Posted by Scott L. Schofield on January 1, 2000, at 8:56:23
In reply to Parnate Update, posted by S. Suggs on January 1, 2000, at 7:05:26
> I've Been on Parnate for about 2 months. Without a doubt, there has been a very positive response. Some strange things have happened (I must mention that I take lithium 900 mg, and started at 600 mg around 3 1/2 years ago). What I have noticed are: Increased thirst (never before with the lithium) and therefore increased urination. Early evening becomming very sleepy, and therefore having no trouble with sleep, whatsoever. Here is the strang one: Very intense cold intolerance (Columbia, SC). I wonder if this one is related to thyroid, so I had my doc run a tsh, which came back "normal", which we all know my not mean anything at all. These are in my opinion small side effects which by far outweigh the depression. I have a better outlook on life, more energy etc... It's the cold intolerence thing that is really strange, what do my fellow babblers in their fountain of knowledge think? happy new year blessings,
Are you bipolar of unipolar? Either way, a Parnate + Lithium combination is a good choice.
Unfortunately, I have been on Parnate too often. I don’t think my more recent experiences with it are relevant because they must be viewed with the understanding that I have been exposed to it so many times. What I can offer are a few remembrances of what an early, somewhat successful trial was like.
What I feel is the most important aspect of my experience with Parnate to convey is that it was NOT an overnight, all-or-nothing response. Although I began to feel some improvement by the end of the third week, it took at least two months for the response to build up to its maximum.
Early on, I experienced cold hands, a cold nose, and very cold feet (probably left over from a recent marriage). I also had a tendency to feel cold all the time, but that is an intrinsic feature of my depressed state. As time progressed, I remember actually feeling too hot, especially in bed at night. I had to sleep without covers. I believe that one of the symptoms of some cases of depression is having somewhat impaired thermoregulation. Disautonomia – a screwed-up balance between sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (eating, relaxing, sex) – is definitely a phenomenon seen in depression.
I’m going to go out on a limb here (it’s a pretty strong one) and suggest that, for some people, there lies a window situated between the depressed state and the recovery into euthymia (or at least something close to it) in which the disautonomia becomes exaggerated. During this time, cold can become colder, palpitations can become stronger, anxiety or nervousness can appear or become worse, dry mouth can appear or become worse, dizziness and orthostatic hypotension can occur or become worse, vision can become impaired due to a decrease in pupillary diameter, shakiness or hand tremors can appear or become worse… etc. These things can not only happen on the way up, but also on the way down. Only here, the symptoms may be of a much greater magnitude (but probably of a shorter duration). I have heard this phenomenon referred to as “rebound depressive-symptomology”.
As far as the increased thirst and urination are concerned, I don’t know what’s going on there. Certainly, having a dry-mouth (xerostomia) as a side-effect is a possibility. You might tend to drink more to satisfy a dry mouth when the body itself is well hydrated. Perhaps you are losing water through an increase in perspiration. You might not see an obvious wetness on your skin or clothes, but sweat may be secreted just slowly enough to evaporate quickly, yet quick enough to lead to periods of dehydration. Perhaps in response to the subsequent thirst, you overshoot and drink more than the system needs, and the rest is excreted as urine. I’ll let someone else address any potential involvements of electrolytes.
I too experienced a “healthy” sleepiness at around 10:30pm that I really didn’t have before. I have also experienced this with another activating MAOI. Here, however, I also hit a wall somewhere between 7:30 and 8:30 PM. This sleepiness was more profound. However, this seemed to dissipate over time.
I agree with you. If I were to respond to Parnate, these minor side-effects would soon become invisible.
Keep on feeling good.
- Scott
poster:Scott L. Schofield
thread:17762
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000101/msgs/17766.html