![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 15 of 15. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kimbersaur on May 13, 2009, at 13:39:17
I want to find out ASAP if this stuff is going to work for me because my OCD is so bad that I might need to just give up and go back on SSRIs and forget about my sex life forever. I've only been on Namenda for 4 days and have had no effects or side-effects whatsoever, but the starter pack raises the dose by 5mg per week which seems slow to me. Is the slow dose raising due to adjusting to side-effects or some other more serious reason that would prevent me from moving faster?
Posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 14:34:50
In reply to How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by Kimbersaur on May 13, 2009, at 13:39:17
> I want to find out ASAP if this stuff is going to work for me because my OCD is so bad that I might need to just give up and go back on SSRIs and forget about my sex life forever. I've only been on Namenda for 4 days and have had no effects or side-effects whatsoever, but the starter pack raises the dose by 5mg per week which seems slow to me. Is the slow dose raising due to adjusting to side-effects or some other more serious reason that would prevent me from moving faster?
I believe that the gradual rate of titration of memantine is to prevent side effects such as dizziness, headache, and confusion. I have not encountered any literature that warns of any safety issues other than allergic reactions. It seems like a very benign drug otherwise.
I have absolutely no literature citations or doctor's quotes to offer you. However, I used an accelerated titration schedule for memantine. I was taking 20mg by the end of the first week. My experience with doing this has been uneventful. Even so, I am reluctant to want to suggest to anyone that they do the same thing.
- Scott
Posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 14:44:56
In reply to How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by Kimbersaur on May 13, 2009, at 13:39:17
I should add that I have a friend that did not respond to memantine until she had been taking it for over a month. It is possible that to fully explore the potential of memantine to effectively treat depression, you would have to invest over a month, anyway. I don't think memantine is a drug that can be evaluated properly within a period as short as 2-3 weeks.
I am not sure what this drug is currently doing for me. I felt a benefit during the first week that faded quickly. I had a few good days this past week after being on memantine for 4 weeks. I have also had some bad days. Today is not such a good day. I am beginning to wonder if memantine is actually making me feel worse.
- Scott
Posted by desolationrower on May 13, 2009, at 15:44:54
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 14:44:56
other than going to fast and zooming past the minimum effective dose, i don't see any reason to go slowly. i went 10mg a week i think.
-d/r
Posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 15:59:59
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by desolationrower on May 13, 2009, at 15:44:54
Memantine has a half-life of 60-80 hours. I guess it would take at least a week to reach a steady-state concentration in the body at any one dosage. It might not hurt to start at 10mg for the first week and 20mg for the second week. I don't know. That's what I did. I used a sort of loading-dose concept. Of course, if one reacts badly to memantine, it might take a few days to eliminate enough of the drug to mitigate the reaction.
- Scott
Posted by whitmore on May 13, 2009, at 16:16:55
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by SLS on May 13, 2009, at 15:59:59
I am interested in giving namenda a try(for ocd issues). I live in the US and have private insurance. Does anyone have their pdoc prescribe it and their insurance pay for it? I'm asking as this is clearly 'off-label' and presumably one's doc. would have to justify it to the ins. co.Thanks.
Posted by Phillipa on May 13, 2009, at 20:20:46
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by whitmore on May 13, 2009, at 16:16:55
I also have OCD anxiety type. Phillipa guess better google it to see why it's off label.
Posted by greywolf on May 13, 2009, at 22:34:15
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by desolationrower on May 13, 2009, at 15:44:54
I was wondering if anyone knows whether Namenda can be taken with Parnate. I've got some serious OCD issues, and right now I'm not on anything that is addressing them pharmaceutically because of a severe depressive episode that had me off work for several weeks.
Also, has Namenda been prescribed in the U.S. with enough frequency for OCD that my psydoc will likely be comfortable rxing it for me? I know you don't know him, but I'd probably have a better chance of trying it out if it's not still at an exotic stage.
Thanks.
Greywolf
Posted by desolationrower on May 14, 2009, at 1:10:30
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by greywolf on May 13, 2009, at 22:34:15
its been used for a while in germany i think.
I've used it with parnate.
The only interaction that i'll mention is that it inhibits serotonin syndrome. there are possible therapeutic synergies or interactions but blahh
-d/r
Posted by g_g_g_unit on May 14, 2009, at 3:10:31
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by desolationrower on May 14, 2009, at 1:10:30
to those taking 20mg, are you splitting the dose between morning and evening? i recall someone mentioning it becomes necessary to split the dose at a certain point, but i can't remember when exactly.
greywolf, i'm trialing the drug for OCD. what i did was compile a bunch of pubmed studies stating its efficacy in the treatment of OCD and forwarded them, along with an e-mail outlining my case history, to as many psychiatrists as possible; a surprising number took the bait. if you like, i could e-mail you the studies.
Posted by Elanor Roosevelt on May 16, 2009, at 21:03:18
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by g_g_g_unit on May 14, 2009, at 3:10:31
how does namenda work?
my mom is on it for dementia and doesn't think it helps
she thinks it makes her foggy
Posted by desolationrower on May 16, 2009, at 21:10:38
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by Elanor Roosevelt on May 16, 2009, at 21:03:18
> how does namenda work?
>
> my mom is on it for dementia and doesn't think it helps
> she thinks it makes her foggythe thing on the namenda site is actually pretty good explanation, at least for dementia
how long has she been on it or on her dose
-d/r
Posted by Elanor Roosevelt on May 17, 2009, at 5:53:39
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by desolationrower on May 16, 2009, at 21:10:38
my mom has been on her dose for a long time
so it is difficult for her to differentiate the effects of meds and her cognitive troubles
but i do think i'll talk the doctor into letting her stop a while
then mom can stop worrying and know if the namenda is clouding up her thoughts
Posted by Kimbersaur on May 18, 2009, at 14:40:20
In reply to How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by Kimbersaur on May 13, 2009, at 13:39:17
Thank you all for your helpful input.
Posted by desolationrower on May 18, 2009, at 16:54:21
In reply to Re: How fast can I raise my Namenda dose?, posted by Elanor Roosevelt on May 17, 2009, at 5:53:39
unfortunately most things namenda are prescribed for are chronic so condition worsening is probably more likely
-d/r
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.