![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by GeneLady on January 9, 2009, at 23:45:24
Anyone here know if Namenda can aggravate a mood disorder - sort've a mild form of bipolar 2? My spouse has been on it for 5 or 6 yrs for MS induced/influenced memory loss/disfunction but during those years has had a lot of trouble controlling mood swings - like every few minutes or hours. He accidentally went off Namenda for a couple days recently and noticed when he went back on that he got the "buzz" (he calls it feeling good but I'd call it mania) that he has associated wtih some other prescribed drugs. His mood is just not under control despite numerous meds to treat it.
I had no idea it could be associated with mood swings but then I suppose that in a susceptible person that anything could happen? Any one have insight into this?
Thx
Posted by SLS on January 10, 2009, at 4:23:07
In reply to Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by GeneLady on January 9, 2009, at 23:45:24
I just did a quickie Google search and looked at the monograph I have. Depression is listed as a side effect in the monograph with no mention of any other behavioral effects. However, additional sources report change in behavior, such as aggressiveness, depression, anxiety, or hallucinations.
- Scott
Posted by desolationrower on January 10, 2009, at 11:43:25
In reply to Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by GeneLady on January 9, 2009, at 23:45:24
The only study i'm aware of indicated it has mood-stabilising property.
-d/r
Posted by SLS on January 10, 2009, at 16:59:14
In reply to Re: Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by desolationrower on January 10, 2009, at 11:43:25
> The only study i'm aware of indicated it has mood-stabilising property.
Memantine is a real good drug.
However, I imagine that untoward behavioral side effects occur in a minority of people taking memantine. Call them paradoxical effects if no other term applies for these phenomena.
For what it is worth, you can find stuff:http://www.drugs.com/sfx/memantine-side-effects.html
http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/bps/article/PIIS0006322396000479/abstract
I just think that one should allow for the possibility that memantine - indeed all psychotropics - can produce unwanted psychiatric side effects that are idiosyncratic to a small number of people who take them. Memantine consistently shows itself to reduce the psychiatric symptoms when used to treat Alzheimers. Perhaps certain vulnerabilities to adverse psychiatric side effects are prevalent in people with multiple sclerosis. The last citation may provide a rationale for memantine having a differential side effect profile depending on the state of neuron populations.Just thinking.
- Scott
Posted by GeneLady on January 10, 2009, at 19:06:06
In reply to Re: Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by SLS on January 10, 2009, at 16:59:14
We've noticed that other drugs both for MS as well as depression that are not supposed to trigger bipolar episodes do in fact do it. i.e., antidepressants are real bad about making bipolar worse in him. I'm also aware that some cutting edge treatments in MS trigger a worsening and although the docs don't like to admit it. Bipolar in MS is probably, per what I've read, a bit different than in the "regular" population. Also, he's on some different co-meds which might have changed his reaction plus the body changes over time. In the beginning I thought Namenda was good for him too but he's becoming more manic and complains of equally deep depression.
I'm not sure what's going on ... we're reducing the dose for a few days to see what happens before raising the Trileptal. The latter is bad about increasing MS symptoms and decreasing cognitive functioning. He's also on Lamictal.
He doesn't have Alzheimer's, rather a somewhat mild form of dementia that can go along with the MS. (the brain is damaged from demylination) And, MS is different than other neurological diseases such as Huntington's and Parkinson's. MS is also different in different people. Still a mystery disease. I do appreciate the links and your comments.
> > The only study i'm aware of indicated it has mood-stabilising property.
>
> Memantine is a real good drug.
>
> However, I imagine that untoward behavioral side effects occur in a minority of people taking memantine. Call them paradoxical effects if no other term applies for these phenomena.
>
>
> For what it is worth, you can find stuff:
>
> http://www.drugs.com/sfx/memantine-side-effects.html
>
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7997066?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
>
> http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/bps/article/PIIS0006322396000479/abstract
>
>
> I just think that one should allow for the possibility that memantine - indeed all psychotropics - can produce unwanted psychiatric side effects that are idiosyncratic to a small number of people who take them. Memantine consistently shows itself to reduce the psychiatric symptoms when used to treat Alzheimers. Perhaps certain vulnerabilities to adverse psychiatric side effects are prevalent in people with multiple sclerosis. The last citation may provide a rationale for memantine having a differential side effect profile depending on the state of neuron populations.
>
> Just thinking.
>
>
> - Scott
>
>
Posted by Sigismund on January 10, 2009, at 21:00:23
In reply to Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by GeneLady on January 9, 2009, at 23:45:24
What dose of memantine is he on?
Posted by GeneLady on January 10, 2009, at 21:04:03
In reply to Re: Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by Sigismund on January 10, 2009, at 21:00:23
> What dose of memantine is he on?
It's the highest recommended dose - think it's 10 mgs twice a day. Anyhow, it's twice a day.
Posted by desolationrower on January 11, 2009, at 1:53:57
In reply to Re: Namenda - Mood Influence? » Sigismund, posted by GeneLady on January 10, 2009, at 21:04:03
I really don't know anything about MS. If the memantine is helping the MS symptoms, could you add an antispychotic? I don't know if you have other options to treat the MS, but there are more options to stabilise mood, if they are compatible with MS. Sorry i can't help more.
-d/r
Posted by GeneLady on March 12, 2009, at 0:10:15
In reply to Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by GeneLady on January 9, 2009, at 23:45:24
He cut the Namenda in half (10 mgs just in the am) and also another oral drug used off label for MS symptoms about 2 months ago. It seems to have helped some with the mania. Never would have suspected these were stimulants but in the right person anything can happen. Unfortunately, the MS is progressing.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.