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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JackD on June 7, 2005, at 23:15:31
From pubmed:
"
Synergistic effect of uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists and antidepressant drugs in the forced swimming test in rats.
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Rogoz Z, Skuza G, Maj J, Danysz W.Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, PL 31-343 Krakow, Poland. rogoz@if-pan.krakow.pl
In spite of intensive research, the problem of treating antidepressant-resistant depressive patients has not yet been solved. The authors previously reported that combined administration of imipramine and the uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonist amantadine reduced immobility time in the forced swimming test in rats to a much greater extent than either treatment alone. The present paper investigates the possibility of synergistic interactions between three antidepressants (imipramine, venlafaxine, fluoxetine) with three uncompetitive NMDA receptor antagonists (amantadine, memantine and neramexane). Most combinations resulted in synergistic (hyperadditive) antidepressive-like effects in the forced swim test. Most interesting was the observation that fluoxetine, which was inactive when given alone, showed a positive effect when combined with amantadine (10 and 20 mg/kg), memantine (2.5 and 5 mg/kg) or neramexane (2.5 and 5 mg/kg). The specificity of these observations is supported by control open field studies, which demonstrated no significant increase, or even a decrease in general locomotion after coadministration of the compounds. The present results suggest that the combination of traditional antidepressant drugs and NMDA receptor antagonists may produce enhanced antidepressive effects, and this is of particular relevance for antidepressant-resistant patients.
PMID: 12128003 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
"
Posted by SLS on June 8, 2005, at 6:54:20
In reply to Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by JackD on June 7, 2005, at 23:15:31
Namenda is worth a try, I guess. I am not convinced that it can work synergistically with antidepressants because I know no one for whom it worked. Although it didn't work for me, it tried real hard to. I experienced episodic improvements over the course of two weeks. I was taking Parnate + nortriptyline at the time. A friend of mine experienced the same thing with this drug. It is important to remember, however, that the people posting on Psycho-Babble are largely treatment resistent to many different drugs, so my experience with Namenda should not be relied upon to extrapolate to the average person. Like I said, I think it's worth a try.
- Scott
Posted by JackD on June 8, 2005, at 12:09:12
In reply to Re: Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by SLS on June 8, 2005, at 6:54:20
Well speaking from personal experience, Namenda has literally saved my life. I'm now on a combo of Effexor, Remeron, and Namenda (60mg a day; you need at least 40mg a day for any sort of AD benifit).
Posted by Declan on June 8, 2005, at 13:59:55
In reply to Re: Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by JackD on June 8, 2005, at 12:09:12
If the depression is somehow related to excitotoxicity??? Is that the idea?
Declan
Posted by JackD on June 8, 2005, at 14:12:48
In reply to Re: Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by Declan on June 8, 2005, at 13:59:55
Nope. It has more to do with your body building up a tolerance, or becoming desensitized so to speak, to your body's natural pleasure chemicals which antidepressants ultimately help release. Namenda (memantine) reverses/prevents tolerance of the opiate system in your body, thereby making those chemicals effective. It's much more complex, look into it!
Posted by EERRIICC on June 8, 2005, at 21:15:24
In reply to Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by JackD on June 7, 2005, at 23:15:31
Parnate will always work for me for a couple months and then slowly stop working, do you think memantine would prevent this?
Posted by SLS on June 8, 2005, at 21:56:53
In reply to Re: Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by JackD on June 8, 2005, at 12:09:12
> Well speaking from personal experience, Namenda has literally saved my life. I'm now on a combo of Effexor, Remeron, and Namenda (60mg a day; you need at least 40mg a day for any sort of AD benifit).
Wow, that's great. I wish I had pushed the dosage up higher. I stopped at 20mg.
- Scott
Posted by SLS on June 8, 2005, at 21:59:57
In reply to Re: Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by JackD on June 8, 2005, at 12:09:12
Did you feel drunk or stoned when you first increased the dosage beyond 20mg?
- Scott
Posted by JackD on June 8, 2005, at 23:37:26
In reply to Re: Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism??? » JackD, posted by SLS on June 8, 2005, at 21:59:57
No. I feel "strange" when I push the dose beyond about 80, but 60 is pretty much the threshold. 20 is way too low (profilactic for geriatrics).
Posted by emme on June 9, 2005, at 22:55:44
In reply to Namenda + (certain) antidepressants = synergism???, posted by JackD on June 7, 2005, at 23:15:31
I've been taking memantine since Feb. The AD effect has been sustained. Unfortunately, I haven't felt that well on it and have been fighting a lot of fatigue. I have been trying to find a dose that works w/o making me tired or foggy-brained. My doctor says she has other patients who are doing very well on it - apparently with fewer ill-effects than I have.
Posted by JackD on June 9, 2005, at 23:12:59
In reply to Memantine after a few months, posted by emme on June 9, 2005, at 22:55:44
You're kidding? That's fantastic! So maybe this IS catching someone's attention. I wouldn't go above 90mg a day, and I would try it in conjuction with amitryptiline, effexor, remeron, maybe a few others i can't think of but definitely a norepinephrine-heavy AD. Glad to hear you're having some success!
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