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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 25 of 50. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Sunbath on October 12, 2009, at 17:55:25
Hi you all :)
I just wanted to update you on my progess on Parnate!
It has been a miracle drug for me so far!
It's just WOOOOOOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
My social anxiety is reduced by a lot!It's also not troubling me anymore to leave my room and to go out to university and meeting people. My OCD symptoms (mainly obsessional thoughts) are also at a near zero level at the moment!
I have never EVER experienced such strong positive, antidepressant effects from taking ANY antidepressant (and I really took them all.. or at least the most of them: venlafaxine, milnacipran, mirtazapine, all the ssris except fluvoxamine, reboxetine, tianeptine, risperdal, seroquel, geodon, amisulpride, fluanxol + melitracen and others)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:D
Also -something that is very noticeable- I have MUCH more energy during the day! Things like tidying my rooms, going out, or doing simple things like doing the dishes aren't draining my energy at all anymore! It's so easy to do things for me! It feels like a big burden has finally fallen off me!Something I had for many MANY years! I didn't feel any better for at least 9 years!
But this is only since 10 days so far and I'm very anxious that these effects could be transient! What do you think?
The first week I felt terrible! I was extremely tired and exhausted all days all day long! Then nearly out of a sudden this tiredness left me and the positive effects started! This was after only about 10 days! It was also when I upped my dose to 40mg/day. (I started at 20mg/day.. ) I know that this is a very fast increase in dose and so I even more fear that these great effects I'm experiencing could just be acute effects and not lasting ones! (I'm at my 20th day now) What do you, more experienced Parnate users think about that?
I didn't imagine what an impact a drug could have on my life!!! It's really unbelieveable! I really hope that it will last!
There are also side effects of course: for example I'm feeling very tired in late afternoon but am very vigil at night and I'm quite constipated and I am suffering from insomnia too! I'm taking 200mg of trazodone with Parnate but I also took a benzo with it the first 14 days (1mg of temazepam). I'm quite sensitive to benzos and I already had to increase my dose to 2mg.. so I tried to come off it and I had some very poor nights sleep wise... also I quit drinking 3 days before (which I've been doing the last 3-6 months, cannot remember) so that's a bit rough for me at the moment.. I'm quite desperate but I think that I can and will manage the insomnia!That's the only problems and they are really worth it so far!
Thanks a lot to all of you who are giving away so much informations about drugs.. especially Scott!
Without you I'd probably never had pushed my pdoc to try any MAOI and also I'd probably never had found Dr. Gillmans site psychotropical.com which is a truely amazing source of informations!
THANK YOU DEAR BABBLERS! I really hope that you all will find your meds one time! And of course I really hope that parnate will be mine for some time :)About the afternoon drowsiness: I've tried to get my pdoc to try a stimulant but it's very difficult.. it's nearly considered unethical to prescribe one if the patient isn't diagnosed as having ADHD! But I will continue trying..
Do you think that the insomnia could improve too if I took some methylphenidat or modafinil during afternoon drowsiness? Or would it exacerbate insomnia at night? I think I read something about methylphenidat having a half life of about 4 hours.. so it really shouldn't interfere with sleep so much if taken only once a day.
What do you think?
Also i'd be quite interested about as why so many of you are taking modafinil as it's sooo expensive.. is methylphenidat a not so good drug with parnate? I ask because the article Scott was reffering to one time, by those 2 Harvard Medical School professors in Current Psychiatry 2002 also recommended methylphenidat! And methylphenidat is soooo cheap now!
I really don't know what to do about it.. if my pdoc won't prescribe a stimulant I could get it anyway from a befriended doc who would be willing to prescribe methylphenidat or modafinil... should I do that? I really would like to fight the insomnia at night and be more awake during the afteroons!
THANKS for some info!!!
Have a nice week all of you!
Posted by Phillipa on October 12, 2009, at 18:31:11
In reply to Parnate and me, posted by Sunbath on October 12, 2009, at 17:55:25
Sunbath not a parnate users but wanted to say I'm very happy for you. Love Phillipa
Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on October 12, 2009, at 19:40:15
In reply to Parnate and me, posted by Sunbath on October 12, 2009, at 17:55:25
Hi Sunbath:
WWWWOOOOOOOWWWWWWW!!!! I'm so happy for you. I absolutely think it's going to get better, if anything!!! not worse!! It is incredible to feel well after feeling bad for so long!!
