Posted by Bob on November 26, 2005, at 1:55:54
In reply to Re: When the options are gone?, posted by Peace2U on November 26, 2005, at 1:14:40
> Hi Bob,
>
> I did not have an opportunity to read all the subsequent posts but would like to add my 2 cents to the MAOI debate.
>
> I was fortunate to find a psychiatrist at a major university in 1982 who started me on Parnate and klonopin. After 10 years of major depression and those awful tricyclics, I never felt more alive. After my Doc left for another position in a different city, I had a difficult time finding another psychiatrist who would presecribe an MAOI. This was during the 'revolutionary' era of Prozac and other SSRIs. After trying Wellbutrin. Prozac, Zoloft, et al, I would finally get a script for Parnate. As new meds came out I was taken off Parnate and given Remeron, Serzone, Paxil, Celexa, Lexapro, Effexor etc with poor results. Too many doctors have a fear of MAOIs and don't think the patient can read or follow instructions to avoid certain foods/meds.
>
> I did not find the diet restrictions difficult to adhere to and they are not as complicated as people think. I lost a lot of weight which I think was a combination of feeling good and not being allowed to eat pounds of cheese a day (I love pizza)! The doc also gave me a script for Thorazine "just in case." But I could follow the diet and never needed to use them. I also wore a med alert bracelet in case of emergency so no ER doc would accidently give me a shot of Demerol.
>
> I also found I had more energy and the only side effect I had was orthostatic hypotension. I felt that was a small price to pay to have relief from the debilitating depression. I had no problems weaning off Parnate and it took only a short period of time. I have been off ADs for over two years and although I am struggling, I am hoping the selegeline (sp?) patch will be available soon if I need to go back on. For whatever reason the Parnate no longer is effective for me. May be chemical changes or postmenopausal stuff, who knows.
>
> This has been my experience and I am so grateful for the good years I did have (not that they are over). I do know how hopeless you are feeling and I just wanted to share my experience with you so you might give MAOIs some consideration. I have never had ECT so I think your depression is more severe than mine. It is hard to know, we are all different.
>
> I just did not want fear to stop you from trying something that may be of benefit for you. Now, ECT scares the hell out of me. Oh, one more thing. I felt better within two weeks of starting the Parnate.
>
> Take care of yourself and be well. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best.
>
> PeaceThank you very much for that post. It was very helpful. I am quite sorry to hear that the Parnate stopped working for you. I agree with you about the MAOI prescriptions. I think that once the SSRIs came along, MAOIs were definitely relegated to a last resort, one which many doctors seem not willing to take. Not only that, few drug companies seem to be looking at that avenue for drug development - just an endless line of serotonin drugs.
As for ECT, they claim that ECT works great for most people. I wasn't one of them. Just as you said, though, we're all different. I can tell you that ECT doesn't just affect serotonin, so you'd think the drug companies would start looking further. I don't know if you have spent two years on now drugs at all, but if you have, that is about 1 year, 11 months, 3 weeks, and some undetermined number of days longer than I'd last.
poster:Bob
thread:579730
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20051119/msgs/582294.html