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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by former poster on January 22, 2012, at 2:30:55
The positive effects:
Improved long term memory. Improved motivation. I was amazed to find that doses over 12mg actually improved libido and sexual fuction. (A big leap for MAOI's)For the bad effects:
Complete unrelenting insomnia, malaise, fatigue (I'm guessing from lack of sleep), Stammering, word retrieval problems. Emsam seems effective for suicidal depression, which I had when I increased to the 12mg-13.5mg. dose. I actually was prescribed 18mg (2 of the 9mg patches daily) but I felt ill and took only 1/2 of the 9mg patch plus another 9mg. patch.
Posted by SLS on January 22, 2012, at 5:38:24
In reply to I stopped Emsam, posted by former poster on January 22, 2012, at 2:30:55
> The positive effects:
> Improved long term memory. Improved motivation. I was amazed to find that doses over 12mg actually improved libido and sexual fuction. (A big leap for MAOI's)
>
> For the bad effects:
> Complete unrelenting insomnia, malaise, fatigue (I'm guessing from lack of sleep), Stammering, word retrieval problems. Emsam seems effective for suicidal depression, which I had when I increased to the 12mg-13.5mg. dose. I actually was prescribed 18mg (2 of the 9mg patches daily) but I felt ill and took only 1/2 of the 9mg patch plus another 9mg. patch.
Thanks for the report.If you were to view your depression globally instead of evaluating its components, would you say, on the whole, it improved your core depression?
I hope you find success with your next treatment.
- Scott
Posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2012, at 9:45:33
In reply to Re: I stopped Emsam » former poster, posted by SLS on January 22, 2012, at 5:38:24
How are you doing now? Are you functional? Working taking a new med? Phillipa
Posted by former poster on January 23, 2012, at 2:38:35
In reply to Re: I stopped Emsam » former poster, posted by SLS on January 22, 2012, at 5:38:24
.....If you were to view your depression globally instead of evaluating its components, would you say, on the whole, it improved your core depression?.....
"Touch the core".. Yes, but not as well as Nardil. I felt a sense of "wholeness" being able to recall more of the good events of my life. If you have tried Nardil and expect something of the sort from Emsam, forget it. Emsam has a whole different feel to it.
I stopped because I simply could not tolerate sleeping 3hrs one night 5 hrs the next and none the night after that. I tried everything except antipsychotics to help me sleep.How would anyone keep a job while on this stuff??
Posted by SLS on January 23, 2012, at 7:47:23
In reply to Re: I stopped Emsam » SLS, posted by former poster on January 23, 2012, at 2:38:35
> .....If you were to view your depression globally instead of evaluating its components, would you say, on the whole, it improved your core depression?.....
>
> "Touch the core".. Yes, but not as well as Nardil. I felt a sense of "wholeness" being able to recall more of the good events of my life. If you have tried Nardil and expect something of the sort from Emsam, forget it. Emsam has a whole different feel to it.
> I stopped because I simply could not tolerate sleeping 3hrs one night 5 hrs the next and none the night after that. I tried everything except antipsychotics to help me sleep.
>
> How would anyone keep a job while on this stuff??I have seen plenty of people discontinue Emsam for insomnia. Apparently, not everyone experiences such severe insomnia, though.
When I first combined Parnate with desipramine, I suffered total insomnia. I could not fall asleep for even a minute. The doctor was determined to make this treatment work - which it eventually did. He set out to treat the insomnia aggressively and not allow it to be the reason why the treatment would fail. He put me on a combination of Halcion and Ativan for sleep. It worked like a charm.
Phiddipus has thought to combine Klonopin and Seroquel. It is aggressive, but it sounds like it would work.
When I need help with sleep, I am currently using a combination of Sonata and Ativan. Although not nearly as potent as Halcion, Sonata fills a similar role in initiating sleep. Ativan or Restoril are good choices to maintain sleep.
It is VERY difficult to persuade oneself to restart a treatment that one was so determined to discontinue. However, if Emsam makes you feel the way you want to feel, I would look to revisit it and use an aggressive treatment strategy to address the insomnia.
- Scott
Posted by former poster on January 24, 2012, at 2:02:14
In reply to Re: I stopped Emsam » former poster, posted by SLS on January 23, 2012, at 7:47:23
I feel Emsam did its job and it was time to come off. I have almost forgotten what made me so depressed to make me go on Emsam. Suicidal feelings are gone.
I tried Ambien for sleep and it gave me insomnia. I took Halcion decades ago. It triggered psychotic depression. Taking anti-psychotics when you are not psychotic... It just scares me. My instinct tells me when you stop the antipsychotic, and you will want to some day, you will be less stable than if you never took it. Like a crutch
This is the end of the thread.
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