Now you'll just want to tweek it a bit. I found that all the side effects went gradually away on their own. I had hypotension --gone now. I had terribly dry mouth which is still getting better. Fogginess went totally away. The afternoon fatigue gets better too, and you'll figure out a good routine for sleep.
You may not need an extra stimulant. Some people dont and are just fine. That would be good because stimulants have problems of their own. I don't take methylphenidte because it is such a down downer for me. I hate it. It makes me so depressed. So I'm not a good one to ask about that.Provigil works really well for me. I take it first thing in the morning, then again at noon. I don't take it much after that because of sleep. I will have a big cup of coffee in the afternoon and that's about it.
I am SOOOOOOOO happy for you!!!!!
I think you will definitely continue to feel good, gooder, goodest!!!
I already have my plan ready in case of "poop-out", which isn't that common with Parnate and probably wouldn't be very soon,,,,years I would think. Anyway, I have read several places that if you go down really quickly on Parnate, and then up again quickly, that it will kick it into gear again. So since you have a remedy for it now, don't even think about it!!!!
The other night I forgot to take my dinnertime Parnate and it was 11:30pm. I took all 70mg of Parnate and 25mg. Nortript at 11:30pm.........and I went to sleep! Not a perfect night's sleep, I woke up a few times, but not bad. I couldn't believe it.
You'll find out what works best for you! I wouldn't push extra stuff too much because I think you will feel better and better if you can believe that!and the side effects will keep going away on their own. I still amfeeling better as time goes on,!! but I got off to a MUCH slower start than you did!!I am SOOOOO happy for you!!
Enjoy!!!Gayle
Posted by zzzz7 on October 12, 2009, at 20:00:23
In reply to Re: Parnate and me, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on October 12, 2009, at 19:40:15
That's great news that you're doing so well. If you had to work for an MAOI, adding Ritalin to the MAOI may be a tough sell. Maybe something like Trazodone for sleep?
Posted by Maxime on October 12, 2009, at 20:09:13
In reply to Parnate and me, posted by Sunbath on October 12, 2009, at 17:55:25
Thank you for posting. I am still on 20 mg and feeling like total sh*t. I lay in bed all day and think of ways to kill myself. When I am not in bed I am on the computer writing suicide notes. So maybe when I get to 40 mg I will feel a bit better.
I am really happy that you are doing so well.
Posted by emmanuel98 on October 12, 2009, at 20:18:45
In reply to Re: Parnate and me, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on October 12, 2009, at 19:40:15
I've been on parnate for two months and just feel better and better. Only side effects were dry mouth, hypotension and insomnia. The hypotension went away after about 3 weeks, the dry mouth after about 6 weeks and the insomnia was cured with a dose of 100mg seroquel at night. Good luck. I'm totally sold on parnate.
Posted by g_g_g_unit on October 12, 2009, at 20:32:58
In reply to Re: Parnate and me, posted by emmanuel98 on October 12, 2009, at 20:18:45
i've just moved up to 40mg too. i didn't even have to badger my doc; he suggested it out of the blue, after having conducted some research in his spare time which showed the 30mg ceiling dose prescribed here might be inadequate.
i'm bathing in the euphoria :)
sleep is still a problem though :( i keep upping my Imovane dose, or alternately, lying awake all night. i really hope the insomnia goes away.
Posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 9:23:27
In reply to Re: Parnate and me, posted by g_g_g_unit on October 12, 2009, at 20:32:58
hi
when did you start with parnate and how do you divide up the 40mg?
thanks
Posted by g_g_g_unit on October 13, 2009, at 9:32:35
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » g_g_g_unit, posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 9:23:27
> hi
> when did you start with parnate and how do you divide up the 40mg?
