Here is a litle history. December 2002 I started Nardil (Phenelzine). 6 weeks on this and it took effect. Brilliant for depression and phobic anxiety. My OCD needed a bit more help but. I decided to try Clomipramine (after 10 day washout from Nardil)...big mistake. It caused a severe (vegetative) depression within 4 days. Normally I would have stuck it out but I was at uni so, after 2 days, I restarted Nardil. Then ensued a moderate serotonin syndrome. Never ever will I do anything like that again.

Once I restarted Nardil, within a week, I was euphoric. But this waned. After about another 3 weeks of feeling OK, it kicked in again (at 90mg by now). This only lasted 5 or so days then I felt average again.

With 90mg Nardil I started 2.5mg (raising to 7.5mg) Olanzapine nocte. Within 4 days of this regime...Bang! Brilliant effects! But again this waned. But it did last 25 days or so. Then not only did it stop, but I started to feel incredibly depressed. I attributed this to Olanzapine working against Nardil (even though at such a low dose it is ment to act like an 5-HT and DA agonist). Stopping the Zyprexa didn't help. I felt worse and worse. I upped the dose to 120mg at one point. No help. Eventually relief was found by DROPPING the dose. I stayed low for a while and, reasoning that Olanzapine actually probably helped before, restarted it at 2.5. After 2 weeks or so, depression returned- I instantly lowered my dose of Nardil but kept Olanzapine (it's great for one subset of OCD I have). I decided to make a clean break, and start Parnate.

I believe the big mistake was to stop Nardil in favour of Clomipramine. After all, Nardil was brilliant until I did the switch and then the problems ensued.

However, and this is my question (s), do you believe the Zyprexa caused the depression? If so, I want to get off it, cause theoretically it will stop the Parnate from working.

Would the Zyprexa, even at 2.5, would negate the Parnate therapeutic action? I've only ever heard of great responses from MAOI + atypical. (granted the atypical is kept low dose)

I've been on Parnate 5 days now. (now at 30mg ) It has already helped phobic anxiety a lot, but hasn't touched the depression. In fact, yesterday I was very depressed (caused by Parnate?). Today I am less depressed but feel very flat, moreso than before I started the Parnate. How long before it would kick in do you think?

I thank you so much for any answers you can give me and try to make sense of my situation.

Ace.