Posted by tygereyes on May 4, 2006, at 22:17:00
I've noticed that since I began EMSAM, I've been experiencing increased depression & anxiety. However, I am not sure if this is simply due to the fact that I was on Parnate for seven months and am still going through withdrawal (or at baseline), if I'm not yet at therapeutic dose of EMSAM - nor have taken it long enough to exhibit a response.
Typically, I have required doses of antidepressants exceeding FDA recommendations so my doctor prescribed the 9 mg/24 hrs when I am finished with the 6 mg/24 hrs patches. I will monitor myself to see if the depression/anxiety increases with the increased dose. If it does not, then I will be able to conclude that it was probably the result of residual Parnate withdrawal. And if I don't respond to THAT dose, I will try one month of the highest dose. I am determined to give this a fair trial, despite the allure of going back to Parnate and knowing I can experience symptom improvement within the first few weeks.
My concern is that, if I have required high doses of antidepressants before (up to 250 mg Zoloft, 80 mg Celexa, 375 mg Effexor, 90 mg Parnate, etc.), then what happens if I need a dose exceeding FDA recommendations with EMSAM? Could I put on multiple patches or would I simply have to declare myself a non-responder to this medication?
I'll keep you all posted. I know a lot of people are interested in informal "case reports" with this medication. It's too soon to tell, really, what the conclusion will be. Will EMSAM be another Prozac, revolutionizing psychiatric treatment as we know it? Or will it be another Cymbalta or Geodon, offering promise but proving to be utterly useless in treating most people's symptoms? Only time will tell...
poster:tygereyes
thread:640134
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060504/msgs/640134.html