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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by elanor roosevelt on June 25, 2006, at 15:01:03
I am ow taking 30mg of parnate (in 3 doses).
I have noticed that I am having an increaesed amount of joint stiffness and pain. Is this common?Also the transition from 20 to 30 mg has made me a bit sleepy at times so i am bringing my doses closer together.
I am feeling beter -- not fabulous but better. The only other side effects seem to be occasional bouts of intestinal distress.But so far side effects are less than with most meds.
Just noticed the other day, to my surprise, that I have fingernails. Also, the frequency and intensity with which I use dental floss has lessened.
So some of the compulsive and distructive habits that AD's have triggered are calming. Now I will see how I settle into full dosage.
I am on Parnate because all the srri's were melting down too quickly. Too much of my life was spent re-grouping and the anger and frustration were getting to me.
Posted by Maxime on June 25, 2006, at 21:01:26
In reply to Having a Life with Parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on June 25, 2006, at 15:01:03
I have never heard of the side-effects you mention. I take Parnate myself ... 100 mg. It does make me tired during the day.
I wonder if anyone else has the same side effects as you.
Take care,
Maxime
> I am ow taking 30mg of parnate (in 3 doses).
> I have noticed that I am having an increaesed amount of joint stiffness and pain. Is this common?
>
> Also the transition from 20 to 30 mg has made me a bit sleepy at times so i am bringing my doses closer together.
> I am feeling beter -- not fabulous but better. The only other side effects seem to be occasional bouts of intestinal distress.
>
> But so far side effects are less than with most meds.
>
> Just noticed the other day, to my surprise, that I have fingernails. Also, the frequency and intensity with which I use dental floss has lessened.
>
> So some of the compulsive and distructive habits that AD's have triggered are calming. Now I will see how I settle into full dosage.
> I am on Parnate because all the srri's were melting down too quickly. Too much of my life was spent re-grouping and the anger and frustration were getting to me.
>
>
Posted by Jost on June 25, 2006, at 22:25:13
In reply to Having a Life with Parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on June 25, 2006, at 15:01:03
I've heard of stomach problems with parnate. Maybe take it with food, or at least a small snack and water.
The fatigue or sleepiness was a big problem for me. At higher doses (much higher), it was still a problem ,but slightly less so-- Also, some people say that that symptom can abate.
No joint soreness, but I've heard of large muscle group (eg leg muscle) pain, for which one of the b-complex vitamins was suggested.
Good luck with it.
Jost
Posted by naughtypuppy on June 26, 2006, at 10:10:38
In reply to Having a Life with Parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on June 25, 2006, at 15:01:03
When I first started taking Parnate I had major diarrhea for a while but it went away after a couple of weeks. As for the afternoon sleepy periods, they might lessen but not go away entirely.
Posted by willyee on June 26, 2006, at 12:14:20
In reply to Having a Life with Parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on June 25, 2006, at 15:01:03
I am a smoker trying to quit,i notice i get really sick when i smoke,wonder if its contradcited in a med with actions like parnate,i mean i believe ur not supposed to smoke while on wellbutrin,perhaps because of what its doing smoking is a contradiction too,of course i dont know if ur problems are even related to the same.
Im wanting to get off the drug myself but am dependant on it and dont know what option to use to get off.Good luck
Posted by elanor roosevelt on June 26, 2006, at 12:27:03
In reply to Re: Having a Life with Parnate, posted by willyee on June 26, 2006, at 12:14:20
> I am a smoker trying to quit,i notice i get really sick when i smoke,wonder if its contradcited in a med with actions like parnate,i mean i believe ur not supposed to smoke while on wellbutrin,perhaps because of what its doing smoking is a contradiction too,of course i dont know if ur problems are even related to the same.
>
> Im wanting to get off the drug myself but am dependant on it and dont know what option to use to get off.Good luckHey
I am happy with the positive apects of the parnate.
you can smaoke on wellbutrin. it is an AD that is often usd with people who want to quit.
Good luck with the smoking. I stopped 3 years ago and still miss it.
Posted by Karen44 on June 27, 2006, at 23:50:07
In reply to Having a Life with Parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on June 25, 2006, at 15:01:03
I used to take Parnate some 20 years ago, and I found it to be activating and energizing. I took 30 mg. per day at that time, all in the a.m. I took it for around 10 years, and in my mind it helped me get through graduate school.
