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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 d0pamine on July 27, 2007, at 22:19:28
Just in case any one is contemplating trying the admittedly very useful EMSAM patch. Here is a little detail that the Dr likely will not tell you.
I've stopped numerous meds in the past, but nothing even begins to compare to stopping EMSAM after 1.5 years on the 12mg patch. I initially tried cold turkey. Big Mistake! I've had the flu twice in my life and this was identical. The first 2 days were fine, then I began to freeze. Nothing warmed me up, the chills were terrible and I couldn't stop my teeth from chattering. When I laid down I was just sort of writhing. I tried this for an entire night and didn't sleep a wink. The next morning I was still miserable so I cut a patch in half and stuck it on. Within 45 minutes I was almost as good as before, except now I was very sleepy and the words on a computer screen crawl around like a bunch of ants. I'm now down to about 1/8th of a patch, but I'm exhausted and sleeping for about an hour for every half hour that I'm awake, and that's after sleeping over 12 hours last night. Many other strange things have happened as well. One night I woke up with the worst headache that I've ever had, and being concerned that perhaps I was having some sort of hypertensive crisis I took my BP. it was 75/70!!!!!!! And my pulse was probably around 160. I thought maybe I was dieing or something then it occurred to me that an hour earlier I had gotten up and urinated for longer than I ever remember doing it before and I suddenly realized that my symptoms were consistent with dehydration so I drank about 1/4 gallon of water and my headache went away almost instantly and my BP returned to 122/83. Crazy stuff. When I was taking it, EMSAM was helpful enough to me to make this worth it, but only barely. For the record, I am stopping it because I had begun to get very sleepy in the evenings, so I thought I'd give it a break for a bit.
Posted by Phillipa on July 27, 2007, at 22:33:08
In reply to EMSAM withdrawal, posted by d0pamine on July 27, 2007, at 22:19:28
I haven't heard any other withdrawal from EMSAM from others. I think I will check the withdrawal board and then write Robert David and see if it happened to him. But would there be withdrawal with a transdermal delivery system? And I guess the other EMSAM users switched to parnate and nardil so they wouldn't have the withdrawal would they. Would they have to stop inbetween for two weeks? Geez this the first I know of. Did you call your doc and ask? Anything on google. Love Phillipa
Posted by Phillipa on July 28, 2007, at 12:16:04
In reply to Re: EMSAM withdrawal » d0pamine, posted by Phillipa on July 27, 2007, at 22:33:08
Well I googled it and some say they feel better off it cold turkey and some say feel weak. But advise to cut the patch in smaller pieces . Good luck Love Phillipa
Posted by d0pamine on July 28, 2007, at 20:17:55
In reply to Re: EMSAM withdrawal, posted by Phillipa on July 28, 2007, at 12:16:04
Thanks for checking
Posted by Phillipa on July 28, 2007, at 21:37:03
In reply to Re: EMSAM withdrawal, posted by d0pamine on July 28, 2007, at 20:17:55
No problem as I haven't ruled it out for me and started thinking why no EMSAM withdrawal threads. Love Phillipa
Posted by d0pamine on July 29, 2007, at 18:30:44
In reply to Re: EMSAM withdrawal » d0pamine, posted by Phillipa on July 28, 2007, at 21:37:03
I think there are no threads on it because very few people have been on such a high dose for so long and actually decided to quit. Really, I would have been just fine to continue with it for quite a while longer. If you have insurance that covers it, it truly is a remarkable med for anhedonic / motivational / depression type conditions. The only real side effect I even had to deal with was a reduced need for sleep, but that really wasn't an issue.
Posted by Phillipa on July 29, 2007, at 21:29:21
In reply to Re: EMSAM withdrawal » Phillipa, posted by d0pamine on July 29, 2007, at 18:30:44
I know at about $500 a month no way I can afford it. And I doubt there is a free way through the pdocs to get it like other psych meds and I have no doubt medicarire doesn't cover it. Anyway you get some student assistance? Love Phillipa
Posted by d0pamine on July 30, 2007, at 4:24:34
In reply to Re: EMSAM withdrawal » d0pamine, posted by Phillipa on July 29, 2007, at 21:29:21
No, my insurance covered it, so it was only about $30 / month.
This is the end of the thread.
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