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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 dapper on April 7, 2008, at 16:43:37
Hello all, haven't posted here in awhile. Been switching back and forth from effexor to cymbalta when one dies out so that I can keep functioning, but I'm definitely not completely remissive. Kind of been treating myself based on what I have learned from my doctors over the years, because I simply cannot afford to keep seeing my doctor at 125 dollars for 15 minutes of his time. I like to keep up to date on newer forms of treatment. Can anybody give me some feedback/opinions on Stablon? Should I consider ordering it from overseas and trying it? Would I take it with my effexor/lamictal/trivastal cocktail or would I take it in place of the effexor? Also, what happened to Valdoxan (agomelatine)? Is it still in the works to be released?
Posted by bleauberry on April 7, 2008, at 18:36:56
In reply to Info on stablon and valdoxan, posted by dapper on April 7, 2008, at 16:43:37
I hear you about self directing treatment. Doctors guess a lot. Patients sometimes know more than they do on a relevant subject. The cost is out of reach for many.
Stablon seems worth a try. If it were me, I would stay with the most stable mix I have and add it to it without changing anything else. There is a case report of a lady who did not respond to an antidepressant, and did not respond to Stablon, but responded remarkably when they were combined. Doesn't make sense theoretically, but then, that isn't unusual in psychiatry.
I am more curious about your Trivastel. I have some but have hesitated to try it. Can you tell me more about it? Start up side effects? Ongoing side effects? What does it do for you?
Posted by dapper on April 8, 2008, at 14:50:16
In reply to Re: Info on stablon and valdoxan » dapper, posted by bleauberry on April 7, 2008, at 18:36:56
I tried the trivastal after reading about it on here and people saying how well it worked for them. I basically decided to switch my wellbutrin for the trivastal, and I havent changed back yet. Personally, I couldn't tell very much of a difference. It doesnt cost me as much to stay on the trivastal, so I stayed on it. But overall effectiveness for me was basically the same as wellbutrin.
Posted by undopaminergic on April 11, 2008, at 2:51:00
In reply to Re: Info on stablon and valdoxan, posted by dapper on April 8, 2008, at 14:50:16
Is there a reason (assuming equal price and availability), for using bupropion (Wellbutrin) or piribedil (Trivastal) rather than methylphenidate or modafinil (I currently combine both of the latter two)?
Posted by Racer on April 11, 2008, at 10:14:52
In reply to Re: Info on stablon and valdoxan, posted by undopaminergic on April 11, 2008, at 2:51:00
> Is there a reason (assuming equal price and availability), for using bupropion (Wellbutrin) or piribedil (Trivastal) rather than methylphenidate or modafinil (
For some people, the reason would be the abuse potential of methylphenidate or modafinil. That may fall under the "equal availability" clause in your question, but it's still well worth remembering. I've taken methylphenidate for some time now, and sometimes worry about the abuse potential myself. (That's part of my OCD-spectrum symptomology.)Also, there's more than just the stimulation to consider. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant with a more activating profile, and may therefore be more appropriate for many people than a conventional psychostimulant. Trivestal is a dopamine agonist, which may have an effect on anhedonia, or may not, but isn't likely to have a direct effect on depression.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are some pretty good reasons to use Wellbutrin, or Trivestal, just as there are some good reasons to use methylphenidate or modafinil -- they're just different reasons...
Posted by undopaminergic on April 13, 2008, at 0:05:21
In reply to Re: Info on stablon and valdoxan » undopaminergic, posted by Racer on April 11, 2008, at 10:14:52
> > Is there a reason (assuming equal price and availability), for using bupropion (Wellbutrin) or piribedil (Trivastal) rather than methylphenidate or modafinil (
>
>
> For some people, the reason would be the abuse potential of methylphenidate or modafinil. That may fall under the "equal availability" clause in your question, but it's still well worth remembering. I've taken methylphenidate for some time now, and sometimes worry about the abuse potential myself. (That's part of my OCD-spectrum symptomology.)
>
> Also, there's more than just the stimulation to consider. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant with a more activating profile, and may therefore be more appropriate for many people than a conventional psychostimulant. Trivestal is a dopamine agonist, which may have an effect on anhedonia, or may not, but isn't likely to have a direct effect on depression.
>
> I guess what I'm trying to say is that there are some pretty good reasons to use Wellbutrin, or Trivestal, just as there are some good reasons to use methylphenidate or modafinil -- they're just different reasons...
>I suppose I was wondering more about the particular reasons in the case of the poster, other than the possibilities I had already considered (availability and price). I'm interested in comparative experiences and findings regarding these drugs all having a dopaminergic mode of action.
My experience is that a dopmine agonist - pramipexole (PPX) - was more "euphoric" or mood-elevating than methylphenidate (MPH), but it had more side-effects and lost all effectiveness in a few weeks, whereas MPH retains at least some of its usefulness (at increased doses) for over a month at a time. I haven't tried Wellbutrin because I've presumed it would be less effective and have more side-effects than MPH, but also because in my case price and availability favoured PPX and MPH.
What sort of abuse potential do you worry about? Snorting all your tablets in a binge for a euphoric high, or using them to stay awake for way too long? I'll admit that I've used or abused stimulants for the latter purpose, but I don't worry about it (it's no big deal since the prolonged sleep that automaticaly follows will make up for any sleep deficit).
This is the end of the thread.
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