[nycgurl]

I am too depressed to write much, but wanted to know if anyone has heard of this, what alternatives are there, and have they been successful.

Also, has anyone ever taken MAOI meds? What has been your experience.

Hope all is well.

Best,
J

[Yoda]

I have been taking a MAOI (selegiline) in combination with clozapine for three years now and my mood is finally stable.

[lastyearisblank]

I took an MAOI for a bit, not long ago. It basically functioned like taking a little bit of amphetamines every day. It would give me more energy for several hours after taking it. However, there was a side effect: very very high heart rate (~120 resting). This is because the drug I went on, Parnate, is chemically similar to amphetamines. My blood pressure and heart rate are normally both very low so this was definitely biological. I think there are other MAOIs that are not so intense, but I chose this one because it is supposedly easier on one's liver than the other choices.

Final verdict: I would try it if you are desperate and have tried everything else. It didn't solve my issues but it did give me the energy boost to try. As for the side effects, no harm no foul- they go away if you stop taking the drug.

Good luck and hope things improve for you soon!

[honeybee131275]

Hi nycgurl,

Definitely heard of this, and am currently on Parnate which is one of the two MAOIs available in Australia for depression. MAOIs are very well known for helping many patients who have tried and failed on multiple other meds. They are also often good for "atypical depression" which is my problem -(overeating, oversleeping, rejection sensitivity, being able to feel good for a while, yet mostly depressed & often extremely so etc). Parnate would be best for this type of depression as it is generally more activating. And a lot of people find Nardil, (the other MAOI here is Aus), really good for Social Anxiety Disorder. I notice your quote that you were "terribly terribly anxious", and if this is common for you, then suss out Nardil. It is more calming. It does have possible weigh gain issues tho, unlike parnate. On MAOIs, there are dietary restrictions that you have to adhere to because not doing so can potentially cause a hypertensive crisis. I don't find it difficult to adhere to, now and then it's a bugger when eating out though. There are also other medications you can't take in combo with MAOIs including some cold/flu meds, surgery meds etc so always check). You're pdoc will be able to tell you more about these meds and what alternatives there are, it's kind of endless really.

My experience so far, I've had some benefits from this med that no other med has ever given me, but I am still trying to find my right dose, cos if it's too low, the benefits disappear. It can have almost instant effects, (the ones that disappear), but as I am learning, the long term effects dont come for much longer and you have to be patient in between which is, as you would know, extremely difficult. Side effects have been really hard too, (but thank goodness, they also mostly disappear with time) but I believe in this med, so I'm sticking with it. I have had postural hypotension (dizzy/feel like blacking out when you get up suddenly), severe afternoon fatigue, and insomnia which I have had to add another med to help. One day, I am going to make it to my right dose (have to do it slowly cos of the side effects) and I think I'll be so much better off.

Hope this helps, of course, everyone's different and the only person who can work with you on your decision whether or not to go down this path is your pdoc. If you want more info about peoples experiences or the diet, etc google parnate or nardil or social anxiety or "updated maoi diet restricted food list" or maoi reviews.

Good luck

[Anneinside]

I started on Emsam patch about 3 weeks ago. I stopped my SNRI very quickly (2 days on 60mg, 2 days on 30mg then stopped) and had some effects from that but I haven't noticed anything with the Emsam. I can't say that I have noticed any changes either because I am also having ECT and usually respond well to it. As we increase the time between treatments I'll find out if the Emsam is effective.... hard to tell the difference - is the ECT improving my mood or is it Emsam?

I am on 9mg of Emsam so I have to follow the diet restrictions -- missing the oriental buffet!

[allme]

I dont know anything about it but just wanted to send well wishes and Hope you are feeling better soon!

[SunAngel]

SSRI's and SNRI's don't kick in on me anymore, so if I were to go on an MAOI, I would have to stop taking Concerta, my ADD medication, because it would shoot my blood pressure sky-high.

If you are really suffering from depression and nothing else seems to be working, I would have to say give it a try. It just may get you out of your depression.

You will never know if you don't try.

[Snell]

Originally Posted by allme

I dont know anything about it but just wanted to send well wishes and Hope you are feeling better soon!

That's really nice. Thank you.

[Speed3]

I took them. They did not help me and the diet is hard.

My pdoc tried me on the Ensam patch a few years ago. Unfortunately, it would cause my blood pressure to drop drastically and I kept passing out. Obviously didn't stay on it very long. Ensam doesn't require quite the drastic dietary restrictions as the other MAOI's, but it does require some.

[Nobodyandnothing]

I have never heard the term treatment refractory depression. Is it the same as treatment resistant depression?

I was on Parnate a few years back. Cant remember the dose but I had some pretty scary side effects not long after starting it. Much of it is a blur but I do remember being extremely dizzy, to the point of blacking out at work multiple times. Also at night I felt as if I couldnt breathe, like there was something stuck in my throat, I would spend nights in the toilet trying to throw it up. Now looking back I think my throat was closing, as breathing was difficult too but at the time I just thought I had to throw up. Ugh even thinking back to that time is making me anxious, I was very very very sick. The diet was a pain too, I ended up living on coco pops cos it was too hard for my parents (who were caring for me at the time) to find foods I could eat.