Posted by desolationrower on January 16, 2009, at 2:28:22
In reply to Re: MAOI TX in Severe+Resistant Depression, posted by Cseagraves on January 14, 2009, at 14:44:16
> Jeff,
>
> Hi and thanks for yout reply.
>
> Couple of questions if you don't mind. Before I start(hope you have some time) my initial dx was extreme GAD and panic, which has now led to agorophobia. I say that I am not depressed, but actually I'm sure that I am because I can't get out and do what I used to do (Was a very active and fun person). On top of that, I get more depressed I'm sure every time I take a med, praying that it will help, only to end up back to where I was.I do try and keep a positive attitude, but it is getting harder.
>
> Was reading over all of the dietary restrictions. They seem to differ depending on which web-site I look at. Since I am a vegetarian, I will have to do some adjusting, but not alot. Your opinion on some of these would help.
>
> No problems with alcohol restrictions, except maybe some vodka or tequila sometimes.Its really just tap beers. Chianti probably too, although only a single vintage ever tested high for tyrosine afaik.
> No problem with cheeses that are listed, except maybe parmesean. (Does that mean I can't have Ceasar salads anymore? (Anchovies are in some ceasar dressing)
i would be carful with anchovies. i quit eating shrimp paste/oyster sauce.
> In resturants, what do you tend to order that's safe?
fortunatly for me, unemployment moots this problem.
> Proteins - what are protein extracts? What are they in? I drink a good bit of whey protein, sometimes mixing it with some peanut butter and a banana. Is that out, or will I just have to try it and see what happens? I did notice with some whey protein products that some contain amino acids (including tyrosine). I will watch for those.
protein powder is fine, i think the bigger risk is the sort of 'meat flavour' artificial flavor in broths.
> One of my supplements is a product called "Total Amino Solutions" and it contains 132 mgs of L-tyrosine and 150 mgs. of L-tryptophan. I found this blend of aminos because the level of aminos in this product are supposed to help with depression, anxiety, panic, insomnia and fibromyalgia. I'm sure that I will have to give up this brand. I've looked and can't seem to find any aminos that don't have tyrosine in them. (oh well).
tryptophan/5htp is a bit of a risk
> I do eat alot of dark green veggies - especially spinach, turnips, collards, broccoli, celery. I keep seeing spinach come up (New Zealand Prickly). Looked it up and that doesn't look like the spinach I buy in stores. Do I have to give up spinach?
>
> Avocados - not ripe, in small quantities. I mash them up in alot of my raw soups.
>
> Yogurt - small quantities? some sites say O.K., some say no.i'm not sure on this. i think its safe, analogus to the quick ferment cheeses which are safe.
> Bananas - some sites say o.k (just not the peels), honestly, never heard of anyone eating a banana peel. Some sites say no.
>
> Nuts - I eat alot of almonds and drink almond milk. Love peanuts and peanut butter. Again, some sites say O.K. and some say no.nuts are fine.
> soy products - I don't eat tofu, but I do eat things like "Morning Star" veggie and chicken patties that contain ingredients like soy protein isolates, soy bean oil, autolyzed yeast extract.
> Do you think that would be enough to trigger a reaction. I think (because they are listed so far down on the ingredient list) that maybe they are small in amounts. I can give up soy milk, if I have to.the autolyzed yeast extract would be the main thing i would be concerned with.
> Soy Sauce - I use "Bragg's Liquid Aminos" to flavor some of my raw soups. Maybe thats not to much. I'm sure chinese food is now out of the question. Suck! Sushi O.K.???
Sushi is ok if you don't use soy sauce. and, a little bit of soy sauce could be ok, definatly stick to a brand and be aware of what else you're eating. it just is a matter of how much you want to risk it.
> Beans - eat alot of beans, have no idea what a fava bean looks like anyway. Not sure what other broad beens they are referring to. One site said no "lentils"?
lentils are fine.
> CHOCOLATE - Really??? Seriously, no more M& M's or chocolate chips. My one and only treat that I allow myself is chocolate and peanut butter morsel chips.(about a handful of these each almost every night). That really blows!!!
chocolate is fine.
> I understand that everyones body can react differently. I'm sure alot of this is trial and error. I am beginning to feel like the parnate is my last shot. SSRI's didn't work anymore and I'm not sure if I want to even experiment with an SNRI.
>
> I am hoping that more peeps add their post to let me know what they experienced first going on parnate. How long were you on it before you started feeling good side-effects from it? Can I expect to feel kind of out of it or sluggish for awhile. I'm 5'2 and weigh 125 lbs (I'm also 41), so was wondering when I could hopefully start to feel better.
>
> I've read some post who say they could feel a difference within the first couple of days and others who say they took awhile. I feel like if I could just get to the point where I could get back out in public and not feel anxietal at the thought of going to the grocery store or picking my son up from school, then I could get past the depression. Re-train my brain. Go back to and finish school and get a job would be great. Just want to feel like a producttive part of society instead staying in my house all the time.
>
> Jade had posted where in the beginning she had 10 straight days of feeling great, then came back down? Why was that? Am assuming that it was just her body metabolizing the med. I know you can't tell me exactly what to expect, but I just want to feel level so bad. I have a whole gym set up in my basement that I haven't touched in 6 months (I have anxiety attacks everytime I think of working out and have no idea why).
>
> Sorry for the long babble. At first the parnate scared me, but the more I get to know about it. it doesn't seem that bad. Don't understand why it is made out to be such scary stuff. The diet restrictions aren't that difficult and just keeping an eye on my BP will not be a problem.
>
> I asked my pdoc if he had ever had a patient experience a hypertensive crisis and he said "no".
>
> If parnate can actually lower my blood pressure a little, then that would be an advantage to me. From what I understand, BP levels out after being on parnate for a little while, so lets hope thats the case with me.
>
> I truly appreciate your time. As you can probably tell, I'm a little OCD about everything I put in my mouth. (diet and meds).
>
> Thank you again and have a great day!!
>
> Courtney
>
>
>
>
>heres a summary of more modern recommendations. A lot of sites just read some other web sites, and make a list, then add a couple of foods just in case. http://www.edc.gsph.pitt.edu/stard/public/docs/PatientEducationMaterials/User%20Friendly%20MAOI-diet.pdf
-d/r
poster:desolationrower
thread:873284
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090104/msgs/874279.html