mikl_pls Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 I know it's an obscure antidepressant, but I've read very good things about it. (Also some bad...) Has anyone has tried it before? If so, what was your experience with it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted September 3, 2019 Share Posted September 3, 2019 Are you considering trying? What’s the chance pdoc would go for that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted September 4, 2019 Author Share Posted September 4, 2019 7 hours ago, Iceberg said: Are you considering trying? What’s the chance pdoc would go for that? I am considering it as an adjunct to Viibryd, as it is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and doesn't affect serotonin reuptake even at high doses. I think she might go for it, but the problem would probably be finding a pharmacy that could get it. Walgreens came through with Stelazine and Navane when my family-owned pharmacy couldn't order them anywhere. Of course, I suppose I could just go back on low-dose desipramine (50 mg) like I was taking before. I stopped it because I didn't think I needed it, but I think I'm really just now seeing just how much it really was helping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gearhead Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 Why not just go back on desipramine? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basuraeuropea Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 (edited) Wouldn't it be easier to get atomoxetine prescribed if you're looking for a clean NRI? Edit: I just saw that you've had a failed attempt at trialing atomoxetine. Edited September 4, 2019 by basuraeuropea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyRedhead Posted September 4, 2019 Share Posted September 4, 2019 @mikl_pls, I was just curious, so I called my pharmacy that I use to see if they had maprotiline..(CVS). Seems like they don't carry it normally, but said that they could order it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted September 4, 2019 Author Share Posted September 4, 2019 8 hours ago, Gearhead said: Why not just go back on desipramine? This may be a better idea. I just wanted to try something new I guess. 5 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: Wouldn't it be easier to get atomoxetine prescribed if you're looking for a clean NRI? Edit: I just saw that you've had a failed attempt at trialing atomoxetine. Yep, atomoxetine actually depresses me. 1 hour ago, CrazyRedhead said: @mikl_pls, I was just curious, so I called my pharmacy that I use to see if they had maprotiline..(CVS). Seems like they don't carry it normally, but said that they could order it. Thank you for checking on that for me! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basuraeuropea Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 19 hours ago, mikl_pls said: Yep, atomoxetine actually depresses me. that's unfortunate, but i get it. mirtazapine, supposedly one of the most potent modern antidepressants, causes me suicidal ideation and i don't suffer from depression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 19 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: that's unfortunate, but i get it. mirtazapine, supposedly one of the most potent modern antidepressants, causes me suicidal ideation and i don't suffer from depression. Mirtazapine was like a placebo, except for it caused me to binge eat and gain a ton of weight in just a few weeks. (21 lb in 2-3 weeks I think it was?) Weight gain is a no-go side effect for me due to being already overweight. I've been trying to lose the weight I put on from Parnate, Anafranil, and Rexulti for years. I was down to 171.9 lb at one point after following a strict ketogenic diet, but after I switched from Abilify to Rexulti, I gained 20 lb in a month, continued to gain even after I stopped it and was just on Stelazine (which is weight neutral), put on 50 lb more on Parnate in 3 months (which is paradoxical as it's supposed to cause weight loss), and 30 lb more on Anafranil in the matter of a few months. I was up to 282.9 lb at my highest, and that was when I quit Anafranil and started really focusing on my weight again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basuraeuropea Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 (edited) Have you been placed on metformin? I didn't see it listed amongst the list of medications you're on, nor those you've tried. Anyhow, as you're well aware, it's supposed to induce weight loss, or at least keep those weight stable who gain from the usage of psychotropics. Thankfully, I haven't strayed too far away from my normal 140lbs at 5'8" (I gained 5lbs while on risperidone once, although that's nothing compared to what a lot of people gain). That said, I suffer from other side effects due to my combination of medications. As an aside, you are on an incredible amount of medications. Do you think that you are overmedicated? And do you think that by eliminating some of the medications you are taking might improve your overall mental and physical wellbeing? Or do you deem them absolutely all necessary? Edited September 6, 2019 by basuraeuropea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 3 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: Have you been placed on metformin? I didn't see it listed amongst the list of medications you're on, nor those you've tried. Anyhow, as you're well aware, it's supposed to induce weight loss, or at least keep those weight stable who gain from the usage of psychotropics. I have. I took 2000 mg metformin at one point but it caused me so much GI distress I couldn't take it anymore. It was one of the worst things I've ever been through side-effect-wise. It didn't really help with weight loss, but it did help me keep my weight stable. I'm on Ozempic now and it's SOOOO much better for weight loss at the cost of experiencing a little nausea for a few days after injecting. 4 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: Thankfully, I haven't strayed too far away from my normal 140lbs at 5'8" (I gained 5lbs while on risperidone once, although that's nothing compared to what a lot of people gain). That said, I suffer from other side effects due to my combination of medications. Lucky! 