Posted by Tomatheus on November 16, 2010, at 19:55:38
In reply to Parnate Hope?, posted by MissThang on November 16, 2010, at 18:06:51
MissThang,
Thank you for your in-depth and well-written post, and welcome to Psycho-Babble. I've had some success with Parnate in the past, most of which was on the version of the medication marketed in the U.K. by Goldshield, but I've also taken the American GlaxoSmithKline version. Basically what happened when I tried the GlaxoSmithKline version of Parnate was that I noticed a definite stimulating effect right after I took my first tablet. Unfortunately, I also felt a strong urge to sleep later that afternoon after the stimulating effect wore off. After a few days, I seemed to have developed a tolerance to the stimulation that I experienced on day one of Parnate, but the sleepiness that I felt midday continued. I got up to 20 mg, but after about two weeks on the medication, I stopped taking it because the midday sleepiness was interfering with my ability to attend afternoon and evening classes that I was taking at the time.
My experience with the U.K. Goldshield version of Parnate (which, if my understanding is correct, is technically generic tranylcypromine) was much different from my experience with the GlaxoSmithKline version of the drug. As the case was with the supplement that you described taking in your post, all of my depressive symptoms (lack of energy, psychomotor retardation, hypersomnia, anhedonia, and difficulty concentrating, in my case) went into full remission on this Goldshield tranylcypromine for about three days before the medication's benefits faded. Increasing the dose to 20 mg led me to experience remission for three days once again, but once again I was left with little-to-no antidepressant benefits from the Goldshield tranylcypromine after those first three days at 20 mg. I eventually ended up adding SAMe to the Goldshield tranylcypromine that I was taking (which I wouldn't recommend, considering that the two substances are contraindicated) and experienced partial-but-consistent antidepressant benefits from the combination. I stopped the tranylcypromine after being on it with SAMe for about three months -- after I developed psychotic symptoms that seemed to be triggered by taking aminoguanidine with my combo.
So, I kind of have a long and complicated history with Parnate, some of which was good, but a lot of which wasn't so good. That's just my experience with the medication, though, and I don't think that it should necessarily be used to predict how somebody else might respond to the drug. As you said from having read reviews on Parnate on the AskaPatient site, a lot of people respond favorably and consistently to Parnate -- even the GlaxoSmithKline version of the medication. So, I would give it a chance, but also approach the trial not knowing what to expect, because anything from a negative reaction to full remission may occur.
I wish you luck in your quest to get back to experiencing full remission from your symptoms. I too have had the problem of experiencing remission (or at least a very strong response) on medications and supplements for only three days, but I did manage to experience remission for longer when I took Nardil. Unfortunately, my trial with Nardil ended badly, and now, having a permanent psychosis, I seriously doubt that I'll ever get back to the remission that I experienced on Nardil. I've pretty much come to accept that the 70 percent remission that I'm currently experiencing from my depressive symptoms may be the closest to remission that I'll get again. I do, however, think that there's a good possibility that you'll be able to achieve a long-lasting remission with the right medication, supplement, or combination thereof.
Good luck,
Tomatheus
Diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder. Currently taking 5 mg Abilify, 12.5 mg Lamictal, 2.25 mg Hydergine, and four supplements.
poster:Tomatheus
thread:970500
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20101107/msgs/970519.html