Parnate User Reviews & Ratings (Page 2)

• Pds...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 11, 2024

For Depression "With severe depression and suicidal thoughts since I was 17, at 49, it has been a rough ride. I've tried all kinds of meds. Some worked a tiny bit (i.e., just wanting to be dead rather than actively trying to kill myself), but all had unmanageable side effects. 4-5 years ago, I took the genetic test that tells you what medications 'will' and won't work for your body (no guarantee how well it works or side effect strength). Years later, I've gone through the list one by one. I tried the new, fancy drugs first, but all were short-lived or impossible to live with. Parnate was second to last on the list, and all doctors and pharmacists said not to bother since it was 'ancient,' but less than 6 months later, it is BY FAR the best thing I've taken. I feel 'normal' for once in my life. Sleep can be weird, but 1 modafinil cancels any slight tiredness. I've done more with my life in the last 6 months than I have in the last 6 years. Old meds work, or they'd be gone."

• Anonymous
• August 6, 2009

For Depression "I have had Parnate prescribed since 1987, when I was 35. After many years feeling like an 'anti-depressant guinea pig', I finally had clarity and, with my psychiatrist's recommendation, was able to manage my life while professionally succeeding. I don't miss the foods I can't eat but value the relationships I've been able to maintain."

• ret...
• January 17, 2010

For Depression "I give it a 10, and I would give SSRIs and SNRIs only a 5. It's our first experience with MAOIs and it's still early days. But what a difference with fatigue (none). Other side effects, in our case, are minimal or non-existent. I wonder what percentage of people actually notice severe side effects (maybe less than 20%). It appears that MAOIs are well known these days. I presume it's because they are old generic drugs (not covered by active patents) and hence will not get high advertising budgets from the pharmaceutical companies. I also presume that many GPs have no knowledge of this class of drugs or that these are too risky, adverse (side effects) to recommend a trial. It took us at least 7 years of battling depression and fatigue before we found out!"

• use...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 31, 2016

For Depression "I have tried many medications for major depressive disorder, SSRIs, TCAs, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy. All of which helped to some degree, but I was never quite functioning as well as I would have hoped. Depression was ruining my life, and I was becoming very discouraged and disappointed because I had tried so many medications and other treatments, suicide was a thought I had every hour of every day. Now, every single day I am thankful I found Parnate. I get a little dizziness, some dry mouth, and some loud heartbeats, but that is an insignificant cost to pay to have the will to live back once again. If you are struggling with depression after trying many treatments, please ask your doctor about an MAOI. Best of luck!"

• Anonymous
• September 19, 2009

For Depression "After 15 years of SSRIs and SNRIs, I was told to consider shock therapy or Parnate. Parnate is a miracle drug as far as I am concerned. At 47, I seem to have the energy that I had in my 20s and 30s. I am taking Ambien to deal with the side effect of insomnia and it's working great. For once, I seem to be able to synchronize up with the rest of the world. The special diet required has not been a problem so far. I seem to have a problem with almonds, but cheese pizza (non-aged cheese only!) is still okay."

• Zeu...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 6, 2023

For Depression "I live in Croatia, EU. Like most others, I had to go through a whole spectrum of drugs, about 20, before being offered an MAOI. My psychiatrist no longer knew what to do with me because I had atypical treatment-resistant depression, social anxiety (I didn't leave the house almost anywhere for 2 years). I was afraid of people, and I had no will, desire, or motivation to do anything but sleep. I have also been diagnosed with GAD, ADD, fibromyalgia, and worst of all, anhedonia. Anhedonia is a state when nothing makes you happy, you have no motivation, no desire to socialize, no energy, and the only thing you feel is anger. You start abusing various drugs. These drugs were mostly stimulants. Adderall, Modafinil, Dexedrine (he was the best for me). Then I realized that the hormone of happiness is not serotonin, but dopamine, and that the MAO inhibitor is what I need. I am now on 60 mg of Parnate, Xanax, 225 mg of Lyrica, and rotate between Modafinil and Dexedrine. Thanks to God, I feel 80% better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 30, 2023