4 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: As an aside, you are on an incredible amount of medications. Do you think that you are overmedicated? And do you think that by eliminating some of the medications you are taking might improve your overall mental and physical wellbeing? Or do you deem them absolutely all necessary? Most of them are PRN's, but the ones that I do take regularly I pretty much have to have. I've tried cutting back on meds before but I always destabilize (psych meds anyway). Some of the other "etc. meds" I must have, like Singulair for allergies and asthma, the Prilosec for GERD, and Synthroid for hypothyroidism. I actually don't take the butalbital combo anymore, I need to update my signature. The only PRN meds I take semi-regularly are Desyrel, Seroquel, and Xanax. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basuraeuropea Posted September 6, 2019 Share Posted September 6, 2019 I am glad that you've found Ozempic. I had to look up the drug as I am totally unfamiliar with the class that treats obesity. I'm glad it works for you. I am lucky in that I don't gain weight and I pass for 'normal' when I am properly medicated. I mean, if I were to tell someone that I suffer from crippling anxiety disorders, one might look at me in disbelief not knowing that I'm heavily medicated in order to just survive. That said, give me anything that affects serotonin and BAM! major sexual dysfunction. I can't stand it. THEN, the remedy, dextroamphetamine, induces telogen effluvium. I am thankful, though, that modern psychiatry has provided for medications that make my life livable. And as long as you are physically healthy (or on your way there) and psychologically healthy, then, yes, stay on your medications. I, too, have tried to lower my core trio of medications and I, too, fall very unstable very quickly. I assume that you are not stable right now as you are looking for an antidepressant (maprotiline, perhaps), but I also assume that you aren't terribly unstable either. Best of luck to you in finding remission! ❤️ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 9 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: I am glad that you've found Ozempic. I had to look up the drug as I am totally unfamiliar with the class that treats obesity. I'm glad it works for you. It's actually a diabetes drug; however, they are looking to market an oral version of the medicine for weight loss/obesity I believe. 9 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: I am lucky in that I don't gain weight and I pass for 'normal' when I am properly medicated. I mean, if I were to tell someone that I suffer from crippling anxiety disorders, one might look at me in disbelief not knowing that I'm heavily medicated in order to just survive. That said, give me anything that affects serotonin and BAM! major sexual dysfunction. I can't stand it. THEN, the remedy, dextroamphetamine, induces telogen effluvium. I am thankful, though, that modern psychiatry has provided for medications that make my life livable. Yes, that is something to be lucky about! Yeah, SSRIs aren't too friendly for me for sexual function either. I can manage, but it makes it very difficult. I had no idea that dextroamphetamine can induce telogen effluvium! Weird. When I had long hair (like, waist length) I had really bad telogen effluvium. Yes, me too! I honestly wouldn't be here without medications—I would've been gone long ago. That, and I'm super thankful for my wonderful pdoc! 9 hours ago, basuraeuropea said: I assume that you are not stable right now as you are looking for an antidepressant (maprotiline, perhaps), but I also assume that you aren't terribly unstable either. Best of luck to you in finding remission! ❤️ No, not especially. I was super stable on Abilify, but it gave me horrendous problems with excessive and compulsive spending. I racked up enormous credit card debt that I'm still trying to pay off. I switched to Vraylar very gradually because every time I've tried to come off Abilify before, I experienced psychotic depression. Vraylar seems to be helping, but nowhere as well as Abilify was helping—but even with Abilify I had my bad days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basuraeuropea Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 Same here. I would have been gone far too long ago if it weren't for modern medicine and for that I am grateful. As an aside, what induced telogen effluvium for you? A medication or something else? Also, can you try a cautious combination of Abilify and Stelazine (as I know you are a total fanboy of Stelazine) to try to ward off the compulsive behavior? Or just return to Stelazine on its own? What happened with that drug? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikl_pls Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 36 minutes ago, basuraeuropea said: As an aside, what induced telogen effluvium for you? A medication or something else? I think it was a combination of stress and always keeping my hair in a ponytail. I also had traction alopecia from the latter—my hair weighed so much it pulled itself out... lol. 37 minutes ago, basuraeuropea said: Also, can you try a cautious combination of Abilify and Stelazine (as I know you are a total fanboy of Stelazine) to try to ward off the compulsive behavior? Or just return to Stelazine on its own? What happened with that drug? Yes, I am absolutely a fanboy of Stelazine, but my pdoc is not... lol. She hates it and doesn't like prescribing it for me. I actually got my NP to prescribe it for me, and of course I let her know about it, but she wasn't too happy about me taking it at all. She said she would bump up the Vraylar and I needed to gradually taper off the Stelazine, so I'm on Vraylar 4.5 mg + Stelazine 4 mg, then I stop taking it next week and see how I do. It absolutely obliterates my anxiety and helps with depression too, surprisingly, but my pdoc absolutely does not want me on it long-term (which I can see where she's coming from on that). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
basuraeuropea Posted September 7, 2019 Share Posted September 7, 2019 5 minutes ago, mikl_pls said: Yes, I am absolutely a fanboy of Stelazine, but my pdoc is not... lol. She hates it and doesn't like prescribing it for me. I actually got my NP to prescribe it for me, and of course I let her know about it, but she wasn't too happy about me taking it at all. She said she would bump up the Vraylar and I needed to gradually taper off the Stelazine, so I'm on Vraylar 4.5 mg + Stelazine 4 mg, then I stop taking it next week and see how I do. It absolutely obliterates my anxiety and helps with depression too, surprisingly, but my pdoc absolutely does not want me on it long-term (which I can see where she's coming from on that). That sucks, but I can also see where she's coming from. Hopefully you'll find something soon that helps you, e.g., the increase in Vraylar. Fingers crossed! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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