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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 12 of 12. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jonhkimble on February 5, 2008, at 1:02:35
I have been on every antideppressant under the sun and of course Nardil is the last one I try (at a resonable dose this time.) My doc put me up to 90 mg in the first week! but is certainly part of why its working and thank god I didnt quit this time, because after 8 years from 15 till now, 23, have been nothing but black, wondering why I couldnt get a thing done in my life, social anxiety so bad Ive basically stayed alone all this time. Also terrible panic attacks, neurotic behaviour, and constant general anxiety. I waS hospitalized 8 times for near suicidal behaviour with no relief and trying cbt for social anxiety for 3 years numerous times in group or solo. It all did nothing. I was so hopeless.
So the first week I notice my anxiety is a bit better already. Im cautiously optomistic. This stays for another two weeks and Im OK, this is great. Nardil is working. Im sure this must be it cause no ad has ever helped right. Wrong!
Starting two weeks ago I hit about 3 weeks and wham! all of a sudden Im the happiest Ive been my whole life, my anixety is gone, and Im talking to people! Not just that but Im talking to everyone. I asked someone at the bus stop what they do out of the blue today and we must have talked for 30 mininutes! Just today I must have started over 20 conversations! Best of all, Im no longer afraid of girls! Im going out tomorow with the love of my life for the first time ever! I am seriously going to marry her this year! Ok, maybe Im getting a little hasty but Ive never believed even dreaming about where Im at was possible. I cant @#$!% believe this!
On a slightly, and I mean slightly, downer note, Im tired almost all the time. Not at all mentally, but I feel like I have to sleep all the time. So, does this go away with time? What can be done now? I really cant lower my dose because I have tried 60 mg a day with no effect. I mean Id gladly put up with this the rest of my life if it means having Nardil but you know. I tried Modafinil which made me totally psychotic and horribly paranoid by the fourth day or so. Coffeine makes me anxious. Dexedrin, well lets not even talk about that one. (yes I stupidly tried it.) So Any other thoughts? How long did it take to go away in others if it did.
Thanks a bunch.
Thomas, the newest member of the Nardil club! So very glad to be on board.
Posted by squatlover on February 5, 2008, at 4:30:58
In reply to Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness..., posted by jonhkimble on February 5, 2008, at 1:02:35
God, don't marry a girl because of the medication you are on lol.
But honestly, I am getting the side effects of drowsiness at almost 2 weeks at 60mg (2 weeks step up) but no benifit. Phoenix told me it does level off and if you look at his previous posts he is reporting insomnia at 3 months - so you might be missing the drowsiness soon!
Posted by Justherself54 on February 5, 2008, at 8:04:54
In reply to Re: Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness..., posted by squatlover on February 5, 2008, at 4:30:58
I was at 45 mg for a long time before I stepped up to 60..I had the opposite effect..bundles of energy which leveled off, but insomnia from the very start..Nardil kicked in for me at 45 mg at about the 4 -5 week mark..same with the increases..about 4 weeks for me to feel the effects..
For me I find it's not a fast acting AD..but it's a great one when it kicks in..just enjoy your sleep right cause the dreaded insomnia might hit any second!
Posted by Phoenix1 on February 5, 2008, at 8:43:01
In reply to Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness..., posted by jonhkimble on February 5, 2008, at 1:02:35
> I have been on every antideppressant under the sun and of course Nardil is the last one I try (at a resonable dose this time.) My doc put me up to 90 mg in the first week! but is certainly part of why its working and thank god I didnt quit this time, because after 8 years from 15 till now, 23, have been nothing but black, wondering why I couldnt get a thing done in my life, social anxiety so bad Ive basically stayed alone all this time. Also terrible panic attacks, neurotic behaviour, and constant general anxiety. I waS hospitalized 8 times for near suicidal behaviour with no relief and trying cbt for social anxiety for 3 years numerous times in group or solo. It all did nothing. I was so hopeless.
>
> So the first week I notice my anxiety is a bit better already. Im cautiously optomistic. This stays for another two weeks and Im OK, this is great. Nardil is working. Im sure this must be it cause no ad has ever helped right. Wrong!
>
> Starting two weeks ago I hit about 3 weeks and wham! all of a sudden Im the happiest Ive been my whole life, my anixety is gone, and Im talking to people! Not just that but Im talking to everyone. I asked someone at the bus stop what they do out of the blue today and we must have talked for 30 mininutes! Just today I must have started over 20 conversations! Best of all, Im no longer afraid of girls! Im going out tomorow with the love of my life for the first time ever! I am seriously going to marry her this year! Ok, maybe Im getting a little hasty but Ive never believed even dreaming about where Im at was possible. I cant @#$!% believe this!
>
> On a slightly, and I mean slightly, downer note, Im tired almost all the time. Not at all mentally, but I feel like I have to sleep all the time. So, does this go away with time? What can be done now? I really cant lower my dose because I have tried 60 mg a day with no effect. I mean Id gladly put up with this the rest of my life if it means having Nardil but you know. I tried Modafinil which made me totally psychotic and horribly paranoid by the fourth day or so. Coffeine makes me anxious. Dexedrin, well lets not even talk about that one. (yes I stupidly tried it.) So Any other thoughts? How long did it take to go away in others if it did.
