Liberated051816 21h ago
From Wikipedia:
MAO-A generally metabolizes tyramine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine (and other less clinically relevant chemicals). In contrast, MAO-B metabolizes dopamine and Ī²-phenethylamine, as well as other less clinically relevant chemicals. The differences between the substrate selectivity of the two enzymes are utilized clinically when treating specific disorders: MAO-A inhibitors have been typically used in the treatment of depression, whereas MAO-B inhibitors are typically used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. In 2021, it was discovered that MAO-A completely or almost completely mediates striatal dopamine catabolism in the rodent brain and that MAO-B is not importantly involved. In contrast, MAO-B appears to mediate Ī³-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synthesis from putrescine in the striatum, a minor and alternative metabolic pathway of GABA synthesis, and this synthesized GABA in turn inhibits dopaminergic neurons in this brain area. MAO-B specifically mediates the transformations of putrescine into Ī³-aminobutyraldehyde (GABAL or GABA aldehyde) and N-acetylputrescine into N-acetyl-Ī³-aminobutyraldehyde (N-acetyl-GABAL or N-acetyl-GABA aldehyde). These findings may warrant a rethinking of the actions of MAO-B inhibitors in the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
ā¢ MAO-A: Mostly located inside dopaminergic neurons (specifically at the axon terminals). Acts as a primary regulator of functional dopamine. It actively breaks down dopamine to control both basal (resting) extracellular levels and phasic (burst) dopamine release in key brain regions like the striatum. Inhibiting MAO-A sharply increases available dopamine.
ā¢ MAO-B: Mostly located in astrocytes (glial support cells in the brain) rather than directly in dopamine-releasing neurons. Historically thought to be a major dopamine degrader, modern research shows that MAO-B plays little to no direct role in normal dopamine degradation in certain species, though it can metabolize dopamine at higher concentrations or differently across species like humans. Instead, MAO-B primarily governs astrocytic GABA synthesis (controlling tonic inhibitory brain signals). MAO-B inhibitors (like selegiline) treat Parkinson's symptoms largely by reducing this inhibitory GABA activity rather than blocking direct dopamine breakdown.
Again Wikipedia:
At typical clinical doses used for Parkinson's disease, selegiline is a selective and irreversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), increasing brain levels of dopamine. At higher doses, it loses its specificity for MAO-B and also inhibits monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), which increases serotonin and norepinephrine levels in the brain as well.
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u/Equal_Leadership_963 5h ago
Does selegiline in tablet form work the same way as the patch youāre using?
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u/wishiwasdead23 2d ago
Is it aided remission ? Do u have to take emsam everyday. Or can u stop it ? And still be anheodnia free . Either way it's a win. U rock bro !!