Posted by Ken Blades on February 25, 2007, at 1:28:43
In reply to Can people who overcame their S.A.D. with MAOIs..., posted by football on February 23, 2007, at 23:19:09
> Please share your stories with me and answer these questions???
> When did you develop Social Anxiety Disorder?
> What was life like for you with the disorder?
> What meds did you take before taking a MAOI?
> What MAOI did you take?
> What was your life like after taking the MAOI?
>
> I ask these questions because I'm going to start Parnate on Wednesday. While I'm trying to be optimistic about it, I'm finding it very difficult. I've gone through just about every SSRI and several other drugs with no success. Furthermore, I've had SAD/Depression for so long (about 4 years) that I've forgotten what it's like to not feel this way.
>
> So, if you have had success with a MAOI, please share your story. I really need a mood boost.
>
> Thanks.
----------I think it started while I was still in
elementary school, but it blew up with a
vengeance when I was 14...I had moved from
a town I'd lived in for eight years[where
I'd gotten accustomed to life]to a new
town and school[new people]...9th grade.Life with SP[untreated]is hell.....thought
about suicide many times.First drugs[not diagnosed with SP as yet...
there wasn't such an animal in the DSM]
were Librium/Valium/Serax benzos, imipramine,
amitriptyline, doxepin antidepressants[TCIs],
methaqualone[the dreaded 'ludes and sopors..
it WAS a legal therapeutic drug at one time]
for sleep. Benzos helped the anxiety but
with a tradeoff of sedation which is a bummer
in college. Antidepressants did nothing.
Used marijuana and alcohol self-medicating for
anxiety.Later were more TCIs like nortriptyline and
protriptyline...got a little improvement in
depression because the doses were sufficient
and had given them a longer trial..but not
that effective. Barbiturates for nighttime
sedation which grew into an addiction so don't
recommend these for any addictive personalities!Participated in a drug trial in 1992-93
for a drug intended for social phobia
[I finally knew what my problem was when
I read the list of SP symptoms!],
brofaromine, a selective and reversible
inhibitor of MAO-A and to a lesser extent,
MAO-B. This drug gave me the first taste
of life with MAO inhibitors and freedom
from the worst of social phobia. The drug
trial was abruptly ended and it was back
to the pits...Tried various SSRI's...Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft,
Effexor[ Effexor BAD stuff for me!], as well
as Wellbutrin and Serzone...none of them
really compared to the MAO-A inhibitor I'd
tested.In 1997 I started Parnate...took a few months
as my doc was very cautious with dosage
adjustments[I am on 70mg./day maintenance], but once the effect started I was
very pleased. I don't feel like I could get
up in front of 1000 people to give a speech,
but I can enter situations that formerly would
cause great anxiety and many times be on the
verge of panic and run away. I could not go
to social events, even informal parties without
using alcohol. I don't drink to intoxication
anymore. There are situations that I'd PREFER
not to be in of course, but I can tolerate the
low-grade anxiety where formerly it would be
intolerable.All in all, Parnate has allowed me a more
normal life anxiety-wise. It has not had
the major effect on depression I'd like,
however. This may be a matter of dose.
poster:Ken Blades
thread:735586
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070224/msgs/735940.html