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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 10:31:48
Has anyone felt worse while taking memantine (Namenda)?
I am contemplating discontinuing memantine for a few days to see to what degree it has been helping or hurting me. My depressive state has been very unstable since I started taking this drug. I have felt pretty bad on and off over the past few days. This might be a good sign. This might be a bad sign. I just don't know.
- Scott
Posted by uncouth on May 13, 2009, at 11:28:32
In reply to Memantine: Has anyone felt worse on it?, posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 10:31:48
well i went up to 40mg from 20mg, it was supposed to help with the ECT side effects, but a) I still have severe memory disturbances and b) my depression was still bad.
So 40mg of memantine for me wasn't a lifesaver by any means. my doc actually said my last seizure "looked funny" on the eeg and she wants be back to 20mg of memantine. it may or may not be the cause of the strange eeg. will let you know how i feel on a lower dose, but i'm also going up on clomipramine at the same time so it will be hard to know what's causing what.
<sigh>
Posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2009, at 12:22:52
In reply to Re: Memantine: Has anyone felt worse on it?, posted by uncouth on May 13, 2009, at 11:28:32
Uncouth isn't it advisable to do one change at a time so you know what is what? Phillipa
Posted by bleauberry on May 13, 2009, at 17:29:16
In reply to Memantine: Has anyone felt worse on it?, posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 10:31:48
> Has anyone felt worse while taking memantine (Namenda)?
>
> have felt pretty bad on and off over the past few days. This might be a good sign. This might be a bad sign. I just don't know.
>Well, I guess everyone will have a different opinion Scott. But mine is, it is a bad sign. I would have already stopped it.
The only times I know of that feeling worse is necessary to feel better is:
-Chemotherapy
-Antibiotic therapy (herx die-off reaction)
-Antiyeast therapy (herx die-off reaction)In my opinion, anything that twists the brain to feeling worse is not cool. And as I am sure you and I could have respectful debates on that, I do not believe one's brain has to be twisted to feeling worse on the journey to healing. In people I've seen get a lot better, that was not the pattern. In people that didn't get a lot better, that was the pattern.
Side effects is a completely different story. Those have to be endured as they diminish. But I don't see what you are experiencing as side effects. Those are direct effects and not good ones.
Just opinion though.
Posted by desolationrower on May 13, 2009, at 18:15:47
In reply to Re: Memantine: Has anyone felt worse on it?, posted by bleauberry on May 13, 2009, at 17:29:16
forget the thread you had more stuff in
came across this study, not what i was looking for but mentions glutamate effects of vitamin k
http://www.jneurosci.org/cgi/content/full/23/13/5816
-d/r
Posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 18:53:26
In reply to Re: Memantine: Has anyone felt worse on it?, posted by bleauberry on May 13, 2009, at 17:29:16
> Well, I guess everyone will have a different opinion Scott. But mine is, it is a bad sign. I would have already stopped it.
I very much respect your opinion, and I think I will stop taking memantine now rather than later, and observe any changes that occur. I just wish it had a shorter half-life.
Thanks for your concern.
- Scott
Posted by SLS on May 14, 2009, at 12:14:44
In reply to Re: Memantine: Has anyone felt worse on it? » bleauberry, posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 18:53:26
Someone posted somewhere that memantine produced improvements in depression that followed a dosage bell-curve. This would indicate the existence of a therapeutic window. Perhaps 20mg is too much for me. Twice, I responded well to memantine during the first week of trials. Thereafter, I felt worse. Maybe 10mg would be effective whereas 20mg is not.
Always looking for alternatives...
It breeds hope.
- Scott
Posted by Sigismund on May 14, 2009, at 16:27:13
In reply to Memantine: Dosage Bell Curve-Therapeutic Window?, posted by SLS on May 14, 2009, at 12:14:44
Scott, it is so long acting that it must accumulate.
Perhaps the right dose is lower than you think?
Posted by desolationrower on May 15, 2009, at 5:30:38
In reply to Re: Memantine: Dosage Bell Curve-Therapeutic Window? » SLS, posted by Sigismund on May 14, 2009, at 16:27:13
the studies that showed positive effect used higher doses than ones that were negative though.
its moa certainly woudl support a window though
-d/r
Posted by rovers95 on May 18, 2009, at 13:25:22
In reply to glutamate ))scott, posted by desolationrower on May 13, 2009, at 18:15:47
Felt suicidally depressed as soon as i took this with lamotrigine (lamictal), same when i mixed the lamotrigine with riluzole. But on there own all had very noticeable effects..........memantine had an ok effect on my depression and anxiety, riluzole a good one and "special k" a very good one.
rover
Posted by Elanor Roosevelt on May 23, 2009, at 20:45:43
In reply to memantine with other drugs, posted by rovers95 on May 18, 2009, at 13:25:22
Scott
how are you feeling?
my mom's doctor agreed to get her off the namenda
he seemed to think that the success rate over long periods of time was not so great
Posted by SLS on May 27, 2009, at 6:11:21
In reply to Re: memantine with other drugs, posted by Elanor Roosevelt on May 23, 2009, at 20:45:43
> Scott
> how are you feeling?
> my mom's doctor agreed to get her off the namenda
> he seemed to think that the success rate over long periods of time was not so greatOops. Sorry Ms. Roosevelt. I didn't mean to ignore your post.
The NIMH concluded that Namenda was ineffective for treating depression when used as monotherapy. Of course, this doesn't preclude it from being effective when it is combined with other drugs.
My personal experience with the drug has not been stellar. It definitely made my depression worse. I experienced a significant rebound improvement when I discontinued Namenda. So far, I haven't seen anyone else have a robust antidepressant response to this drug.
I am thinking about trying Topamax for two reasons:
1. Topamax reduces glutamatergic neurotransmission, as does Lamictal. I respond significantly well to Lamictal, although not robustly.
2. My last experience with Topamax was a positive one. It produced a mild, but stable antidepressant effect. This time, however, I would be taking different drugs along with it.
I don't think that Namenda is a demon drug. It very well might help someone with depression when used as an adjunct to other drugs.
It does seem that Namenda is at least moderately effective to treat OCD.
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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