Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on August 26, 2009, at 18:24:18
I've been on Parnate for 2 weeks, and I already notice some (mild) antidepressant effects. I went from 10mg, adding 10mg every 3-4 days, up to 40mg and have been on 40mg for about a week now.
The antidepressant effects, although mild, were almost immediate. I didn't have to wait 3 weeks. I definitely feel that I ruminate a lot less, I'm not beating myself up over everything to the point of paralysis, and I feel more clear minded. I can communicate my ideas better and my self-esteem, while still low, has definitely improved. So has my confidence. And my chronic feelings of guilt and shamed have somewhat diminished.
I saw my pdoc today and he told me to stay on 40mgs for a few more weeks because I hadn't reached Parnate's "full effect" yet. I thought we were going to go up to 60mgs or more, because even though my depression is somewhat improved, my social anxiety hasn't been touched.
However, I'm somewhat skeptical that there will be any further effects if I stay on 40mgs longer. From previous experience, the initial antidepressant effect I feel will be all I will ever reach on any specific antidepressant. It has never gone in phases, e.g., from feeling ok, to feeling good, to feeling great. It's usually a one shot deal. So I'm doubtful that staying on 40mgs longer will make a big difference in a few weeks.
Does anyone have experience on this? Will 40mgs of Parnate will be different in 3-4 weeks, even if I already feel antidepressant effects? What about going up to 60mgs or more? Will that make a significant difference? I remember feeling the exact same way on both doses of Celexa: 40mgs & 80mgs, and both doses of Nardil: 60mgs & 90mgs, nothing really changed with the higher doses in terms of antidepressant effects, the only thing that happened was the side effects got worse, so I'm assuming this is pretty much all I'm getting from Parnate based on what happened with previous/similar meds.
I still have the hope that Parnate might do something for my social anxiety, but experience tells me this might not be the case.
If anyone has any insight into this, any comments and info would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
poster:Girlnterrupted78
thread:914258
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090826/msgs/914258.html