Posted by Charles Darwood on January 14, 2010, at 0:04:02
In reply to Re: Experiencing Sedation with Parnate, posted by inanimate peanut on January 13, 2010, at 15:46:54
Yes, I've tried both tyrosine and phenylalanine supplements (500mg) to prevent sedation on Parnate; neither seems to have an appreciable pharmacological effect (either positive or negative).
I also take lithium, (600mg) so that *might* account for some of the sedation, although I never experienced any sedation when I was on lithium monotherapy (1200mg) or even when I was taking lithium, carbamazepine, (400mg) and alprazolam (6mg). Parnate has been wonderful for bipolar depression and allowed me to taper off the benzodiazepines (except for episodic panic attacks); my only complaint is the sedation it causes, though the upside to this is that it has helped my insomnia--which seems to be a fortuitously paradoxical reaction.
One possible explanation for this response--and this is just my hypothesis--is that the sedation is caused by the short-half life of parnate and that it's the "comedown" from the drug that accounts for its soporific effect. I suspect norepinephrine is the culprit here. If I'm right, then I might benefit from a higher dosage of Parnate. I'm taking 30mg a day now. When I see my psychiatrist in February, I hope he'll be receptive to my desire to titrate to 60mg so I can test this hypothesis. I'm a very energetic, high-metabolism person, so this phenomenon is quite puzzling to me.
How is Parnate working for you?
poster:Charles Darwood
thread:933452
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100113/msgs/933557.html