Posted by Merge on July 27, 2008, at 8:32:45
In reply to Thinking of trying nardil but scared, posted by socialphobic on July 27, 2008, at 7:28:03
I had to have emergency surgery while taking Nardil - and I got anesthesia. It's not ideal, of course, but yes it can be done. I was able to tell the hospital staff that I was taking Nardil, but I also ALWAYS wore a medical alert bracelet that stated I was taking an MAOI, just in case I was ever in an accident and wasn't able to tell the hospital that I was taking an MAOI.
I took MAOIs for about 4 years (Nardil, and then Parnate). I believe that your doctor can prescribe something for you to carry with you in the event of a hypertensive crisis (I never did this). I was very careful about what I ate as well as what I took for over-the-counter medications. If you're willing to do your research and act responsibly and VERY diligently, I don't think being on an MAOI should be too worrisome.
Basically, get used to reading labels on EVERYTHING that goes in your body. Honestly, eating out at restaurants is a pain in the *ss because you can never be sure what goes into food that you don't prepare (for example - yeast extract is a no-no if you are taking an MAOI - this stuff is in EVERYTHING! a restaurant might not put yeast extract directly into a certain dish, but it may very well be in a sauce mix, or broth that is added to a recipe, etc.).
The same goes with over the counter medication. I am prone to sinus infections, ear infections, colds, and bronchitis. You can't take most cold/sinus medications while taking an MAOI and this was a big problem for me.
I think being on Nardil is manageable if you're willing to really educate yourself about what you can and cannot consume while taking Nardil. I never had a hypertensive crisis in the 4 years that I took an MAOI because I was very, very careful about what I ate and what I took for over the counter medications. Wearing a bracelet also gave me some peace of mind knowing that if something were to happen to me and I needed emergency treatment, they would know that I was taking an MAOI.
I hope this helps a little bit. Good luck.
poster:Merge
thread:842271
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080727/msgs/842276.html