Posted by g_g_g_unit on May 19, 2009, at 19:58:13
In reply to Please, quick explanation? » g_g_g_unit, posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on May 19, 2009, at 12:16:14
well, from my understanding, Memantine is a partial NDMA antagonist, which means it helps to put a cap on any excessive glutamate activity, and thus help prevent neurotoxicity from glutamate overexcitation. what i'm curious about though is whether it's possible to just diagnose glutamate over or underactivity at a glance like that (my psychiatrist admits that he can't).
it's true in the past that i would often 'overimprint' - i.e. be able to recall the smallest, most inane details from stuff, commit entire essays to memory during college etc. it's literally like my brain was going too quickly. but after coming off anti-depressants, i experienced the opposite problem; my brain felt completely empty, i was incapable of expressing emotion, etc. so does that mean SSRI's - or withdrawal, at least - will downregulate glutamate?
my worry was in introducing Memantine when i felt like that, because i was wondering how it would act in someone who theoretically had low glutamate activity? after coming off Nardil, i definitely feel a lot more emotionally present, though still mentally fatiged. however, the more i'm off anti-depressants, the more i can feel brain activity, as well as my OCD, making a return, so i guess my natural state must be one of glutamate overactivation. then again my memory sucks, and i can't really hold on to new stuff that i learn. so i don't really know. the picture's probably way more complicated that i realise. but i'm guessing that Memantine will hopeuflly make me better sooner than worse. i'm on my 3rd day @ 10mg, and aside from a feeling of slight confusion/memory loss (which i believe to be transient) i'm already reaping some benefits (though not neecessarily in the OCD department at this tage).
at a guess it sounds like you might be someone who would benefact similarly. are you taking anything else at the moment?
> Hey there, can I butt in? I have OCD and PTSD--images do literally imprint on my memory (as do sounds, thoughts). I am not schizophrenic, but I do have these other conditions (and speaking as someone whose sister has schizophrenia, you definitely do not have negative symptoms). So I'm trying to follow your line of discussion. Does this mean Memantine (Namenda) might work, as well as Lamictal and Neurontonin? And that Provigil probably wouldn't? I am seeing a new pdoc thurs and want to have an idea of what to ask for. Many thanks, Amelia
poster:g_g_g_unit
thread:895324
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/neuro/20090129/msgs/896670.html