brigade: Emotional numbness from antipsychotics and antidepressants

[brigade]

I used to suffer from acute anxiety and panic attacks. My psychiatrist prescribed Prozac 20mg and Seroquel 200mg. This combination provided me with partial relief from anxiety. But it didn't cause any emotional numbness. I continued with these medications for several years. To further assist me, my psychiatrist made the following changes: she replaced Prozac 20mg with Paxil 20mg and added Zyprexa 7.5mg. This combination, which included Paxil 20mg, Seroquel 200mg, and Zyprexa 7.5mg, gave me complete relief from anxiety and panic attacks. However, it also led to emotional numbness. I continued with this combination for four years. Unable to continue with the emotional numbness, my psychiatrist and I decided to revert to the original combination of Prozac 20mg and Seroquel 200mg, and we discontinued Zyprexa. It has been three months since I changed my medications, but I am still experiencing emotional numbness. Interestingly, my anxiety hasn’t returned even though I stopped taking Zyprexa and Paxil.

 

Did the medications cause permanent damage to my brain? Will I ever overcome my emotional numbness? Please share your experiences and knowledge. Thank you very much.

Edited April 16 by FireflyFyte

[FireflyFyte]

Hi brigade,

 

Welcome to SA. Please summarize your drug history in your signature by following the instructions at How to Summarize Your Drug History in Your Signature. You may need to be on a computer to complete this.

 

41 minutes ago, brigade said:

It has been three months since I changed my medications, but I am still experiencing emotional numbness.

 

Three months is a short period of time especially after such substantial medication changes. In addition, the medication you are still on may be contributing to your emotional numbness. You can read more on this topic at Apathy, anhedonia, emotional numbness, emotional anesthesia

 

42 minutes ago, brigade said:

Did the medications cause permanent damage to my brain?

 

You will recover but do you plan on remaining on the Prozac and Seroquel?

 

Thanks,

 

Firefly

 

 

[brigade]

On 4/16/2024 at 3:44 PM, FireflyFyte said:

Hi Firefly, Thank you very much for your response.

 

On 4/16/2024 at 3:44 PM, FireflyFyte said:

Three months is a short period of time especially after such substantial medication changes. In addition, the medication you are still on may be contributing to your emotional numbness. You can read more on this topic at Apathy, anhedonia, emotional numbness, emotional anesthesia

 

I didn't have emotional numbness when I was taking Prozac and Seroquel. It was only after Paxil (which replaced Prozac) and Zyprexa were added. I thought by going back to Prozac and Seroquel, emotional numbness will go away. But that didn't happen. I hope three months is a short period as you said and I will see improvement in the future.

 

On 4/16/2024 at 3:44 PM, FireflyFyte said:

You will recover but do you plan on remaining on the Prozac and Seroquel?

 

I want to stop all the medications. But I am not sure what happens to my anxiety then.

 

 

 

[brigade]

@FireflyFyte

 

Hi FireflyFyte,

 

You said that 3 months is a short period. How many months do you think it may take to see significant improvement in my emotional numbness?

 

Thank you.

 

[FireflyFyte]

On 4/18/2024 at 3:14 PM, brigade said:

You said that 3 months is a short period. How many months do you think it may take to see significant improvement in my emotional numbness?

 

Everyone is different so I can't give you an exact timeline especially given that you are still on several medications which may be contributing to the emotional numbness.