Anyway, around two years ago I started getting depressed again due to developing some serious health problems that are now resolving. I have not found Parnate to be as effective as it was in my younger years. I got up to taking 40 mg. per day all in the a.m. and found it did cause some sleepiness in the p.m. (I think). I say I think it did because I also learned I had sleep apnea,and this may have been the cause of the sleepiness. I never found it to cause any problems other than the inability to go to sleep at night if I took it in the p.m. I used to like it because of the amphetamine-like qualities. This was when my depression was more of a type of depression where I did not want to get out of bed ever. This time my depression has been more of an agitated depression and perhaps why it does not seem to help. I am now trying to go off of Parnate and am down to 10 mg. per day to see if I can be okay off of it. I have noticed depression returning after going down to the 20 mg. level, but I want off of it anyway. I want to see if I can manage without any antidepressant medication, and if not, then I will consider going back on something.
Karen
Posted by kimcrazylady on June 30, 2006, at 15:21:43
In reply to Re: Having a Life with Parnate, posted by Karen44 on June 27, 2006, at 23:50:07
I've never experienced joint stiffness, but it does cause me some constipation and it does cause sleepiness for me. I am now up to 60 mg taken 30 mg at a time twice a day.
I cannot take it past mid-afternoon or I will be awake all night. One thing I did try and it has helped is that I take my Parnate without any other meds. I used to take Lisinopril for my blood pressure with my first dose of Parnate and literally had to nap in my office several hours later. I think the combo made me even more tired. Now that I take them separately, I don't get nearly as tired. So, if you are taking it at the same time as another med, try to stop that and see if you notice improvements.
Posted by elanor roosevelt on July 1, 2006, at 17:29:45
In reply to Re: Having a Life with Parnate, posted by kimcrazylady on June 30, 2006, at 15:21:43
Thanks for the advice. I will stop combining dosage with any other drug.
The sleepiness is getting to be a problem. I have gotten up to 40mg but it is a mystery to me when i should take it it to avoid naptime. Also, I am not getting past the edginess -- I can get nasty.
I see my doctor on monday. my daughter is away with her dad for the week so this is the best chunk of time for me to smooth the lumps and bumps and come up with a schedule.
I have a lot riding on making the parnate work for me. this has been the year of having to gives up on srri's.
Posted by elanor roosevelt on July 14, 2006, at 21:19:34
In reply to sleeping beauty growls, posted by elanor roosevelt on July 1, 2006, at 17:29:45
thought i was gettinging into a good routine but now i get sleepy
i'm not getting enough done
what's next?
can i supplement this with something or do i try 50mg first?Thanks for the advice. I will stop combining dosage with any other drug.
> The sleepiness is getting to be a problem. I have gotten up to 40mg but it is a mystery to me when i should take it it to avoid naptime. Also, I am not getting past the edginess -- I can get nasty.
> I see my doctor on monday. my daughter is away with her dad for the week so this is the best chunk of time for me to smooth the lumps and bumps and come up with a schedule.
> I have a lot riding on making the parnate work for me. this has been the year of having to gives up on srri's.
Posted by kimcrazylady on July 17, 2006, at 11:59:53
In reply to staying awake on parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on July 14, 2006, at 21:19:34
> thought i was gettinging into a good routine but now i get sleepy
> i'm not getting enough done
> what's next?
> can i supplement this with something or do i try 50mg first?
>
>
>
> Thanks for the advice. I will stop combining dosage with any other drug.
> > The sleepiness is getting to be a problem. I have gotten up to 40mg but it is a mystery to me when i should take it it to avoid naptime. Also, I am not getting past the edginess -- I can get nasty.
> > I see my doctor on monday. my daughter is away with her dad for the week so this is the best chunk of time for me to smooth the lumps and bumps and come up with a schedule.
> > I have a lot riding on making the parnate work for me. this has been the year of having to gives up on srri's.
>
>I would talk to your doctor. If you are not getting much done, you may need to up your dosage. I am at 60 and still not feeling "normal". I am looking to augment, but we aren't sure what with. My pdoc is letting me go up to 70 mg to see if that helps, but so far, all I want to do is sleep. If I find some combo that works, I'll surely let you know. However, we all respond differently, so it's still a crap-shoot.
Good luck
Kim
Posted by elanor roosevelt on July 20, 2006, at 22:02:16
In reply to Re: staying awake on parnate, posted by kimcrazylady on July 17, 2006, at 11:59:53
Thanks Kim.
I am making some progress taking 10 mg about every 2 or 3 hours. In the process of increasing to 50mg (with the approval of my doctor).
