Posted by m0nger on December 27, 2003, at 22:13:21
Hi,
Since I'm new here, here's some info:
38M
Diagnosed as possibly bipolar (by a general practice D.O., not a psychiatrist)
Recovering drug addict: drug of choice was opiates, primarily heroin (been clean for over 7 years), although I used other drugs at times too, cocaine , etc
Okay, here's my situation in brief, I went to my doc about meds for depression about a month ago. It was getting bad, finally decided I better go (to see a doc) before I got so bad that i might seek relief by using street drugs. I was interested in trying deprenyl/selegiline after reading about it on the 'net, but as soon as the doc heard it was MAOI, he wasn't interested in prescribing (and wouldn't listen look at the info i printed from the Internet - I guess some people are prejudiced regarding information obtainted from the Internet ).
Anyway, I was prescribed -- and am taking -- Wellbutrin XL (was started on 150mg, and increased to 300mg after about a month) and Zyprexa 2.5 mg at bedtime to help with sleep and anxiety (and i think to help prevent the triggering of a manic episode? 2.5mg daily at bedtime is a pretty low dose tho, i learned from reading up on the Internet).
I am also taking 400mg of SAM-e each day in the morning, and 50 mg of 5-HTP in the evening (neither prescribed/recommended by doctor), for about a month.
I am feeling better now on the regiment, but not really optimal, still some inability to focus and depression (milder, not extremely painful as before)
Now here is my question. Would it be safe to introduce 5-15mg a day (would start out with 5mg per day) of Selegiline/Deprenyl to that regiment? Or if nobody feels comfortable saying it's "safe", has anybody heard of such a combo having decent results for somebody?
I am going to attempt to quit smoking on New Years, too. Selegiline could possibly help with that? (the wellbutrin seems to have helped with the chain smoking that i was doing prior to starting on it)
The following site seems to suggest such a combo wouldn't be dangerous (although Zyprexa isn't mentioned), but would like to hear from others.
-snip-
"<i>Although no selegiline drug interactions were documented in our study, the concurrent administration of selegiline and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors should be avoided because of literature-reported interactions. We believe that bupropion, tricyclic antidepressants, and trazodone are reasonable choices in combination with selegiline, although tricyclic antidepressants and trazodone may be reserved as second-line treatments.</i>"
http://www.selegiline.com/interact.htm
-end snip-
If anybody has any questions they'd like to ask about me, that would help with their providing an answer, please ask!
Thanks,
-M
poster:m0nger
thread:293887
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031225/msgs/293887.html