r/MAOIs

Thoughts on this?

I have always been very anxious and emotionally blunted but never really sad in the proper sense before. But since first trying Selegine, then Parnate then Nardil, I feel like they have this mystical ability to make me feel sadness in a way I have hardly ever felt ? While it can be seen as a relief of anhedonia, it's really tough to manage and sometimes I feel like a sensitive teenager on MAOIs. Like I'm so much more about to cry or find situation more emotional or intense than they really are and it's completely bugging me.

Has anyone ever tried Moclobemide? If so, what was r experience? If not, what do u think of it?

45 mg Nardil

I can lie awake until 3:30am. I could probably stay awake all night but I always end up taking meds. The weird part is that I don't stay awake angsting over not being able to sleep. My mind is pretty calm. I just... can't fall asleep.

Sleep meds:

* 50 mg trazodone: helps me fall asleep most of the time. However, my sleep will be interrupted every couple of hours.

* 0.5 mg Clonazepam: I take with the trazodone if the trazodone doesn't work for falling asleep or if I absolutely need a full night's rest.

I've started taking all my Nardil in the morning, but I haven't noticed a difference.

Behavioral:

I'll be honest, I haven't enacted as many sleep hygiene techniques as I should have.

* I don't drink coffee after 2pm

* my room is relatively cool at night

* I wear an eye mask to block out all light

* I listen to a Yoga Nidra or a Guided sleep meditation before bed.

Has anyone had success with CBT-i or other behavioral techniques to sleep well while on MAOI?

Sleep levels (based on my Fitbit + taking meds):

* 4-6.5 hrs of sleep

* Impaired REM sleep

* Significant light sleep

* Restlessness averages 15-20%

End result: sometimes I feel rested (but not WELL-rested) upon waking, sometimes I feel tired.

Hi all

Long time lurker, first time poster. Lifetime user of anti-depressants - have been on most as well as augmentation over the years. Depression and anxiety worsened over the last couple of years and rTMS, Ketamine and various combos have not worked so I'm now trying Phenelzine.

I started on 24th April and titrated up to 60mg on 9th May so still early days. I've got sedation and cognitive impact currently but absolutely no orthostatic hypotension or insomnia (quite the opposite - I'm falling asleep earlier, sleeping more heavily and struggling to wake compared to the more stimulating meds I was on most recently - Duloxetine, Bupropion and Aripiprazole).

Clearly I'm overthinking this in my desperation for this med to work - but I'm wondering if the absence of OH especially points to potentially needing a higher dose to achieve a therapeutic level of MAO inhibition.

I'll discuss with my psychiatrist obviously, but I'd be interested to hear if others with good results on 60mg over time didn't suffer OH along the way - because my understanding is that OH is a marker that a therapeutic threshold has been reached.

Thanks for your input

For those who have been on both which helped the most with extreme depression and panic disorder/ anxiety?

I've been on 30 mgs of parnate for a week now and not getting a lot back other mild tachycardia.

Also aren't I supposed to get ortho hypotension to see if I'm getting any actual effects

Hi please I have tried EMSAM and didn’t give it a fair shot, have tried almost everything else besides other MAIO’s.

I have heard other MAOI’s are better? Please share if you have any suggestions or experience.

I am currently taking adderal (helps add) lamictal (not helping).

Please and thank you, I am with dr of course and will appreciate feedback. Have dr appt tomorrow. Tia

Hi, I tried emsam a while back and didn’t give it a full go. Are other MAIOs better? Please thoughts, thank you! I am also on Adderall (helpful) lamictal (no difference). Have appointment tomorrow. I thank you in advance

Hi, this is my 10th medication and I was really hoping it would work. I am on week 3 and at 20mg the last two weeks. The first two weeks were ok but this week I can't do anything. Very tired, anxious, negative, avoidant and cold. I know past of it is my fault that I have stopped exercising with the fatigue and depression. Vicious cycle. I don't seem able to push through but know I should and have to. I know I am not at therapeutic dose yet from reading on line. My Dr never mentioned this. I wonder should I push for dose increase, be patient or just give up. Welcome any advice. I was so hopeful but maybe I just need to ride it out.

I'm currently ramping Phenelzine (at 45mg, bumping up to 60mg this week) and wanted to see if anyone with a similar presentation of social anxiety has found success once they hit a therapeutic dose.

