Have you asked about Emsam? It's an MAOI and it's a patch which makes it less restrictive than the older MAOIs b/c it doesn't put the med through the GI system. At the lowest dose there are no restrictions at all. The higher 2 doses do have restrictions but my dr lets me be pretty relaxed at the middle dose b/c the developer of the drug told her the restrictions are only in place b/c the FDA was afraid to not have them. The highest dose I am on the restrictions. But I've been on it 6 years and have rarely needed the highest dose (just now and one other time that was brief).

I do know that a lot of pdocs (and many drs in other specialties) don't know much about MAOIs and avoid them. They just aren't used much. When I was IP I was going to be changed to Nardil until I found out how much it cost and the dr had to check the pharmacy to see which MAOIs they even had. I always provide my own Emsam because they don't stock it. And I am at a huge research hospital. I am very fortunate to have a pdoc who is comfortable with Emsam and has several patients on it.

Can you go to a big teaching hospital? I think it is more likely that you'd find a pdoc comfortable with MAOIs there. I don't know how you'd know without making appts. unfortunately but big hospitals seem to be my best solution for many things.

The MAOI has made a big difference in my life. It doesn't seem to be doing much now and I have a feeling I'm going to have to make a big change soon I don't want to think about soon but for 6 years it has been a wonder drug. (And I think it is my Seroquel not working well that is the problem, not the Emsam, now. I think the Seroquel just isn't doing its' share of the work).

I hope you find someone to let you try this.