Posted by Bill LL on November 10, 2004, at 10:10:58
In reply to Anyone every try Pamelor / Nortriptyline?, posted by Sammybabe on November 9, 2004, at 19:09:09
I pasted a summary of a study last year that compared Pamelor to Prozac. It found that age and gender made a difference.
I don't know a lot about TCA's, but I think that Pamelor's advantage is lower sexual side effects than Prozac or other SSRI's. The main disadvantage of Pamelor would be constipation. Doctors prefer SSRI's since they are safer than TCA's, especially in overdoses.
Since side effects and effectiveness vary among people, it's hard to predict which would work better. If I had to choose between sexual side effects and constipation, I think I would take the latter and drink a lot of water.
1: Acta Psychiatr Scand. 2003 Jul;108(1):20-3. Related Articles, Links
A differential response to nortriptyline and fluoxetine in melancholic depression: the importance of age and gender.
Joyce PR, Mulder RT, Luty SE, McKenzie JM, Rae AM.
Department of Psychological Medicine, Christchurch School of Medicine & Health Sciences, PO Box 4345, Christchurch, New Zealand. peter.joyce@chmeds.ac.nz
OBJECTIVE: To consider the impact of age and gender on the antidepressant response to nortriptyline and fluoxetine in melancholic depression. METHOD: Of 191 depressed patients, 113 met study criteria for melancholia. All patients were randomized to receive either fluoxetine or nortriptyline. Response rates, defined as an improvement of 60% or more on the Montgomery Asberg Depression Rating Scale over 6 weeks of antidepressant treatment on an intention to treat basis, were examined by age, and by age and gender. RESULTS: Melancholic depressed patients 40 years or older, especially men, had a markedly superior response to nortriptyline compared with fluoxetine. Conversely, melancholic depressed patients, age 18-24 years, especially women, had a markedly superior response to fluoxetine. CONCLUSION: Age and gender appear to be critical variables in understanding differential antidepressant responses to tricyclic antidepressants and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in melancholic depression.
> I just started this after a very unsuccessful long run of Effexor. Is Pamelor good? My doc said it was one of the older but stronger meds. Any side effects? weight gain? any advice is welcome.
poster:Bill LL
thread:413985
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041108/msgs/414202.html