I am getting less sleepy but still experience odd fatigue. I work out pretty steadily and what I was doing before the parmate is now more of a challenge than before.
hanging in there
Posted by Jost on July 22, 2006, at 17:59:22
In reply to Re: staying awake on parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on July 20, 2006, at 22:02:16
I was unbelieveably sleepy on Parnate.
I stayed on it for a couple of years until I had another SE--but in retrospect, I was semi-unconscious for that time, even on very large dose. The sleepiness was better at the higher doses, but it never got to the point where I was functioning at even half of normal.
But it may get better for you.
I took it in three doses, am, early pm, late afternoon.
It may have been that I wasn't getting any deep sleep, and was staying in REM sleep too much. I seemed to have these endlessly long multiple dreams every night. Although that's supposed to be the exact opposite of the reaction to MAOIs.
Jost
Posted by Karen44 on July 22, 2006, at 20:35:01
In reply to Re: staying awake on parnate, posted by elanor roosevelt on July 20, 2006, at 22:02:16
> Thanks Kim.
> I am making some progress taking 10 mg about every 2 or 3 hours. In the process of increasing to 50mg (with the approval of my doctor).
> I am getting less sleepy but still experience odd fatigue. I work out pretty steadily and what I was doing before the parmate is now more of a challenge than before.
> hanging in thereParnate worked fairly well for me with depression, and I am now wishing I had not stopped it. I am now in the process of trying Lamictal. Anyway, I was on 30 mg. of Parnate, all taken in the a.m. and went up to 40 mg. of Parnate all in the a.m. I was sleepy in the p.m. but then would have problems with not being able to sleep at night if any dosage was taken in the p.m. I think I did best in terms fo some compromise between depression and sleepiness at the 30 mg. level. I was not completely free from depresson but did not get so tired during the day. Going off of it has thrown me into a severe depression, and there was nothing to do but wait out the washout period before tryingin something else. My psychiatrist decided we should try Lamictal and 5 mg. of Moban at night. I just started this and am so depressed. This is the downside of an MAOI. If you end up needing to switch, it is a awful going through the washout period and starting something else and waiting to see if it works.
Karen
Posted by Tymoney on July 22, 2006, at 23:42:04
In reply to Re: staying awake on parnate, posted by Karen44 on July 22, 2006, at 20:35:01
> > Thanks Kim.
> > I am making some progress taking 10 mg about every 2 or 3 hours. In the process of increasing to 50mg (with the approval of my doctor).
> > I am getting less sleepy but still experience odd fatigue. I work out pretty steadily and what I was doing before the parmate is now more of a challenge than before.
> > hanging in there
>
> Parnate worked fairly well for me with depression, and I am now wishing I had not stopped it. I am now in the process of trying Lamictal. Anyway, I was on 30 mg. of Parnate, all taken in the a.m. and went up to 40 mg. of Parnate all in the a.m. I was sleepy in the p.m. but then would have problems with not being able to sleep at night if any dosage was taken in the p.m. I think I did best in terms fo some compromise between depression and sleepiness at the 30 mg. level. I was not completely free from depresson but did not get so tired during the day. Going off of it has thrown me into a severe depression, and there was nothing to do but wait out the washout period before tryingin something else. My psychiatrist decided we should try Lamictal and 5 mg. of Moban at night. I just started this and am so depressed. This is the downside of an MAOI. If you end up needing to switch, it is a awful going through the washout period and starting something else and waiting to see if it works.
>
> KarenIf im hearing you correctly you are statng that you are /or have switched from Parnate to Lamictal.Well of course my statement doesent overide your docter,however normaly Lamictal in accordance with Parnate fist......
Is normaly used in conjunction with it,not instead of it,or as a alternative,but of course its a viable option.However a lot of mood stablizers like Lamictal have been known to go well in combo with parnate.
Second,even if it were to be used alone,which again i can see viable,what i dont see is why a washout would be needed,if they can be used safetly togther why would he have you suffer a washout.
Sorry if i misunderstood anything,but if i dident,it sounds rather odd to me,as a parnate/lamictal combo is actualy fairly common.
Posted by Karen44 on July 23, 2006, at 0:45:58
In reply to Re: staying awake on parnate, posted by Tymoney on July 22, 2006, at 23:42:04
> > > Thanks Kim.
> > > I am making some progress taking 10 mg about every 2 or 3 hours. In the process of increasing to 50mg (with the approval of my doctor).
