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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Justherself54 on July 18, 2010, at 13:23:23
In reply to I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by inanimate peanut on July 18, 2010, at 13:00:50
If you are going to continue to self-medicate, there's not much I can say or do, other than to suggest that you drop your dose back to the beginning and let your brain get used to it. That way you have time to assess how you feel on each increase. You may find you need much less of it that you think.
I found Parnate a very tricky med as far as my blood pressure went. It could get extremely unstable for no reason. I hope you are wearing a med alert bracelet or some sort of warning papers in your wallet in case of an emergency, where you may not be able to verbally respond.
Take care and be safe.
Posted by Phillipa on July 18, 2010, at 13:41:58
In reply to Re: I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by Justherself54 on July 18, 2010, at 13:23:23
I agree with Justherself you're to be treading on scarey ground. Self medicating in your case with an MAOI isn't something to fool around with. Please inform your doctor of what you've been doing and take his advise and you don't really know what it will be now. Phillipa
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 18, 2010, at 13:42:36
In reply to Re: I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by Justherself54 on July 18, 2010, at 13:23:23
I'm worried that dropping back down will just destabilize it more whereas staying where I am and just not changing anything for at least 3 weeks might allow it to stabilize. I will put a paper in my wallet-- that is a good suggestion. As for my BP, it has been rock solid through this whole process. If I'd ever had an indication of anything else, I would have stopped.
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 18, 2010, at 13:55:30
In reply to Re: I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by Phillipa on July 18, 2010, at 13:41:58
What I'm doing now is staying at a stable dose just below the normal therapeutic dose. If my body was going to freak out, it would have done it during the increases. I'm still going to monitor it just the same as I have been doing, but the risk that after having perfect BP and temp during all the increases that my body is suddenly going to go into serotonin syndrome or hyperthermia is very small. I'm not increasing any more. Telling my doctor is not an option. She would freak out and take away my Parnate, which is literally keeping me alive. Plus, telling her makes her liable for what happens to me, which is a position that she obviously prefers not to be in since she refused to do this under her care. Everyone can stop worrying-- I'm fine. I'm just more depressed, which sucks but I'll wait it out and see how it all falls out once my brain adjusts to the new chemicals.
Posted by morgan miller on July 18, 2010, at 15:13:13
In reply to Re: I think nortriptyline makes me cry » Justherself54, posted by inanimate peanut on July 18, 2010, at 13:42:36
What dose of Nortriptyline are you on now? Who knows, maybe you just need a low dose and some time for it to really take effect.
I think you need someone like Scott or Bleauberry to weigh in on this.
Posted by Roslynn on July 18, 2010, at 17:04:16
In reply to I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by inanimate peanut on July 18, 2010, at 13:00:50
Peanut,
Please be careful with the meds, I know you are taking your blood pressure and everything...still I am a little worried.
Your friend,
Roslynn
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 19, 2010, at 10:15:45
In reply to Re: I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by Roslynn on July 18, 2010, at 17:04:16
I'm feeling better today-- no urges to cry either. I think maybe my body just needs to be stable for awhile. I only got 3 hours of sleep though, which is going to catch up with me at some point today (and no naps because I already took my Parnate).
Posted by bleauberry on July 19, 2010, at 19:46:21
In reply to I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by inanimate peanut on July 18, 2010, at 13:00:50
Nortriptyline made me worse at any dose higher than 5mg. At 5mg it was helpful. I have learned to ignore what commonly prescribed doses are, and instead take the dose that your body tells you to take. In your case, it sounds like your body is telling you the dose is too much. If something, anything, that you consume makes you feel so much worse that you get into that crying stuff, guilt, sadness, all that, well, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that thing probably shouldn't be consumed. Doesn't matter why or what anyone else says. All that matters is what it does to you. If it does something good, cool. If it does something bad, not cool at all.
Just because something is called an "anti"-depressant doesn't mean it will do that. They put suicide labels and the warnings "contact your doctor if your depression worsens" for a reason. A lot of people do get worse on their meds. Listen to your body.
The quick change of meds is probably involved too. However, if nortriptyline was doing something good, it would have muted or hidden that transition stuff, not made it worse.
In your shoes, what would I do. That's a tough one. Don't want to go backwards where you've already been. Don't want to hastily abondon a new drug either. I would probably lower the dose to whatever felt tolerable, add an ssri preferably zoloft or prozac to it, also at low doses, and go from there. I have never seen nortriptyline work that great by itself. But it can work like magic when partnered with zoloft or prozac.
Posted by emmanuel98 on July 19, 2010, at 20:34:00
In reply to feeling better today, posted by inanimate peanut on July 19, 2010, at 10:15:45
Parnate insomnia s***ks. But one thing I found is that, even when I don't sleep, or just barely sleep on parnate, I'm not tired the next day. What wears me down is just the boredom of being awake all night.
> I'm feeling better today-- no urges to cry either. I think maybe my body just needs to be stable for awhile. I only got 3 hours of sleep though, which is going to catch up with me at some point today (and no naps because I already took my Parnate).
