Posted by Chairman_MAO on January 31, 2004, at 8:11:12
In reply to sincerely thanks » Chairman_MAO, posted by francesco on January 31, 2004, at 3:21:20
I'm glad I could help, and I can relate to your plight about indirectly self-medicating through compassionate psychiatrists. I've wasted a considerable amount of time doing so, although I've also had my time wasted almost as much by them, so I don't know who's more at fault, heh (probably me).
That's one of the reasons I started posting here: I find that the recommendations I've made to others are way more accurate than those I've made for myself (why I didn't think that this would be the case from the beginning is a matter for psychotherapy). It's kinda like using a "power" for "good and not for evil". It feels fantastic to know that I can improve the quality of others' lives.
On the Stelazine issue: it's not unheard of to use low-dose neuroleptics for management of ADHD symptoms. Not unheard of, but not that common, either, at least in the States. I've had people tell me that neuroleptics have helped them clear up some "static" in their minds. Personally, they've always created a lot more static for me, and this is what usually happens, and one of the main reasons people stop taking them. One other thing that is way more likely to happen than dyskinesia/dystonia if you're taking Stelazine is prolactin elevation. This can cause, in males, breast enlargement and impotence, among other things. Your doctor knows way more than I do about this.
I read a while back that a study came out showing that the typical antipsychotics weren't any more dangerous than atypicals if they were used in equipotent doses. That said, it is a bad idea to take ANY antipsychotic for an extended period (or any drug that hasn't been studied for decades and shown to be relatively benign) unless you have to. Sure, your 1mg dose is below even the starting dose, but you will most likely end up taking at LEAST 20mg of Parnate. This picture is further complicated by the fact that Parnate is an inhibitor of MAO-B and I believe has a significant antiparkinsonian effect.
My final word: if you want to see if this combination benefits you, don't take more than 6mg of Stelazine (shouldn't be a problem). I highly doubt you are at risk for any problems that might persist after the discontinuation of the drug unless you take it for YEARS. I'd be willing to bet money (if I had the money to bet, heh) that you'd like the Parnate a LOT better without the Stelazine. Have your psychiatrist import some from the US or elsewhere. Whether Ritalin will be superior for you is something you can only find out by trying both.
Cheers,
--cm
poster:Chairman_MAO
thread:307462
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040131/msgs/307636.html