ThanksAbilify makes me focused, energetic and enjoy things. Even simple things like drinking coffee and reading has become enjoyable. It's something I always used to enjoy but with anhedonia I just did it because it was routine, but in reality I was sitting there with a flat face. Now I sit there with a smile on my face. I'm just noticing small things like that. I enjoy video games again and have even started reading some books on programming languages and keeping interest in them, though the games have been sucking me in.
I even have removed social anhedonia, I have been out with a friend a few times now. I would never do this since my anhedonia! He even mentioned how he has noticed whatever im taking now is working. He said I got my sense of humor back too.
The problem is that I have been messing with dose so I can't really pin point it all of it. But the social anhedonia took about a week to week and a half. This is where I just started messaging my friends and wanting to be more social. This is at the lower dosage. I found that eventually going up to 5mg my anhedonia got a bit worse again although anxiety was completely gone. So I went up in Zoloft at 150mg which has been great for anxiety and am at 2.5mg abilify which has been great for depression/anhedonia. Although I think the combo of Zoloft/abilify may be both good for anhedonia since Zoloft at these doses starts messing with dopamine. Also check this study on sertraline and anhedonia:Thanks
could you please tell me how long did it take for Ahedonia to ease ?
I have been on Zoloft for almost 2 months now so i'm in those days where Zoloft also contributes to the relief of anhedonia. I definitely think it's the combination but you could try it on its own.Sequential improvement of anxiety, depression and anhedonia with sertraline treatment in patients with major depression.
Boyer P, Tassin JP, Falissart B, Troy S.
Source
Hôpital de la Salpetrière, Bd de l'hôpital, 75013 Paris, France. [email protected]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
To establish the therapeutic effect profile of sertraline in major depression. It was hypothesized that the antidepressant effect of sertraline showed three phases: Phase 1 where improvements in anxiety are most pronounced; Phase 2 where the greatest improvements are in depressive symptoms; and Phase 3 where the symptoms of anhedonia show the most improvement. To test this hypothesis, an 8-week, open-label study was conducted.
METHODS:
Patients with a major depressive episode (DSM-IV) and a score > or = 24 on the 17-item HAM-D were enrolled and treated with sertraline 50-150 mg/day. The three symptomatic clusters, anxiety, depression and hedonia, were defined a priori using the Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology-Clinician rated (IDS-C). Periods of interest were: Days 0-7 for anxiety, Days 7-21 for depression and Days 21-56 for anhedonia. Raters were blinded as to the constitution of the clusters and periods.
RESULTS:
140 patients were recruited. Improvement in the anxiety cluster of the IDS-C was greatest during Days 0-7, whereas over Days 7-21 most improvement was observed in the depression cluster and the greatest improvement in the hedonic cluster occurred during Days 21-56.
CONCLUSION:
These preliminary results are consistent with the hypothesis that the therapeutic effects of sertraline occur in a sequential manner. The symptoms of anxiety improved first, followed by depression and then anhedonia.
thanks!The problem is that I have been messing with dose so I can't really pin point it all of it. But the social anhedonia took about a week to week and a half. This is where I just started messaging my friends and wanting to be more social. This is at the lower dosage. I found that eventually going up to 5mg my anhedonia got a bit worse again although anxiety was completely gone. So I went up in Zoloft at 150mg which has been great for anxiety and am at 2.5mg abilify which has been great for depression/anhedonia. Although I think the combo of Zoloft/abilify may be both good for anhedonia since Zoloft at these doses starts messing with dopamine. Also check this study on sertraline and anhedonia:
I have been on Zoloft for almost 2 months now so i'm in those days where Zoloft also contributes to the relief of anhedonia. I definitely think it's the combination but you could try it on its own.
Cut it in half! Trust me. Abilify has such a high occupancy rate you don't want to reach too high. Give 2.5mg 3 weeks as it has a huge half life so takes a while to reach steady.thanks!
im starting Abilify 5mg tomorrow i really how it works .im taking it as a mono therapy without any ADs.
Thanks kehcorpz!Cut it in half! Trust me. Abilify has such a high occupancy rate you don't want to reach too high. Give 2.5mg 3 weeks as it has a huge half life so takes a while to reach steady.