Tranylcypromine for Depression User Reviews (Page 4)

• pet...
• July 22, 2015

Tranylcypromine "I took Parnate in the hospital. It's the second most wonderful thing to ever have happened to my brain, after ECT. But it tried to kill me. But that was due to a drug interaction. Don't take a high dose of Parnate (60 mg) with more than 150 mg of trazodone. I did. I had two hypertensive crises. My BP was 208/163. It was extremely painful. But I would go back to Parnate in a second, just without the trazodone. Look up the drugs it interacts with before you take something with it. I felt cheerful, I started laughing again for the first time in years. Until the hypertensive stuff happened, my team was talking discharge. And I came in very sick. Parnate is great."

• Lin...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 9, 2019

"I'm a practicing psychotherapist, and like many people on these pages, my REAL nightmares started not when I was sleeping but when I WOKE in the morning! The depth of my depression was crippling my family and work life. Also, like many others here, I tried almost every other antidepressant with NO improvement, just negative side effects. I knew about Parnate (tranylcypromine) but was wary of diet restrictions until I realized I'd rather live on plain rice the rest of my life rather than fight off the crippling depression! And, yes, my life changed! Enthusiasm returned. Hope returned. Laughter returned. Leaving me only to echo what other people have written here. This truly is the 'ONLY GENUINE, EFFICACIOUS ANTIDEPRESSANT' available today! PLEASE try it... please recommend it... PLEASE spread the word!"

• eul...
• September 3, 2020

"This is the drug that pulled me out of complete torpor, which was a strong symptom of my depression - along with no interest in life or other people. Everything else had been tried in the tricyclic range, but nothing had little effect - in fact, I was just more solitary, more tired, and less inclined to care about life or other people. ECT was on the cards. When I strongly voiced my objections, it wasn't mentioned again. Instead, I was prescribed tranylcypromine morning and midday. Suddenly, after about 5-6 days, I woke up! I noticed what a beautiful summer day it was and loved to get out of the hospital and go 30 miles to London to visit the galleries. The staff smiled and said, 'Go!' When my psychiatrist was told, he had me in for a consultation and soon saw the change. He said I should be on them for life. That was in 1986."

• Dow...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 6, 2018

Tranylcypromine "Started out great, lots more energy, very upbeat. Then, at around week 3, after upping the dose to 60 mg a day, I went downhill. Couldn't get out of bed, extremely low mood, back to square 1. Had high hopes for this med, was very positive to be starting it. I'm so disappointed now."

• 321...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 25, 2023

Tranylcypromine "I have been on over 15 different medications for over 30 years, and nothing has helped my PTSD or depression. Parnate has made it worse. I am tired mentally and physically, and my suicidal thoughts are turning into an end-of-life plan! I have begged for a drug that's new and newly approved, which will help my medical pain and mental health, or at least in studies. This drug is being used under supervision, but I live alone. (There are places that will take me, but my psychiatrist I feel isn't hearing me or how serious I am.) I'm 64 years old and in ill health. I'm sincerely not living...I exist only with no family support. 30 years of different meds is enough, and hope is fading! Treatment-resistant depression is exactly that, and nothing helps me. Parnate is the worst I've been on, and I am now stuck because of side effects if I go straight off them...but then again, I guess nothing left to lose."

• Emd...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 10, 2022

Tranylcypromine "I'm torn between a positive review and something less optimistic. I've been on and off Parnate since 1982. Now that Nardil is gone, I'm unable to switch between the two if one fails. I take high-dose Parnate, up to 140 mg per day. I might get 4 good weeks, then a relapse. If I go cold turkey for a week, I can reinstate Parnate, and it works ... but never for long enough. I'm on a merry-go-round. No other drugs (antidepressants at least) do anything."

• meg...
• March 26, 2014

Tranylcypromine "I have been on Parnate for about 3 weeks. Am finding the insomnia really hard, as in the day I can be really tired, like fatigue at times, and am unsure whether this is coming from switching medicines, Zoloft to Parnate, or from just the Parnate, and not being able to sleep properly."

• Tal...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2024

"I'm a 26-year-old man who has suffered from depression and anxiety since I was 15 years old. The first medicine that I took back in the day was paroxetine. At the time, it worked great for me. But, as time went by, paroxetine started to lose effect, even at the highest dose. I had to add Xanax to control my anxiety. Now, I'm currently on escitalopram 20 mg + Lyrica 150 mg + Parnate 10 mg per day. Thank God I'm feeling better and have no anxiety. I recently quit taking Xanax."

