Posted by kagome on March 20, 2012, at 21:54:06
In reply to Re: getting frustrated - Parnate experts? » kagome, posted by g_g_g_unit on March 19, 2012, at 4:53:16
> You mention that "it's not helping your depression to be on a benzo". Are you referring to Klonopin or Clonidine (since the latter isn't a benzo)? If you are in fact taking Clonidine, what dose are you currently on? Like I say, I found 0.1mg ineffective as far as sleep onset goes, though I must admit that I was *far* less irritable on Parnate today (how much credit should go to the 10mg of Valium I took last night, I don't know).Oops. I confuse Clonidine and Klonopin often. I'm on Klonopin, the benzo, which absolutely helps with sleep but not much else.
> I was under the impression that you'd reduced your Parnate dose - with the intention of withdrawing completely - though it's nice to have a companion in arms. It isn't my intention to give up at this point, but I know I *have* to reach at least 30mg as soon as possible, because I don't know how much longer I can stand these awful night-time crashes into depression and despair.
I so hear you regarding nightime crashes. I'm scared of them every night, although they haven't happened as much lately. Wish I could help.I was titrating down/off Parnate but decided once again to give it a fair shake, which means at least getting to 40mg, as hard as that feels right now. Obviously it's such a long, hard wait until meds work their supposed magic, a time of all side effects and no actual benefits. But it would be stupid to go through all I have so far without at least proving conclusively that it won't work for me, and preliminary evidence actually shows it might be what I need, So I'm staying the course for now.
> But so far that's one of the downsides of the stimulant aspect - it makes me a little robotic and joyless, and even when I have the drive to socialize, I'm quite constricted.
Interesting, you feel robotic and joyless with the stimulant aspect? I guess I call that the OCD part, and it helps me clean. But mostly I'm just exhausted and still very sad. I feel like I have to drive to socialize so much that I'll make a ton of plans and then get sad again and flake on all of them. Which has done wonders for my friendships, of course!
Anyway, here's hoping that the beneficial effects of Parnate kick in before the side effects ruin it forever.
Good luck!
This is the Hour of Lead-
Remembered, if outlived,
As freezing persons recollect the Snow-
First Chill, then Stupor - then the Letting Go.
--Emily Dickenson
poster:kagome
thread:1013373
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120316/msgs/1013514.html