Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 913243

Shown: posts 1 to 25 of 31. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 20, 2009, at 22:47:02

I have treatment resistant depression. I just got started on Parnate, which is my 2nd MAOI after Nardil failed.

I started Parnate 1 week ago. First two days on 10mgs, next 3 days on 20mgs, next 3 on 30mgs, and I'm starting on 40mgs tomorrow.

So far so good, but I can see two side effects already: hypotension AND physical weakness with daytime sleepiness.

Are these the common Parnate side effects? I thought Parnate was more of a stimulating med rather than sedating, like Nardil. Am I wrong?

Today, I tried to do my daily 3-mile-run, and it was almost impossible because of how weak I felt. My legs felt heavy and I felt kind of sleepy/tired, not very in the moood for running, although I had just programmed my 3rd run of the week and it usually goes very well.

In the end, I barely ran half of it and a lot slower than usual. Is this common on Parnate, and do you know whether this will go away?

And the hypotension is bad. Every time I get up from a chair or from bed, my head gets very very hot and I start to feel light-headed, things turn dark, and I almost lose consciousness. I can handle that for a while, as long as it doesn't last forever. I remember on Nardil it lasted 2 months or so, so I'm fine. But I'm more worried about the weakness/sleepiness. How long will that last?

Also, will Parnate help me socially? This is my biggest issue of all. I need to become a social being because I have serious anxiety/avoidance/irritability problems. One other med turned me into a social butterfly magically (Celexa) but pooped out after a year.

Can Parnate reproduce the amazing social results I got from an SSRI?

Thanks for any info.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by Rick Alan S on August 21, 2009, at 0:02:02

In reply to First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 20, 2009, at 22:47:02

Be patient. Parnate's side effects take some getting used to, but it worked for me for 25 years.
Rick

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by morganator on August 21, 2009, at 0:05:18

In reply to First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 20, 2009, at 22:47:02

I imagine the side effects will go away given some time and the right dose. Hope you have the success you are looking for.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by Phillipa on August 21, 2009, at 0:47:58

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by morganator on August 21, 2009, at 0:05:18

Have you tried lexapro since they the celexa are related? Be careful if you run if your're hypotensive. Phillipa

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Rick Alan S

Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 1:47:18

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Rick Alan S on August 21, 2009, at 0:02:02

Wow, 25 years? and what happened after that? thanks.

When you say "get used to" you mean they're not going to go away, I just will end up "getting used" to them?

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 1:49:45

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Phillipa on August 21, 2009, at 0:47:58

Yes, I tried Lexapro. It was the worst med I ever tried. I was doing great on Celexa and when my pdoc switched me to Lexpro, because it was a "better version" of Celexa, it ruined everything. Lexapro didn't work. And it pooped out whatever was left of Celexa. Celexa never worked the same again after that.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Girlnterrupted78

Posted by SLS on August 21, 2009, at 6:33:08

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 1:49:45

> Yes, I tried Lexapro. It was the worst med I ever tried. I was doing great on Celexa and when my pdoc switched me to Lexpro, because it was a "better version" of Celexa, it ruined everything. Lexapro didn't work. And it pooped out whatever was left of Celexa. Celexa never worked the same again after that.

You are not the first person to report feeling better on Celexa than Lexapro, although it seems to be uncommon. How did you go about switching drugs?

I'm sorry that Celexa doesn't work for you anymore. I call this phenomenon antidepressant-induced antidepressant refractoriness. I have seen this happen with lithium, too.

One of the biggest side effects of Parnate is orthostatic hypotension. For me, it competely disappeared after a number of months. It also tends to lose its "harshness" as a stimulant. Be prepared to perhaps feel weird on it for a few weeks. I have done well on drugs that made me feel weird or foggy in the beginning. Since insomnia can be a problem, be prepared to treat the insomnia aggressively. Try not to let it be the reason for having to discontinue Parnate. Before the advent of the newer "pseudo-benzodiazepines" like Ambien and Lunesta, I found that a combination of Halcion and Ativan completely resolved the insomnia. I wasn't sleeping a single minute without treatment. I guess you'll cross that bridge when you come to it. I am taking Parnate right now, and no longer have a problem with insomnia, and I am not taking any sleep aids. If Parnate works for you, perhaps you can try removing the sleep aids after six months or so. You will have to taper them.


- Scott

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » SLS

Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 10:37:42

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Girlnterrupted78, posted by SLS on August 21, 2009, at 6:33:08

Thanks for the info.

