Posted by King Vultan on March 6, 2004, at 12:09:54
In reply to Re: Anyone tried Reboxetine and STRATTERA?????????????, posted by bipolarspectrum on March 6, 2004, at 2:26:45
>
> Hey Panda,
> I had the classic anti-cholinergic side-effects, dry mouth and urinary problems... plus insomnia
> but the drug was very calming and depression-alleviating...
>
> > I can't help you, but I would like to know what side effects you had with Reboxetine.
> >
> > Cheers,
> > Panda.
> >
Reboxetine is not actually anticholinergic to any significant degree AFAIK; the adverse effects you experienced are actually due to its strong blockade of norepinephrine reuptake. It seems as though some of these drugs that are not particularly anticholinergic but that are strong NE reuptake inhibitors, such as Strattera, reboxetine, and desipramine, often get the anticholinergic label when most of their side effects are actually directly attributable to their blockade of NE reuptake.Drugs that truly are anticholinergic, such as Vivactil (protriptyline) and imipramine, will manifest the same effects (other than the insomnia you mentioned, which is a pure NE effect), but their degree of severity is much worse. I've tried nortriptyline, desipramine, Vivactil, and Strattera, all of which are strong NE reuptake inhibitors, and while all caused me dry mouth and constipation, and most of them urinary hesitation/retention, these side effects on Vivactil were magnified and much more severe in their intensity. Vivactil does have a tremendous natural affinity for acetylcholine muscarinic receptors, being the 2nd most potent in vitro among the tricyclics (behind amitriptyline).
So in answer to your question, Strattera is likely to give you similar effects as to what you experienced on reboxetine, as will desipramine and nortriptyline. However, you may find that nortriptyline and desipramine are better for insomnia, particularly, nortriptyline. I believe you would also find nortriptyline to cause much fewer urinary difficulties, if my own experience is any kind of indication.
Todd
poster:King Vultan
thread:320967
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040304/msgs/321116.html