Posted by mouse on June 29, 2002, at 17:16:40
In reply to Re: New to Parnate maoi , posted by ayrity on June 29, 2002, at 16:26:07
Hi Ayrity,
You mention that you have been an parnate for a few weeks. It took a month for me to "start" feeling better and it's been 3 months since I started. It may take you some time before you notice feeling better. It may be that the tiredness in usual for this medication for you, but for me it stopped doing that.
You say you can't get out of the house on the weekends. Social phobia? For me the social phobia has diminished but that was not true until recently. So it may take time. I'm finding that I feel more comfortable not totally comfortable. It may be that my pdoc will up the meds or he may do something else. Who knows?
There are lots of options. It may not feel like it but there are combinations that they can use. Have you considered CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy)? Also have you considered exercise? It has been proven to help with both depression and anxiety. I can swear by it helping me. The endorphins get going with my exercise regime and it helps for about 2 days then I can feel the need for more exercise. I first learned of this with trying to control my diabetes but have found it helps with the depression/anxiety too. It can add to your control. Help a bit too. That way you have more than one thing working for you. Use all your resourses, Arity. Not just meds. We can't count on meds to be the cure all, but in combination it can help so that you don't feel so miserable.
I'm sure the hypertensive episode was very scary. The way that I avoid them is to be very consistant with my diet. I have basically the same things all week. I slowly added unfamiliar things to my diet. If you have just started the meds you may want to look at your lunch and compare it to the list your doctor gave you. Is anything on the list? If not did you have something that has an extract in it? Or tenderizer on your meat? Let us know what you ate and perhaps we can give you some suggestion for identifying the culpert. You can control your diet, but it takes time as well. When I first started the parnate I was scared to eat anything. Slowly I tested and added things.
You say you seem to have all the side effects and none of the benefits! This may feel like that but you have not given the med a chance to work. I don't understand the brain stuff that goes on but I do know that you need to let these meds work with you. They take time to change the chemicals in your brain. Then as I've suggested before have you tried the CBT and exercise? For me the exercise needs to be about 30 minutes in duration. I do not work out frantically, it is slow paced. I alternate using my exercise bike and my treadmill. I used to use the gym but decided to save some money and work at home. I did get a better workout in the gym but economics are difficult. It might surprise you that I went to the gym. I took my daughter with me at first (she was 16) but after I started getting a good routine going I felt better so I didn't need her to go with me. Those endophines really do effect us in a positive manner. Give it a try and see if you don't find some results. It's summer here, what about where you are from? Can you walk for 30 minutes around your neighborhood or even in your back yard? It's worth a test to see if it might help.
30 mgs may be all that you need. Don't worry about taking more just yet. Give it time, Arity. Even if you don't use anything else it may kick in sooner than you realize and then you'll feel better. There is hope. Look at all your options and see if they help.
mouse
> Hi. I'm a 37 yo guy, atypical depression (I guess). I started parnate a few weeks ago. I'm on 30 mg a day (20 mg in AM, 10 mg midday). In general, I thought I was feeling a bit better and more focused. But I'm feeling a bit more of the daytime tiredness now and can't seem to get out of the house on weekends. Also, I had a hypertensive episode yesterday- I took my BP, which was very high; fortunately, I had Nifedipine, took it right away and everything was ok. It must have been something at lunch, though I've been very careful.
>
> This was scary; I'm not happy about being on an maoi, but nothing else has worked. I've tried Celexa, Celexa + Welbutrin, Welbutrin alone, Effexor, Provigil- nada, only extreme fatigue and side effects. The Parnate is not as bad with the fatigue as others, but the potential for problems is more severe, as I've already experienced.
>
> Very frustrating. I seem to get only the side effects of meds and none of the benefits! I don't have severe depression, never been suicidal, but I've been miserable and isolated for so long that I'm desperate enough to try anything (I guess that's severe enough). I'll stick with the Parnate a bit longer, despite the recent episode, but now I'm scared to go up on the dose given recent events. Any similar experiences? Thanks.
poster:mouse
thread:101018
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020628/msgs/111041.html