> thanksI started five weeks ago, and worked my way up to 30mg.. I now take 20mg at breakfAst and 20mg at lunch. Tonight at 40mg my slleep is worse than ever. 15mg imovane is doing nothing. I wonder if it's the dose raise or 0.5 risperdal I took for the first time. My impression was it helps sleep
Posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 9:40:39
In reply to Re: Parnate and me, posted by g_g_g_unit on October 13, 2009, at 9:32:35
How did you tolerate the 20 together
i just took 20 at once and I feel like I am going to faint.....
Posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 9:44:54
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » g_g_g_unit, posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 9:23:27
Hi guys
Sunbath I am sooooo happy you are settling on the drugI need to ask you guys a question.
How are you dosing your drug?
when do you take it and how much at a time?
I just took 20 together (my pdoc told me to) and I feel like I am going to faint!Thanks for the help
D
Posted by g_g_g_unit on October 13, 2009, at 21:52:04
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » g_g_g_unit, posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 9:40:39
> How did you tolerate the 20 together
> i just took 20 at once and I feel like I am going to faint.....i don't know. everybody's different. i can take 20mg and then 20mg half an hour later and feel okay; my blood pressure's fine right now, unless i have a hot bath or something. try splitting your dose.
Posted by MAxime on October 13, 2009, at 22:10:07
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » g_g_g_unit, posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 9:40:39
Everyone IS different. When I was on 80 mg of Parnate I used to take it all at once in the morning. I tried splitting the dose but I would always forget to take the second dose. How high a dosage are you planning to go up to?
Posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 22:49:36
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » delna, posted by MAxime on October 13, 2009, at 22:10:07
How high a dosage are you planning to go up to?
The doctor hasn't told me anything but he said he has people on 80mg as well- depending on response. But he said it always has to be split even though I told him I was keen to take it all at night. Infact he is making me take one dose at 6pm and one at 8pm. I have no idea how dosing time is affecting me.....but I wake up alert and feeling fine but as the day progresses I get more sleepy and low and go back to being suicidal. Its odd.
Thanks for your reply!
TC
D
Posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 22:51:22
In reply to Re: Parnate and me, posted by g_g_g_unit on October 13, 2009, at 21:52:04
Thanks for the reply.
What are your dose timings?
Posted by g_g_g_unit on October 13, 2009, at 22:55:56
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » g_g_g_unit, posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 22:51:22
> Thanks for the reply.
> What are your dose timings?well i stay up late and sleep in, so i take the first when i wake up at 11am, and the next at around 1pm
Posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 23:08:10
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » delna, posted by g_g_g_unit on October 13, 2009, at 22:55:56
> > Thanks for the reply.
> > What are your dose timings?
>
> well i stay up late and sleep in, so i take the first when i wake up at 11am, and the next at around 1pmI take mine in the evening. in split doses. I don't get insomnia but I like to stay up late but I still wake up after around 5 hours. When I wake up I am really alert and feel fine but by the afternoon I feel tired and depressed again. I wonder if its the dosing time....I'm really confused.
Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on October 14, 2009, at 0:08:41
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » g_g_g_unit, posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 23:08:10
Hi Delna:
Seems like you're feeling better. That's great!!
I, myself, am totally confused about when to take my 70mg. Parnate. I started out morning and noon. I was so tired pdoc moved it to dinner, evening...I asked him if I could take it all at once and he didn't like the idea, said two doses, evening and bedtime. Well, I can't remember worth a darn to take it that way, so I end up taking it all at once at bedtime. I don't know if that is the best.
I was really tired no mattter what until pdoc put me on the Provigil. I wish I knew whether the Parnate makes me so tired now that I've been on it 6 months, but I'm not willing to forego the Provigil to find out!
So, I'm not much help at all!! I am totally confused myself!!
I'm anxious to see what you do and also others taking Parnate!
I do know that life is much better now!!
Hallellujah!Keep up the good work, Delna!
Hugs,
Gayle
Posted by delna on October 14, 2009, at 0:35:08
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » delna, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on October 14, 2009, at 0:08:41
> Hi Delna:
>
> Seems like you're feeling better. That's great!!
>
> I, myself, am totally confused about when to take my 70mg. Parnate. I started out morning and noon. I was so tired pdoc moved it to dinner, evening...I asked him if I could take it all at once and he didn't like the idea, said two doses, evening and bedtime. Well, I can't remember worth a darn to take it that way, so I end up taking it all at once at bedtime. I don't know if that is the best.
