rowan77 Posted October 19, 2010 Share Posted October 19, 2010 (edited) So I started taking this medication on 29th September, and am feeling quite good! I was on 25mg for 2 weeks and wasn't responding and my pdoc put me on 50mg only 4 days ago and i feel quite well. I just find it a bit strange that i should respond so quickly after 4 days on 50mg, maybe the 25mg was beginning to work for me?? Who knows? I am on overnight release from the psychiatric unit, a nightmare 8 weeks, mania, mixed states, some stability, mixed state, then dipped into depression, but i'm getting there. So I go back in the morning anf if my my mood remains reasonably ok for the remainder of the wekk I will be released into the care of the home based treatment team, where a nurse will call out with medication, for a chat and to observe how i am!! I'm really hoping it will work out! Anyone's experiences on Valdoxan. I've had no side effects and it is now working well for me Edited October 19, 2010 by rowntree77 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanderk Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 It's not an SNRI, but rather a melatonergic agent. Not yet available in the US, but has been making the rounds in the UK and Scandanavia for the past year or so. Some really encouraging reports about it, at least in so far as rapid onset of therapeutic effect, help with sleep and its' anxiolytic properties. I believe it's currently in clinical trials here in the US and it may get a kind of fast-track treatment. I haven't seen any head-to-head studies regarding efficacy yet. And like all psych meds, YMMV. And widely at that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurochs Posted October 20, 2010 Share Posted October 20, 2010 This study found that agomelatine had greater efficacy than fluoxetine. I'm not sure how to interpret a 1.49 point gain on HAM-D, and the study lacked a placebo arm, but I would venture to say that agomelatine is at least as effective as fluoxetine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted October 22, 2010 Author Share Posted October 22, 2010 I live in Ireland and was talking to my my psychiatrist today who told me he was at a conference and was very impressed with the studies and benefits etc. I'm living proof. I have never responded so quicjkly and well to an anti-depressant. I think it's only out since October 2009 so still very new. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurochs Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 (edited) I live in Ireland and was talking to my my psychiatrist today who told me he was at a conference Conference? Oh dear. Those conferences are not exactly unbiased scientific exchanges. They're funded by pharmaceutical companies and serve mainly as marketing venues for some drug or other. The studies don't demonstrate that agomelatine is any more effective than an SSRI. There is a difference in mechanism, which may make it effective in people who don't respond to SSRIs, but overall you're just as likely to respond either one if it's your first antidepressant. Of note: it's possible (and apparently fairly easy) to overdose and commit suicide with agomelatine. The overdose risk of TCAs was a big selling point for SSRIs when they first came out. Also of note: There is a slight risk of liver toxicity with agomelatine, and the EMEA advises (requires?) monitoring of liver function during treatment. Edited October 23, 2010 by Aurochs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted October 23, 2010 Author Share Posted October 23, 2010 I live in Ireland and was talking to my my psychiatrist today who told me he was at a conference Conference? Oh dear. Those conferences are not exactly unbiased scientific exchanges. They're funded by pharmaceutical companies and serve mainly as marketing venues for some drug or other. The studies don't demonstrate that agomelatine is any more effective than an SSRI. There is a difference in mechanism, which may make it effective in people who don't respond to SSRIs, but overall you're just as likely to respond either one if it's your first antidepressant. Of note: it's possible (and apparently fairly easy) to overdose and commit suicide with agomelatine. The overdose risk of TCAs was a big selling point for SSRIs when they first came out. Also of note: There is a slight risk of liver toxicity with agomelatine, and the EMEA advises (requires?) monitoring of liver function during treatment. yes, i'm aware about the liver toxicity and had tests before treatment began and as an extreme precaution had furher tests after being on the 50mg for a while and will continue to have liver function tests every 6 weeks and then furter down the line every 12 weeks. The conference he was at was about treatment resistant depression, not valdoxan specific, so the drug company wasn't even there. he had also done his own research and decided it was best for me BEFORE he even attended the conference. He's a good psychiatrist and i trust his judgements. This is not my 1st anti-depressant, i've been on quite a few. Anyway despite some concerns on your part i'm happy to be taking it. Hey. it's always a bonus when a medication works!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurochs Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 I'm not denying that it works. If it works, good! I'm only concerned about the fact that the company seems to be touting it as more effective than SSRI treatment when it really isn't, and they seem to be overlooking some important things in their marketing. As for the conferences, none of them are that blatant about the marketing aspect. What you describe is par for the course with parma-funded CME conferences. They'll even launder their money through a "medical education communication company" to make it less obvious who's paying for the presentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyemily Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 i've been taking valdoxan like 5 months i think. no side effects i can tell, doesn't make me tired. no problems with missed dosages like with something like effexor. this drug gave me motivation and artistic vision back, an important thing for an artist. between this and a new drug i've been on maybe 2 months (solian-- Amisulpride) i am actually not depressed. which is a very odd feeling for me. i counted the other day, i've been on 15 medications in 10 years. solian being the last, the one thats made a difference on my mood immensely, you know what they say... 15th times a charm. lol. only problem is that im in australia right now, where these are both legal, in the us, where im from and may have to go back to at some point, they arent approved. which will leave me with trying to find grey market pills from other countries to ship in. i think its doable. it just sucks. both of these meds are available pretty much every where else, including canada, just not the usa. currently on-- effexor, klonapin, valdoxan, dexamphetamine, lithium, lamictal, and solian been on 15 drugs total over the years --bipolar, depression Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrancesEve Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 Of note: it's possible (and apparently fairly easy) to overdose and commit suicide with agomelatine. The overdose risk of TCAs was a big selling point for SSRIs when they first came out. Also of note: There is a slight risk of liver toxicity with agomelatine, and the EMEA advises (requires?) monitoring of liver function during treatment. Hi, are you able to give more information regarding the overdose symptoms and where you got that from. Someone I know overdosed on it yesterday (alone with other meds) and the doctors dont know anything about valdoxan, but he is having weird symptoms they cant put down to anything - said if he hadnt taken heaps of psych drugs they would have thought he had a brain infection from his behaviour. I was told apart from the liver problems it was pretty 'safe', but the other things that he took were just benzos and should have just given him a really good sleep - whereas his behaviour is extremely strange and the doctors cant explain why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aurochs Posted July 27, 2011 Share Posted July 27, 2011 There's very little published experience with agomelatine overdose. ODing on agomelatine alone doesn't seem to cause fatality very frequently. The British drug label says that Experience with agomelatine in overdose has indicated that epigastralgia, somnolence, fatigue, agitation, anxiety, tension, dizziness, cyanosis or malaise have been reported. However, it seems much more dangerous when taken in combination with sedatives. One patient in the clinical trials died after taking 90 mg of agomelatine and drinking heavily - this was ruled a suicide. ODing with benzos and agomelatine might cause some really weird things. I don't know if the drug has been out long enough for experience with this to accumulate, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beetzart Posted October 1, 2014 Share Posted October 1, 2014 I've just started this drug (well last Friday) and it has improved my sleep no end, especially getting to sleep. Although the antidepressant effect has yet to kick in, I am also very anxious but will ride this through. No other SFX though, promising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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