Posted by Enigma on July 22, 2006, at 23:16:07
In reply to Re: EMSAM - 3 weeks - 6mg/24h dose -not working for me » Enigma, posted by laima on July 22, 2006, at 11:06:28
I forget how long I tried it now, but I'd say 1 month on the lowest dose, and 2-3 on the highest. I think I quit part way into the 3rd month.
Now I have patches to sell ;)
Anyway, besides the severe insomnia, fatigue, and sweating/hot flashes/overheating from very little exertion(sp?), it was the rashes/application-site reactions that finally did me in.
As I said before, my doctor is a complete and utter moron. I'm am *convinced* she had to buy her degree illegally. There's just no way someone *this* inept could graduate with a Phd in psych.
Anyway, she had no idea what to do about the rashes, or any other of the side-effects. She wouldn't even bother to do any research on the matter. Talk about lazy, uncaring, inept, etc. Actually, I might go to the medical board about her and register a formal complaint. I have an appt. with a new doctor. Crossing my fingers..
Oh yeah, back to my story. So, I was ending up using my upper legs as targets for the patch, shaving them every few days. Each location that had a patch would become red, itchy, covered with bumps (becoming solid), etc. Both my quads were covered with these patch-sized rashes. Each took days just to return to normal.
Putting the patches anywhere else would have just spread the rasges to those locations and would just be too visible to others (like chest, arms, etc), and the patches were so big, they didn't stay on anywhere else anyway.
So, that was it for Emsam. I tried some anti-allergy stuff for the rashes and itching, but it made little difference. The allergist even gave me a script of something I forget the name of, but it's not something you can stay on long-term... so much for that, even though it was effective at removing the rashes faster than normal.
I went back on 45 mg of Nardil a day. Insomnia actually got worse, and so did the fatigue. I was quite litterally sleeping for 2 hours (waking up every 10-20 mins), getting so rest from it, and then getting up for 2-3 hours, then alternating back and forth like that for days. It was hell!
I cut back to 15 mg of Nardil in the morning. After a few days, the fatigue got better (not gone or even close), and I'm able to sleep longer, about 4-6 hours, but still restless and waking up every 20-40 mins.
Last night I tried a Seroquel pill, and I got the most sleep I have got in a while, BUT, was a zombie for the entire day, so no more of that for me.
Depression hasn't returned, yet, and we'll see what happens, but I assume it will return.
So, that's where I'm at now. Currently sweating my *ss off again, for absolutley no reason. Jeez.
Take care, and thanks for all your info. I actually to get ritalin from my "assclown", er, I mean 'doctor', but she denied me, assuming it wouldn't help. *sigh*...
Oh well, till next time.
poster:Enigma
thread:642628
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060717/msgs/669562.html