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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by DN on April 12, 2001, at 12:28:25
Does anyone know what the theraputic dose for Mirapex is......
Posted by SalArmy4me on April 12, 2001, at 12:58:43
In reply to Mirapex Question, posted by DN on April 12, 2001, at 12:28:25
In the above study, they said that, "The most obvious improvement was seen in the pramipexole 5.0 mg group."
I myself took pramipexole for unipolar depression for less than a month. It seemed to work for about a week, and then I decided to switch to Tegretol XR because it stopped working. I was taking about 6 mg per day or more.
Here are some advantages of Mirapex:
--It has a benign side-effect profile, with most patients reporting nausea as the main side-effect. But that side-effect may have been from the levodopa that the Parkinsons' patients were also taking during the clinical trials.
--Mirapex is definitely less expensive than Prozac or Wellbutrin. 100 of the 1.5 mg Mirapex tablets costs $80 on insurance at the largest HMO in the US. Prozac and Paxil are definitely more costly.
--It has few anticholinergic effects.
--It is not known to cause sexual dysfunction.
--Though it probably has to be taken three times a day, so does Neurontin, Wellbutrin IR, Effexor IR, and Visken.
--Mirapex has two studies done on it in non-Parkinsons' patients--one for unipolar depression and the other for bipolar disorder.
--It has minimal drug interactions as compared to Tricylcics Antidepressants or MAOI's (& RIMA's).Thus, if it works for you, its a good deal.
--Studies on Medline:
2. Pramipexole augmentation in the treatment of unipolar and bipolar depression: a retrospective chart review Ann Clin Psychiatry. 2000 Sep;12(3):137-40. [Record as supplied by publisher] PMID: 10984002
3: Maj J, Rogoz Z.
Related Articles
Synergistic effect of pramipexole and sertraline in the forced swimming test. Pol J Pharmacol. 1999 Nov-Dec;51(6):471-5.
PMID: 10817524
4: Corrigan MH, Denahan AQ, Wright CE, Ragual RJ, Evans DL. Related Articles Comparison of pramipexole, fluoxetine, and placebo in patients with major depression. Depress Anxiety. 2000;11(2):58-65. PMID: 10812530
5: DeBattista C, Solvason HB, Breen JA, Schatzberg AF. Related Articles Pramipexole augmentation of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in the treatment of depression. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2000 Apr;20(2):274-5. No abstract available. PMID: 10770475
6: Goldberg JF, Frye MA, Dunn RT.
Related Articles
Pramipexole in refractory bipolar depression.
Am J Psychiatry. 1999 May;156(5):798. No abstract available.
PMID: 10327923
7: Bennett JP, Piercey MF.
Related Articles
Pramipexole--a new dopamine agonist for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. J Neurol Sci. 1999 Feb 1;163(1):25-31. Review.
PMID: 10223406
8: Piercey MF. Related Articles Pharmacology of pramipexole, a dopamine D3-preferring agonist useful in treating Parkinson's disease. Clin Neuropharmacol. 1998 May-Jun;21(3):141-51. Review. PMID: 9617505
9: Willner P.
Related Articles
The mesolimbic dopamine system as a target for rapid antidepressant action. Int Clin Psychopharmacol. 1997 Jul;12 Suppl 3:S7-14. Review.
PMID: 9347387> Does anyone know what the theraputic dose for Mirapex is......
Posted by ChrisK on April 12, 2001, at 14:35:40
In reply to Mirapex Question, posted by DN on April 12, 2001, at 12:28:25
> Does anyone know what the theraputic dose for Mirapex is......
I take 1mg 3X/day and have no problems with side effects and a very good reaction to the med on the whole.
Posted by Lorraine on April 16, 2001, at 10:17:36
In reply to Re: Mirapex Question, posted by ChrisK on April 12, 2001, at 14:35:40
> I take 1mg 3X/day and have no problems with side effects and a very good reaction to the med on the whole.
When you first started taking it, did it knock you for a loop? If so, did this abate? How quickly did you feel the benefits? thank you for responding
Posted by ChrisK on April 16, 2001, at 16:27:29
In reply to Re: Mirapex Question Chris, posted by Lorraine on April 16, 2001, at 10:17:36
I was told (like most others) to titrate up to my current dose slowly. As far as I have read this is due to the rep that Mirapex has for creating nausea problems. I did ignore this advice and was at my current dose in three days. I didn't have any problems but I rarely do. I seem to be very med resistant. The only med that really knocked me around was when I tried Risperdal for a little while. I really felt like a zombie and completely out of touch with things.
I reacted to the Mirapex in about a week or slightly less. So far (about 4 months) it has continued to relieve my anhedonia. I almost have a normal range of emotions back.
I do take it with Nortriptyline (my main AD) and Geodon (ruminating thoughts) without a problem. It seems that with my current meds I have been able to address the main symptoms of my depression which has been going on for about 20 years.
Hope this helps a little,
Chris
> When you first started taking it, did it knock you for a loop? If so, did this abate? How quickly did you feel the benefits? thank you for responding
Posted by Lorraine on April 16, 2001, at 22:19:09
In reply to Re: Mirapex Question Chris » Lorraine, posted by ChrisK on April 16, 2001, at 16:27:29
Lorraine
This is the end of the thread.
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