Posted by Adam on October 15, 1999, at 18:29:47
In reply to dropping Parnate, posted by Elizabeth on October 14, 1999, at 1:36:15
Hey, Elizabeth,
Funny you should want to sleep for O-chem. When I took it (which seems like an age ago), I used to wish at three in the morning
that there were more hours in the day (I was a double major, just to make my life more difficult than it already was.) I think if
I had had selegiline back then, I would have been in heaven.Anyway, is there nothing you can take in addition to parnate to get some sleep when you need it? I guess since you're already on
three of four meds you probably want to avoid unfettered polypharmacy.I don't know if we are in any way similar, but what I know of myself is that after trying numerous meds an MAOI is about the only
thing that has worked for me. Remeron was one thing I tried, and while I slept like a baby, it made me feel drowsy when I didn't
want to be, and as for its supposed anxiolytic effects, I more or less atrributed them to the fact I was in what often felt like
an antihistamine fog. As an antidepressant, I think it did attenuate my dysphoria to some extent, but it had nowhere near the mood
elevating effects that selegiline has had. I've heard that parnate is perhaps the most mood-elevating AD out there. Are you sure
you want to kiss that goodbye?I say this with the utmost respect for you and your knowledge about ADs and psychopharmacology, which eclipses mine completely. I
guess I just hope you do OK, and, well, I can't really give Remeron high marks as an AD when I compare it to an MAOI. As always,
though, your milage may vary.Best of luck with whatever decision you make! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
> I decided to take the plunge and find an antidepressant that won't muck with my sleep, so yesterday I went down to 20mg of Parnate with the intention to get down to zero in the next few days. I'm not sure what I'm going to do afterwards - my pdoc absolutely does not want me quitting antidepressants altogether, and I'm very much inclined to agree with him. The things we thought of are:
>
> -Marplan
> -nortriptyline (and possibly add Marplan after starting the nortrip.)
> -Remeron (starting on a high dose to (hopefully) minimize side effects)
>
> Might also add Ritalin or Dexedrine if it seems warranted.
>
> Does anyone have any thoughts/alternative ideas? I pretty much know the side effects (though I'm fuzzy on what to expect from Marplan since I don't know many people who've taken it). My pdoc says that he prefers the MAOI or MAOI-tricyclic idea because Remeron has been very hit-or-miss in his experience.
>
> I'm pretty nervous, but I really *have* to start getting some decent sleep. [2 words: organic chemistry]
poster:Adam
thread:13117
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19991016/msgs/13213.html