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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lifelover on March 31, 2011, at 2:41:03
Sup guys. I need some advice.. Nardil works great for me , it gets rid of the sa and depression that has hindered me for so long.. Last year I had to come off it because I was hospitalized and they blamed the nardil for making me "lose it." It took a lot of charming but I was able to get my doc to be willing to perscribe a low dose and see how it goes, and then hopefully go up if all is well. This is the only glimmer of hope that I have to living a normal life again, as sa, depression, and ocd have crept back in full force since being off the nardil. I believe the sa is the reason i am depressed. As for the ocd I cannot put a finger on what causes it all I know is it really only manifests when Im in a bad place in life when I am happy its barely there if at all....Any ways my bad Im just venting but on to the main point of this thread....
The one side effect that hurt me the most while on nardil was the weight gain. I gained about 60 lbs on it which is a lot.. I went from 190 to 260 then down to 230 after being off the med. I am currently at 230 right now and im 5'7 so I dont have many pounds to spare before I appear obese. I am willing to diet and exercise everyday and do everything I can to control the nardil hunger. My life is basically nothing right now, which makes me want to start taking nardil now, but I cant afford to really gain any weight.. On the other hand my other plan was to lost mad weight(40 lbs) over the course of 3 months and then go on the nardil. What do u guys think I should do?
Also will lithium potentially have any added benifit combined with nardil?
My bad for the long read Ive just been going through so much right now... I have faith in God that things will get better and thats wat keeps me going. Thanks guys.
Posted by MatthewDavid on March 31, 2011, at 7:45:05
In reply to when should i do this, posted by lifelover on March 31, 2011, at 2:41:03
Hi Life lover, I'm completing my third week of Nardil and although my appetite is still normal at this point I shared a similar experience while taking paxil, Gained 65 pounds, although at the time the medicine helped me grately I would discontinue it several times trying other meds because of the weight gained but they never helped and I would always resort back to Paxil. Besides diet and exercise I found alli was an excellent over the counter med that helps with weight gain. You may be familiar with it, it is stimulant free and basically prevents your body from absorbing some of the fat molecules in your food. I was on lithium for the past 2 years and it gave me some relief but I definatly gained weight on that med so I'm sticking to the Nardil alone which so far has been a miracle.
Posted by Phillipa on March 31, 2011, at 11:08:06
In reply to Re: when should i do this » lifelover, posted by MatthewDavid on March 31, 2011, at 7:45:05
OCD anxiety driven. Helps to feel some control in your life. As for the weight gain Matthew you are about the first that doesn't seem to have gained any on nardil. How high a dose of paxil as took 10mg for two years and gained none? I wonder why some gain and some dont on ad's? Wonder if just metabolim? Phillipa
Posted by matthewdavid on March 31, 2011, at 13:34:46
In reply to Re: when should i do this, posted by Phillipa on March 31, 2011, at 11:08:06
Hi Phillipa, I think it's still to soon to see what Nardil affects my appetite metabolism. I took 12.5 mg (controlled release) of paxil for a period of 5 years. While taking it my appetite was uncontrollable. I gained 65 pounds, several times I switched to other meds to try and counter the weight gain and would instantly loose all 65 pounds of the weight I had gained but those meds gave me little relief so I would always resort back to the Paxil and just as soon as I resumed paxil my weight would shoot up again. during those 5 years of Paxil (and switching to other drugs for a short period and back to Paxil) my weight went from 170 to 235, back down to 170, back up to 235, over and over. Because of gaining/loosing weight back and forth I had so many sets of pants ranging in size 36 waist all the way to 42 waist and at some point during each year I would go through each set of pants. Hoping to not go through this with Nardil but I don't plan on ever switching to any other med, so far it's a lifesaver.
