Posted by halcyondaze on February 20, 2007, at 15:45:34
In reply to Re: Are we culturally primed to expect too much?, posted by Squiggles on February 20, 2007, at 15:27:55
It's funny, because I couldn't tolerate SSRIs and TCAs at all and I tolerate Parnate remarkably well.
When one SSRI caused bedwetting, every doctor I saw would be like, "How about THIS SSRI? How about THIS SSRI?" until I had been on Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Effexor, Cymbalta - all with the same effect! And the only drug I had an antidepressant response to was Zoloft.
Finally I found a doctor who said, "Well, TCAs are used for bladder problems. Let's try those." However, they made me very irritable, and so it was down the road of trying mood stabilizers to curb the irritablity. Then it was heart palpitations, which involved switching TCAs. When I found out I have mitral valve prolapse, I said: enough.
Thankfully, I have a doctor who was willing to experiment with MAOIs and didn't just suggest going back to Zoloft and "dealing with" the bedwetting (which, at 24 years old, I shouldn't be expected to do and am unwilling to do) and I tried Parnate. Nine years after taking my first antidepressant, nine years after seeing too many psychiatrists to count, this drug was finally offered as an option to me.
Was I nervous? Sure. I was afraid it would have an effect on my Interstitial Cystitis and bladder issues (it hasn't - it's essentially cured them), afraid of hypertensive crisis, afraid it would be too hard to follow the diet ... but the diet is a small price to pay for being able to live my life again. I carry Nifedipine, which I've had to use several times in the past year [after strictly adhering to the diet, I started experimenting - some foods it turns out I can eat, and some I can't.] Nifedipine resolved it and I was fine. I carry an at-home BP kit with me as well, just in case.
I don't feel like I have lost anything significant by not being able to eat cheddar cheese or soy products. But when I went off Parnate and stayed off of it for six months last year? The loss was so profound it was tangible.
poster:halcyondaze
thread:733613
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070219/msgs/734530.html