![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by vic80 on June 8, 2010, at 18:22:44
mx: MDD
Rx: Milnacipran 25mgx2
Propranolol 10mg LA
Lorazepam 0.5 mg as neededThis is my 4th week on Milnacipran - the dosage has had to be tinkered with due to various effects like tachycardia and anxiety etc- but as though after the 2nd week I feel into deep dark depression - mainly caused to this feeling of impending doom and panic induced suicidal ideation.
I tried taking 12.5mg twice daily but didnt notice much difference.My pdoc has finally settled my dose at 50mg to be taken twice daily and added propranolol 10mg LA to offset tachycardia and anxiety - the problem is that this is tiring me out like hell and I have heard beta-blockers like propranolol can worsen depression.
My current depression is almost totally based in panic which i feel mainly around evening.
And the obsessive intrusive thoughts have doubled up.COming to the important point, I have noticed that lorazepam which I started first at .5-.5-1.0mg in mid april, and was tapered down to 0.5 mg once daily - tho past 5-6 days owing to intense panic and anxiety with morbid thoughts, I have been taking 1mg.
I notice that lorazepam makes me feel nothing is wrong with me at all.... my mind is cleared up - I am in a ok mood - I infact cannot believe when I am on Lorazepam that I could have such dark depressive thoughts.... I am in total control of myself - no feelings of unreality - no fears nothing.... it lasts well upto lorazepam lasts.
and I wake up in the morning feeling terrible.through the day my mood remains very morbid and depressed.. till I take a lorazepam.
HAVE I GOTTEN HOOKED?
Of late I am wondering if I could ask my pdoc to prescribe me a longer acting benzo like xanax xr.
Would it worsen depression in the long run. I also have some form of depersonalization, which I am scared might get exacerbated with benzo withdrawal.
Any comments?How would anafranil be - its got amazing ratings at askapatient.com and is supposed to deal very well with obsessive thoughts and anxiety. Though the thought of a TCA worries me no ends - anticholinergic effects cause my REM to mess up and brings about feelings of unreality - something I suffered majorly while being on escitalopram.
ATTN: Bleauberry - what do u say about my milnacipran progress? should I go in for a change of med, or wait another week or 2?
Posted by herpills on June 8, 2010, at 19:39:17
In reply to Lorazepam - am I hooked? Also Milnacipran question, posted by vic80 on June 8, 2010, at 18:22:44
Hi,
I used to take Lorazepam. I think it's great for anxiety. I don't think you should feel like you are hooked on it at all. If it makes you feel better, then being "hooked" on it is a good thing! You're on a low dose anyway. Some people take 3/day. If you want to switch to something longer acting...I would say xanax xr would be the way to go, because klonopin can make depression worse....
herpills
Posted by Phillipa on June 8, 2010, at 22:07:58
In reply to Re: Lorazepam - am I hooked? Also Milnacipran question » vic80, posted by herpills on June 8, 2010, at 19:39:17
Totally agree with Herpills. It's a great med. Phillipa
Posted by manic666 on June 9, 2010, at 4:05:08
In reply to Re: Lorazepam - am I hooked? Also Milnacipran question » herpills, posted by Phillipa on June 8, 2010, at 22:07:58
your not hooked yet its ok//its a cool drug to stop anxierty in a very short time///it wont cure depression an the symptoms//an once it were,s of its all back again//its because you small release from your troubles is cool you feel like your hooked so you feel guilty//but up them to high for a long time an YES you will be hooked an it aint pretty
Posted by mellow on June 9, 2010, at 17:44:51
In reply to Lorazepam - am I hooked? Also Milnacipran question, posted by vic80 on June 8, 2010, at 18:22:44
I've been following your post on your experience with Milnacipran. If you are 4 weeks in and the Lorazepam makes you feel fine in the evening I wouldn't switch meds. I would give the Milnacipran+Propranolol combo time to settle and maybe consider taking your Lorazepam earlier in the day or taking it in two equal doses.(One in the morning and one a couple hours before bed)
The more time you give a cocktail as well as keep other elements in your life stable (sleep, relationships, diet, etc.) the better you will feel. I think you just need to stick with it and you will get there. You just tapered Lexapro, introduced Milnacipran and then introduced the Propranolol to control the sides of the Milnacipran. That's a lot of change for your body!
Some people don't agree with my stance on sticking it out. They think long med trials are stupid and aren't worth our suffering, but if you don't keep a stable cocktail you can't figure out what works and what doesn't.
I wouldn't worry about being hooked on the Lorazepam because if i was having suicidal thoughts i would rather be dependent on a med than do something stupid like hurt myself. Plus you said yourself the Lorazepam is working wonderfully to control the anxiety.
Only time will tell, but my vote is to stay the course! Best of luck!
mellow
Posted by manic666 on June 10, 2010, at 5:08:57
In reply to Re: Lorazepam - am I hooked? Also Milnacipran question, posted by mellow on June 9, 2010, at 17:44:51
i am a biggest believer in doing the med course trails//i do 15 weeks on some //pain or no pain//split his loz into 2????????? jesus he ony takes 0.5mg half of that that wouldent register on a mouse///if he is feeling benifit on 0.5 he is a better man than me //even at the start of my addiction 30 odd years ogo i need 1mg to even register a small effect//if you are including loz in his med trials you think he should stay on//in the course of his trial that 0.5 will soon be 3mg then he is in trouble//im stable on 4mg //but that took 30 years ,,you go up before you come down an i mean up//round the universe uuuuuuuuuup
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.