Posted by SLS on September 7, 2012, at 8:07:57
In reply to Modafinil Issues Ugh. Also need help w Memory!! » SLS, posted by AlexCanada on September 7, 2012, at 4:24:31
> Any advice on how to deal with Long Term Memory issues? my short term memory is not too bad. But the Antero Grade Memory Loss (difficulty retaining/learning new information) is a constant problem that plagues me every day.
>
> No matter which medication has helped me in the past for various symptoms this one big issue has always remained a constant problem.For me, memory was one of the last things to recover when I experienced a full remission. It took about three months. I knew I was okay once I was able to learn and recall phone numbers.
> Whenever happens today... i'll forget most of it tomorrow. Rinse and repeat... That is my Damn life. If I saw a tv show a few months ago it will feel quite fresh now.
I completely understand.
:-(
> What meds might possibly help?
You are very badly afflicted. I am guessing that you are experiencing psychomotor retardation. I doubt that I would have much to offer regarding treatment alternatives for you. For melancholic depression, tricyclics seem to be more effective than SSRIs. However, I would not rule-out combining a noradrenergic tricyclic (desipramine, nortriptyline) with SRI (Zoloft, Effexor). In my way of thinking, you would be a candidate for treatment with Parnate combined with a tricyclic (desipramine or nortriptyline). Parnate + desipramine is rather harsh with respect to autonomic side effects, particularly elevated heart rate. Nortriptyline is less harsh. However, it is not uncommon that someone will respond to one TCA, but not another. It was Parnate + desipramine that brought about a full remission for me. Adding low-dose lithium (300 - 600 mg/day) to these two drugs (separately or together) sometimes triggers a robust response. I continue to take 300 mg/day for its antidepressant effects and neuroprotective and neurogenensis properties. I am also motivated to take lithium for its potential to reduce the risk of developing of Alzheimer's Dementia. Otherwise, depression increases this risk by a factor of 2 - 3.
What has been your experience with Wellbutrin? This is another drug that can produce good results when combined with SRIs. Combining Abilify and/or Lamictal is worth considering, especially if you were responsive to Wellbutrin. Dopaminergic activation seems to be a common thread amongst these drugs.
I have found prazosin 6 - 12 mg/day to be remarkably helpful. This drug seems to be effective for people who have developmental PTSD as well as acute PTSD. More recently, I have started taking minocycline. It seems to be working such that I was able to discontinue the prazosin and am contemplating the discontinuation of Abilify. Minocycline might work particularly well when combined with Lamictal. Both drugs are antiglutaminergic, and may work synergistically. Minocycline also displays anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. Among the tetracyclines, minocycline is uniquely active in tests screening for antidepressants. Its antibiotic property, which is unrelated to these others, may not be contributory to its therapeutic effect when treating depression, although it would be helpful when Lyme disease is present.
My current regime:
Parnate 80 mg
nortriptyline 150 mg
Lamictal 200 mg
lithium 300 mg
Abilify 10 mg
minocycline 200 mg.
- Scott
Some see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1024774
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120830/msgs/1025057.html