Posted by Questionmark on February 19, 2009, at 0:11:41
In reply to Re: The lowering Nardil after remission myth (+oth » Questionmark, posted by 4WD on February 18, 2009, at 23:05:07
I don't think you would be able to find a family doctor/ general practitioner who would prescribe an opioid for depression. They (the DEA if not others) monitor physicians' prescribing of tightly controlled drugs, particularly opioids. And they (dr.s) can get into trouble if they are believed to be over-prescribing or carelessly prescribing these types of drugs to people (and prescribing them for depression would almost definitely be considered , well, unnecessary or careless or something). You will have more luck with a psychiatrist or psychopharmacologist but it's still highly unlikely.
I think the reason is (aside from the DEA regulations/monitoring) that opioids build up tolerance so rapidly and continuously so (and of course are highly addictive and prone to abuse). I think some would say-- and maybe rightly-- that that's irrelevant because oftentimes one does not develop tolerance to the antidepressant effects of opioids like they do with the euphoric and pain-relieving effects. I'm not sure if this is true or not. If it is, then it is very sad that opioids cannot be more easily utilized or tried.
But you would have a much greater chance of getting a buprenorphine Rx possibly if you saw the right doctor. Still may be pretty difficult though, i'm not sure. (Buprenorphine of course is not a full agonist opioid.)
Good luck still.
> \thanks for your kind thoughts. I am still on Suboxone and doing okay. It doesn't work as well as it did in the beginning and they have just lowered my dose as well.
>
> The trouble is that it treats my depression beautifully if I take enought - 6 2mg pills a day or some days I need or 8 pills a day. but they had me on 6 only. And now are lowering it to 4. When I told them that at that dose, it would not help my depression, they told me they could not legally prescribe it for depression - only for addiction and chronic pain. So I don't know what to do. Magnify my pain in the hopes that they will raise my dose back up?
>
> Why can't they prescribe it for depression? And if they won't maybe my family doctor could? I've read that anyone with a schedule three license can prescribe buprenorphine so maybe I should go to my family doc and tell him how much it helps with depression but that they won't prescribe enough to keep the depression away.
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> Thinking about my options.
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> Thanks for thinking of me.
>
> Marsha
poster:Questionmark
thread:823866
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