Re: withdraw from which drug first?

[Guest guest]

<<Anyhooo, the Integrative p-doc wants me to get off of the Neurontin.

I guess I don't trust any MD enough to take their advice with out

checking it out. The prescribing doc gave ne some suggestions for

reducing the dosage, e.g. alternating dosage days. I don't know how

much pain is still there and I'm afraid to find out. Sounds like a

typical dependancy syndrome!>>

***This would be WAY too fast to reduce neurontin....you would want to

proceed very, very slowly.

<<I take it I shouldn't reduce both at once, eh? What about

stabilizing on the current level of Parnate then starting the

gradual withdrawal of Neorontin?>>

***Definitely don't reduce both at once. Perhaps you can wait until

gets back (in a few days) to address this one.

<<On Dec 7th I reduced from 12 to 11 mg of Parnate. I felt OK until

Friday but didn't identify what was going on until today. My period

started and I started crying. Fortunately I had a co-counseling

session lined up and got lots of loving and caring attention as I

felt miserable. Discharging the emotion in this way let me enjoy a

Hanukkah Party this evening.>>

***Sounds great! I am so glad that worked for you today.

<<This is hard time to set up counseling sessions- holidays, people

aren't available- I really want to set up lots of support in the

co-counseling community for this time when the withdrawal is

hardest.

It it OK if I try to rely on this list a little more at these

times?>>

***That's what we're here for!

This is a hard thing you are doing. I am so glad to see you proceeding

thoughtfully. Thank you for the good questions--I hope you realize that

they help more than just you!

Kim

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

You said:

> I'm in the middle of what looks to be a protracted withdrawal from

> Parnate, an MAOI I have taken for 18 years

>

> For over 18 months I have been taking Neurontin (600 mg bid) off

> label for peripheral neurologic pain originally diagnosed as an

> impinged nerve though now I am starting to doubt this diagnosis-

> just don't know... (It works for the nerve pain though it's supposed

> to be pretty poor as an anti seizure med.) It sure is better that

> the two months I spent on MS Contin; I couldn't function at all.

> This was just as I started the Parnate withdrawal. There's alot I

> have learned about this whole condition and reasons for it and now I

> doubt the initial diagnosis. The pain is real enough though.

>

> Anyhooo, the Integrative p-doc wants me to get off of the Neurontin.

> I guess I don't trust any MD enough to take their advice with out

> checking it out. The prescribing doc gave ne some suggestions for

> reducing the dosage, e.g. alternating dosage days. I don't know how

> much pain is still there and I'm afraid to find out. Sounds like a

> typical dependancy syndrome!>>

Neurontin has a very short half-life of 5-7 hours. It would be

inappropriate to alternating the dosage.

You said:

>

> I take it I shouldn't reduce both at once, eh? What about

> stabilizing on the current level of Parnate then starting the

> gradual withdrawal of Neorontin? By the way, even though it is

> similar to GABA, the monograph says it doesn't act on the brain as

> GABA does but then what do they *really* know about it?>>

** No, youshould not reduce both at once.

You said:

>

>

> On Dec 7th I reduced from 12 to 11 mg of Parnate. I felt OK until

> Friday but didn't identify what was going on until today. My period

> started and I started crying. Fortunately I had a co-counseling

> session lined up and got lots of loving and caring attention as I

> felt miserable. Discharging the emotion in this way let me enjoy a

> Hanukkah Party this evening.>>

** I think that if crying is your only symptom so far, you are

very fortunate. It's really okay to cry.

You said:

>

> This is hard time to set up counseling sessions- holidays, people

> aren't available- I really want to set up lots of support in the

> co-counseling community for this time when the withdrawal is

> hardest.

>

> It it OK if I try to rely on this list a little more at these

> times?

** Of course. That's why we're here.

Regards,