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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by stargazer2 on August 24, 2008, at 22:37:28
Hi everyone,
Just stopping by to take a survey of meds you are all taking.
For those of you with Treatment resistent depression (TRD) and you know who you are...
1.)What meds are you currently taking?
2.)How long have you been on them?
3.)What are the results?
Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, other4.)Side effects?-list the top ones.
5.) Who orders the meds?(MD-type, other, self )
6.) How often are you seeing a MD, therapist, other?
-------------------------------------------------My answers are:
1.) Nardil 45-60 mg (taking 15 mg every 4-6 hrs)problem is remembering to take it.
2.)May 2007
3.)Results are fair-good, mixed results, better than many other meds but inconsistent results, unhappy with weight gain. Diet not a big problem.
4.)Low Blood Pressure (resolved, early S.E.)
Swollen ankles (early SE, resolved)
Weight gain, approx 20-30 lbs. (Have never gained weight for no reason before)5.) MD: Psychiatrist
6.)Only seeing every 2-3 months lately due to change in insurance, was seeing him 2x/month, more often when having problems, less often when stable.
Thanks for your feedback. I hope this helps others
Stargazer
Posted by stargazer2 on August 26, 2008, at 20:39:47
In reply to Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by stargazer2 on August 24, 2008, at 22:37:28
Posted by Justherself54 on August 27, 2008, at 0:19:00
In reply to Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by stargazer2 on August 24, 2008, at 22:37:28
> 1.)What meds are you currently taking?
PARNATE 50 mg
>
> 2.)How long have you been on them?
13 weeks
>
> 3.)What are the results?
> Excellent, Good, Fair, Poor, other
Poor, it's not working anywhere like it did before. I'm very apathetic and it's getting worse.>
> 4.)Side effects?-list the top ones.
small amount of hypotension, not knowing if I'm going to sleep at night despite 25 mg seroquel, 7.5 zopiclone and 0.5 clonazapam, and still gaining weight..nothing like nardil..but previous trials with parnate decreased my appetite big time
>
> 5.) Who orders the meds?(MD-type, other, self )Pdoc
>
> 6.) How often are you seeing a MD, therapist, other?
one a month and have phone contact. He answers my calls the same day.
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> My answers are:
>
> 1.) Nardil 45-60 mg (taking 15 mg every 4-6 hrs)problem is remembering to take it.
>
> 2.)May 2007
>
> 3.)Results are fair-good, mixed results, better than many other meds but inconsistent results, unhappy with weight gain. Diet not a big problem.
>
> 4.)Low Blood Pressure (resolved, early S.E.)
> Swollen ankles (early SE, resolved)
> Weight gain, approx 20-30 lbs. (Have never gained weight for no reason before)
>
> 5.) MD: Psychiatrist
>
> 6.)Only seeing every 2-3 months lately due to change in insurance, was seeing him 2x/month, more often when having problems, less often when stable.
>
> Thanks for your feedback. I hope this helps others
>
> Stargazer
Posted by stargazer2 on August 29, 2008, at 23:25:35
In reply to Re: Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by Justherself54 on August 27, 2008, at 0:19:00
I'm sorry to hear that Parnate is not helping you. I know you and I were on Nardil at the same time. Is it worse than Nardil for you?
I know about the weight gain, I still am plump, but my depression is controlled fairly well (I'm working) and I just have to take moretime to exercise and try and see if that will help the weight come off.
If Nardil improved your mood, wouldn't it be worth trying it agin. I can't remember if it helped you at all or if the side effects were too prohibitive from retrying it.
Keep trying things, that's what I have done for years, although I didn't improve until I went back on Nardil, even though the side effects stink. At least I'm functional, albeit not physicially where I want to be, but it's the price I have to pay for being able to get out of the house and getting my life back.
SG
Posted by Justherself54 on August 30, 2008, at 17:09:11
In reply to Re: Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by stargazer2 on August 29, 2008, at 23:25:35
It doesn't have near the side effects I had with Nardil, but on the other hand, I'm getting more and more depressed. Right from the restarting of Parnate it didn't feel right. Nardil had some nasty side effects, weight gain was one, but the throwing up in my sleep was the one that ended the Nardil trial. Too much risk for asphyxiation. I'm starting the withdrawal process of the Parnate. I feel very fragile right now, so I'm hoping it won't be too bad. I'm very scared, as were do I go from here?
Posted by stargazer2 on August 30, 2008, at 18:44:48
In reply to Re: Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds » stargazer2, posted by Justherself54 on August 30, 2008, at 17:09:11
It's hard to tell what to try next especially if you've been in the testing phase for awhile.
