Parnate and Blood Pressure: What Users Say

• nol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 25, 2021

For Depression "Incredibly strong antidepressant. Makes SSRIs seem like a placebo in comparison. Pulled me out of a very long depressive episode after trying every other drug I had yet to try, including fancy new SSRIs and IV ketamine - all ineffective. ECT was next. Parnate, while difficult to tolerate initially, is stunningly effective and worth putting up with the hassle and side effects. Worst was the hypotension (especially with lower BP at baseline) and sleep difficulties (insomnia + extreme afternoon fatigue), but both improve significantly over a couple of months. Diet changes were minimal to none, depending. The worst part about MAOIs is finding a good doctor who has their head on straight, research done, and cares enough to try them with patients who need them. MAOIs are deserving of being much more than just a 'last resort.' These are psychiatry's best kept secret... shameful they don't know that! If you need info/expertise: Dr. K. Gillman."

• Lur...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 12, 2019

For Depression "Finally found a psychiatrist that would prescribe an MAOI, an 87-year-old doctor in town. By far, the best antidepressant with the fewest troubling side effects I’ve ever used. Be careful with hypotension at first. Start slow! Also, can buy the brand-name drug from Canada for 50% less."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 4, 2014

For Depression "Parnate is a great medicine. It will mess with your sleep cycle and cause severe insomnia, but other than that, it's great. It improves mood, lowers anxiety (not perfectly, but enough), improves sex drive, and gives you energy. In my case, I welcomed slight weight loss. I've taken up to 40 mg a day. It's very important to take Parnate either in the morning or at 2 pm. If taken in the morning, it may cause drowsiness at around 2 pm. Take food warnings seriously. If I eat the wrong food, my blood pressure definitely increases."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 19, 2015

For Depression "Have taken Parnate for 5 years. Tried 5-10 other medications before trying Parnate. Had a bad reaction to most of these - worsening depression and anxiety. Currently taking 80 mg of Parnate, which is above the normal therapeutic range. Have a few side effects that still come and go, including daytime fatigue/some tachycardia right after dosing. Take 30 mg in the morning, 20 mg in the afternoon, and 30 mg in the evening. When I started taking it, I had pretty bad orthostatic hypotension for a week or two. The medicine works well. Depression and anxiety have been kept at bay for 5 years. I can enjoy life. Highly recommended."

• Old...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 11, 2022

For Depression "Have been in hand-to-hand combat with my depression and anxiety for twenty-seven years. Tried numerous drugs over this time with mixed results. Then I tried Parnate five years ago. It eliminated my depression and anxiety and is still working well. I find the food restrictions a minor issue in light of the improvement this drug has brought. Some hypotension, but that's my only side effect. Parnate is an oldie but goodie."

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

For Depression "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)"

• Col...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2022

For Depression "Might be good for depression if you like feeling manic and talking way more than usual. Also, the hypotension and raised liver count was alarming to say the least. If you decide to take it, make sure you get your liver checked monthly, as I was only on it for two months, thank God, and a low dose of 20 mg per day. I had to stop when my blood pressure dropped to 60 over 10, lucky I was in a hospital at the time."

• Col...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 17, 2022

For Depression "Might be good for depression if you like feeling manic and talking way more than usual. Also, the hypotension and raised liver count was alarming to say the least. If you decide to take it, make sure you get your liver checked monthly, as I was only on it for two months, thank God, and a low dose of 20 mg per day. I had to stop when my blood pressure dropped to 60 over 10, lucky I was in a hospital at the time."