Posted by Lorraine on August 29, 2001, at 13:58:24
I just started Parnate (1 month) and have noticed that in the afternoon I have a serious crash in terms of energy and a deep need to sleep. Usually, this is after I have eaten lunch. Elizabeth complained of the same thing when she was on MAOs and thinks that it is common. I took my blood pressure during one of these slumps and found it to be 93 over 56--very low. I think the slump is tied to low blood pressure and possibly the diversion of blood to the stomach after eating. In addition, I was getting headaches in the morning, although these have abated.
With this in mind, I researched neurally mediated hypotension to see what remedies where suggested. John Hopkins (www.med.jhu.edu/peds/sfs.html) noted some of the symptoms as including chronic fatigue, headaches, mental fogs. The symptoms of true neurally mediated hypotension can be quite severe and do not apply to MAOs generally, but I thought some of the remedies might help with low blood pressure symptoms of MAOs. Among the do it yourself remedies were drinking lots of fluids, eating more frequent smaller meals, and increasing the amount of salt in the diet. They note that adults require between 2000 and 3000 mg of sodium normal, but that people with neurally mediated hypotension require much hight amount and and that it is diffifult to take too much if you drink lots of fluids. Table salt provides 2300 mg of sodium per teaspoon. You can also take salt tablets--they recommend stating with one 450 mg tablet 3x day and working up to two tablets (900mg) 3x day. They recommend Thermotab--which is a buffered salt tablet that is better tolerated. Thermotabs are carried in some pharmacies. I have ordered some and will be trying them out next week.
Does anyone have any thoughts about the MAO midday slump?
poster:Lorraine
thread:76827
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010828/msgs/76827.html