Does your doc have any ideas?
what meds have you ever had success on?
What are your main symptoms?
YOu may want to make sure the meds are out of your system (kind of have to with MAO's) and perhaps comeoff all meds for a month or so and see what you feel like. Sometimes letting your body return to a nonmedicated state is a good place to be. I jumped so sften from one med(s) to another med(s), I did take the time to "dry" out so to speak.
Obviously if you are in a real bad place you may needs to take something to get you through that period of time.
Good luck with coming of Parnate, since it sounds like this is what you are going to do.
SG
Posted by Justherself54 on August 30, 2008, at 21:13:10
In reply to Re: Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by stargazer2 on August 30, 2008, at 18:44:48
> It's hard to tell what to try next especially if you've been in the testing phase for awhile.
>
> Does your doc have any ideas? he said we're going to have to be creative. What that means I have no idea, but I'm seeing him this week.
>
> what meds have you ever had success on?Zoloft and Lexapro..but all AD's poop out..maybe it's a bipolar thing.
>
> What are your main symptoms?Depression, apathy, no motivation, concentration is bad, rumination, fatigue, self-isolation.
>
> YOu may want to make sure the meds are out of your system (kind of have to with MAO's) and perhaps comeoff all meds for a month or so and see what you feel like. Sometimes letting your body return to a nonmedicated state is a good place to be. I jumped so sften from one med(s) to another med(s), I did take the time to "dry" out so to speak.When I stopped Nardil, I was AD free (except for sleep meds), for a month. However, I was pretty good depression wise on Nardil when I had to stop it, but the depression returned.
>
> Obviously if you are in a real bad place you may needs to take something to get you through that period of time.Yes, that's something we'll be discussing. I still remember the horrible bout of depression that hospitalized me.
>
> Good luck with coming of Parnate, since it sounds like this is what you are going to do.
> SGThanks SG..
Posted by stargazer2 on August 31, 2008, at 5:55:19
In reply to Re: Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by Justherself54 on August 30, 2008, at 21:13:10
Just coming up with ideas for you since I have similar symptoms of depression.
Have you been worked up for thyroid by an endocrinologist? My thyroid was "normal' but I have been on Synthroid since last year as the endo sees many patients with depression and treats them to reduce their TSH level. Normal levels are (0.4 to 4.5). My test was 2.84 in 2006 and went to 3.4 in 2007. I didn't know this until I saw the endo in 2007. My level is now around 1.5 or so and we still are shooting for a lower level as levels under even 1.0 may be indicated.
My psychiatrist should have sent me to this doctor many years ago since I may have responded better to meds years ago.
Hopefully, lowering my TSH may help with the weight gain on Nardil. Funny how the side effects of Nardil only came about when Pfizer reformulated it in 2003. The original Nardil was clean and I had no side effects. Of course that was 20 years ago but other users claim the same thing with it being nowhere near as effective as the old Nardil was. I still am angry about that being done.
The only other med that I felt helped me was one called DLPA, which is DL-Phenylalanine. It is a enzyme and made me feel less depressed, more focused, etc. It was suggested to me by another poster who was taking it with Emsam,which I was also on. I found it definately did something for me and I can't take it now since I'm on Nardil but even with Nardil I have issues with ADHD like symptoms.
I would read about it first (obviously)and see what you think. It may be something you could try if you will be off Parnate soon and it may work really well on it's own.Experimentation has become my motto now since my religious following of my doctor's advice did not serve me well. I lost years of living to medication trials and I think I should have made suggestions to him about what to try much earlier. Hindsight is 20/20.
Hope this helps. Feel free to babblemail me anytime too.
SG
Posted by elanor roosevelt on August 31, 2008, at 6:30:03
In reply to Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by stargazer2 on August 24, 2008, at 22:37:28
> 1.)What meds are you currently taking?
>at night: Lamictal 100mg
effexor (not xr) 150mg
ambien 10mgmorning: just went back to taking adderal about 75 mgs throughout the day
xanax - over the course of a week might take 3mg
> 2.)How long have you been on them?
the lamictal and effexor are new
adderall bout a year
>
> 3.)What are the results?
> Fair
>
> 4.)Side effects?-list the top ones.
carb craving
weight gain out of control
no sexual feelings--almost numb
the adderal irritates my mouth a bit
>
> 5.) Who orders the meds?(MD-type, other, self )
> Pdoc> 6.) How often are you seeing a MD, therapist, other?
>monthly bc of the adderallhere's to better mixes and matches for all of us
This is the end of the thread.
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