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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by anita on September 18, 2000, at 8:44:03
Hi Scott,
I was reading thru some past posts and I saw that in one you mentioned that when you took stimulants/dopamine enhancers, you'd feel an energizing, positive effect, and then drowsiness and irritability. I have tried numerous stimulating meds (Ritalin, amisulpride, reboxetine, etc.) and have similar problems. With shorter-acting meds like Ritalin, I experience an almost dramatic relief from apathy, depression, and social phobia, but then I crash soon after (tiredness, irritability, feeling generally sick), and no matter how often I take the med, I still cycle like this. With the longer-acting meds, I have the same improvement for a few weeks, then I experience a "permanent" crash feeling that only abates if I stop the med.
So...the point of all this is that I'd like to know if you found any med that does not eventually cause these crash-like symptoms for you. It would really help me if you could reply with your experiences -- I am just so frustrated that dopamine enhancers basically "cure" my problems but then eventually make me feel worse.
thank you,
anita
neetie@erols.com
Posted by SLS on September 23, 2000, at 20:34:00
In reply to To SLS (Scott), posted by anita on September 18, 2000, at 8:44:03
> Hi Scott,
>
> I was reading thru some past posts and I saw that in one you mentioned that when you took stimulants/dopamine enhancers, you'd feel an energizing, positive effect, and then drowsiness and irritability. I have tried numerous stimulating meds (Ritalin, amisulpride, reboxetine, etc.) and have similar problems. With shorter-acting meds like Ritalin, I experience an almost dramatic relief from apathy, depression, and social phobia, but then I crash soon after (tiredness, irritability, feeling generally sick), and no matter how often I take the med, I still cycle like this. With the longer-acting meds, I have the same improvement for a few weeks, then I experience a "permanent" crash feeling that only abates if I stop the med.
>
> So...the point of all this is that I'd like to know if you found any med that does not eventually cause these crash-like symptoms for you. It would really help me if you could reply with your experiences -- I am just so frustrated that dopamine enhancers basically "cure" my problems but then eventually make me feel worse.
Hi Anita.Since you mentioned social-phobia, the first thing that popped into my head was that combining Nardil (an MAO-inhibitor) with a stimulant like Ritalin, Dexedrine, or Adderal might be worth a try. Of the MAOIs, Parnate is considered the most stimulating and is often chosen for anergic (low-energy) depressions. Although I am partially responsive to both, I prefer the way I feel on Nardil. I am taking Parnate right now because it is easier to work with in combination with other drugs, especially at high dosages. Dosages of Parnate between 100-200mg per day are sometimes used in treatment-resistant cases. If you have not yet explored MAOIs, I would encourage you to do so.
How do you respond to Wellbutrin and Effexor?
- Scott
Posted by anita on September 25, 2000, at 5:24:51
In reply to Re: To SLS (Scott) » anita, posted by SLS on September 23, 2000, at 20:34:00
Scott,
Thanks for the input. Nardil was the only med that truly worked for me, but it lost it's effectiveness after about a year and the side effects were getting serious. I tried Nardil with Ritalin, then Wellbutrin, to no positive effect. Lamictal, when added to Nardil helped with mood swings. I also tried Parnate, but it didn't work at all and eventually at 90mg I got toxic.
Effexor, at high doses did not do anything. Wellbutrin consistently makes me irritable, as does reboxetine.
I just started adding amantadine to my Zoloft and Lamictal, to see if that will help my apathy
So Parnate is working out well for you?anita
>
> Hi Anita.
>
> Since you mentioned social-phobia, the first thing that popped into my head was that combining Nardil (an MAO-inhibitor) with a stimulant like Ritalin, Dexedrine, or Adderal might be worth a try. Of the MAOIs, Parnate is considered the most stimulating and is often chosen for anergic (low-energy) depressions. Although I am partially responsive to both, I prefer the way I feel on Nardil. I am taking Parnate right now because it is easier to work with in combination with other drugs, especially at high dosages. Dosages of Parnate between 100-200mg per day are sometimes used in treatment-resistant cases. If you have not yet explored MAOIs, I would encourage you to do so.
>
> How do you respond to Wellbutrin and Effexor?
>
>
> - Scott
Posted by SLS on September 25, 2000, at 20:47:42
In reply to Re: To SLS (Scott) » SLS, posted by anita on September 25, 2000, at 5:24:51
> Scott,
>
> Thanks for the input. Nardil was the only med that truly worked for me, but it lost it's effectiveness after about a year and the side effects were getting serious. I tried Nardil with Ritalin, then Wellbutrin, to no positive effect. Lamictal, when added to Nardil helped with mood swings. I also tried Parnate, but it didn't work at all and eventually at 90mg I got toxic.
> Effexor, at high doses did not do anything. Wellbutrin consistently makes me irritable, as does reboxetine.
> I just started adding amantadine to my Zoloft and Lamictal, to see if that will help my apathy
> So Parnate is working out well for you?
>
> anita
Dear Anita,Unfortunately, the combination of Parnate and desipramine only serves to keep me off the bottom. Although I can function better because of an increase in mental energy and cognition, it produces no true antidepressant effect. I did experience a "blip" of a true antidepressant effect the fifth and sixth days after starting the combination. GOD, the world was so different for awhile. I was so different. Words are difficult to find to adequately describe this difference. It is cosmic. It's like when Dorothy first opens the door from her black-and-white world into the technicolor fantasia that is Oz. Unfortunately, I always seem to wake up in the same old black-and-white bed surrounded by gray walls and trying to avoid tornados.
Interestingly, I also had negative reactions to both Wellbutrin and reboxetine. I look forward to hearing how you do with amantadine. You and I sound very similar. I promise I'll post when I find a key to the real door.
I'll be thinking of you.
- Scott
P.S. Did you experience an early "blip" improvement with Effexor? I did - within the first hour. I also experienced a blip upon dosage increases.One more thing... Aside from MAOIs, Anafranil (chlomipramine) is probably the most effective antidepressant in the world. I tried it many years ago. It was without effect, positive or negative. Unfortunately, it is a very dirty drug. Its side effects are a cross between the other tricyclics and SSRIs.
One more one more thing... Effexor + Remeron is supposed to be a potent combination in treatment-resistant cases.
See ya'
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