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[Between3and26characters]

Second time on Pristiq. First time, 2010, did not like it; maybe did not give it a good chance. Had been on Prozac for about 20+ years for depression, anxiety, some OCD, and then it stopped working – repeated attempts to re-introduce it over the last few years just caused cognitive clouding (brain fogginess). Went to Zoloft and felt like Zombie. Off Zoloft; now giving Pristiq another try.

So today, 50 mg of Pristiq (AM); also take 1 mg of Klonopin (PM - but not yet today). What did I notice? Excessive yawning on way back from pharmacy. When got home went into blissful sleep for about 3 hours. When I got up, extreme focus – seeming away from depression. Not so much in an anti-depressant sense, but kind of like a horse with blinders on – depression was pushed to side, out of view. No real sense of joy, just focus. So, looked at this forum, and ended up signing up. Now, at 12 AM, since 3PM been posting away. This is 20^th post. Not anything like a hypomania, just a focus. Stopped for dinner, very little appetite, where as before, up to just last night there was not stopping my food cravings / ability to satiate appetite.

Having been on many meds, would say this feels like a mini Vyvanse without the hyped-upness. Looking for a sense of feeling; like where I can say: “I feel great!” – “I feel normal” - and it lasts. Will see how sleep tonight is.

[leebux]

Hi Between,
I started Pristiq about a month ago. I didn't have the focus issue, but I did experience the yawning. It must have looked like I needed to sleep for a month. I also fell asleep every time I lay down and that was a fair bit because of the nausea.I also lacked appetite. After day 4, the yawning ceased and my appetitie came back.

Hope it settles down for you and that it gives you some relief

Leebux

[Between3and26characters]

Thanks for the response. The night was actually rather peaceful. Long time getting to sleep, nestled in about 12 AM, was asleep by 3 AM and woke up at 6 AM, but it was good sleep. Took the Pristiq; almost felt like just staying up, but opted to have a small breakfast snack (still no real appetite, which is good for me) and went back to sleep till about 11:30 AM. Still tired at about 2:45 PM, but also what seems like a more normal sphere of thought. Not joyful and exuberant, but also not gloomy and morose. It seems that the thoughts of depression are not immediately there as if swimming in them, kind of like an oil slick in the ocean getting burned up in the sun, hoping it will vanish to calm seas. Slight headache, can put up with, seems transient and insignificant. No yawning today; might have slept through it. Thought seems more clean and crisp. Have been in process of learning a new language and started with alphabet; where as before it seemed like a chore to get through with many lapses, now quite available. It’s a bit of a waiting game, just like to record my thoughts this time.

[Between3and26characters]

Oh well, to bed again. The focus has stayed with me all day. Would say a bit of a hyper focus. It just seems like a rather bland focus – like a 20-mile stare into the night. Posted 31 times on the forum today. Can’t say feel bad, but still no joy. Was a bit obsessed with the Greek alphabet the last week or so; a few days ago it was a struggle to get through, now just a curiosity. Has anyone else had that, where they get – either on meds or no meds – really interested in something and then lose interest for no apparent reason. Its not like if the wind blows, I would look in that direction, or maybe it is. Just after started to be able pronounce words in Greek, and read through some stuff with basic understanding interest went with the wind, but of course this was the same time started the med. My doc has labeled this a bit of ADD, but the ADD meds are too much for me – they just seem to focus my obsessions into a single point. Now see something similar with this Pristiq and it makes me go hmmm……

Edited by Between3and26characters, 18 April 2012 - 12:06 AM.

[Between3and26characters]

The more I lay here and ponder the blankness of my existence in the vacuum of insomnia, I see that the Pristiq really reminds me more of Wellbutrin that a mini Vyvanse at this time. It is that sensation of being on a 30,000-foot plateau in thin air, where no thought moves but the mind feels swept barren by the numbness of the high wind. A tumbleweed going by would be a sensation of something, some movement about, and yet in the vacant wind I hear nothing, feel nothing. I think I miss my associations, this to that, and back again to another point as to frolic about, or to the original in focus, with a dispersive glance at the joy of abstraction. Now, it just seems like I Roboto, yet not even with the essence of form. Even memories seem vanquished to a thin silhouette pierced by a cold stiletto. No joy in remembrance, present, or projection to future. Just in lock step, no hip or hop, as if lead about by the three blind mice. It is bland, chewing on cardboard, maybe there will be some sleep and a slither of a dream.

[Between3and26characters]

Am guessing a 6:30 AM Pristiq dosing will put me right to sleep.

Edited by Between3and26characters, 18 April 2012 - 06:14 AM.

[Between3and26characters]

Sound sleep for 6 hours. Still tired. Dreary day, dog came in to cuddle up on bed for power nap; hard to resist his lead.

[Between3and26characters]

PS - has anyone actually taken this drug and stayed on it for long time with superb effect?