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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Karen44 on December 4, 2006, at 21:06:42
Is there anyone who tried Parnate and found it was not that effective and later tried Ensam and found it WAS effective?
It has been suggested I try Ensam. I was on Parnate 25 years ago, and it worked very well. When I tried it again this year after all other antidepresants failed, it did not work as well. Now I am looking at the Ensam patch as I refuse the other recommendation of ECT. Sometimes I think my pdoc must be nuts himself to recommend ECT. I would rather stay depressed than risk losing any sort of cognitive functions, verbal or nonverbal. There is more to lose than just verbal memory.
Karen44
Karen44
Posted by Phillipa on December 5, 2006, at 22:17:43
In reply to Ensam vs. Parnate, posted by Karen44 on December 4, 2006, at 21:06:42
Karen want to follow your thread thanks Phillipa
Posted by Karen44 on December 5, 2006, at 22:51:31
In reply to Re: Ensam vs. Parnate » Karen44, posted by Phillipa on December 5, 2006, at 22:17:43
Maybe no one has taken Parnate and Ensam at one time or another. I just want to know if it is going to be worth it to try Ensam. Parnate worked 20 years ago but not this year. So, am I wasting my time with considering Ensam.
Karen44
Posted by Quintal on December 6, 2006, at 17:06:05
In reply to Re: Will Ensam work when Parnate no longer did, posted by Karen44 on December 5, 2006, at 22:51:31
I haven't used ENSAM, but I have used both Parnate and oral selegiline. As ever, each person has to try each med themselves to judge their own reaction to it, but personally I had a poor response to oral selegiline while having a good response to Parnate. There is a difference between oral selegiline and EMSAM though, so that could make all the difference.
An alternative strategy could be to augment the Parnate with Lamictal, which is what I did with good results.
Good luck.
Q
Posted by Karen44 on December 6, 2006, at 22:43:11
In reply to Re: Will Ensam work when Parnate no longer did » Karen44, posted by Quintal on December 6, 2006, at 17:06:05
> I haven't used ENSAM, but I have used both Parnate and oral selegiline. As ever, each person has to try each med themselves to judge their own reaction to it, but personally I had a poor response to oral selegiline while having a good response to Parnate. There is a difference between oral selegiline and EMSAM though, so that could make all the difference.
>
> An alternative strategy could be to augment the Parnate with Lamictal, which is what I did with good results.
>
> Good luck.
>
> Q
Thanks for the response. I started on Lamictal after getting off of Parnate and so I could try Cymbalta which turned out not to work because I developed a hand tremor at 20 mg. that got worse at 40 mg. I am on just Lamictal right now and am being considered for Ensam. My pdoc does not think he would keep me on Lamictal though if Ensam works. I am not sure why, but he does not seem to think so called cocktail formulas are the way to go for me.By the way, Parnate worked great for me for the 10 years I took it in the 80's and early 90's. This year, however, it only minimally worked. One of the reasons I liked staying on it in the late 80's was because of the stimulent-like qualities that made it easier for me to get through graduate school and internship. I was fine off any antidepressant for over 10 years and until last year. I have tried everything, and nothing helps much anymore. I have reservartions that Ensam will work since Parnate at an even higher dose did not work and made me tired this time rather than energized. Bodies change over time.
Karen44
Posted by bulldog2 on December 7, 2006, at 8:17:47
In reply to Re: Will Ensam work when Parnate no longer did, posted by Karen44 on December 6, 2006, at 22:43:11
It's still worth a shot trying emsam. Sometimes we develope a tolerance to a certain chemical such as parnate while you may respond to a new chemical such as emsam.
Posted by stargazer on December 11, 2006, at 19:37:22
In reply to Re: Will Ensam work when Parnate no longer did, posted by bulldog2 on December 7, 2006, at 8:17:47
Karen,
Parnate did not work for me, although I did have success on Nardil and Marplan years ago. A retrial with Marplan this year failed, along with failure on Cymbalta.
I started on Emsam about 4 weeks ago and it seems to be working OK. After the Cymbalta trial failed my pdoc put me on Seroquel which got me out of a bad depression, so when I started Emsam I was no longer in the throes of a depression, but so far it has kept it from returning.
Like any AD's time will tell but so far it has given me more motivation and energy which were definately missing. And I have had no side effects to speak of which is VERY unusualfor me but welcomed.
I would give it a try like I did. What do you have to lose? For me ECT is not an option either as I have seen more harm than good with it. I have enough memory problems now, if I had it, my memory would cease to exist and that is not someothing I would risk losing. Life with depression is bad enough, depression with loss of memory would be worse.
Good luck.
Stargazer
Posted by Karen44 on December 11, 2006, at 21:31:41
In reply to Re: Will Ensam work when Parnate no longer did, posted by stargazer on December 11, 2006, at 19:37:22
> Karen,
>
> Parnate did not work for me, although I did have success on Nardil and Marplan years ago. A retrial with Marplan this year failed, along with failure on Cymbalta.
>
> I started on Emsam about 4 weeks ago and it seems to be working OK. After the Cymbalta trial failed my pdoc put me on Seroquel which got me out of a bad depression, so when I started Emsam I was no longer in the throes of a depression, but so far it has kept it from returning.
>
> Like any AD's time will tell but so far it has given me more motivation and energy which were definately missing. And I have had no side effects to speak of which is VERY unusualfor me but welcomed.
>
> I would give it a try like I did. What do you have to lose? For me ECT is not an option either as I have seen more harm than good with it. I have enough memory problems now, if I had it, my memory would cease to exist and that is not someothing I would risk losing. Life with depression is bad enough, depression with loss of memory would be worse.
>
> Good luck.
>
> StargazerThanks Stargazer; I just got a scrip for the Ensam patch but won't be starting it for several days as I am going in for surgery on my hand tomorrow. I am hoping it works as this is the last AP I have not tried. I told my pdoc I would be willing to talk to someone he is checking re ECT, but I just don't see it as an option myself. I would most definitely kill myself if I were to get ECT and developed either verbal or nonverbal cognitive deficits. I rely on both in my work, and my work is very important to me.
Karen44
Posted by stargazer on December 11, 2006, at 21:53:10
In reply to Re: Will Ensam work when Parnate no longer did, posted by Karen44 on December 11, 2006, at 21:31:41
Karen,
I have same attitude re ECT, although I almost agreed to it several years ago during a really bad time. So based on what you say, you would kill yourself if you developed the cognitive SE's of ECT. That is too much of a risk to take.
Are you suicidal now? If you are suicidal, my pdoc used Seroquel to get me past that point and then I hadto wait a week or so before starting Emsam, so there are other options before ECT.
SG
P.S. Babblemail me some time for my insight on ECT if you like.
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