>
> Thanks a bunch.
>
> Thomas, the newest member of the Nardil club! So very glad to be on board.I've been on it for 2-3 months and am just increasing my dose to 90mg. I have also found that it makes me more talkative. I feel tired in the afternoons/evenings, but not sleepy tired. This seems to fade after 2-4 weeks after each dose increase, at least that is my experience, and I have heard it from others too.
Try taking the majority of your dose in the morning and see if that helps. (i.e. 60mg in morning and 30mg in afternoon) It can take a month or more before some side effects recede, so stick with it and hopefully it will improve. If it doesn't, could you try something like low dose SR ritalin in the afternoon? If dexedrine was disastrous, ritalin might be too, but it is different enough to be worth a try if your pdoc agrees.
Anyways, I agree with you, Nardil is a great, great drug, and I am willing to put up with the few side effects it causes as long as it keeps working.
Phoenix
Posted by stargazer2 on February 5, 2008, at 9:59:21
In reply to Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness..., posted by jonhkimble on February 5, 2008, at 1:02:35
Jon, so happy you have found a life after so many years suffering. That is why so many of us really difficult cases try Nardil, with or without a doctor's sanctioning.
Since you have been on it only a few weeks,three or four, right, you will have side effects but it seems no one has the same ones. I have major gas pains.
You are on a high dose of nardil so I suppose that is why the sleepiness is so pronounced. Splitting doses 60/30 sounds like a good first approach method to deal with it.
Perhaps once you get used to it,the tiredness will lessen and you may be able to drop from 90 to 75. Many of us have tried several doses before we get it right.
The most important thing in your post is this result which has caused you to start a new chapter in your life. Just don't go overboard since it will probably diminish somewhat.
What does your doc say about your response? Are you on any other meds with Nardil?
So happy it is working and so quickly, many of us have waited months to get a response, perhaps it was the huge dose you began with...was that your doc's or your decision?????
Stargazer
Posted by johnj on February 5, 2008, at 10:21:23
In reply to Re: Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness..., posted by stargazer2 on February 5, 2008, at 9:59:21
What can one take for the insomnia? I have heard some tca's can be taken. I wonder if doxepin or trimimpramine can be taken? Thanks
johnj
Posted by Phoenix1 on February 5, 2008, at 10:28:13
In reply to For sleep on nardil..., posted by johnj on February 5, 2008, at 10:21:23
> What can one take for the insomnia? I have heard some tca's can be taken. I wonder if doxepin or trimimpramine can be taken? Thanks
>
> johnjI take Seroquel 50mg and Zopiclone 7.5 mg (lunesta in the US). This has worked very well until I hit 90mg. Now my sleep sucks again. And I don't want to increase the Seroquel any further.
Phoenix
Posted by squatlover on February 5, 2008, at 10:32:59
In reply to Re: Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness..., posted by Justherself54 on February 5, 2008, at 8:04:54
Hmm, i might wait the full 4 weeks before stepping up to 75mg then (2 weeks time). The less medication the better! Just hope the drowsiness doesn't get worse. I fell asleep at work today for about 30minutes. Lucky no-one noticed hahaha!
Posted by squatlover on February 5, 2008, at 11:34:31
In reply to Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness..., posted by jonhkimble on February 5, 2008, at 1:02:35
By the way it sounds like you at the hypomanic stage of your medication - unfortunately it wears off after about 8 weeks from what i've read, just don't go expecting that high all the time. Its just not normal to go around starting conversations with 20 people per day - its nice, but its not in the realm of normality.
Posted by Justherself54 on February 5, 2008, at 11:51:55
In reply to Re: Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness... » jonhkimble, posted by squatlover on February 5, 2008, at 11:34:31
> By the way it sounds like you at the hypomanic stage of your medication - unfortunately it wears off after about 8 weeks from what i've read, just don't go expecting that high all the time. Its just not normal to go around starting conversations with 20 people per day - its nice, but its not in the realm of normality.
yeah, made me have a little hypomania..was nice while it lasted!
Posted by Phoenix1 on February 5, 2008, at 12:16:14
In reply to Re: Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness... » jonhkimble, posted by squatlover on February 5, 2008, at 11:34:31
> By the way it sounds like you at the hypomanic stage of your medication - unfortunately it wears off after about 8 weeks from what i've read, just don't go expecting that high all the time. Its just not normal to go around starting conversations with 20 people per day - its nice, but its not in the realm of normality.
Yes, it does sound like the hypomanic stage. I think squatlover ramped up pretty quickly, so he may be a little more hypomanic than I was. For me, it only lasted a week or two, but it sure felt great. Then it just leveled off and now I feel good, in a normal way.
Posted by Phoenix1 on February 5, 2008, at 12:18:52
In reply to Re: Nardil is saving my life! but the tiredness... » squatlover, posted by Phoenix1 on February 5, 2008, at 12:16:14
Sorry, I think I meant "johnkimble ramped up pretty quickly" in my previous post.
This is the end of the thread.
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