TRT + Low Dose SSRI ...anyone doing this protocol?

[DaveK22]

Most of us have probably seen one of the many threads by @madman which are great for explaining PSSD (Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction).

However, this post targeted towards using a VERY low dose ssri for helping with allopregnenolone issues. There is an existing thread on this topic but I just wanted to start another conversation in a different forum topic category to possibly generate more discussion. That thread is found here... thread link

If anyone is currently doing this protocol, could you please provide some feedback? Thx

 

[Gladiator]

I stoped my SSRI after getting on trt. My doctor was pissed with me because now I’m feeling better because I’m not drugged up.

 

[bixt]

If anyone is currently doing this protocol, could you please provide some feedback?

If you are looking for anecdotes on this, plenty success stories on reddit. They exclude TRT though. That combination is going to be extremely niche.

reddit ssri allopregnanolone - Google Search

 

[tareload]

Most of us have probably seen one of the many threads by @madman which are great for explaining PSSD (Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction).

However, this post targeted towards using a VERY low dose ssri for helping with allopregnenolone issues. There is an existing thread on this topic but I just wanted to start another conversation in a different forum topic category to possibly generate more discussion. That thread is found here... thread link

If anyone is currently doing this protocol, could you please provide some feedback? Thx

I have been adding 5-10 mg of escitalopram daily (was 5 mg and now in the last 2 weeks started 10 mg per day - big mistake) to my TRT of 120 mg/week test ester blend. The SSRI helps my anxiety/panic as I detailed in another thread but my depression and anhedonia has just recently gotten worse. It is like a slow dark fog rolling in. How can I help before I slit my wrists (dark humor)?

 

[DaveK22]

Does anyone know if the lowest dose tablet of each of these two SSRI's: sertraline (Zoloft) 25mg vs escitalopram (Lexapro) 5mg are equivalent?

Meaning if I were to microdose one of them, is a quarter tab Zoloft 6.25mg fairly equal to Lexapro 1.25mg? Or is Zoloft 5x stronger than Lex?

 

[Hyrulewarrior1978]

I’m not a fan of ssris or any psychotropic drug because they create imbalances in neurotransmitters (even though they are marketed as correcting an imbalance when there is no evidence for this). The drugs may be an attempt to fix one problem while causing another. The older I get the more cautious I am about taking anything from a pharmacy, especially the drugs that alter brain chemicals. Big pharma and physicians won’t tell you any of this because it’s how they make their living. And now I’ve heard or read recently somewhere how people with depression or other illnesses have higher serotonin levels (don’t know if this is actually true). Your state of mind in how you choose to look at things is key (being grateful for what you have etc, realizing certain ways of thinking are toxic, ie comparing yourself to others, etc). There are many online therapists now for convenience sake.

 

[tareload]

Does anyone know if the lowest dose tablet of each of these two SSRI's: sertraline (Zoloft) 25mg vs escitalopram (Lexapro) 5mg are equivalent?

Meaning if I were to microdose one of them, is a quarter tab Zoloft 6.25mg fairly equal to Lexapro 1.25mg? Or is Zoloft 5x stronger than Lex?

Fig. 1: Occupancy and dose relationship for antidepressants administered at four or more doses. | Molecular Psychiatry

www.nature.com

See paper and Fig. 1

About 5/1 with respect to SERT occupancy on a per mg basis.

EDIT: and not one like on this post? Where is my dopamine hit? :-(

 

[SSHSSA74]

Does anyone know if the lowest dose tablet of each of these two SSRI's: sertraline (Zoloft) 25mg vs escitalopram (Lexapro) 5mg are equivalent?

Meaning if I were to microdose one of them, is a quarter tab Zoloft 6.25mg fairly equal to Lexapro 1.25mg? Or is Zoloft 5x stronger than Lex?

I do 2.5 celexa per day

 

[DaveK22]

I do 2.5 celexa per day

So from what I been reading, it seems like the accepted "microdose" of a given SSRI for the application of Selective Brain Steroidogenic Stimulants (SBSSs), is 1/10th the "usual recommended dose" (not an exact science here). So looking at the chart @readalot posted, 20mg of Citalopram (Celexa) is the usual dose so 2.5mg seems near spot on.

 

[camygod]

I do 2.5 celexa per day

I'm doing 5mg from 10mg
Do you think 2.5mg makes a difference to your life?

 

[DaveK22]

Just to add some clarity as to what the main point of this thread was...here is a quote from the article linked in the first post:

Today we look at boosting allopregnenolone not with a steroid hormone, but with a 1/10th dose of Prozac (Fluoxetine) or indeed Zoloft (Sertraline). Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) when given at the usual dose of 20-80mg, but at 2.5mg it does not function as an SSRI.
At regular doses selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) drugs like Prozac are well known to cause problems, as do benzodiazepines like Clonazepam.

Seems like an interesting concept...to me anyway

 

[Simbarn]

Most of us have probably seen one of the many threads by @madman which are great for explaining PSSD (Post-SSRI sexual dysfunction).

