Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 902955

Shown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 24, 2009, at 14:15:48

Hi everybody: I saw my pdoc yesterday and he added Provigil, 200mg. I think I like Parnate, but it's been hard to tell because of my exhaustion. That is the only side effect I have had from Parnate and the diet really isn't bad. I kept gong up on the Parnate and down on the Elavil, but kept getting more exhausted. On 60mg of Parnate I fell asleep sitting up in a chair having lunch. I've been too tired to leave the house. So I am now down to 50mg of Parnate (pdoc says to experiment with the timing of it, including taking at bedtime!) and 15mg amytriptyline (sometimes 10mg). I am so afraid of insomnia, which I have had most of my life, that I REALLY dont want to give up the amytriptyline. I have had the BEST sleep on it! I know it has a long half life and is probably part of my fatigue, buuuuutt.. So pdoc added the Provigil, 100mg-200mg per day ($8 per tablet, $16/day. YIKES!!). I had the first 100mg this morning and I felt better for a couple of hours, like I'd had a cup of coffee. I'll see how the day goes. But I am pretty dedicated to making this Parnate work. It feels like it's a really clean med. And I think I feel "brighter" or something like that underneath the tiredness. And everything gives me fatigue, so that seems normal to me. I've only been on it since May 4th, so the Parnate may level out over more time and not be tiring at all. I'm very hopeful.

Zana, I've noticed you take Provigil. What do you think of it?
Gayle

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by desolationrower on June 24, 2009, at 20:19:50

In reply to Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 24, 2009, at 14:15:48

adrafinil is similar to provigil and is availible for much cheaper vai import.

did other hypnotics not work for you in the past, is that part of why keeping amytr. is important?

-d/r

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 25, 2009, at 10:39:18

In reply to Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by desolationrower on June 24, 2009, at 20:19:50

Hi! My Pdoc doesn't want me to change amytriptyline yet, maybe later. He knows how much I HATE insomnia, so I'm willing to go along with it but will try a fourth of a 25mg tab.
Yes, I've had bad luck with every hypnotic I've tried. Being tired the next day is bad enough (elavil) but being fuzzy-headed and stupid also is too much for me. I used to take something from China called "Jin Bu Huan" which was great! but it's off the market. It came in itsy bitsy pills in itsy bitsy vials in itsy bitsy boxes which were, unfortunately,a big attraction to children. I have a few left but have no idea what's in them, nor do Chinese practitioners know, so I don't dare take them with Parnate!

Maybe the Provigil will help. I haven't heard of adrafinil. Where/how do you order it? I did e-mail a pharmacy in Canada and they have 100mg Provigil for $1.92 each and a generic made by Cipra in India for .94 each. I paid $8/each. Provigil should be generic here pretty soon since they've come out with Nuvigil? But from what I've been reading on this forum maybe Brand Name is much better. I guess I should see if it works for me, first!
Thanks for your input!! Gayle

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by chumbawumba on June 25, 2009, at 20:50:34

In reply to Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 24, 2009, at 14:15:48

Doesn't the combination of Parnate plus Elavil put you at grave risk for Serotonin syndrome? This seems like a bad idea. Bad as in trip to the emergency room in an ambulance or dead bad.

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by floatingbridge on June 26, 2009, at 1:22:03

In reply to Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 24, 2009, at 14:15:48

Gayle, I am beginning to like provigil....I've take 200 per day since Monday. This week pdoc had me break pill into morning and afternoon doses.

best wishes!

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by SLS on June 26, 2009, at 5:16:35

In reply to Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 24, 2009, at 14:15:48

Nortriptyline is OK with Parnate because it is not a potent 5-HT reuptake inhibitor. Amitriptyline is more potent and probably not OK with Parnate. You could try amitriptyline, but be wary for signs of serotonin syndrome. My guess is that it would not be a severe presentation at first. Confusion, low blood pressure, and muscle rigidity might be some of the things you would experience. Look it up on Google.