Posted by bleauberry on March 31, 2011, at 16:52:43
In reply to when should i do this, posted by lifelover on March 31, 2011, at 2:41:03
Maybe go back on nardil, take a very low dose of an antipsychotic like zyprexa or abilify, and put all the focus on closing the chapter on how you used to eat and opening a new one that is completely different. Not all the weight gain can be controlled, but the majority of it can. Whatever lands in the grocery cart will determine the outcome.
Fat and happy. (nardil and eat however you want)
Acceptable weight and happy. (nardil with controlled life changes)
Good weight and depressed. (no nardil)I mean, those are basically the choices. Pick one.
The very low dose antipsychotic is intended to help prevent another "lose it". Another way to do that would be to carry emergency klonopin or xanax with you intended only for those times, not for regular use.
Lithium I guess is a logical choice. I've just hardly ever seen it work in the real world that often, except in raging mania where it can bring things under control....but so can the antipsychotics and benzos.. Longterm I like lithium at very low doses for a variety of reasons. I think normal doses, even supposeduly low ones, are often too much. Another close substitute for lithium, sometimes even better, is magnesium. MgGlycinate, MgTaurate, MgMalate....those are the ones to look at.
Posted by lifelover on March 31, 2011, at 17:07:19
In reply to Re: when should i do this, posted by bleauberry on March 31, 2011, at 16:52:43
> Maybe go back on nardil, take a very low dose of an antipsychotic like zyprexa or abilify, and put all the focus on closing the chapter on how you used to eat and opening a new one that is completely different. Not all the weight gain can be controlled, but the majority of it can. Whatever lands in the grocery cart will determine the outcome.
>
> Fat and happy. (nardil and eat however you want)
> Acceptable weight and happy. (nardil with controlled life changes)
> Good weight and depressed. (no nardil)
>
> I mean, those are basically the choices. Pick one.
>
> The very low dose antipsychotic is intended to help prevent another "lose it". Another way to do that would be to carry emergency klonopin or xanax with you intended only for those times, not for regular use.
>
> Lithium I guess is a logical choice. I've just hardly ever seen it work in the real world that often, except in raging mania where it can bring things under control....but so can the antipsychotics and benzos.. Longterm I like lithium at very low doses for a variety of reasons. I think normal doses, even supposeduly low ones, are often too much. Another close substitute for lithium, sometimes even better, is magnesium. MgGlycinate, MgTaurate, MgMalate....those are the ones to look at.
>Thanks for your input guys,I am actually on an anti psychotic in the 6mg of invega that i take daily as well as 200mg of lamictal daily. I was on both those meds as well as the nardil when i "freaked out" but i believe the reason I did was because of the pcp someone put in my weed the day before... sigh... watever Im passed that now and at least I have an opportunity to build a better life..Im grateful for that.. Although I do believe the 1400mg daily of lithium my doc has put me on since being hospitalized is a little to much...And she actually mite want me to go higher.. Im tired of this ish I wish I had a normal brain and wouldnt need meds just to live a normal life...Its so frustrating but im gona get through it into better days..
Posted by MatthewDavid on March 31, 2011, at 20:45:31
In reply to Re: when should i do this » bleauberry, posted by lifelover on March 31, 2011, at 17:07:19
just a suggestion if you are on 1400 mg of lithium and considering making the switch back to Nardil, I personally would make the switch. I'm quite experienced with Lithium and it did help but not nearly as much as the Nardil and for me I have no side effects with Nardil but lithium really clouded my mind and made me tired. Of course if the Nardil isn't enough you can supplement it with a low dose of lithium. best of luck
Posted by lifelover on March 31, 2011, at 21:49:23
In reply to Re: when should i do this » bleauberry, posted by lifelover on March 31, 2011, at 17:07:19
Matt thanks for the advice. At this point my doc said the only way shel put me on nardil is if i remain on a high dose of lithium.. So I dont really have a choice of with or without lithium. I havent really noticed any bad effects from the lithium thank god I believe it does help me to some degree..also makes me go longer in bed which is good, but it dulls my sex drive a bit nothing major.. Im anticipating the lithium will potentiate the nardil and synergize well with it..
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