As for how I switched from Celexa to Lexapro, I was getting free samples of Celexa from my pdoc. At some point he stopped getting Celexa and started getting Lexapro samples instead, so since he figured Lexapro was the exact same as Celexa (or even a "better version" of it) he just switched me. Within a week, all the antidepressant effects of Celexa were gone, and I was depressed again. I went back on Celexa right away, but it was never the same.

Just another question about Parnate: Did you feel physically weak and sleepy the whole day? I feel I can't exercise without feeling weak and tired. Not sure if this is normal.

Regarding the hypotension, I know it will stop within a few months. That happened to me while on Nardil, so it's not as big of a deal.

Thanks again for the info.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by Sunbath on August 21, 2009, at 10:59:49

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » SLS, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 10:37:42

Since I'm also very interested in trying parnate one day, I'd also like to know whether this "physical weakness" is supposed to subside with time and if after how much time (supposedly)?
Maybe this would be the biggest problem for me, since I too "need" to exercise...

thnx Scott!

Good luck to you Girlnterrupted78, keeping my fingers crossed for you :)

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Girlnterrupted78

Posted by SLS on August 21, 2009, at 11:23:40

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » SLS, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 10:37:42

Hi.

> Just another question about Parnate: Did you feel physically weak and sleepy the whole day? I feel I can't exercise without feeling weak and tired. Not sure if this is normal.

Obviously, it is normal for you!

People react so differently to psychotropic drugs.

I found Parnate to be more stimulating than sedating or fatiguing. My workouts were just as productive, if not more so, when taking Parnate. There was no hint of asthenia.

How long have you been taking Parnate? I hope that these side effects will lessen over time.


- Scott

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Girlnterrupted78

Posted by Maxime on August 21, 2009, at 11:37:28

In reply to First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 20, 2009, at 22:47:02

Hi, I experienced the same thing on parnate. My legs were very heavy and clumsy. I used to hike a lot and on Parnate it was difficult because of the feeling in my leg and the fact that it made sweat a lot. It never went away, and I stayed with the drug until it pooped out two years later. I will be trying the med again very soon and I hope I don't get that side effect again.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » SLS

Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 17:19:28

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Girlnterrupted78, posted by SLS on August 21, 2009, at 11:23:40

> Obviously, it is normal for you!

I'm not sure what you mean by that. I've only been on Parnate 1.5 weeks, and my question was whether this is a common side effect of Parnate, just like hypotension is a common side effect that people experience all the time. "common" and "for one person" doesn't seem to make a lot of sense, I think.

> I found Parnate to be more stimulating than sedating or fatiguing. My workouts were just as productive, if not more so, when taking Parnate. There was no hint of asthenia.

Well, luck you. Hopefully this is a transient side effect, like hypotension, which only lasts a couple of months.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by SLS on August 21, 2009, at 18:15:10

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » SLS, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 17:19:28

Hi.

> > Obviously, it is normal for you!

> I'm not sure what you mean by that.

What I meant by that is that you will always find a person with idiosyncratic reactions to psychotropic drugs that seem out of the norm, but are obviously normal for that person.

> > I found Parnate to be more stimulating than sedating or fatiguing. My workouts were just as productive, if not more so, when taking Parnate. There was no hint of asthenia.

> Well, luck you.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.


-Scott

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » SLS

Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 18:28:16

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by SLS on August 21, 2009, at 18:15:10

> Well, luck you.
>
> I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Oops, that was actually a typo. It was supposed to be "lucky you" that you were able to have more productive workouts on Parnate, without a hint of asthenia.

For some reason I thought you were still on Parnate. I might have read an old post of yours that gave me that idea. Did you stop it? Were you the one on Parnate + Nortriptyline? What ended up happening?

Thanks for trying to help.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Girlnterrupted78

Posted by SLS on August 21, 2009, at 18:44:15

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » SLS, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 21, 2009, at 18:28:16

Oh, gosh. We really have a communication confusion here. Sorry.

I am still taking Parnate and nortriptyline among the other drugs in my regime.

Currently:

Parnate 80mg
nortriptyline 150mg
Lamictal 200mg
Abilify 20mg
lithium 450mg

I am still trying to determine the ideal dosage of lithium. 300mg seemed to be a little too low.

I hope your weakness and fatigue resolves. I don't recall anyone displaying these side effects with Parnate. Daytime sedation seems to be quite common. However, this, like hypotension, is only temporary. What time of day do you exercise?


- Scott

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » Girlnterrupted78

Posted by floatingbridge on August 21, 2009, at 22:24:37

In reply to First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 20, 2009, at 22:47:02

Does parnate work for social anxiety /phobia? Maybe not as well as nardil, but could some experienced users weigh in on this?

thanks!

