Posted by tom2228 on April 6, 2014, at 21:35:16
I've been taking nortriptyline for almost a week now, titrating to 75mg tonight, and am pleased with the therapeutic results so far (!!).
However, I prize my intellect and need a clear mind to succeed in school, and it seems nortriptyline is doing a number on my cognitive abilities. I understand it's early in my trial and that things may improve, but I do not necessarily like the idea of getting "used to" or acclimating to this state of cognitive functioning. I need as much clarity as I can get.
So, I understand the negative effect on cognition stems in part from the nortriptyline's antihistamine and from its antimuscarinic effect.
I have heard of bethanechol (urecoline), a muscarinic agonist, as being helpful for antimuscarinic effects such as urinary retention and dry mouth, but what about for cognitive impairment?
I saw somewhere that it may not be helpful as it is does not cross the blood-brain barrier, but am interested in your thoughts and experiences.
Otherwise if notrtrip doesn't work out I was thinking desipramine might be better in the sense that the lower potency for muscarinic and histamine receptors would confer an advantage for cognition.
Thanks
poster:tom2228
thread:1063760
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20140328/msgs/1063760.html