• Mar...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 21, 2021

Tranylcypromine "After using antidepressants for 20 years with minimal success, my psych put me on Parnate in combination with Seroquel. I take the max dose of 120 milligrams, though I'm diagnosed with major depressive disorder, severe anxiety, and PTSD. When my depression and anxiety kicked in, it tended to manifest itself into OCD and compulsive thinking. After 2 weeks, my symptoms were almost nonexistent, and since then, my state of mind has been a godsend. Insomnia can be an issue at times, but that's the only negative effect I've had. For anyone who has tried and had no success with other medications, ask your health professionals about Parnate. It was developed in the 70s and only prescribed as a bit of a last resort where other medications haven't worked. For me, it's been a wonder drug. In Oz (Australia), the drug is on the PBS schedule of drugs, meaning the price is substantially subsidized by the government."

• Jus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 7, 2016

Tranylcypromine "I have found that people around me say that I have improved and seem better. Yet, inside, I still feel like I'm in a deep, dark hole. I've only been on 40 mg for 3 months, however. As for increased sex drive?! When does that happen? It's killed my sex life. Have lost a lot of weight due to food restrictions, but needed to shed a few kilos. I also find it messes with my bladder. Anyone else have this issue? Some days I can pee, no problems, others, it's just painful, and I struggle to pass urine even when busting to go! Though after reading others' stories, it gives me hope that this drug will bring me out of the darkness... as I'm really over being in here. (I had a nervous breakdown.)"

• rea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 20, 2022

Tranylcypromine "I feel compelled to write this review given the false sense of hope that I experienced as a result of the overwhelming amount of positive reviews on this site. I battled my doctor to get on this medication only to have it cause significant insomnia and a worsening of depression. I made it through 11 nights of 2 hours of sleep before I called it quits. I too was looking for the solution to my depression once the traditionally prescribed medications failed. I wish you the best of luck in your journey, but don't think that the large number of positive reviews on this site is representative of this drug's outcomes. If so, it would be a first-line treatment. With that being said, I hope this medication works for you."

• Die...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 25, 2016

Tranylcypromine "The best drug for severe depression, except you cannot eat cheese or drink red wine. But try TMS, which is not a drug and has no side effects, or if necessary, ECT, which is the gold standard and is much different than in 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.'"

• KAK...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 4, 2018

"I am not going to tell you how effective this drug is, as most users referred to it properly and accurately, and another user called it 'the only true antidepressant on the market.' Honestly, I can't agree enough. I am diagnosed with MDD, ADD, GAD, panic disorder, and social phobia. I was on several medications for years, and none worked. Let me tell you, the tyramine-free diet is not that hard as the media are exaggerating. It is all about eating fresh and healthy food and avoiding drugs. The diet will make you feel fresh and healthy, I highly recommend going for such a diet, it's an effective antidepressant on its own. I hope doctors consider this drug more, if taken properly, it's better tolerated than most and the most effective overall."

• Big...
• November 15, 2018

"This is the best drug for depression. It is also used in treatment-resistant ADHD. Works better than Dexedrine (which I was on for years before discovering this drug). Unlike Dexedrine, there is no 'tolerance,' and it is not neurotoxic (it is actually neuroprotective) despite being an amphetamine analogue. Only side effect is insomnia, which gets better with time and can be easily managed with occasional use of a hypnotic. Taking 20 mg x 3 (60 mg). 10/10, highly recommended."

• Del...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 17, 2016

Tranylcypromine "I have been taking 20 mg of Parnate every day for a little over a month now after finally convincing my psychiatrist to prescribe it. I really can't say how effective it has been in terms of alleviating the symptoms of my depression. Diet restrictions have not really bothered me at all. No real physical side effects apart from extreme sun sensitivity. This REALLY bothers me because I'm extremely fair-skinned and burn so easily - frequent, and I mean FREQUENT reapplications of sunscreen and sun avoidance are a must for me. Parnate has also decreased the effectiveness of benzodiazepines such as Valium and Imovane. This has been really frustrating because I also suffer from anxiety and insomnia."

• Sab...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 6, 2021

"MAOIs saved my life. After a protracted depression of intense, unrelieved psychic pain, I woke up one morning feeling a weight had been lifted. It is borderline malpractice that doctors will not even consider a drug that is considerably more effective than other classes of drugs. There are people suffering unnecessarily. The food restrictions are eminently manageable. Talk to your dollar about MAOI."

• pum...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2022

"I realize everyone reacts differently, and some have bad experiences, but it's still worth putting down the good stories as encouragement. Depression is terrible, and any light has to be good. My depression/anxiety started after Roaccutane as a teen - granted, I had the worst acne going, so I can't blame the drug entirely. Then it flared up after a nasty divorce and I ended up in the psych hospital. I have been on it all; diagnosed with all sorts of stuff and even splashed out on Ketamine (have to go private in NZ and not government approved) without success. I thought it was my end, and suicide was my only escape. Talk therapy had been done to death - excuse the pun. Nowhere to turn. Then my psychiatrist mentioned he could try a little-used and outdated drug. So began my walk back into the sunlight. MAOI - why is it left so late to try? Parnate 30 mg. I did go up to 50 mg, but it started my delusions. It's augmented with Lamotrigine - still to get to the full dose of 200 mg, but wow, I'm human again. No side effects."

