Posted by zeugma on July 11, 2003, at 9:45:05
In reply to Re: Strattera for depression without ADD?, posted by SLS on July 11, 2003, at 8:29:01
> Hi
>
> Strattera made me feel pretty weird during the first week. I am on day 10, but I have been titrating gradually and am now at 65mg. I felt somewhat spacey at 25mg, but feelings of unreality and anxiety predominated. I was also experiencing suicidal ideation. I have to say that these things have disappeared entirely. I am also taking Lamictal 250mg + imipramine 300mg.
That's quite a noradrenergic cocktail. I am taking 80 mg Strattera, 75 mg nortriptyline and 30 mg buspirone. Constipation has been a problem but concentration has not (I added Strattera because my ADHD was still acting up).
>
> > Why do you expect that it won't work?
>
> Because nothing ever does. I guess I have two reasons. First of all, I have a 20 year history of being treated for depression with only one success. Depression remitted completely for about 9 months when I took a combination of Parnate + desipramine. Unfortunately, it no longer works. The other reason is that I am under the impression that atomoxetine did not show robust efficacy for depression during its initial trials under the name tomoxetine.
>I figured that tomoxetine was not developed by Lilly in the late 80's because they were busy launching Prozac and selling pdocs everywhere on the serotonin theory of depression. They didn't want to confuse issues by simultaneously plugging a drug for depression that didn't do anything for 5HT.
Parnate and desipramine seems like it would be a very activating combination. Do you find Strattera activating (sepecially in comparison to a TCA?) I find Strattera not to be energizing, but to increase my sensitivity to stimulating substances like caffeine and chocolate, and to give me a feeling like I'm fully awake. Depression for me becomes a trance-like or dream-like state where I feel like my mind and senses become 'deactivated.' The other side of that coin is sleep states that are way too lucid. The nortrip got the sleeping states under control but is probably too sedating to give me fully differentiated 'waking' states. The Strattera helps with that a lot.By the way,the Strattera script information contraindicates MAOI's strongly. But I assume it would be safe since Strattera is pharmacologically similar to a secondary amine TCA.
> For some stupid reason, I get enthused and optimistic with every drug trial. Since I have failed at least 60 of them, it makes no sense to be optimistic. Perhaps depression leaves me delusional :-). This is the first trial I can remember being pessimistic about. I guess that means it will work. Crap. See what I mean! :-)
>
> > Hope your search is successful.
>
> Thank you.
>
>
> - ScottI hope so too.
z
>
poster:zeugma
thread:240653
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030708/msgs/240858.html