For Depression "Parnate saved my life. When nothing else would work, Parnate pulled me out of a deep abyss. I have been taking it for 33 years (I am now 61). My dose, 100 mg/day (all taken when I get up in the morning), is 40 mg above the PDR range of 10-60 mg/day, but some people respond to a mega dose. In 2001, I went off Parnate to try to find a safer drug (you must be cautious about diet and other medications--both prescription and over the counter) and returned to the abyss. This is when I was placed on the higher dose (and also needed to add Invega to make the Parnate (generic tranylcypramine) work. Also, since I started taking Parnate, I have suffered insomnia. I now also take Ambien, trazodone, and gabapentin to partially remediate this problem. Despite the side effects and food and medication contraindications (I have had two hypertensive crises), I feel nothing but gratitude for this life-saving drug and for the doctor who introduced me to it many years ago."

• Jim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 28, 2016

For Depression "After trying many more modern antidepressants, which I found uncongenial due to primary or side effects, I tried Parnate. From the initial dose, I felt a lift in my mental state, and although I have had to increase the dosage to maintain this improvement, it is certainly worth the dietary restriction hassles. The only bugbear is difficulty in getting to sleep, and having to take sleeping medication to cope, with the unwanted effects that come with using them. Overall, though, Parnate has been most useful."

• Hen...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 5, 2017

For Depression "This is one of the few drugs that actually work for me. If you're attentive, it's unlikely you'll run into trouble. If it improves life, it's worth it. We get into 2-ton things of steel and drive them around on the freeway super fast every day. Much riskier than taking Parnate. I got off for a while, and friends and family all insisted I stop trying new meds and remain on Parnate for good. No side effects. Easy to quit for a minute when dental work and surgeries come up. Sometimes it feels like the market buries the best meds for some reason. Weird."

• Jma...
• January 23, 2017

For Depression "Most stable I've been in years, seem to be more in the moment, a bit more confident with people, less nervous, no feelings of depression, don't really worry so much about anything. I'm getting positive feedback from people. Not full of energy, but I'm wondering whether the emotional stability I now have will facilitate my projects. I'm more consistent, perhaps likely to get waylaid by instability. It would seem that it'd be a silly idea to go off Parnate. The food restrictions are irrelevant for me. Why would anybody who values their body and life eat pizza and cured meats? I'm feeling stronger, more clear about life - and how short it is. I take 40 mg per day."

• Pra...
• May 24, 2015

For Depression "MAOIs surpass all other groups of contemporary antidepressants in my biased opinion. Unlike other medications, Parnate enriched me with clarity and motivation and just simply made me feel better. You adjust to the effects over time, but it still makes me functional where I was once disabled. I owe this venerable chemical my gratitude, despite the one horrific yet transient reaction I've encountered on it."

• 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."

• emg...
• September 12, 2016

For Depression "Have been on Parnate for over 20 years, use with Trazodone, and I take 40 mg Parnate, divided doses, and 250 mg Trazodone at HS. I had ECT treatments 20 years ago, but had battled major depression since high school. I do believe the Parnate has kept me on an even keel for many years. I have found with the list of everything else you cannot take with it, NutraSweet threw me into a hypertensive crisis, so heads up with that. Otherwise, I have never had any side effects with Parnate."

• san...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 7, 2023

For Depression "It SAVED MY LIFE! Other medications made me suicidal... I feel doctors should be held accountable for prescribing all the other JUNK meds that made chronic depression worse to the point you can only think about suicide. PARNATE saved my life!... demand it!"

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 28, 2020

For Depression "I have been on countless drugs over the past 12 years, and after attempting suicide in February and then being hospitalized for 5 weeks, and then another 4 weeks recently, my psychiatrist started me on Parnate a week ago. I am in awe of the change in my mood. I've been discharged from the hospital and have no thoughts of suicide or self-harm. I am hoping with everything in me that this is going to be the change I need."

