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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on November 28, 2009, at 11:40:49
Rick:
What happened with your Parnate after 20 years of success??
Did it "poop out" after that long? Did you stop and when you started it up again it didn't work the same?
Did your DX change?
Sorry for the 20Questions! I'm curious for myself, of course!
Thanks!
Gayle
Posted by Phillipa on November 28, 2009, at 13:06:14
In reply to Kirbyw - Parnate Experience?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on November 28, 2009, at 11:40:49
Gayle need to write you. Any better? Love Phillipa
Posted by kirbyw on November 30, 2009, at 23:01:35
In reply to Kirbyw - Parnate Experience?, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on November 28, 2009, at 11:40:49
Gayle
Thanks for writing. I made the mistake of stopping my low dose (10-20 mg daily) of of Parnate after an apparent hypertensive crisis in late July. But in 25 years of taking Parnate, I had never had a hypertensive crisis, and in retrospect I cannot be sure what happened.So, in August, I decided to try another AD and a Doc here in Costa Rica put me on Remeron. I think my anxiety level skyrocketed and there were some unpleasant life situations happening and while under the influence of Remeron, I went into the most serious depression that I had had since I had started on Parnate. (although the remeron had some interesting positive aspects, but I won't discuss this here) Clearly it didn't work for my depression.
So after about 3 weeks of this, I made the decision to get back on Parnate but it took 10 more very bad days, as a washout period, until I started Parnate again. However, soon after starting and getting up to 30 mg, I began to feel normal again.
I actually have tried going up to 40 mg, but I have a lot of trouble because I also have to take Lopressor a beta blocker, for heart related issues and the combination of Parnate and Lopressor sends my blood pressure plummeting and I feel too tired, can't do my exercise, etc.
So now I am between 30 mg and 20 mg, daily.I also have problems with insomnia on more than 20 mg, and I don't like the sexual side effects as the dose goes up. But its clear to me that it still works after 25 years, even at this relatively low dose. If I was worse, I would raise the dose as needed, and accept the side effects.
Something new is my decision, after seeing a doc in New York just two weeks ago, to go on Lithium in order to augment Parnate or see if the Lithium itself could at some point replace the Parnate. I was, in fact, told about this possibility in the 80s as well.
But I didn't follow up because the Parnate side effects didn't bother me as much then. (In fact, I was also medication free off and on during most of the 90's and until about 2002, for periods of 3 - 6 months at a time. ) In any case I would like to keep the Parnate dose as low as possible.
So I have just startd to take lithium at 300 mg per day and will have my first level in a day or two.I have never ever been manic. But the Docs think that there is an hx of bi-polar in my family and that I also show some latent bi-polar symptoms such as hypersomnia when I am very depressed.
Or even if it is not a latent bi-polar situation, the Lithium can augment the effects of Parnate.Anyway, thats my story. If you have other questions don't hesitate to ask.
Rick
Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on December 1, 2009, at 1:22:13
In reply to Re: Kirbyw - Parnate Experience?, posted by kirbyw on November 30, 2009, at 23:01:35
Hi Kirbyw:
Thank you for all the great information. It makes perfectly good sense to me!
It's good to know Parnate can work for so many years doing different doses and coming on and off it. I think once you get used to it, it is pretty forgiving. That is strange you had a hypotensive situation after so many years.
It seems the trick with Parnate is the augmentation. I have this clarity of mind with Parnate that I haven't had for years. I kind of hate to take anything else with it that might make me cloudy. That clarity also makes me feel a lot younger. Maybe that's where the increased libido comes from.
I have been on 80mg and my pdoc put me on 60mg because I was falling down. I've decided I was falling because of some inner ear issues, not the parnate. But I do feel better on 60mg. I have this belief that Parnate soothes and replenishes one's brain cells with much needed substances that have been badly depleted. So after a while a person can come down on it and just take enough that the brain doesn't get depleted again. I have absolutely nothing to back that up. I've thought a lot about it and that's what I came up with!
That's interesting you are going to take lithium with it. I know others do as well who are bipolar. My pdoc had me try lithium ages ago because it does help unipolars sometimes. It didn't help me, but it was worth a try. Let us know how the lithium works for you.
I think it's great you could do so well on Parnate for so long with small doses and drug holidays as well. I have such fatigue on Parnate that I don't think I could be on it without Provigil or some other stimulant. Fatigue has always been major part of my depression, so I'm not surprised.
You've given me even more confidence that Parnate is going to continue to work for me.
I think it's a pretty amazing drug. I love it!Thanks again,
Be well,Gayle
This is the end of the thread.
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