>
> I was really tired no mattter what until pdoc put me on the Provigil. I wish I knew whether the Parnate makes me so tired now that I've been on it 6 months, but I'm not willing to forego the Provigil to find out!
>
> So, I'm not much help at all!! I am totally confused myself!!
>
> I'm anxious to see what you do and also others taking Parnate!
>
> I do know that life is much better now!!
> Hallellujah!
>
> Keep up the good work, Delna!
>
> Hugs,
> GayleHi Gayle!
No actually I am not feeling better. Its really rocky and inconsistent- I feel ok in the mornings and by the afternoon I am zonked and also very depressed inspite of the 200mg provigil. Yesterday I became suicidal again. It's all all really weird. Usually with AD's the first thing to go are suicidal feelings. With Parnate you feel good one day and rotten the next. Very confusing- I was ready to give it up but now my last choice is Effexor (high dose) which I don't know will work. Last time I took it, it was minus a mood stabalizer so it worked because I switched into a manic high. I was like that for 8 months but I don't know if it will lift severe depression if I don't switch. (which I wont because of the Lamictal)About your dosing:
I guess if you can tolerate 70mg at once that must be okay. I think (really not sure) that perhaps they want to divide the dose so your blood pressure doesn't suddenly jump. If you are ok on it physically, maybe that is fine. Personally I took 20mg at once and nearly fainted- my head was reeling and my heart was beating in a weird way- not too fast though.If I figure out a good way to dose I will be sure to let you know. Maybe there is a way to avoid tiredness all together. Who knows.....
meanwhile take care
Love
D
Posted by ColoradoSnowflake on October 14, 2009, at 1:45:30
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by delna on October 14, 2009, at 0:35:08
Hi Delna:
I was talking to a friend tonight and she reminded me that I felt HORRIBLE for at least 3 months. Very very inconsistent just like you said. I was all over the place and most of it was bad. I was just determined to make it work. My pdoc made me promise I would give it at least 6 months, and I did. I'm so so glad I did. It was Parnate or ECT. I feel so good I can't believe I might have missed this!
Also, I had read several places that "Parnate ALWAYS works, if you work with it" meaning augmenting, etc. I really believe that now.
I remember now, I even had to give up my exercise classes which meant a lot to me. I NEVER had missed many....5 days a week. But I just couldn't go. I felt too bad, too sleepy, just stayed in bed much of the time. I didn't even feel like reading or watching videos or tv. Unbelievable. I just layed there, sometimes in bed and sometimes on the couch. I thought I would be the only person in the world that "failed" Parnate.
I still can't do my classes because I get dizzy and fall. It isn't my BP, it's my equilibrium. I really do think that will get better too. Just needs more time.It is still getting better for me! even though I feel better than I have for 15 years!
I hope you don't give up and miss the miracle.
Hang in there, girl!!
Hugs and love,
Gayle
Posted by g_g_g_unit on October 14, 2009, at 3:16:21
In reply to Re: Parnate and me, posted by ColoradoSnowflake on October 14, 2009, at 1:45:30
> Hi Delna:
>
> I was talking to a friend tonight and she reminded me that I felt HORRIBLE for at least 3 months. Very very inconsistent just like you said. I was all over the place and most of it was bad. I was just determined to make it work. My pdoc made me promise I would give it at least 6 months, and I did. I'm so so glad I did. It was Parnate or ECT. I feel so good I can't believe I might have missed this!
>
> Also, I had read several places that "Parnate ALWAYS works, if you work with it" meaning augmenting, etc. I really believe that now.
>
> I remember now, I even had to give up my exercise classes which meant a lot to me. I NEVER had missed many....5 days a week. But I just couldn't go. I felt too bad, too sleepy, just stayed in bed much of the time. I didn't even feel like reading or watching videos or tv. Unbelievable. I just layed there, sometimes in bed and sometimes on the couch. I thought I would be the only person in the world that "failed" Parnate.
