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Finally moving onto my new treatment plan...

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    Finally moving onto my new treatment plan...

    The pdoc finally said I could start getting off my meds in preparation to going on parnate. I started reducing my effexor today and she's given me a schedule to be off it in 15 days. She said if I get too many problems with withdrawal to call her and we'll use a slower schedule. Once I'm off that, it'll take a week to get off the latuda and then 2 weeks for a wash out period and then start the new drug.
    I'm really hoping something good comes out of all this. I feel stuck and frustrated and unhappy all the time so being able to at least start the reduction was an uplift.
    Anyone tried parnate in the past or another MAOI? I'm a little concerned about the diet and any advice would be appreciated.
    Thanks.

    #2
    I was on Parnate a very long time ago. It did help my mood but it dropped my blood pressure and I had to come off it. I don't remember finding the diet too restrictive.
    AJ

    Humans punish themselves endlessly
    for not being what they believe they should be.
    -Don Miguel Ruiz-

    Comment


      #3
      I read a Canadian book some time ago called "Afraid of the Day" by Nancy Graham which outlines her struggle watching her mother struggle with depression and then herself fighting her own demons. Parnate was finally the med that worked for her mom after years and years of trying other drugs, being institutionalized, etc.

      I'm so happy that some hopeful news are on the horizon for you. I am on Effexor XR right now and I really must get over the fact that the dosage needs to increase as I've reached the "poop out" effect or whatever they call it and it's really not doing much for me now.

      Regards,
      Christina

      Comment


        #4
        Hello Imsosad. Parnate, like every other antidepressant, made me go manic so it wasn't a good fit. I didn't find the diet too bad, although I did miss my blue cheeses and cured meats(peperoni sticks included). You can't eat pretty much any aged food product or anything that is fermented and I think anything really yeasty. Old wines and draught beer are also off the list.

        I can't remember, but I think that you have to watch your blood pressure and I know it reacts badly with a lot of prescription meds and over the counter meds. I know that it can react badly with anything containing stimulants like ephedrine, which is common in one form or another in allergy meds. Always make sure that you ask your pharmacist if something is ok to take with parnate. Good Luck with it. Take Care. paul m
        "Alone we can do so little;
        Together we can do so much"
        Helen Keller

        Comment


          #5
          Yes you have to watch your blood pressure on Parnate. It can go up. Oddly enough some people get low blood pressure although it is not common. Like you Paul I did go hypomanic and I'm sure I would have become manic if I hadn't come off it.
          AJ

          Humans punish themselves endlessly
          for not being what they believe they should be.
          -Don Miguel Ruiz-

          Comment


            #6
            On step 2 of the reduction, today is the first day that I am not feeling stable. Like I could cry or laugh at the drop of a hat, just feel out of sorts and odd.
            I have been reading about the blood pressure problems and my pdoc printed me out the diet restrictions and advised me to get a medic alert bracelet. My GP checked my blood pressure again and it was fine. She's wondering if the nerve block in the neck affected my blood pressure. She also sent me for a carotid doppler today. I feel like everything is going into the toilet lately, could be the mood and the med reduction at work, could just be a natural reaction to the possibility of more bad health news. I'm questioning everything!
            Thanks for the support and the advice. I'll keep you all updated.

            Comment


              #7
              Sounds like you've got a lot going on all at once, Imsosad, and that the situation is being monitored. One thing to remember is that it's common to feel unstable during med changes. Taking it a day at a time and not predicting the outcome can be hard to do, but worth it if you can get into that frame of mind.

              As for MAOI's, I was on Nardil (very similar to Parnate) for several years. It was the first thing that actually helped my depression. It worked better for me than anything I've taken since. I'm not prone to blood pressure issues, so although mine was somewhat lower than usual on Nardil it remained within normal range. A lot of people have trouble with the dietary restrictions but I really didn't. I avoided whatever was necessary as far as food, and after a while I had little desire for cheese, wine, chocolate, whatever. I was allowed a minor amount of them occasionally once my pdoc saw how I was getting along. Avoiding pickled herring didn't hurt my feelings anyway

              I was taken off Nardil a couple of times once I stabilized well for a while, but eventually the depression would return and at some point my pdoc thought a newer med without any dietary restrictions would be better and safer. In the long run I don't know if it was, but bear in mind this is only my own experience talking here.

              I hope things are progressing ok for you so far.
              uni

              ~ it's always worth it ~

              Comment


                #8
                Hello Imsosad. I'm sure that this is an uncertain time for you. I always found those times of uncertainey and change unsettling at the least and usually down right scary. I wish you the best of luck getting through all of this. Take Care. paul m
                "Alone we can do so little;
                Together we can do so much"
                Helen Keller

                Comment


                  #9
                  I started the Parnate yesterday. So far, a bit headachey and yesterday my stomach was very upset, also found that this afternoon I was so tired I just had to lay down on the couch and nap. The stomach is better today but still have the headache. Hopefully these are the worst side effects and I can ride them out for a couple of weeks till they go away, fingers crossed.
                  As for the diet, I am finding so much conflicting information. Some people say you can eat pizza, some say absolutely not. Tomatoes are on some lists, not on others. And does that mean my days of ketchup are over? If any of you that were on it could give me some advice, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Hello Imsosad. I was on Nardil (an MAOI) for many years, in fact it worked better than any other antidepressant for me. However, newer ones without dietary restrictions came along and I went on them instead.

                    My experience with the foods to avoid was this: my doctor printed me out a list of foods to avoid, and foods to eat sparingly. I went according to that. After I'd been on the meds for a while I would ask him whether certain things would be okay to try, and he would give me his opinion.

                    Of course, that was long before the internet put all sorts of information (good, bad, and mediocre) out there. If I were being prescribed an MAOI today, I'd be checking a few reliable and legitimate medical sites, then printing out the info I was interested in, and taking it to my pdoc for his/her opinion. In the meantime, I'd err on the side of caution and cut out any "maybe" foods until I could talk to the pdoc. It also wouldn't hurt to ask him/her how much experience they've had in treating people with MAOI's, considering they are not prescribed all that often. I'd also mention anything that particularly concerned me, eg. "Can I ever eat pizza? What about ketchup?"

                    In my own case I was relieved to find out that I really didn't miss most of the off-limits foods after a while. As a matter of fact, I found myself eating healthier and actually enjoyed it. More difficult was "training" those around me not to make/offer me off-limits foods due to a lack of knowledge on their part. They got used to it though.

                    I hope your initial side effects go away shortly. I don't know about the upset stomach and tiredness, but if the "a bit headachy " doesn't subside soon or gets worse you may be wise to have it checked out.

                    Hopefully Parnate turns out to be the ticket for you; my fingers are crossed here too
                    uni

                    ~ it's always worth it ~

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