Posted by Vincent_QC on January 10, 2009, at 16:39:17
In reply to Re: Switch from Parnate to (TCAs, Cymbalta)?Help ;-), posted by desolationrower on January 10, 2009, at 11:36:01
> Yes, in general the TCAs and other older ADs similar you face a trade off, there are ones that are better for anxiety, but they cause more sedation and weight gain, no way around that.
>
> Cymbalata is more noradrenergic than venlafaxine, in fact i am skeptical that venlafaxine has much effect on NA at all.
>
> Have you ever tried an anticonvulsant? It might help with anxiety but not be addictive the way you find benzos since they take a long time to build up effect. pregabalin and gabapentin are the most benzo like, but topirimate, valproate, tiagabine, vigabatrin all might be helpful and wouldn't have the same risks.
>
> -d/rHi -d/r ;-)
Yeah, I try a lot of anticonvulsives drugs...Topamax (Topiramate)...had a lot of cognitives problems (short term memory loss and word-finding difficulty) on that one, but I also loose more than 20 pounds on it, in less than 1 month. It was not really helpfullfor social phobia, so I stop it. I had also cold extrimities...feets, hands...I was always feeling like it was freezing everywhere...even in a hot bath...I try also Lyrica before the Gabapentin. Lyrica was hard to tolerate for me, too much sedation and some rash on the skin...it was strange...I dont use it for more than 1 month also. Gabapentin was more easy to tolerate but the excessive amount of pills you have to take each day because of it's short half-life was borred me at the time. I was on it for more a couple of months at the max dose, don't remember the exact mg...but I stop because it was innefective on me and I never had any improve of my social phobia and my anxiety. I was on the rivotril at the same time (8mg/day)...I remember that I had a lot of pins and needles feeling in my head, my legs and hands...but nothing else.
I never try the lithium, the valporate acid or vigabatrin...or the lamictal as well...In fact, when I will find the good AD with a tolerable side-effects profile for myself and good results on my social phobia or in my anxiety in general and some help in the depression, I will maybe ask for a mood stabilizer...
I'm also skeptical about the Effexor NA or the so minimum DA effects it's suppose to have...in fact, i'm sure at a dose of 370-450mg/day, I had some drug in my system , even if I have a small intestine track, and I was not feeling good at all on it...It was like I was on the Prozac or something like this...more energizing profile, but more anxious in any way...
The onlyt one SSRI I never try is the Luvox...but I think I will also avoid this solution cause I know that I don't react well on the others SSRI's...I know he have a different structure than the regular SSRI and a shorter half-life, but I will not take any chance of trying it...
So for now, I will discuss the options with my PDOC next week...it will be probably a TCA's or the Manerix, even if the Manerix fail to show some positives results in some studies compare to the placebo group...but well, it work and help some people so maybe I will be one of them!!!
For the Parnate, I read in another post that people who persist are the one who will get more positive results...I don't argue on that statement. But for me it was too much... I can feel the difference now, i'm off the Parnate since 3 days soon and I had some panic attacks today and I had to return to my normal dose of Valium, so 20mg/day...I'm not stupid, I know that the Parnate had some good effects on my social anxiety and general anxiety, but the side-effects was untolerable for me. I was too much tired at the end...
Maybe my Pdoc will ask to return on the Parnate also but a 20mg or something like this....but I will absolutely try to change his minds and talk about others possibilities...
So for now I take my valium again, i'm more anxious than in my one month try of Parnate, but that's maybe just the withdraw efects I feel for now, since I stop cold turkey...who know...A lot of things can make me feel more anxious and more fragile to the panic attacks, especially in social events like I had last night and that I will have tonight...i'm suppose to go out with a friend and i'm not really in the mood for that...but well if I stay at home I will also be anxious so why lost another evening at home alone...I'm used to do panic attacks, I will not die...lol
Anyway, i'm out of subject for now...thanks for your help !!! That's very nice from you!!!
Bye!
Vincent ;-)
poster:Vincent_QC
thread:872941
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090104/msgs/873201.html