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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 teddi52 on October 2, 2006, at 17:09:49
I have been on EMSAM for 4 weeks now. 1 week at the 12 mg does (two patches a day). On the 6 mg dose I had stiff and sore neck, but thought I might be able to tolerate it. After uping the dosage, the pain became unbearable. I have cervical dystonia (a movement disorder which includes pain, but was controlled with botox injections). I have now gone of the EMSAM because of the pain. I did notice a little improvement in my social phobia, but not much in depression. My question is this: since EMSAM increases dopamine does anyone know if this is what caused my neck pain. I was on mirapex in the past and the same thing happened. Mirapex also increases dopamine. I asked my neuro but he said the dopamine would not be causing the pain. I had such high hopes for this medicine as I have Bipolar II with bad depression. If anyone has any helpful information I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Posted by crazy777girl on October 5, 2006, at 23:50:29
In reply to EMSAM and painful neck, posted by teddi52 on October 2, 2006, at 17:09:49
Greetings, I am also Bipolar, major depressive, treatment resistant. I discontinued EMSAM specifically due to neck pain & swelling.
I had a posting up months ago when I first started treatment, asking this same question. At the time, I guess I was one of the 1st users, no one but me had experienced this side effect, so it was not initially connected with the patch.
My doc could actually feel the lump, I had an x-ray, and an ultrasound, but they showed nothing & it promptly went away when I decided to remove the patch.
I started the patch again later, next pdoc appt -at an even higher dose. Everyone agreed it was unrelated. The neck pain returned almost immediately - I made the connection, and never put another patch on again.
Hope that helps. It's a new drug. Not all side effects are going to be evident in the trials. Best wishes.
A.
> I have been on EMSAM for 4 weeks now. 1 week at the 12 mg does (two patches a day). On the 6 mg dose I had stiff and sore neck, but thought I might be able to tolerate it. After uping the dosage, the pain became unbearable. I have cervical dystonia (a movement disorder which includes pain, but was controlled with botox injections). I have now gone of the EMSAM because of the pain. I did notice a little improvement in my social phobia, but not much in depression. My question is this: since EMSAM increases dopamine does anyone know if this is what caused my neck pain. I was on mirapex in the past and the same thing happened. Mirapex also increases dopamine. I asked my neuro but he said the dopamine would not be causing the pain. I had such high hopes for this medicine as I have Bipolar II with bad depression. If anyone has any helpful information I would appreciate it. Thanks.
Posted by teddi52 on October 6, 2006, at 4:55:23
In reply to Re: EMSAM and painful neck » teddi52, posted by crazy777girl on October 5, 2006, at 23:50:29
Thank you for sharing your experience.
I think it is quite responsible for your doctor to run tests. I'm glad nothing was found, but sorry you also had to stop the EMSAM. My doctor did nothing as usual.
Can you tell me if you have found any medicine since, which has helped you with your depression? I would appreciate that, and I know we all respond differently to medications but every little bit helps.
I just stopped the EMSAM I think about 4 days ago and have to wait two weeks, from stopping, to start another medication. The sore neck is slowly going away. But it definitely is.
Hope you found something that worked.
Thanks for answering, Teddi
Posted by crazy777girl on October 6, 2006, at 20:55:56
In reply to Re: EMSAM and painful neck, posted by teddi52 on October 6, 2006, at 4:55:23
Teddi,
No, I'm sorry to say that most everything has worked either not at all, or for a limited time only.I am on a wait list for a VNS implant, and am entering an inpatient mood disorder clinic at Johns Hopkins in the near future.
The hope is that there may be something there, something I haven't already tried, that could help get me back on track.
In assembling my own 'record' for the hospitilization last nite, I added 19 psych meds up, in my failure list.
I know things could be worse, but I can be functioning better, also, and look for more with the experience these docs are supposed to have.
I have a lot of respect for my pdoc, and trust that if this is the next move according to him - I should give it a try.
The only thing I am not open to, no matter what, under any circumstances, is ECT.
They will be offering that to me there, as my pdoc has, but I won't be going down that road.
The VNS implant will be the last stop for me, after the hospitilization, if I'm not able to accomplish anything there that I couldn't do here at home.
I hope your treatment comes along better, and that you'll keep trying, as well.
Cheers,
A.> Thank you for sharing your experience.
>
> I think it is quite responsible for your doctor to run tests. I'm glad nothing was found, but sorry you also had to stop the EMSAM. My doctor did nothing as usual.
>
> Can you tell me if you have found any medicine since, which has helped you with your depression? I would appreciate that, and I know we all respond differently to medications but every little bit helps.
>
> I just stopped the EMSAM I think about 4 days ago and have to wait two weeks, from stopping, to start another medication. The sore neck is slowly going away. But it definitely is.
>
> Hope you found something that worked.
>
> Thanks for answering, Teddi
This is the end of the thread.
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