• Fes...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 12, 2025

For Depression "Parnate worked when about a dozen SSRIs, etc., did not. I do have to take a much higher dose than typical for a good effect. 30, then 60 didn’t do much after the initial honeymoon. So I’m probably unusual in having a dose of 100 per day. Been on this dose for a long time. No ill effects. It’s very unusual, though. You’ll probably find a good effect at a lower dose. Avoid beer on tap, aged meats, and cheeses. The restrictions aren’t that big a deal. Parnate has been a positive experience for me."

• 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."

• moh...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 22, 2014

For Depression "Only antidepressant to quell my panic attacks and lessen my emotional reactivity. Only downside is ruined sleep and constant vigilance to prohibited foods and medicines. Also developed a bad sweet tooth. But you will definitely feel much better."

• dan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 25, 2018

For Depression "I have kind of atypical depression. This drug is the ONLY true antidepressant on the market. I have tried nearly all ADs, even Nardil didn't work for me. Parnate works fast and keeps working as long as you take it at the right dose and time. I can just stop and go back on this drug smoothly without side effects (maybe just some sleepiness after taking the pills). It may change your life. The only bad thing about Parnate is that it's expensive (2 bottles). Food interactions are a joke for me, I can eat whatever without a problem, but everyone is different, so follow your doctor's instructions."

• Tan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 23, 2018

For Depression "This medicine must be made available in countries like India. Here, they just don't manufacture or import it because doctors don't even consider prescribing it due to their bias against it (created by mass propaganda by companies marketing useless SSRIs and anti-psychotics (read: depression inducers)). I have to import it from Canada, it has closed down, and I shudder at the thought of this medicine being unavailable altogether in the future."

• Deb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 30, 2019

For Depression "I took Effexor for a long time. It was a miracle drug until it stopped working, and I was more depressed than I had ever been before. The psychiatrist I went to see put me on Parnate. It is a relief from the depression. It does work, and like other people, I have not had a problem with food. My blood pressure was low after taking Parnate, so I tried some foods-cheese in particular-and I have had no problem with the diet; the problem is insomnia. I rarely get more than two or three hours of sleep, and that affects everything in my life. Even though I don’t sleep, some days I have lots of energy; other days I am temperamental because of the lack of sleep. I hope I can find a psychiatrist soon who will prescribe something so I can sleep. The county I just moved to has one psychiatrist that accepts Medicare but is not taking new patients. I get a 3-month prescription which is equivalent to half the price of one month, but it has gone up every time I refill."

• Rob...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 23, 2019

For Depression "This drug has been a miracle for me. Over the last 40 years, I've been on virtually every antidepressant. Nothing lasted more than a few weeks. I even went as far as having ECT, with terrible results. 30 mg of Parnate has kept me from thinking suicidal thoughts and made life bearable again. The main side effect for me is the dietary restrictions. Unlike most of the people that have posted their experiences here, I have a very strong reaction to tyramine-containing foods. Four slices of bacon raised my BP to 222/110. Eating one-day-old leftover BBQ resulted in a trip to the ER. I keep Hydralazine around for emergencies now. I know if I eat the wrong thing because I get a throbbing headache within minutes. Now I am much more careful about the food that I eat. Only fresh foods and no aged cheese or meats for me now."

• Jay...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 3, 2016

For Depression "This med really kills the depression and anxiety I have had for years. The best advice I can give is, if it doesn't seem to be working, try switching to the brand name. Generic versions don't seem to work as well."

• 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."

• Ace...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 24, 2018

For Depression "Parnate was a miracle for me. I’d tried a few SSRIs and experienced some torturous side effects, plus having to wait six weeks every time to see if they worked... three days on 10 mg of Parnate and I felt alive again. My body buzzed and for about a day I felt ecstatic. The dietary restrictions aren’t a problem since I’m vegan, just have to curtail the avocado lust. I did recently discover that the tablets contain gelatin, however, so now I’m looking for another MAOI. It’s not the solution to all my problems, and I still need exercise, healthy eating, journaling, and time in nature to avoid feeling down/anxious, but it certainly has helped more than any of the other stuff for my mood and depression. It’s a little tricky to get it prescribed in Australia, shrinks are overly cautious about the potential interactions."