Posted by JahL on August 14, 2001, at 18:03:51
In reply to Re: Follow up to replies » JahL, posted by shelliR on August 13, 2001, at 21:47:51
> > There's probably some merit to Jensen's "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" approach & I'm with you on exploring unconventional meds. I would be dead but for this approach. However I *wouldn't* recommend anyone gets the aforementioned guy as their personal pdoc. Trust me on this one....
>
> So you've actually been to see the man himself ?
> Is he like the wizard of oz? < g >Pretty regular guy really. Pretty affable. Rather too keen on selling his book to me initially tho'.
> The two people I know of who really like him did phone consultations.
He was *meant* to call me; kept saying he couldn't get thru on his cheap international line. Ultimately all I got was a few cursory e-mails. Stuff like: "Try Lamotrigine. Start at a low dose." And that would be it. 2 sentences = 1 consultation! I didn't see any point in continuing.
Also, for someone who claims to like working alongside patients' regular pdocs, he was remarkably reluctant to contact my GP by e-mail. Wierd.
> > Meanwhile I may've found a way to trial Buph. myself....
>
> Can't you just order it off the internet? I know the sublingual type is available there.I've done that very thing. It's down to Her Maj's Customs as to whether I receive it. I remember Elizabeth saying the sub-lingual type was generally inferior & less reliable than the intra-nasal spray, but at least I might get some idea as to whether I'm heading in the right direction (if you're reading Elizabeth, I'd appreciate yr advice on what a good starting dose might be (0.2mg tabs). If this fails I have a couple of contingency plans...
> > BTW Jensen does not endorse *any* use of opioids, though in his book he does recognise that the opiod receptor system may have a part to play in depression (?!).
>
> Does he advise not to use them, or just ignores the topic?Yes & no. He postulates in his latest book (which I don't have to hand-lent it out) that the opioid receptor system is 1 of 12 possible sources of "chemical imbalance" that can lead to mental illness. He then goes on to say that opioids are not a viable treatment due to their high 'abuse-potential' (tho' he had no problem wrongly dx'ing me ADD & sending me off with 5 pots of amphetamines!)
> > Parnate going OK?
>
> The parnate sucks, so far. I was really excited at 10mg, no side effects. But when I went 15 I felt not great, and then at 20, I sleep away all of the last weekend, and was sick in my stomach. Today I went back down to 10, but tomorrow I should try 15 for a few days.Sounds very much like my experience. Felt fine @ 10mg but anything above this made me v. sleepy (whereas Nardil didn't). Above 25mg & I was out like a light. 16/18 hours sometimes. Impossible to fight it. Dropped back to 15mg but soon deteriorated. Off after 6 weeks & never again.
>I'm discouraged because I don't generally adjust to drugs that I don't take to right at the start.
Yeah, I usually know if I'm going to get along with a drug.
> Pdoc upped the oxycontin to let me take a 10mg prn, and so far I've taken the extra every day. I'd like to also look into buprenorphine because obviously I am getting acclimated to the oxycontin; 10mg used to blow me to nirvana for the first month.
Nirvana....read about it once.
Bupe might well be an idea 4 you.> I hate wasting time on things that don't work.
Tell me about. Time won't stop & you feel you're losing never-to-be-recaptured days. :-(
Judging from yr latest post the Parnate still ain't doing its thing. But you have the Oxycontin to get you thru, right? (You don't know how envious I am right *this* second. What I would give...:-) )
Hang in there
J.PS. on day 3 of adding Wellbutrin to the mix. *Boy* can I relate to the mood lability thing...anyone looks @ me wrong today and.....
poster:JahL
thread:74847
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75084.html