Posted by Phillipa on July 19, 2010, at 21:27:48
In reply to Re: I think nortriptyline makes me cry, posted by bleauberry on July 19, 2010, at 19:46:21
Blue I do agree about your body letting you know as I tried to go down on the silly dose of luvox and go to 5mg of lexapro with it and found it made me worse. Wierd as last night took the 50mg of luvox deciding to abandon lexapro . But woke early for synthroid and something told me to take also 2.5mg lexapro and did and seemed a bit more assertive today not as whimpy. I do think Peanut wants to persue the parnate though. Phillipa
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 20, 2010, at 15:28:40
In reply to Re: I think nortriptyline makes me cry » bleauberry, posted by Phillipa on July 19, 2010, at 21:27:48
I'm definitely feeling better today even with a full night's sleep. I cleaned the kitchen that hadn't been cleaned for a month because I was too depressed to do it and vacuumed the whole house and did laundry. Plus, I had kind of a happy mellow peaceful feeling yesterday for a little bit. I'm liking this alot! I'm still depressed but I'll take any bump I can get! It does seem to wear off at night and then I feel like crap again, which is sad. I hope it continues to get better! It's all worth it if it works, all the vital-taking, all the risk, all worth it :-).
Posted by europerep on July 20, 2010, at 17:02:59
In reply to definitely feeling better- gotta love that nortrip, posted by inanimate peanut on July 20, 2010, at 15:28:40
glad to hear that! keep an eye on the BP, or maybe two, especially now that it's coming on, but other than that, it sounds good...
Posted by jade k on July 20, 2010, at 19:46:14
In reply to definitely feeling better- gotta love that nortrip, posted by inanimate peanut on July 20, 2010, at 15:28:40
Hey peanut,
Thats awesome! For you of course, but also for me. I started Nortrip about a week ago but I'm only on 50mg.
Gettin all that work done is def a good sign. Glad things are finally lookin up!
~Jade
Posted by morgan miller on July 20, 2010, at 22:37:20
In reply to definitely feeling better- gotta love that nortrip, posted by inanimate peanut on July 20, 2010, at 15:28:40
What dose are you at now and how long have you been on it?
Posted by morgan miller on July 20, 2010, at 22:38:09
In reply to definitely feeling better- gotta love that nortrip, posted by inanimate peanut on July 20, 2010, at 15:28:40
Great to hear you're feeling better!
Posted by morgan miller on July 20, 2010, at 22:39:11
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nortrip, posted by jade k on July 20, 2010, at 19:46:14
Jade do you notice anything so far?
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 21, 2010, at 14:20:48
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nortrip, posted by morgan miller on July 20, 2010, at 22:37:20
70 mg for 3 days
Posted by morgan miller on July 22, 2010, at 9:39:24
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor » morgan miller, posted by inanimate peanut on July 21, 2010, at 14:20:48
> 70 mg for 3 days
Have you upped your dose? How are you feeling?
Sorry I'm actually selfishly curious : )
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 22, 2010, at 14:49:22
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor, posted by morgan miller on July 22, 2010, at 9:39:24
I haven't upped my dose but it isn't making me feel better like it was, which makes me really want to up it. I better hold out here at 70 for at least a week+.
Posted by jade k on July 22, 2010, at 15:01:11
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor, posted by inanimate peanut on July 22, 2010, at 14:49:22
> I haven't upped my dose but it isn't making me feel better like it was, which makes me really want to up it. I better hold out here at 70 for at least a week+.
Hi peanut!
I think you should hold tight. It can take some time to figure things out, but I don't think its wise at this point to make any moves, as far as increasing your meds. But keep us posted as to how its going and what you're doing, okay?
~Jade
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 22, 2010, at 18:53:07
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor » inanimate peanut, posted by jade k on July 22, 2010, at 15:01:11
Thanks Jade-- I think you're right. I still feel pretty good, just not as good as those couple days. I definitely won't do anything for a few more days at the earliest. BP and temp reading still rock solid
peanut
Posted by morgan miller on July 24, 2010, at 21:41:39
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor, posted by inanimate peanut on July 22, 2010, at 18:53:07
I.P., how's it going lately? Still on the same dose?
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 24, 2010, at 22:15:57
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor, posted by morgan miller on July 24, 2010, at 21:41:39
same dose still-- it's been a week. I plan to increase soon to see if I can have more days like the 2 days of relief I had early last week. I know I should probably stay at this dose another week, but I don't know why I should bother to stay here when it's stabilized at a non-helpful state and a higher dose could lead to improvement.
Posted by morgan miller on July 24, 2010, at 23:30:33
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor, posted by inanimate peanut on July 24, 2010, at 22:15:57
I understand your feeling impatient. Ask Scott what he thinks. It wouldn't hurt to wait another week and see what happens with this same dose.
So are you at least feeling better than before you started?
Posted by inanimate peanut on July 25, 2010, at 12:34:02
In reply to Re: definitely feeling better- gotta love that nor, posted by morgan miller on July 24, 2010, at 23:30:33
I can't tell that I'm feeling any better than before I started it now-- maybe a little but mostly back to baseline.
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