Girlinterupted, hope this really works for you and you find the ways to deal with side-effects!

fb

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 21, 2009, at 23:30:30

In reply to First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 20, 2009, at 22:47:02

Hi Girl Interrupted:

Yes, that happened to me big-time. I started Parnate May 4th and didn't get the "WOW, I feel GOOD!" feeling until a couple of weeks ago. I always exercise 4 or 5 times a week in classes and walk on other days. I think it was for a month that I didn't/couldn't do anything. One day I fell down, into my teacher, in class and she freaked. A couple of other times my feet and legs would go on without me and I nearly fell. I also fell out my back door into a wrought iron wall and still have a swollen/bruised ankle and knee.I was forcing myself. So I just stopped doing anything much until I felt better.

So I think it took me 3 months. Now I feel really good, have very little hypotension, can exercise and walk or anything else. The only side effect I have now is a very very dry mouth. I chew gum and drink lots of water.
I do take Provigil and caffeine tablets for fatigue. I also take nortriptyline 25mg at night and have not had insomnia.
I hope you feel better a lot quicker than I did, but don't worry. It will happen in it's own sweet time. I feel better than I have in 15 years! And my pdoc had made me promise I would take Parnate for 6 months no matter what. So I feel lucky it was only 3 months before the magic happened!

Hang in there, and
Good luck to you!!
gayle

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by floatingbridge on August 22, 2009, at 11:50:54

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 21, 2009, at 23:30:30

Hi Gayle,

I didn't know it took so long for the parnate to 'kick-in'. That's very good to know. (I think I knew this but forgot--sorry.)

thanks for sharing your experience!

hugs,

fb

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 12:25:45

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 21, 2009, at 23:30:30

Same as me! I was tripping over myself all the time. It was rather dangerous. I took a nasty fall while hiking one day. The side effect never went away for me. I was calamity Jane whilst on Parnate. But at least I wasn't depressed. :)

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 22, 2009, at 12:58:50

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 12:25:45

fb....yes, it seemed forever, but I was prepared for a 6 month ordeal! And there are those who feel great from the first day!

Maxime: How long did you take Parnate? Did you take it with a tricyclic?

gayle

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 13:10:59

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 22, 2009, at 12:58:50

I took Parnate for two years. I took it with Adderall, but not for the whole two years, just towards the end when Parnate was pooping out on me. :(

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?

Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 22, 2009, at 13:59:11

In reply to First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 20, 2009, at 22:47:02

I feel like Parnate with Nortriptylline is a synergestic powerhouse for me. Maybe because my pdoc has used this duo for 40 years and feels it makes the Parnate much smoother and more effective. Also, I have not had insomnia which historically has been a problem for me.

I am more tired than I had hoped, but the Provigil and caffeine tablets help that. Extreme fatigue has always been a hallmark of my psych problems. Much of that is gone.

I have so few side effects that most of the time I feel "clean" of chemicals in my body, except for some bouts of bad dry mouth. I have to remind myself that I am on an MAOI and not to order bleu cheese dressing on my salad or something dumb like that.

I'm really surprised that you had any side effects after two years! Hopefully, that wont be the case this time. Do you think your pdoc would let you take nortriptyline with the parnate? There is quite a bit a literature that recommends it.

I have read several places (which I don't remember) that Parnate poopout isn't very common but when it does happen you can get it going again by tapering down really fast, then tapering up again really fast. I'm planning on trying that if I get poopout.

gayle

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » ColoradoSnowflake

Posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 16:21:00

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on August 22, 2009, at 13:59:11

I tried going back to Parnate once before I wasn't able to get past 10 mg without severe headaches and I had to discontinue it. Hopefully the same thing won't happen this time. I don't think I did a proper washout period either ... it certainly wasn't the full two weeks that is usually recommended.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » maxime

Posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 18:27:06

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 16:21:00

> I tried going back to Parnate once before I wasn't able to get past 10 mg without severe headaches and I had to discontinue it. Hopefully the same thing won't happen this time. I don't think I did a proper washout period either ... it certainly wasn't the full two weeks that is usually recommended.

To comment on my own post ...
I just looked up the symptoms of seretonin syndrome and that is what I felt like when I started the Parnate. My pdoc had told me that I only needed to be off the previous med for 3-4 days. Clearly that wasn't enough.

 

Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » maxime

Posted by SLS on August 22, 2009, at 18:54:56

In reply to Re: First time Parnate -- common side effects? » maxime, posted by maxime on August 22, 2009, at 18:27:06

> My pdoc had told me that I only needed to be off the previous med for 3-4 days.

Extremely and dangerously silly.

I'm glad you now have an explanation for what happened to you. I hope you have a different experience with Parnate this time.

So many people are with you. I hope you can feel that.


- Scott


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