Posted by cubbybear on November 26, 2002, at 6:56:21
In reply to Re: SSRI Poop-Out, posted by Fee on November 24, 2002, at 19:34:58
Hello Fee,
You asked about the action of MAO drugs and restrictions on diet. I had many years of great experience with Parnate. Many people get scared off taking this drug (or Nardil) because there are some diet restrictions. However a lot of the fears have been exaggerated over the years; and new, more liberal guidelines have been written. If you are willing to sacrifice a little in your menu, and the drug works for you, it's definitely worth it, in my opinion.
Side effects--as with all drugs, there are side effects, With Parnate, I experienced dry mouth (which fades after a while), occasional low blood pressure, reduced need for sleep, which meant that I could actually feel rested with only about 4-5 hrs. sleep each night, (great if you are a night owl) plus an increase in craving for carbohydrates and/or sweets. I experienced a modest weight gain, but didn't mind because I'm slim to begin with. Remember--every person's side effects and reactions to every drug are different!
As far as the mode of action is concerned, I don't know how technically-minded you are and how much you know about serotonin and the other neurotransmitters, but basically, the MAOs get more serotonin into your system (to alleviate depression) by working in a completely different way than the SSRI antidepressants do. It's rather complex to explain. If you want to get the professionally known facts and description of the mode of action, then check out websites under MAOI anti-depressants, or similar search words and eventually you should find a description of the mode of action.
poster:cubbybear
thread:128540
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021122/msgs/129367.html