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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fairnymph on May 28, 2002, at 2:35:10
It seems that nimodipine has been investigated and used as an antidepressant before, and with some success. Can anyone personally verify this?
Also, it seems that nimodipine can increase the efficacy of SSRIs and TCAs (tricyclics), which might be quite useful for those who are treatment resistant. Furthermore, as nimodipine is a Ca channel blocker, it reduces cardiovascular side effects (tachycardia etc) that some people find problematic when taking SSRIs and TCAs.
~fairnymph
Cohen C, Perrault G, Sanger DJ. Assessment of the antidepressant-like effects of L-type voltage-dependent channel modulators.
Behav Pharmacol. 1997 Nov;8(6-7):629-38.Czyrak A, Mogilnicka E, Maj J. Dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonists as antidepressant drugs in mice and rats.
Neuropharmacology. 1989 Mar;28(3):229-33.
Posted by SLS on May 28, 2002, at 16:50:55
In reply to Nimodipine (an L-type Ca channel blocker) as AD?, posted by fairnymph on May 28, 2002, at 2:35:10
> It seems that nimodipine has been investigated and used as an antidepressant before, and with some success. Can anyone personally verify this?
>
> Also, it seems that nimodipine can increase the efficacy of SSRIs and TCAs (tricyclics), which might be quite useful for those who are treatment resistant. Furthermore, as nimodipine is a Ca channel blocker, it reduces cardiovascular side effects (tachycardia etc) that some people find problematic when taking SSRIs and TCAs.Hello there, FairNymph.
I am very interested to know where you found the information regarding the efficacy of combining nimodipine specifically with SSRIs and TCAs.
The NIMH has been playing around with nimodipine and isradipine for the last 10 years. I don't see that they or anyone else have been very vocal about its utility in affective disorders. Verapamil has been used from time to time in the past for affective disorders, but I imagine it is not used as much today with the advent of the newer anticonvulsants. I looked at one of the NIMH abstracts available on Medline regarding calcium channel blockers. Although they focused on L-type CCBs, it was suggested that it was the dihydropyridine molecular structure of these CCBs (nimodipine, isradipine, and nifedipine) that was associated with efficacy. I'm not so sure about nifedipine, though. It has been known to actually cause depression. In one case, a woman who had been stable for many years on nortriptyline relapsed into depression immediately upon the addition of nifedipine, which was prescribed for hypertension. When the nifedipine was discontinued upon the suspicion that it might be responsible for the relapse, she very quickly recovered. She was rechallenged with nifedipine, and again relapsed into depression.
I once tried taking a calcium supplement. After my very first dose, my depression became dramatically worse. It could have been an unrelated coincidence, but I have not tried it since. There might be something going on there with the balance between calcium and magnesium in the neural environment.
Nimodipine is incredibly expensive. Do you know how much isradipine costs?
- Scott
Posted by Anna P. on May 29, 2002, at 0:37:39
In reply to Nimodipine (an L-type Ca channel blocker) as AD?, posted by fairnymph on May 28, 2002, at 2:35:10
Hi there,
I've tried Nimodipine as the addition to AD, particulary Reboxetine. It immediately "put me down" and caused the anergy.
Anna P.
Posted by fairnymph on May 29, 2002, at 16:49:11
In reply to Re: Nimodipine (an L-type Ca channel blocker) as AD?, posted by Anna P. on May 29, 2002, at 0:37:39
What do you mean by 'put you down' -- did it depress your mood?
~fairnymph
Posted by Anna P. on May 30, 2002, at 1:00:33
In reply to Re: Nimodipine (an L-type Ca channel blocker) as A » Anna P., posted by fairnymph on May 29, 2002, at 16:49:11
Yes, it did.
Anna P.
Posted by Chris A. on May 30, 2002, at 1:16:14
In reply to Nimodipine (an L-type Ca channel blocker) as AD?, posted by fairnymph on May 28, 2002, at 2:35:10
Nimodipine stabilized my bipolar disorder - at the bottom. I was totally anergic, sort of like the barely walking dead. I was a 0.5 on the depression scale of 1-10. It is incredibly expensive. Verapamil didn't seem to do much for me either.
Everyone is different, but Nimodipine has to be the med of last resort unless you can get Bayer to provide it.Chris A.
Posted by SLS on June 1, 2002, at 16:22:36
In reply to Re: Nimodipine (an L-type Ca channel blocker) as AD? » fairnymph, posted by Chris A. on May 30, 2002, at 1:16:14
How are you doing?
- Scott
Posted by Chris A. on June 1, 2002, at 17:18:44
In reply to Re: Nimodipine (an L-type Ca channel blocker) as AD? » Chris A., posted by SLS on June 1, 2002, at 16:22:36
> How are you doing?
>
>
> - ScottBetter since surgery. I actually smiled at people at the grocery store today instead of thinking suicidal thoughts while shopping. Eliminating the fluctuating hormones seems to have helped. Time will tell. There are a lot of external stressors right now that I'm not sure I could have handled prior to surgery. My pDoc and I had a laugh the other day - the first one I remember in our seven year partnership. The transcriptionist had typed "eternal stressors." The cognitive problems haven't improved. He did give me some Gabatril samples, since I haven't tried it. I've always been his willing guinea pig. Perhaps he thinks I'm on the verge of being hypomanic. You've talked a lot about Gab. I'm not sure I need it now, so won't start it until I get a chance to check the archives and the literature. He has run the TrueHope idea by me, just wondering what I think, since the article was published in a prestigious journal. Lamictal is the cornerstone of treatment for me, and I'd rather not take too many meds. It's inconceivable what drug prices may be twenty years from now, so I don't want to be too dependent on them. Nimodipine was the absolute worst! At that price it will never become a widespread treatment for unstable mood disorders. In the past sixteen years I've spent my children's college funds on meds, and we have what most would consider good insurance.
How is it going for you? As usual, I am not here on a predictable basis, but wonder frequently how you are doing and pray that you find a combo that'll help you get your life back. There is hope. As you know, I haven't always been able to say that.
Blessings,
Chris A.
This is the end of the thread.
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