- Scott

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 26, 2009, at 13:37:57

In reply to Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by SLS on June 26, 2009, at 5:16:35

EEEK!! I don't want to die that way!
Thank you for your concern Chumbabwa and Scott. My Pdoc thinks its OK and I do trust him, but not to death's door!. I hope he's right and I will watch for the symptoms. I already have the low blood pressure one. My bp runs about 20 points lower than before Parnate, but seems pretty stable there.
I am not at all knowledgeable about the neurotransmitters, chemical actions/reactions or any of those things like you are (which I admire very much but don't aspire to myself)!
Have you read Dr. Gillman's stuff at psychtropical.com? Would you? He thinks parnate is WAY underused and misunderstood and seems to have had a lot of experience with it, including over 1000 patients on parnate.
(My Pdoc didn't send me to that site, I just found it looking for anything I could about Parnate/elavil).
I don't understand any of the complex info there, but it does say parnate/elavil ok.
If you have time would you check it out and see what you think? I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks again for your concern!
Gayle

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 26, 2009, at 13:48:16

In reply to Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 26, 2009, at 13:37:57

The website should be "psychotropical.com"

Sorry, Gayle

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by Cheryl-Lynn on July 2, 2009, at 18:56:51

In reply to Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 25, 2009, at 10:39:18

Can you take Elavil with an Maoi?

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by floatingbridge on July 4, 2009, at 23:09:19

In reply to Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on June 24, 2009, at 14:15:48

HI Gayle,

How are you doing on the parnate? And the provigil?

best,

fb

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil » Cheryl-Lynn

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on July 5, 2009, at 11:24:54

In reply to Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil, posted by Cheryl-Lynn on July 2, 2009, at 18:56:51

Cheryl-Lynn,
I guess it depends on your Pdoc. Mine strongly believes it makes the Parnate work much better. He gave me the choice of three different tricyclics. I hate insomnia so I chose Elavil which is pretty sedating. He started me on Elavil at night a couple of months before the Parnate to help me taper down from 450mg/day Wellbutrin and have some AD in my system for the 2 weeks totally off Wellbutrin. I started Parnate 2 months ago. My biggest problem has been bad daytime fatigue, but I haven't had any insomnia. I've now added Provigil and it is helping with the fatigue.
There is a lot of good info about taking Parnate with a tricyclic on the website "psychotropical.com" .
It's been really good for me, but I know some doctors wont do it. Some posters here think it is bad also, but not others. My pdoc says you have to be very careful the WAY you do it. My experience has been good.
Gayle

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil » floatingbridge

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on July 5, 2009, at 11:49:20

In reply to Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by floatingbridge on July 4, 2009, at 23:09:19

Hi fb:
Thanks for asking! I guess you'd say I'm fine tuning my Parnate use; going up and down on all three drugs trying to figure out how/when they work together the best. The addition of Provigil is working really well. But at $486/month, one more prescription refill and it would take me over my yearly limit of my rx drug benefit, and I would then have to pay full price for all my drugs through the end of the year. Yikes! But I do like the Provigil. It takes away a lot of my fatigue without making me feel anxious the way amphetamines do. I called a pharacy in Canada and they wont ship Provigil over the border. So I don't know what to do. You'd think the drug company, with a new drug out, Nuvigil, would ease up on the Provigil price?
Overall, these three drugs together are working really well for me. The Provigil works better than I thought it would. I wonder if it poops out?
What do you think of it?
Gayle

 

Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil

Posted by floatingbridge on July 5, 2009, at 13:09:12

In reply to Re: Parnate + Elavil+ Provigil » floatingbridge, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on July 5, 2009, at 11:49:20

Hi Gayle,

I haven't heard of provigil poop-out, so that's good. Yikes, though, quite a price tag! You would think they'd lower the price, but apparently, it's a hot ticket right now. (With students, business people taking for increased cognitive performance.) (I guess I was just dreaming that there was a generic....)

I am so glad you have found a workable combo.

Provigil hasn't really addressed my fatigue piece, which happens to be my major symptom--I think in combo with parnete, like you're doing, I'd have more success. My mind is clearer, but still not able to do much. Just ended a run with dexedrine--I feel that was too stimulating--left me ragged and pressured. Looking into parnate myself.

I'm glad you're doing well!
best wishes,

fb


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