Posted by softheprairie on June 2, 2009, at 4:28:56
In reply to Re: Ideas for a combo w/ Desipramine? » bladewalker, posted by TriedEveryDrug on June 1, 2009, at 21:17:50
Wow. Your reaction to desipramine is pretty different from mine. I really get depression relief from it, no help with concentration or attention. I don't get the anger, irritability part from it, but you're not the first person I've heard of getting that from it. I did get anxiety, heart palpitations that disturbed me, and heartrate sometimes >100 bpm from it. My primary care doctor added the beta blocker Bystolic/nebivolol for the fast heartrate, which also greatly helps the anxiety. I had previously felt no anxiety relief from lorazepam that my pdoc let me try when I asked for a benzo try. I got up to 1.5 mgs a day of lorazepam, and didn't want to develop a tolerance for it if it wasn't giving me any benefit, so I soon tapered off. I guess I was unusual in not feeling any benefit from it. I also take an old antipsychotic, perphenazine, at night, and I can use it prn during the day, but it is somewhat sedating. I feel depression and anxiety relief from it. I also take a thyroid medication for depression assistance.
I really feel for your pretty stuck state. There may not be a combo that includes desipramine that takes away all or even most of the negative side effects you are getting. Have you ever tried Strattera for ADD? I haven't, but I understand it is chemically similar to desipramine. (I remember SLS calling desipramine "poor man's Strattera.") It's possible you could get the ADD benefit like desipramine on it, without the negative side effects you get from desipramine.
I am curious about your dose. I saw the other poster took 25 mg in a combination with other meds. Desipramine has a wide range in possible doses. I think the pills start as low as 10 mg, and a standard dose for depression can go to thirty times that (!), which is what I'm at, 300 mg/day. I've really liked being on it for the most part, but I'm still on disability, and not very functional in getting things done.
poster:softheprairie
thread:898690
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090531/msgs/898988.html