Posted by stargazer2 on August 31, 2008, at 5:55:19
In reply to Re: Resistent depression: Brief SURVEY of Meds, posted by Justherself54 on August 30, 2008, at 21:13:10
Just coming up with ideas for you since I have similar symptoms of depression.
Have you been worked up for thyroid by an endocrinologist? My thyroid was "normal' but I have been on Synthroid since last year as the endo sees many patients with depression and treats them to reduce their TSH level. Normal levels are (0.4 to 4.5). My test was 2.84 in 2006 and went to 3.4 in 2007. I didn't know this until I saw the endo in 2007. My level is now around 1.5 or so and we still are shooting for a lower level as levels under even 1.0 may be indicated.
My psychiatrist should have sent me to this doctor many years ago since I may have responded better to meds years ago.
Hopefully, lowering my TSH may help with the weight gain on Nardil. Funny how the side effects of Nardil only came about when Pfizer reformulated it in 2003. The original Nardil was clean and I had no side effects. Of course that was 20 years ago but other users claim the same thing with it being nowhere near as effective as the old Nardil was. I still am angry about that being done.
The only other med that I felt helped me was one called DLPA, which is DL-Phenylalanine. It is a enzyme and made me feel less depressed, more focused, etc. It was suggested to me by another poster who was taking it with Emsam,which I was also on. I found it definately did something for me and I can't take it now since I'm on Nardil but even with Nardil I have issues with ADHD like symptoms.
I would read about it first (obviously)and see what you think. It may be something you could try if you will be off Parnate soon and it may work really well on it's own.Experimentation has become my motto now since my religious following of my doctor's advice did not serve me well. I lost years of living to medication trials and I think I should have made suggestions to him about what to try much earlier. Hindsight is 20/20.
Hope this helps. Feel free to babblemail me anytime too.
SG
poster:stargazer2
thread:848102
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080822/msgs/849392.html