Posted by michael on April 17, 2003, at 3:24:38
In reply to Re: 4 days on amisulpride - great for SP? , posted by Michael Bell on April 16, 2003, at 19:26:29
> Chad, sorry if I came on too strong in the last post. The point I should have made was that all the research studies I have read say that low dose amisulpride is very safe. Dosage is very important when considering side effects. The average dose of amisulpride for schizophrenics is between 400 - 800 mg per day. Also, it's important to note that this drug has opposite effects at low and high doses. At low doses (0 - 200mg/ day), it selectively blocks PREsynaptic dopamine receptors, thus increasing dopamine transmission. This seems to be the reason why it has proven helpful for negative symptoms of schizophrenia and dysthymia. At higher doses (400 - 800mg/ day) it blocks POSTsynaptic dopamine receptors, and is helpful for curtainling the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. So I agree that taking doses in the high range may pose some of the same TD problems as the older TDs, but the dose I'm taking is only 1/16th of the lowest doses for schizophrenia. I've yet to come across a study that shows type of dosage to be unsafe.
>
> And for anybody else out there... does the drowsiness go away after a while? Did the positive effects of this drug last? Thanks!I think what you said about dose is relevant. I know some people had success w/it here a year or two ago - I'd search the archives (andrewb wrote quite a bit aobut it - don't recall for certain, but I think it was spring of 2001 or 2002).
It made me very tired/drowsy too, and seemed to keep getting worse - I think I tried it for a few weeks. I had to stop. However, I found sulpiride to be a little helpful w/mood - nothing drastic, but noticeable. It may be that I was taking too much amisulpiride, (for me) even though I was taking a low dose. I don't recall off-hand how much for certain - I think only 25-50mg, or so? You might find old posts of mine w/more specifics in the archives. But fwiw - at the time, I know andrew (& others, I think) thought it was helpful.
But I think you'd find a bunch of comments in the archives. Hope that helps.
michael
poster:michael
thread:219673
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030411/msgs/219992.html