• SJR...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 12, 2024

"Great at 30 mg. Nothing else worked. Ketamine was marginally effective at best. Psilocybin didn't do the trick. Tried Lexapro, Wellbutrin, even spent some time on Desoxyn. The side effects for me going about 30 mg get a lot worse, but fortunately 30 mg seems to work. Within a month I could definitely tell the difference. Unfortunately it's easy to make mistakes with MAOIs, so while they're not as dangerous as most people think, don't get carried away thinking they're too safe either. Additionally, some things I used to find enjoyable now seem terribly boring."

• ale...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2017

Tranylcypromine "After failing to get any improvement with a whole range of antidepressants (including TCAs and Wellbutrin), I was very much looking forward to starting on Parnate. Alas, unlike other pills that had literally zero effect, this one added some negative side effects: heartaches, high blood pressure, tense feeling in the chest, and even a visit to a hospital after I fainted (luckily nothing life-threatening). I envy people whose condition improved, though. Also not sure what to do next, as this is literally the last-ditch measure, and ketamine in my country is administered only to hospital inpatients."

• Was...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 21, 2016

"Suffered years from severe depression and anxiety. SSRIs, SNRIs naturally didn't work, and I tried every one I could! With Parnate (tranylcypromine), I've felt normal for the first time in 15-20 years. I actually enjoy the flavor of food again, the green of the grass, the freshness of a nice evening breeze, as well as my old hobbies and friends and family. I still can't believe my luck. Also, haven't needed to change my diet at all. Fear of these drugs is overblown and usually irrational. Most psychiatrists today have no clue about them, so I would advise that you or a friend/relative self-educate before asking your psychiatrist about taking Parnate or another MAOI. There are some internet sites that can help with this. Don't quit!"

• Alb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 20, 2013

"After a hospitalization where no net good came about, I changed psychiatrists. The new guy is semi-retired, only works two half days a week - but is extremely familiar with MAOIs and one of the few doctors in a state of 4 million that will prescribe them. My symptoms were more refractory and atypical depression, and it's been quite a journey to try and work something out. I've been on tranylcypromine for 3 months now. As it's an analog of amphetamine, my major side effects have been similar to amphetamine - sleeplessness (3 hours a night), hyperalertness, agitation when the dose wears off (sucks as it's only 3 hours or so), and when really worn out it keeps going and I feel alert but make judgment errors. Depression is gone though!"

• Anonymous
• November 19, 2010

Tranylcypromine "Side effects are terrible. They include diarrhea, dry mouth, in my case weight gain, it also made me agitated. I have been trying to withdraw from it and now have neuromuscular symptoms of cramping, teeth grinding, eye blinking."

• Ber...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 27, 2020

"Worked my way up to a dose of 30 mg/day of tranylcypromine over the course of 7 weeks for my depression, then a dose of 10 mg for 3 weeks, then 20 mg for 2 weeks, then 30 mg for 2 weeks. Felt weird on it the first couple of weeks. Felt like I was on low-grade speed for a few hours after dosing, then just felt lethargic and tired the rest of the day but could not sleep or nap. I know people say you gotta give this drug time, but my insomnia was so severe I simply couldn't wait any longer for it to 'kick in.' Seriously, I don't know why more people aren't mentioning how bad the insomnia is, and I wish I'd known before starting. It's the most common side effect, and even with 3 mg of Ativan, I just wasn't able to get more than 2 to 3 hours, at best. Some nights I'd get no sleep. After several weeks of this, I had to throw in the towel (especially since I had serious sleep issues even before taking Parnate)."

• par...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2017

Tranylcypromine "After only a few days on Parnate, my mood declined, my sex drive totally disappeared, I lost my appetite completely, and I could only sleep 4-5 hours a night. Then my blood pressure dropped, and I wasn't able to stand much. I had heart palpitations after taking it. My mood was so dark, and my body so weak, that all I did was lie in bed for 10 days. I already have problems getting out of bed, but this made it feel impossible to move. It was absolutely miserable. I had to stop taking Parnate because it made me SO MUCH worse, and I couldn't work, eat, sleep, laugh, nothing. The reviews on here are not a balanced representation of this drug. (I have bipolar 2 depression, social anxiety, GAD, ADHD)"

• Flu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2021

Tranylcypromine "I've been on Parnate 60 milligrams for 2 months. I take medicine for sleep. I'm unable to sleep and still have anxiety. On medication for both. Recently, my doctor decided to decrease my dose to 40 mg, saying there's a chemical in it that can cause my symptoms. Can a lower dose help these symptoms? I take Klonopin and Ambien."