Posted by yznhymer on August 5, 2007, at 2:19:42
In reply to Re: Parnate Love / Hate : sleep, orgasms - help pl, posted by Sigismund on August 4, 2007, at 21:36:19
I had the same response to MAOI Nardil many years ago. It turned me from a depressed introvert into a positively happy and gregarious individual almost overnight. I LOVED finally being connected with that aspect of myself. I've been searching for a similar AD response ever since.
I don't recall how it affected sleep/alertness, etc. But I did gain 20 lbs the first month and orgasms went out the window within a few days. Over time, I eeked out one or two miserable approximations but things seemed to be getting worse rather than better. My pdoc said based on his experience he wouldn't expect it to improve. Still, that's not true for everyone, I understand. Anyway, I had similar reactions to SSRI's and Tricyclates and other AD's. I actually had retrograde ejaculations on one AD - very unpleasant.
Fortunately, things always resolved when I stopped the culprit meds, until I took a 3 month course of phentermine at the beginning of this year. While things have improved, reaching that point where things click in my head and the orgasm ensues remains a difficult point to reach. Its frustrating and the fact that things haven't snapped back to normal is a little unnerving.
Ultimately, the anorgasmia issue with Nardil was the deal breaker for me. I would have been willing to work with the weight gain, food restrictions, and even the one hypertensive crisis I experienced. Under the combined circumstances, I couldn't see Nardil as a long-term therapy for me.
I haven't had a good antidepressant response since, though EMSAM seems to be doing some good things for me. I've been optimistic because its an MAOI and I have atypical depression features. I'm at about 6 weeks, still on 6mgs. It remains to be seen whether I'll go up, but I think my pdoc can be persuaded to let me try a higher dose. I'm still hoping for that Nardil response without the side effects. Honestly, I'm amazed EMSAM hasn't put the "equipment" out of commission.
I guess you'll know soon enough whether the anorgasmia will pass. At least you have a good experience with EMSAM to fall back on. The EMSAM side effects - was it afternoon drowsiness? - might be easier to alleviate than anorgasmia.
By the way, I responded to one of your other posts wondering what you were doing post-EMSAM before I read this post of yours.
Y
poster:yznhymer
thread:773799
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070730/msgs/774079.html