Posted by SLS on January 4, 2012, at 13:58:40
In reply to Re: Adding Parnate and prazosin., posted by sigismund on January 4, 2012, at 12:39:24
> Scott, can you explain simply how prazosin is different to clonidine.
Prazosin (Minipress) was originally developed as a treatment for hypertension. It was discovered by accident at a VA hospital that it was useful to treat PTSD.
Clonidine works the reverse of mirtazapine. It actually stimulates the NE alpha-2 receptors located on the presynaptic membrane. This, in effect, turns off the presynaptic NE neuron. Prazosin, on the other hand, blocks the postsynaptic NE alpha-1 receptor, thereby reducing NE activity.
Prazosin seems to be particularly successful at treating the disturbed sleep and nightmares associated with PTSD. I guess you are already aware that clonidine can produce or make worse depression. I find prazosin to be extremely clean. I noticed that I don't remember my dreams as much as I had before starting prazosin.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
- Scott
Some see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1005781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20111226/msgs/1006320.html