Posted by ed_uk on August 6, 2005, at 13:02:40
In reply to Got a bit too long..., posted by Racer on August 6, 2005, at 12:28:36
Racer,
I can't believe I'm saying this but.........
Have you ever tried reboxetine?
>The first time I was on an antidepressant, nortriptyline, I was so relieved that I was willing to put up with lousy sleep, gaining 70 pounds in a couple of months, being constipated beyond belief, lethargy a sloth would have been proud of, etc.
Like nortriptyline, reboxetine preferentially inhibits the reuptake of NE. Although reboxetine is almost certainly more likely to cause insomnia (hello Ambien) than nortriptyline...... weight gain is unlikely. Reboxetine can be constipating but not as much as nortriptyline. Lethargy would be less likely - some people find reboxetine stimulating. Reboxetine should (theoretically) be less likely to induce apathy than Cymbalta ie. it's not serotonergic.
Although numerous people on this board have had bad experiences with reboxetine, I wondered whether you might be interested in trying it - given your treatment-resistance.
IMHO, reboxetine is best initiated at a very low dose - considerably lower than the manufacturer's recommended starting dose. One babbler is currently finding low-dose reboxetine to be effective for her depression.
Btw, have you ever taken Strattera?
~ed x
PS. I know reboxetine's not marketed in the US but you can still get hold of it if you want to.
PPS.
"Major Depressive Disorder" and "Bipolar Disorder" are diagnoses made based on a constellation of symptoms -- they are not discrete diseases. While the symptomology may be the same, the biochemical processes involved may be very different for everyone. I have never had much response to the medications that target serotonin alone, for example, but have generally responded well to those meds that preferentially target norepinephrine, with a side shot of serotonin. Other people might need a drug that is more balanced between those two neurotransmitters, or something else entirely. That's because, while the disorders may look the same, the underlying processes may be very different.
WELL SAID!
poster:ed_uk
thread:537656
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050803/msgs/538300.html