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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by cecilia on November 20, 2005, at 5:36:14
Well, after it became obvious that the EMSAM patch wasn't going to be happening any time in the near future, I got brave/desperate and asked my pdoc for Marplan, one of the few meds I've never tried. Brave, because I had terrible reactions to Nardil and Parnate. No side effects from Marplan so far, but I had no side effects to Nardil either until day 38 when I guess the MAO started being inhibited with horrible scary results. So anyway,
two weeks after I started Marplan, I got excruciating pain in my left knee with no apparent injury or cause. After a few days of telling myself it would go away on its own I bit the bullet and went to the doctor. Or physician' assistant actually, my HMO is cheap. I've had some aches and pains, but never been officially diagnosed with arthritis. This is not just an ache, it HURTS and I can barely walk. He said the X-ray showed mild osteoarthritis and I was having a "flare" If there is this much pain from mild how can anyone go on living with severe? It terrifies me! Anyway, he told me to take high dose ibuprofen and was going to prescribe some tylenol with codeine as well but I reminded him I was taking a MAO (he had never heard of Marplan) so after checking the computer he said there was nothing he could give me except the ibuprofen and if it didn't get better in a week come back and he would give me a cortisone shot in the knee. This is so scary, you can't just say, ok. I'll stop the MAO, give me the pain meds, you still have to wait 2 weeks. I know all narcotics are not equally dangerous, only demerol is the real killer, but he wasn't willing to prescribe anything. What have other people's experiences been with MAO's and pain meds? You worry so much about what you can and can't eat but I hadn't really thought about the fact that once you take that 1st pill you're signing up for untreated pain for any accident or injury. Anyway, I'm still taking the Marplan, and I'll make an appointment with a rheumatologist if the flare doesn't pass, but the whole experience makes me feel extremely vulnerable. Cecilia
Posted by Phillipa on November 20, 2005, at 20:50:45
In reply to Marplan and Pain Meds, posted by cecilia on November 20, 2005, at 5:36:14
I thought a flare was only associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by RobertDavid on November 21, 2005, at 0:44:55
In reply to Marplan and Pain Meds, posted by cecilia on November 20, 2005, at 5:36:14
It's my understanding EMSAM should be getting the thumbs up/down by the 27th of this month. I called Somerset and they said when they heard they would make an anouncement. And if it was a go they would be fast tracking it to the public.
I too have been holding off trying another MAOI and if it's going to take much longer, any other delays, I'm going to try Nardil.
Everything I hear from my doctor about EMSAM is optimistic. But it's frustrating to wait for something you "hope" is going to be the answer.
Anyway, just my 2 cents on EMSAM. I've got about a week or two of "wait" left in me before I move on like you......
Posted by Declan on November 22, 2005, at 12:07:49
In reply to Marplan and Pain Meds, posted by cecilia on November 20, 2005, at 5:36:14
Arthritis has a pretty poor kind of outcome, does it not, getting slowly worse and worse. I've got osteo under my patella from an old injury and try to keep it under control with all those alternative things you'd be aware of, herbs, antiinflammatory oils and flavanoids and glucosamine.
Ibuprofen is not good long term and will probably affect your gut. I can't take any amount of it.
I've had osteo for > 5 years and have stopped it getting worse but haven't made it go away. I think it's important to get on top of it to see if you can get a better outcome.
Declan
This is the end of the thread.
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