Posted by RobertDavid on May 30, 2006, at 10:01:26
In reply to Re: Is EMSAM Not The Med People Thought It Was?, posted by Donna Louise on May 30, 2006, at 6:47:49
It seems to me that EMSAM will be different things to different people. I suspect for some, particularly those with depression as a primary disorter (particularly those that have not responded well to SSRI's) it will be a good option to treat their depression and perhaps will do so without the need to blend in other medications.
Others like me with anxiety disorters will probably find it's best use as a blend with a benzo (klonopin in my case) to improve mood, energy and mild depression that seems to come along with anxiety disorters as well as helping those that get benzo side effects such as depression and mental fog. I have tried going down on klonopin to see if EMSAM alone may work alone to treat SAD and GAD, but after 3 weeks at a 25% reduction in klonopin dose I started feeling about 25% of my anxiety returning. So it's my believe that for me anyway, it's the blend of the two that's my answer and I'm back up to my full 2mg klonopin dose and feeling great again. Klonopin nails the social anxiety like nothing I've taken and EMSAM is the only med I have been able to tolerate to treat my depression and energy without a boat load of side effects. I suspect that others with SAD and GAD will come to simmilar conclusions, but certainly there will be some such such as those that take parnate for anxiety disorters that will not need to blend it with anything else.
My doctor said he felt that EMSAM will probably prove to be helpful for those that are bi-polar, but I don't deal with that and can't say. I suspect it will be part of a blend for bi-polar individuals that may include other meds including mood stabilizers such as lamictal as well as other effective meds that can be blended with MAOI's. Again, some bi-polar individuals will probably do well with EMSAM by itself some will find it useful as a blend.
So my take is that like other meds, it's not an end to all other medications, but seems to have it's place to improve the quality of life for many dealing with many different disorters. It gives all of us another option and will have it's place in a doctors arsinal of medications to treat many different disorters.
Lastly I'd say that for those that are med sensitive and want to go up slower I'd recommed discussing with your doctor to cut the patch in half at first, then going up from there. Based on my source for suggesting the patch can be cut, I'm comfortable with it and others my want to consider it as a place to start, or a place to go up from 20 to 30mgs before paying for a $400+ batch of 30mg patches. Also, I'd suggest that as long as side effects are tolerable, I'd stay with it at least 6 to 8 weeks before a total conclusion is made. Though some like me got quick responses, it seems there are others who were ready to throw in the towel started getting relief after a month.
Anyway, for me, the best "blend" yet. Just my take, no doctor here, just an EMSAM user sharing my thoughts. Rob
poster:RobertDavid
thread:646242
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060530/msgs/650407.html