> I still can't do my classes because I get dizzy and fall. It isn't my BP, it's my equilibrium. I really do think that will get better too. Just needs more time.
>
> It is still getting better for me! even though I feel better than I have for 15 years!
>
> I hope you don't give up and miss the miracle.
>
> Hang in there, girl!!
>
> Hugs and love,
> Gaylei know what you mean. for some reason, parnate just makes me want to lie around all day. unfortunately, i'm also getting the worst agitation/anger episodes. did you ever experience anything like that?
Posted by Sunbath on October 14, 2009, at 6:27:30
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by g_g_g_unit on October 14, 2009, at 3:16:21
Thank you all!!!
I'm really glad that I'm too in the Parnate club now :)
BTW: the inital "high" like feeling I got is nearly gone now.. I really hope that's not a sign of poop out..
@delna: I'm very sorry that you are still not better :( But maybe your extreme tiredness during the day is from not sleeping enough?5 hours are normally far too little!I also wake up alerted and somewhat ready when I wake up too soon with Parnate, but it's not good and I then don't feel good during the day!
What are u taking to help with sleep?
My timings are: 2x10mg when I wake up (usually 7am-10am) and 2x10mg at ~1pm..
Also: the EXTREME sleepiness I had during the first 7- 10days on Parnate went away from one day to the other, now I only have this late afternoon fatigue which feels a bit different and isn't so severe!
BUT before that I was "forced" to try taking Parnate at night because I thought that would eliminate the tiredness during the day.. I was wrong though.. maybe it got a little bit better, but not much.. but as a result I slept much worse.. so I then I again took it during the day which is MUCH better for me!
Maybe you should give it a try, then maybe you would sleep a little bit longer and have more energy during the day! I cannot IMAGINE how I'd feel if I was only sleeping 5hrs a night!
I really really hope you are getting better!!!!
Good luck!!!To the issue regarding stimulants.. yes maybe the tiredness would improve with time and after reading a bit I'm not so excited about Ritalin anymore..
I totally forgot about Olmifon, Adrafinil though!!
This is really cheap.. what do you think about that as it's mainly Modafinil with some delayed onset..
Posted by MAxime on October 14, 2009, at 14:21:27
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » MAxime, posted by delna on October 13, 2009, at 22:49:36
Hi D.
I imagine that my end dose will be between 80 - 100 mg since that is what worked last time. I will see if I can get by on 60 mg, but somehow I doubt that will be enough. I metabolize meds ultra fast.
Posted by MAxime on October 14, 2009, at 14:25:33
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » ColoradoSnowflake, posted by g_g_g_unit on October 14, 2009, at 3:16:21
I am having a lot of trouble getting out of bed. I am not sleeping, but just laying there staring at the walls. All I want to do is hide in bed. I don't know if it's my depression or the Parnate. I hope it's the depression.
Posted by delna on October 14, 2009, at 15:53:34
In reply to Re: Parnate and me » g_g_g_unit, posted by MAxime on October 14, 2009, at 14:25:33
I'm so frustrated with this drug
I know it has been 15 days but I have yet to come across a drug that takes so long to get rid of suicidal feelings.
Am up to 30mg but when I take 20mg together (at night) like my pdoc said I get hypotension and feel like I am going to have a black out. I sleep/pass out for a few hours. Plus I am sleepy all day despite the provigil 200mg. I am such a basically sleepy person and this drug is having no stimulant/lifting effect on me. I am thinking of stopping cold turkey since my dose has been 30mg for only 2 days. Then I think I will go on Effexor (high dose) with wellbutrin and provigil.
I know people here are swearing by this pill but I don't understand how people have put up with such rocky, inconsistent and terrible days. This pill is just making me give up hope :( I wish I was equally strong willed as everyone else who has waited it out- I don't think I can make it.
Maybe I am being impatient but this is making me more suicidal- the tiredness makes me depressed in its own right and because i cannot augment with ridiculously high does of provigil and wellbutrin i am pretty stuck.
Very confused
My parents and doctor dont feel I am giving it a fair trial but I feel worse than when I started (physically) and am still suicidal (although not so actively- but I am getting there)
Just so confused......and sad :(
Love to all
Thanks for all your positive, kind words
D
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