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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Hattree on July 26, 2002, at 12:22:42
Posts mention Memantine for tolerance to pstims, but has anyone actually tried it?
Posted by velaguff on July 26, 2002, at 13:31:34
In reply to Memantine?, posted by Hattree on July 26, 2002, at 12:22:42
Well, guess you read my earlier post on this a few days ago....I haven't tried it yet, but I've ordered some, and I will try it with Tramadol soon. I'll definitely keep you posted. An "Andrew B.", who may no longer be posting, said some time ago, when I only read w/o posting, that it definitely prevented Adderall poopout. His main concern was ADD treatment. It DEFINITELY prevents poopout on rats, and I think that's generally a pretty good indicator for humans, mammals even if seemingly different respond much alike to most drugs.
Posted by Hattree on July 26, 2002, at 14:47:54
In reply to Re: Memantine?, posted by velaguff on July 26, 2002, at 13:31:34
Don't know where you are--is it prescribed in the US?
Posted by velaguff on July 26, 2002, at 16:15:28
In reply to Re: Memantine? » velaguff, posted by Hattree on July 26, 2002, at 14:47:54
Hattree, I live in US. Mem isn't FDA approved here yet, but it's in 3rd stage trials, and likely will be soon (for alzheimer's). IF, your doc will script you for it go to www.daair.org, join the buying club there, and the price, I can't recall it, but it's not so bad, and you get nice, neat little pills. I ordered "research" Memantine powder (for lab rats) Very pricey, but I'm pretty desperate. I'll measure the powder on a lab scale, and put it in gelcaps.
Posted by AndrewB on July 29, 2002, at 0:58:17
In reply to Re: Memantine?, posted by velaguff on July 26, 2002, at 13:31:34
> Well, guess you read my earlier post on this a few days ago....I haven't tried it yet, but I've ordered some, and I will try it with Tramadol soon. I'll definitely keep you posted. An "Andrew B.", who may no longer be posting, said some time ago, when I only read w/o posting, that it definitely prevented Adderall poopout. His main concern was ADD treatment. It DEFINITELY prevents poopout on rats, and I think that's generally a pretty good indicator for humans, mammals even if seemingly different respond much alike to most drugs.
----------------I haven't posted in a long time but, if you don't mind, I'd like to offer my experience with memantine and amphetamine poop-out.
I've been taking memantine for about 2 years with adderall. Adderall alone will lose its effectiveness with me in a few days if I don't take it with a drug like memantine.
I take adderall mainly for energy, motivation and just plain enthusiasm for life. Though Adderall probably helps my concentration, I can't say that I'm taking the stimulant for ADD. Like some others, I take a stimulant as part of of an effective drug therapy for treatment resistant depression, or, more specifically, dysthymia.
And, by the way, I feel very good, really blessed. I've been happy and stable for quite a while now. I was pretty miserable for the first half of my life. Who knows what the future holds, but so far the second half of my life is shaping up to be something kind of wonderful.
Back to the memantine. I used to take two 10mg tablets a day to prevent poop-out. Now I take one tablet along with 333mg of acamprosate taken 2 times a day.
Acamprosate is, like memantine, approved for use in Europe and is in late stage trials in US and is expected to be approved in the US in the not to distant future. Acamprosate has a somewhat similar mechanism of action to memantine, its approved use though is for helping alcoholics quit and remain sober. It takes away the cravings for alcohol. It has no side effects, toxicities, or drug to drug interactions to my knowledge.
DAAIR is a good source for Memantine (www.daair.org). Acamprosate can be obtained with a prescription from a European mail order pharmacy. Acamprosate is quite a bit less expensive than memantine and is effective for poop-out by itself at a dose of 333mg. taken 3 times a day.
I recommend taking memantine even if one is taking acamprosate, as I believe memantine has an overall neuroprotective effect for the nervous system.
For example, the free radical damage which seemingly occurs with even standard prescription dosages of amphetamines is prevented by memantine. Memantine also confers strong protection to the hippocampus, which, as you are probably aware, tends to be severely atrophied in depressives. One doctor/researcher, after reviewing the results of a recent clinical study, stated that memantine could quite possible be a preventative of Alzheimers.
Regardless of such speculation, it seems depressives and bipolars tend to have dysregulated glutaminergic systems in one aspect or another. This glutaminergic dysregulation may have a central role in some depressions and bipolars disorders. However, even where glutaminergic dyregulation is not causal to the depressive or bipolar symptomology, care should be taken, I believe, to correct the dysregulation because of the numerous deleterious effects of glutaminergic dysregulation upon the nervous system. Memantine prevents one of the 3 types of glutaminergic receptors from becoming overactive.
By the way, occasionally, my Adderall has pooped-out even while on acamprosate and memantine. This is seemingly due to having my brain temperature get to high for long periods of time when vigorously exercising. When this happens, I have to stop taking adderall for one and a half days to restore its effectiveness.
I hope this is of some help,
Best wishes,
AndrewB
Posted by BekkaH on July 29, 2002, at 17:55:59
In reply to Re: Memantine?, posted by AndrewB on July 29, 2002, at 0:58:17
Hi Andrew,
Thanks for your interesting and hopeful post. I wonder whether Memantine would help if one has already developed a tolerance to the amphetamines? Would it be necessary to stay off of the amphetamines for a long time, or would they work again with Memantine after just a brief hiatus?
Thanks.
Bekka
Posted by Hattree on July 30, 2002, at 15:03:10
In reply to Re: Memantine?, posted by AndrewB on July 29, 2002, at 0:58:17
This is the end of the thread.
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