However, this post targeted towards using a VERY low dose ssri for helping with allopregnenolone issues. There is an existing thread on this topic but I just wanted to start another conversation in a different forum topic category to possibly generate more discussion. That thread is found here... thread link

If anyone is currently doing this protocol, could you please provide some feedback? Thx

Dave have you read this thread in relation to low dose SSRI use to help combat the possible issues with SERT and TRT?

My Ongoing TRT Mystery

which can mean low gaba How's your sleep? Fall asleep easy but it's a light unrestful sleep where you wake up feeling like crap? Ever played around with benzos? (such as diazepam or any other drugs ending in "pam"). If so, how did they make you feel the next day?

www.excelmale.com

 

[SSHSSA74]

I'm doing 5mg from 10mg
Do you think 2.5mg makes a difference to your life?

It has only been a couple of days so I am not sure yet. I have been on and off it for a couple of years. I got as high as 20 at one point. But I might be more sensitive to the sides now after having been off it for awhile.

 

[Charliebizz]

I’d like to bring this thread back to life. I have read one user say even 2.5 of say Lexapro builds up over time because of the half life. And then still acts as an ssri. I’m so bad with the half life stuff. @tareload help me out here brother. I feel like I get some benefit from low dose the first few weeks. Then not much. But if I stop taking 2.5 cold Turkey (after only taking it a few weeks at a clip) I get no withdrawal. But after years of being in 2.5-5mg daily consistency I did get major withdrawal

 

[FunkOdyssey]

I’d like to bring this thread back to life. I have read one user say even 2.5 of say Lexapro builds up over time because of the half life. And then still acts as an ssri. I’m so bad with the half life stuff. @tareload help me out here brother. I feel like I get some benefit from low dose the first few weeks. Then not much. But if I stop taking 2.5 cold Turkey (after only taking it a few weeks at a clip) I get no withdrawal. But after years of being in 2.5-5mg daily consistency I did get major withdrawal

5HT transporter occupancy is already very high at small doses that are a fraction of the starting dose. This gives you an idea why these tiny doses are effective, why there aren't major dose-proportional differences between the tiny doses and large doses, and why you can encounter some bigtime dependency and withdrawal effects on small doses.

Check it out:

The relationship between dose and serotonin transporter occupancy of antidepressants—a systematic review - Molecular Psychiatry

Brain imaging techniques enable the visualization of serotonin transporter (SERT) occupancy as a measure of the proportion of SERT blocked by an antidepressant at a given dose. We aimed to systematically review the evidence on the relationship between antidepressant dose and SERT occupancy. We...

www.nature.com

 

[tareload]

Check it out

Post in thread 'TRT + Low Dose SSRI ...anyone doing this protocol?' TRT + Low Dose SSRI ...anyone doing this protocol?

See figure as shortcut.

 

[Charliebizz]

5HT transporter occupancy is already very high at small doses that are a fraction of the starting dose. This gives you an idea why these tiny doses are effective, why there aren't major dose-proportional differences between the tiny doses and large doses, and why you can encounter some bigtime dependency and withdrawal effects on small doses.

Check it out:

The relationship between dose and serotonin transporter occupancy of antidepressants—a systematic review - Molecular Psychiatry

Brain imaging techniques enable the visualization of serotonin transporter (SERT) occupancy as a measure of the proportion of SERT blocked by an antidepressant at a given dose. We aimed to systematically review the evidence on the relationship between antidepressant dose and SERT occupancy. We...

www.nature.com

So Ive taken 2.5 of Escitalopram. Based of the graph it seems like no sert occupation until around 5mg dose. Am I reading that correctly?

 

[FunkOdyssey]

So Ive taken 2.5 of Escitalopram. Based of the graph it seems like no sert occupation until around 5mg dose. Am I reading that correctly?

Based on the graphs presented, you'd be looking at between 40-60% SERT occupancy depending on the brain region at 2.5 mg.

 

[Charliebizz]

Based on the graphs presented, you'd be looking at between 40-60% SERT occupancy depending on the brain region at 2.5 mg.

Thanks brother. I feel like ssri have helped me in the past. And I was doing well mentally on Trt with ssri in the beginning. when I came off them slowly my mental health started to decline. I never had depression for No reason before trt. now that’s the one thing holding me back from being really good. I have great life, career, finances, kids, wife You name it. But some days I’m just so depressed for no reason. im really contemplating going back in 5mg of lexapro. But I really hate using medication. It took me like 15 years to finally commit to trt after years of low t.

 

[WhatSayYou89]

Interesting timing on this post b/c I just started back on trt for the third time with the low dose antidepressant being one thing im changing with it.

Previously ive been on trt both on and off my antidepressant at its full dose.

This time im on the antidepressant but at its lowest amount. Suffering from low libido, mainly pssd imo is what led me to even looking into trt years ago.

Along with that im also starting from my lowest dosage ever of test and working from there.

I’m on week 3 of 60mg per week of test cyp. Dosing is split e3.5 says.

Ofc way to early to tell anything yet but, i know at this time on my previous trt attempts my anxiety was uncontrollable which was mainly from the test dose being to high from the start.

So far currently I’m feeling no anxiety.