Posted by dewdropinn on July 19, 2007, at 12:41:33
In reply to Patch decision - What to do?, posted by JohnSky on July 17, 2007, at 13:16:33
I would consider going up to 9mg and removing the patch before bedtime -- this should help with sleep, anxiety and energy issues -- and it's what worked for me, so I guess I'm partial to the approach.
You would think that the increase in dosage would add to the sense of anxiety and overrstimulation, but in my experience, the effect of raising the dose is just the opposite -- it could be that the higher dose potentiates the serotonergic aspects of the drug, while the lower doses primarily impact dopamine and norepinepherine. Personally, I'm not entirely sure that 6mg is an effective dose for the treatment of major depression -- anything less that 6mg may provide added pep, but I doubt that it will have a true antidepressant effect (much like the 5mg selegiline pills.) Just based on reading past posts, it seems that people who take the higher dosage levels succeed at a far higher rate than those who stay at 6mg.
That's my 2 cents -- Good Luck!
> I appreciate all the great advice I've received.
>
> I am currently taking the 6mg patch and taking it off at night (over the last 3 nights) but I don't seem to be getting the same energy boost as when I left the patch on all day. I'm worried that the 4 or so mgs I am getting isn't enought to pull me out of depression. Taking the patch off at night has helped some with the anxiety the patch caused.
>
> I am thinking of two choices:
>
> 1. Cut the 6mg in half and put one half on in the morning and then the other half 12 hours later. This way I get 6mg during the day and the 3mg dosages doesn't whack me as hard as one 6mg patch.
>
> 2. Leave the 6mg patch on the full 24 hours.
> Taking the patch off at night has lessened my anxiety some... or maybe I am just getting used to the patch when I put it on in the morning.
>
> My goal is to stay on the patch as I think it will help me but I somehow need to manage the anxiety syptoms.
>
> Any thoughts?
poster:dewdropinn
thread:769334
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070719/msgs/770560.html