Posted by SLS on September 3, 2001, at 9:25:18
In reply to Re: MAOIs and safety » SLS, posted by kregpark@yahoo.com on September 3, 2001, at 3:57:35
Hi KregPark.
Thanks for taking the time.
I'm glad that you found Serzone and Nardil combatable. I may end up on that combination yet.
I'm currently taking:
300mg lamotrigine (Lamictal)
75mg nortriptyline (Pamelor, Aventyl)
300mg venlafaxine (Effexor)I just added ziprasidone (Geodon) last night. I'll probably start at 40mg.
> I've often wondered about it, as lamotrigine is
in the same class as gabapentine, but while
gabapentin has SSRI like side effects, lamotrigine
appears to have dopaminergic like side effects
in many people, such as rash, and some others I can't
recall exactly but I think possible insomnia or hypotension
or something...> Any comments on lamictal (lamotrigine?) and
your current regimen also - greatly appreciated,I think you are right about Lamictal. My guess is that Lamictal does have some pro-dopamineric effects, most probably indirect. I have little to base this on, except for how it seems to affect me. It definitely possesses distinct antidepressant properties. I have even seen people describe manic reactions to it.
Although Lamictal and Neurontin both exert anticonvulsant effects and are thus labelled as such, they do very different things to neurons. Lamictal has two distinct pharmacological effects. It helps stabilize a neuron by blocking sodium channels, a property shared by some other anticonvulsants like Depakote and Tegretol. However, it also reduces the levels of extracellular glutamate, an excitory neurotransmitter. This might be the property that produces antidepressant effects. Neurontin does not seem to do any of these things. Although it was once thought to promote the synthesis of GABA, I think this hypothesis has since been rejected. Cam W. would be a better source of information regarding all of this.
Regarding Neurontin, I think one source of its antianxiety and anti-phobic effects might involve a stabilization or reduction in the excitability of certain pathways located in the amygdala and temporal lobes. I'm not familiar with the effects Neurontin has on serotonergic neurotransmission.
Just as an aside - I think one must be careful when categorizing or assigning labels to specific drugs. For instance, is amantadine (Symmetrel) an antiviral drug or is it a drug with antiviral properties? It is really a drug with antiviral (herpes) *and* antiparkinsonian properties. Likewise, Depakote is a drug with anticonvulsant, antimanic and mood stabilizing properties.
I couldn't guess as to how well Lamictal would work for you. However, Neurontin has definitely displayed efficacy in the treatment of social-anxiety and social-phobia. (Are these two terms interchangeable?) I'm not sure how well it works as monotherapy for severe cases.
- Scott
> > also Serzone (this one can make Nardil much like Parnate!!!),
> This is one combination that I have been very interested to try. Last year, I was about to add Serzone to Parnate + desipramine + Lamictal, but grew shy when one of our posters here described what might have been some sort of dystonic reaction upon adding it to Nardil. Can you be specific on how adding Serzone changed your experience such that Nardil felt like Parnate?> Years ago I tried Serzone with Zoloft50 + Klonopin4.5. I was pleased to disconver that
it reduced sedation, increased efficacy, and reduced sexual side effects of Zoloft (all good stuff!!)> About a year ago I temporary had raised Nardil from 60 to 75mg.
I had more anxiety and tried Serzone, about 200.
This actually made me *more* anxious, and quite horny!!!
300 Serzone was max of this effect, more led to sedative effects.
I have previously and since often added low dose
Serzone to < B >Nardil + Klonopin< /B >. It allows me to reduce
Klonopin and I used it at 200mg while lowering Klonopin
from 4.5mg to 1mg. I then raised K to 2.5 where it's at now.
poster:SLS
thread:76778
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010902/msgs/77523.html