Posted by Elizabeth on June 14, 2001, at 15:53:17
In reply to Medications Options You May Not Know About, posted by SalArmy4me on June 14, 2001, at 12:26:46
Great list, Sal.
> Nefazodone - great for sleep; no sexual dysfunction; no anticholinergics side-effects.
Doesn't cause changes in sleep architecture that are seen with most other ADs.
> Carbamazepine - less side effects than Lithium or divalproex sodium.
Requires periodic blood counts, can cause drowsiness, dizziness, ataxia, etc. Less likely to cause weight gain than Li+ or valproate.
> Topiramate - the newest mood-stabilizer; it promotes weight loss.
...and is often used for just that purpose.
> Desipramine - the least side-effects of all the Tricyclics; one of the few NRIs except for reboxetine.
Nortriptyline is a good alternative for people who find desipramine overly activating.
> High-dose Venlafaxine - at higher doses Venlafaxine affects more chemicals than SSRIs.
I'd add sibutramine, which has similar chemical and pharmacological properties to venlafaxine, but is an order of magnitude more potent.
> Buspirone - an effective antidepressant and anxiolytic at high doses (60-90mg).
The "high doses" part can't be stressed enough.
> Dopamine Agonists - Pramipexole has two studies on it (I took it).
Pramipexole is a relatively selective D3 agonist. It seems to be more effective for our purposes than bromocriptine, amantadine, pergolide, etc.
> "Power Combinations" - Remeron+Effexor; Wellbutrin+Remeron, Remeron + Prozac.
A great one that I heard about: Remeron + Effexor + Wellbutrin + Lamictal + Provigil. (overkill??? :-) )
> Augmentation of anything you have tried before with Lithium, Pindolol, or Buspar (I took pindolol).
Or thyroid hormones, psychostimulants, low-dose atypical antipsychotics, ...
> Provigil - a stimulant that is possibly effective.
Although not for its official indication (narcolepsy)!
> Irreversable MAOIs - Phenelzine, Tranylcypromine. Extremely Effective.
And safer than their reputation would lead one to believe.
> MAOI-B - Selegiline, an antidepressant almost comparable to Phenelzine at 60 mg.
More activating than phenelzine; no propensity for weight gain, and less orthostatic hypotension; probably a less effective anxiolytic (no GABA-ergic effect), may cause anxiety or agitation. Will cause false positives on drug tests for amphetamine (metabolites include the less-desirable levo- isomors of amphetamine and methamphetamine).
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:66464
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010612/msgs/66497.html