Posted by jedi on November 13, 2011, at 8:01:07
In reply to Re: 2nd MAOI after the first one failed?, posted by Mark25 on November 12, 2011, at 13:18:34
> PS: What's your Nardil dose?
>Mark,
I'm currently off phenelzine. I've been off several times in the 13 years I have been taking the medication. This time I tapered down very slowly from 60mg. Took over 3 months. Right now, I'm only taking .5mg of clonazepam daily, on the way to zero.I'm a large male and the lowest effective dose for me is 60mg. 45mg does not provide the degree of MAO inhibition to knock back a major depression. I have been on 90mg for long periods. Even up to 120mg for a month or so. The side effects at 90mg are so much worse for me. I gained a lot of weight at first, but have taken most of that off. Watch for the hypomania when the med first kicks in. It hit me and many others on this board. It is not the true antidepressant effect, but it is very intoxicating, especially if you have been depressed for a long time. Don't chase the dragon!
I used to quote the 1mg/kg effective dosage that is published. If this was accurate, I would have to be on 120mg for the med to work. That is not the case for me. Everybody reacts to these medications differently. There are blood tests for MAO inhibition, but trial and error seems to be the way to judge. I have been on phenelzine enough that I can tell the dosage I need. I can feel the level of MAO inhibition in my body. It does take time to get there, but this drug is very predictable for me.
For me, there is also a synergism with phenelzine and clonazepam. They both effect GABA and this transmitter seems to be involved, to a high degree,in social anxiety and atypical depression.
Good luck my friend. Sounds like your symptoms and diagnosis are very similar to mine. I have been on 45+ different combinations of ADs and augmenters that did not work. Phenelzine can work when all others fail.
Jedi
Jedi
Treatment resistant, atypical, double depression with social anxiety.
Nardil + clonazepam
poster:jedi
thread:990065
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20111110/msgs/1002443.html