Posted by SLS on September 10, 2000, at 16:44:27
In reply to MAOI personality change?, posted by Veronica on September 9, 2000, at 16:39:28
> My husband has been treated for major depression & anxiety for several years. In February of this year, we finally got his pdoc to try something different...a MAOI, Nardil. Nothing he had tried previously had provided any real relief. Anyway, the Nardil seems to have conquered the depression for the most part. Anxiety isn't really an issue at this time either. The problem is that my husband has had a major negative personality change. His whole appearance has changed. He snaps at me without reason. It's gotten so bad that he says he's not going to my sister's wedding next month & now she doesn't even want him there because he's been treating her bad too.
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> My question is if this change is in any way possibily related to Nardil, and if so what to do about it. I am not willing to continue in this situation much longer at the rate it's going. I have been a supportive wife for 7 years, but I just don't deserve this current treatment.
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> Thanks for your comments.
Hi Veronica.1. If there is any history of bipolar disorder (manic-depression) in his immediate family (siblings, parents, grandparents), it is possible that the Nardil has caused him to develop a type of mania (opposite side of depression) that is known for producing the sorts of personality changes you describe. Some of these features include irritability, talking a lot and very fast, not needing to sleep, and rage. Often, someone’s appearance will become disheveled as they are easily distracted, disorganized, and inordinately preoccupied doing other things.
2. In some cases of unipolar depression (regular depression), as the depression begins to improve with Nardil (or any other antidepressant), there is often an in-between state that occurs for a few weeks early in treatment that can include irritability.
My advice is to have a trained psychiatrist evaluate your husband to determine what exactly is going on. It is critical that frequent follow-up visits be conducted early in treatment with any medication.
I hope you can resolve the situation soon. In the meantime, you may want to give your husband the benefit of the doubt and consider his behaviors as being less “him” and more “drug-effects”. Perhaps the both of you should work together with the doctor.
Good luck.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:44526
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000905/msgs/44560.html