My anxiety manifests as a severe physical reaction in "trapped-situation" circumstances. This shows up most intensely and predictably in the workplace when I feel any sense of "stakes" in the interaction though in the past has also been an issue on planes, cars, middle seats in theaters, etc. Presentations are the worst but even casual one-on-one meetings require me to medicate in advance.

When triggered, my anxiety causes an immediate sympathetic cascade (adrenaline surge, racing heart and mind) and a laryngeal reflex where my voice physically locks up. I believe this is called paradoxical vocal fold motion aka vocal cord dysfunction. The vocal cord lock emerged about 7 years ago and has gotten worse since then.

The only thing that has worked over the past 25 years is a combination of propranolol and the benzo alprazolam (xanax). I've had a successful career that wouldn't have been possible without regular, strategically timed use of both. What hasn't worked at all: CBT, hypnotherapy, meditation, exercise, DARE method, stellate ganglion block, SSRIs, SNRIs, guanfacine, buspirone, and countless other meds.

For those who experience this kind of severe, sudden physical response (especially the vocal cord lock), did Phenelzine eventually suppress that immediate runaway autonomic response for you? Did you notice the shift happen at 60mg or higher? Any insights would be appreciated.

I'm on parnate 30 mg, only been on 30 for about 4-5 days. Some stimulation but some tiredness for sure. Seems that marplan stimulated me more? But parnate might be b more effective?

Nardil gave me weight gain so that's a no.

What about selegeline - less effective for depression and panic disorder than parnate?

Feeling stimulated helps me but can't take anything addictive- anyone got any other ideas for in combo w parnate - or maybe just higher / max dose parnate?

I know my psych talked about combining low dose of phenelzine as well, but might be more sedating? Why are maois so all over the place with effects from person to person seems wild

Thanks in advance

I've been on 30mg of Parnate for 22 days without noticing any improvement. Is it worth waiting a little longer? Is it possible to respond to 40mg even if you don't respond to 30mg? I saw that Gillman says MAO inhibition increases by 2% after 30mg for every 10mg increase, which I found very low.

I currently have the choice between EMSAM, Nardil, Parnate and Marplan. My psych is giving me the choice. I'm currently waiting on approval for EMSAM but I wanted to hear the communities thoughts first. I have Anhedonia with emotional numbness, brain fog, hard time remembering things, no pleasure in activities I once used to enjoy etc.

Oh boy, this is not fun.

Just curious.

Clavicular is a streamer who is on EMSAM (patch) for social anxiety? You would think he would be on either Nardil, Marplan or Parnate for SA, right?

But EMSAM?

I thought that EMSAM was only approved for MDD but not for SA

Anyone here on EMSAM and has had their Social Anxiety nuked?

Thanks

I’m sure a lot of you who come on here have the same story. I have tried 34 drugs unsuccessfully. For those of you that like Parnate. I’d love to hear more about your story.

Hi, went from 20 to 30, was feeling a bit stimulated at 20 but now very tired. When does the stimulation part happen? Kindof need that where I am mentally. Esp when I up the medication

Also no ortho hypotension, I've had it with Nardil and marplan but not yet w parnate so I'm guessing I'm just not at high enough of a dosage bc that's apparently a sign that ur at a working dosage idk but not into the tired feeling

Does anyone have experience taking MAOI's with a POTS diagnosis? I was recently diagnosed with POTS and I've done a little bit of research (I haven't found a lot). In general it seems like it could cause a dangerous reaction. I will be devastated if I'm forced to come off of MAOI's and I don't know how I would handle my TRD. I'm trying not to put the cart before the horse and panic. Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

If it's super-scientific please talk to me like I'm a kindergartener. Thank you!

I failed talk therapy, two antidepressants, and TMS. I have ADHD, Autism, and severe treatment resistant melancholia. Mental illness runs in my family (my dad is schizoaffective).

To be honest, I don't really want to try, and am really tempted to exit. I just don't think sustainable happiness and normality is realistic for me. Even my ADHD does not respond to stimulants... I just feel deep down that even if these do work it is only a matter of time until they no longer work, and I'm tired of trying.

I'm watching my family, friends, and acquaintances move on with their lives, and I'm just floundering. Are there any long term success stories here? Based on what I'm reading it is only a matter of time before these meds stop working. And if these fail, outside of trying Ketamine, I don't see much hope, or willingness to keep going.