Posted by Snell on January 11, 2014, at 7:07:49
Hi, everyone. I looked for an existing thread to hook this to but could not find one.
Ths short story is after trying everything except TCAs other than desipramine I forced my shrink to prescribe Parnate. I take 60 mg/d. It only works when augmented with an SGA (currently using Fanapt). I have the typical sleep fragmentation. I'm not in abyss-mode but I'm so, so sad--it's like the Parnate facilitates the movement of sadness and desperation through me, so I cry all the time. Hell, I was watching reruns of "Friends" and crying at *those.*
While I am somewhat preserved from total anhedonia I have almost complete anergia. I cannot do anything except surf the web and go to doctor's appointments. The government provides a "homemaker" to come for two hours per week and that is a godsend--having her here helps to motivate me to clean alongside her.
The pdoc and therapist have prescribed a dog (an "emotional support animal") to help with my loneliness and isolation, which is crushing.
So I take the 60 mg Parnate, 8 mg Fanapt, 150 mg lamotrigine, and 4 mg clonazepam. I would dearly love to go back on Adderall but it's contraindicated with Parnate (though many pdocs use it) but it makes my blood pressure soar.
We are looking into Provigil (modafinil) as a means to prevent the absolute necessity of taking a three-hour nap every afternoon.
My pdoc mentioned marijuana, which is medically legal in Massachusetts, my home state. Maybe ... in greater than moderate doses it takes away my motivation even more, but in low doses it might help with the anxiety and the tears.
Could I raise the lamotrigine? Sometimes switching the atypical works for a bit--I've also had success with Seroquel, Latuda, and Zyprexa. The problem is that Seroquel and Zyprexa make me eat like a fiend.
Ideas, ideas?
poster:Snell
thread:1058262
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140104/msgs/1058262.html