Posted by Chairman_MAO on January 30, 2004, at 22:28:32
I wish I'd tried this stuff two years ago; I would have probably aborted a fruitless quest of self-medication. I wish doctors hand't shoved serotonergic drug after serotonergic drug in my face! Even Strattera did not make me feel this lively, and it is purportedly a more "selective" NE reuptake inhibitor. This confirms my suspicion that "selective", despite the many studies to the contrary", is more a marketing tool than an indicator of clinical utility. I enjoy exercising for the first time in my life (I suffer from a lifetime of dysthymia/cyclothymia)! (I am 23) Even amphetamine did not have this outstanding, sustained effect on my mood, and I have no idea why desipramine is working so well where so many other drugs have failed.
I do, however, have some disconcerting side effects, and I'm wondering if anyone could give me some insight on:
1) Impotence. One could call this "shrinkage" or the "cold water effect". I have a feeling that it's due to NE overactivity in the bladder/genital tissue. I'm wondering if anyone's had this go away over time. I have used trazodone, which has alpha-1 adrenergic blocking activity, to remedy this. Unfortunately, the dose of trazodone needed to produce this effect is not compatible with, umm, walking or thinking. I've heard of Flomax or Cardura being used to combat urinary hesitancy of reboxetine; think this could be used here? It's driving me crazy to have my libido finally restored and non-working equipment!
2) Tachycardia. My normal resting heart rate is 70-80, and now it's about 90-110. I exercised this morning and felt a subtle pain in my upper chest, by the heart, after 20 minutes on an elliptical trainer, and my heart rate was probably about 150bpm. I experienced a "runner's high" for the first time! I will be insanely frustrated if I have to stop taking the first drug that feels like it will produce "remission" because of cardiotoxicity. Did anyone build a tolerance to this effect, or should I just give up on the drug now (after only day 5 at 75mg!)
Perhaps I'll just have to advocate for Parnate after all. :(
Thanks for any help,
--cm
poster:Chairman_MAO
thread:307564
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040127/msgs/307564.html