> > > I am getting less sleepy but still experience odd fatigue. I work out pretty steadily and what I was doing before the parmate is now more of a challenge than before.
> > > hanging in there
> >
> > Parnate worked fairly well for me with depression, and I am now wishing I had not stopped it. I am now in the process of trying Lamictal. Anyway, I was on 30 mg. of Parnate, all taken in the a.m. and went up to 40 mg. of Parnate all in the a.m. I was sleepy in the p.m. but then would have problems with not being able to sleep at night if any dosage was taken in the p.m. I think I did best in terms fo some compromise between depression and sleepiness at the 30 mg. level. I was not completely free from depresson but did not get so tired during the day. Going off of it has thrown me into a severe depression, and there was nothing to do but wait out the washout period before tryingin something else. My psychiatrist decided we should try Lamictal and 5 mg. of Moban at night. I just started this and am so depressed. This is the downside of an MAOI. If you end up needing to switch, it is a awful going through the washout period and starting something else and waiting to see if it works.
> >
> > Karen
>
> If im hearing you correctly you are statng that you are /or have switched from Parnate to Lamictal.Well of course my statement doesent overide your docter,however normaly Lamictal in accordance with Parnate fist......
>
> Is normaly used in conjunction with it,not instead of it,or as a alternative,but of course its a viable option.However a lot of mood stablizers like Lamictal have been known to go well in combo with parnate.
>
> Second,even if it were to be used alone,which again i can see viable,what i dont see is why a washout would be needed,if they can be used safetly togther why would he have you suffer a washout.
>
> Sorry if i misunderstood anything,but if i dident,it sounds rather odd to me,as a parnate/lamictal combo is actualy fairly common.Initially, there was some thought to trying something else other than Lamictal, why the washout period. You are absolutely correct, and this was also discussed at one point--adding Lamictal to the Parnate. I think perhaps this was lost in the shuffle of other issues being discussed. The doctor who prescribes my medications is also my therapist.
Karen
Posted by elanor roosevelt on July 23, 2006, at 10:39:00
In reply to Re: staying awake on parnate, posted by Karen44 on July 23, 2006, at 0:45:58
> > > > Thanks Kim.
> > > > I am making some progress taking 10 mg about every 2 or 3 hours. In the process of increasing to 50mg (with the approval of my doctor).
> > > > I am getting less sleepy but still experience odd fatigue. I work out pretty steadily and what I was doing before the parmate is now more of a challenge than before.
> > > > hanging in there
> > >
> > > Parnate worked fairly well for me with depression, and I am now wishing I had not stopped it. I am now in the process of trying Lamictal. Anyway, I was on 30 mg. of Parnate, all taken in the a.m. and went up to 40 mg. of Parnate all in the a.m. I was sleepy in the p.m. but then would have problems with not being able to sleep at night if any dosage was taken in the p.m. I think I did best in terms fo some compromise between depression and sleepiness at the 30 mg. level. I was not completely free from depresson but did not get so tired during the day. Going off of it has thrown me into a severe depression, and there was nothing to do but wait out the washout period before tryingin something else. My psychiatrist decided we should try Lamictal and 5 mg. of Moban at night. I just started this and am so depressed. This is the downside of an MAOI. If you end up needing to switch, it is a awful going through the washout period and starting something else and waiting to see if it works.
> > >
> > > Karen
> >
> > If im hearing you correctly you are statng that you are /or have switched from Parnate to Lamictal.Well of course my statement doesent overide your docter,however normaly Lamictal in accordance with Parnate fist......
> >
> > Is normaly used in conjunction with it,not instead of it,or as a alternative,but of course its a viable option.However a lot of mood stablizers like Lamictal have been known to go well in combo with parnate.
> >
> > Second,even if it were to be used alone,which again i can see viable,what i dont see is why a washout would be needed,if they can be used safetly togther why would he have you suffer a washout.
> >
> > Sorry if i misunderstood anything,but if i dident,it sounds rather odd to me,as a parnate/lamictal combo is actualy fairly common.
>
> Initially, there was some thought to trying something else other than Lamictal, why the washout period. You are absolutely correct, and this was also discussed at one point--adding Lamictal to the Parnate. I think perhaps this was lost in the shuffle of other issues being discussed. The doctor who prescribes my medications is also my therapist.
>
> KarenSorry you are going through the transition blues Karen. When you go off a med and wait for the next. Lamictal seems to be the premier drug this year. I hope it works well for you.
I am not depressed on the Parnate but seem always on the edge of sadness which is odd.
This is the end of the thread.
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