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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 2 of 2. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Hi-Fi on May 29, 2001, at 3:07:19
Hi,
This is my first posting. I'm a 38 year old from downunder, and have suffered from depression for twenty years. it's both sad and comforting to see how similar my life has been to other people here.I feel less alone, but like most of you I exasperate about how science seems to be in the dark ages in its treatment of mental illness, and the drugs are simply not good enough for a highly technologically advanced medical society. The fact that I still take medicine developed in the 50s is testament to this.
At present I rely on MAOIs as they at least alleviate the worst symptoms and allow me to socialize, although I feel, as so many others here seem to, that I'm not really "myself" at all.
I was wondering about the maximum dosages people have taken for various drugs, because I think you'd be horrified by the quantities I take. I should say I am closely monitored and quick to realize if I'm having blood pressure etc problems. My pdoc simply believes I have an unusual metabolism. I have to take a lot of medication to get an effect. The most I have taken without serious side effects (not together of course)are 130 mg of Nardil, 12 parnate tabs, 250 mg of Amitryptaline and similar of other trycyclics, Effexor, etc.
Has anyone else taken these kind of daily doses?
Posted by Elizabeth on May 29, 2001, at 21:30:56
In reply to Intro + dosage, posted by Hi-Fi on May 29, 2001, at 3:07:19
Hi. You might be comforted to learn that there are many people who take MAOIs or tricyclics and find them superior to the newer drugs. IMO, the side effects of MAOIs in particular have been exaggerated.
The doses that you mentioned, though high, are not unknown. You might be an ultrarapid metaboliser of some of these drugs, or you might need very high doses for other reasons.
Have you tried combining medications? Sometimes when people have tried a whole lot of things with only limited success, combinations turn out to be the best remedy. You can combine two antidepressants or add a different type of drug. Some of the things that people find helpful in augmenting antidepressants are lithium, anticonvulsants, buspirone, benzodiazepines, atypical antipsychotics, thyroid hormones, opioids, certain antiparkinsonian drugs (e.g., pramipexole), pindolol, and probably other things I've forgotten.
So anyway, like, welcome.
-elizabeth
This is the end of the thread.
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