Posted by SLS on July 18, 2014, at 13:40:37
In reply to Re: Intranasal ketamine - Anyone? » SLS, posted by Bob on July 18, 2014, at 11:36:22
>
> > > What are you on now?
> >
> > Currently:
> >
> > Panate 100 mg/day
> > desipramine 200 mg/day
> > Lamictal 200 mg/day
> > lithium 450 mg/day
> > prazosin 30 mg/day
> >
> > - Scott
>
>
> Scott -
>
> I noticed that you switched out nortriptyline for desipramine as well as discontinuing Abilify. How recently did you make these changes?I discontinued Abilify months ago. I did not experience any deterioration in my condition until I discontinued nortriptyline.
> I know for me and some others the discontinuation of Abilify can lead to some serious problems and an insidious, delayed deterioration, even weeks after stopping.
Exactly! This is not an uncommon scenario. I experienced this delayed deterioration after attempting to discontinue Abilify in 2010. It took about 3 weeks for me to relapse. I was not taking lithium or prazosin at the time, though. I suspect that the prazosin allowed me to discontinue Abilify.
> What are your impressions of the desipramine in place of the nortriptyline?
My doctor wanted me to attempt to discontinue nortriptyline. His hope was that I could do without a TCA. I deteriorated within 5 days of reducing the dosage of nortriptyline from 150 mg/day to 100 mg/day. However, I discovered that nortriptyline caused me to become passive and lazy. It suppressed some of my personality and took away my drive to accomplish things. I was getting nothing done. Because of this, I asked my doctor to switch me to desipramine. He said okay, but wanted me to titrate more gradually than the last time he treated me with 300 mg/day. He wanted me to pause at 150 mg/day, saying that he didn't want to "overshoot". He was also uncomfortable with using desipramine with the dosage of Parnate being at 100 mg/day. I went through hell during the time I was coming off of nortriptyline and titrating desipramine beginning at a dosage of 25 mg/day. I was impatient to bring the dosage of desipramine higher than 150 mg/day, even though I allowed only 6 days to see an improvement. My doctor allowed me to continue to increasing the dosage, even though his inclination was to have me give 150 mg/day more time. I wish I had listened to him. I spent 6 weeks experimenting with dosages between 200 - 300 mg/day. My reaction to these dosages of desipramine were uncharacteristic for me. I did worse as the dosage was increased, despite feeling better for a day or two immediately after each adjustment. It was very confusing. I decided to reduce the dosage of desipramine back down to 150 mg/day in the hope that something nice will happen. It has only been 3 days, but I am feeling better. This could just be another one of my transient improvements that occur upon dosage changes, though. I am trying not to become too optimistic.
> Do you think it has accomplished what you wanted?
It is too early to tell. If I continue to improve steadily over the next 1 - 2 weeks, I will be satisfied with my decision and will continue with my present treatment.
I forgot to ask... Were you allowed to take any psychotropic drugs while your DBS was enabled? Are you taking any now?
Thanks.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1068237
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140717/msgs/1068489.html