This week, when I was at my Dr.'s office he mentioned a new antidepressant, to me. Because of my troubles with all SSRI's, Cymbalta and Effexor XR, he wants to try this new one on me. Right now I take 187.5mg's of the Effexor XR and it works but makes me jittery and nervous, while lower doses leave me groggy. The problem is I can't remember the name of the drug(probably from the Effexor also).

This is what I know. It's fairly new, he only has 3 patients on it. It must be an SNRI, because they're the only ones I've had any success with and I would recognize the name, if I saw it.

I looked up a bunch, of them, on various sites but none rang a bell. Anyone care to try and help out this very frustrated and confused soul?

Tianeptine?

Hrmm..

The absolute latest FDA approved SNRI antidepressant that I know of is "Pristiq". Though I am not positive it is being prescribed yet. The official name of such is : Desvenlafaxine Succinate.


Nephro,.. Stablon has been around since the 90's but wasn't developed specifically for Depression I don't think. (I could be, and am probably wrong about that fact) -- though I do think it is relatively new to the 'scene' as a SNRE -- With it being more well known in all parts of the world besides the United States. I am not even certain on its status or availability here in the states. Though I am sure it is around. I believe it provides enhancement rather than norepinephric properties. Not entirely sure.. obviously

Could be it though.. anytime something is referenced as 'new' .. it could be nearly a decade old with the rigors medicine must go through to hit the market.. and the sometimes odd ways medications come about for indications they were not designed for. aka: Viagra, etc.

have you called your doctor's office about this? generally, this is a question that would be answered by a call back from his nurse.

Sensible , ggs -- Not sure the nurse would know what new medication the Doc suggested.. but it certainly can be found out during business hours -- ie: call.. ask nurse to ask doc what he told you -- Then do your research from there. =)

Instead of hoping we will guess and spark your memory. -- Though no harm in it until 'tomorrow'.

Well if it's desvenlafaxine I wouldn't expect much difference to venlafaxine, except the price.

Stablon does the opposite in terms of serotonin (making it a selective serotonin re-uptake enhancer, but is reported to be more effective than the SSRIs or the SNRIs, especially in terms of relieving anxiety. I'm not sure of it's effect on noradrenaline, if indeed it has any. It could be a logical step for someone who doesn't get on with the above. We don't have it either in the UK yet.

It sounds like it would be indicated for sedentary, withdrawn patients rather than those who are agitated or hyperactive.

Pristiq sounds right but this doc does love to use older meds. They were closed when I posted this and I planned on calling today, but forgot and now they're closed for the day. The office only has 1 Dr., 1 nurse, 1 billing person and (you guessed it) 1 receptionist. So they all know exactly who I am and would be able to give me the name of the drug in minutes.

I will call tomorrow(they're open 'till 9pm) and find out if Pristiq is, in fact, the med he mentioned. He's really good about giving samples or prescribing cheap alternative for patients with little or no Rx coverage. I'm sitting on 5&1/2 months of Effexor XR samples right now and I know he'll give me another 10 starter pack box, when I see him in six weeks.

But, that SSRE tianeptine sounds very interesting nephro. I may have to run that by him and see how he feels about it. The guy has an eerie 'sixth sense', so I wouldn't be surprised if he asks me about Stablon before I bring it up.

In clinical trials desvenlafaxine actually has shown a empircal promise over venlafaxine - in one study it was acutally used to treat asthma of all things. Boggle..

I am familiar with SSRI/SNRI/SSRE, etc-- But any explanation on the method of action of the SSRE's is quite welcome, and appreciated.

The lack of a nor-adren/epi effect would , indeed, be an indication of a choice 'patient'. And vice versa.

Pillar,.. do let us know. I am always interested in the latest developments in mental health pharmacology -- I think that the arena is 'due' a breakthrough .. though not that anything on the market right now is such.

Neofate you hit the nail on the head. The new anti-depressant is Pristiq or son of Effexor, as my doc calls it. As I still have a hefty 4 month supply of EffexorXR I won't get to make the switch for some time, but I will keep everyone posted when I do.

I'd be interested to see how your switch to Prisiq goes. I asked to be weaned off of Paxil because I've gained 50 lbs. and my pdoc put me on Pristiq instead. He said weightLOSS is a side effect of this new ad. I've only taken it one day so far b\c I take Paxil every other day until I run out of the Paxil.

OMG, paxil, is still out there, IMHO, its the worst antidepressant out there. Watch out for the withdrawal from the paxil. Electric kind of feeling going threw the body. pls give update on prisiq.

I hated Paxil, as did my Dr. He wrote up a titration schedule for me to follow before switching to Effexor XR. I followed it, stopped and he told me he was extremely proud of me because, in his opinion, Paxil is THE worst anti-depressant to get off of. I haven't made the switch to Pristiq so keep me informed, on how it goes amy0.

Pillar, I wouldn't wait to go through four months of one antidep so I could start another. Have you yet begun the Pristiq, so you have something to go by rather than a hope an a wing? I've never heard of this med, what is the up side to the med as explained to you? I still am married to prozac but do need a tad bit of trileptal to help with mood stabilization. Please tell me the part of pristiq that gives new hope for you and possibly others.

Next time I go in I'll ask for the Pristiq, so I can start the switch. I, too, had to take a mood stabilizer(Gabapentin) but stopped because of short-term memory loss and difficulty recalling past memories. The EffexorXR seems to be managing everything pretty well, at 187.5mg's/day. I'm interested on what the Pristiq dose will be. I understand it only comes in 50mg and 100mg forms.

my pdoc said most of his patients start and stay at the 50mg dose. i am on week 3 and i don't really feel better or worse. i asked to be taken off the paxil because i've gained so much weight and pristiq is what he suggested. he said that weight LOSS is actually a side effect of pristiq. i'm not counting on that, but we'll see. i feel like [censored] right now as i am having paxil withdrawls. it's hard to come off the paxil! i hate it.

Paxial....the people that made that drug should go on it... its a shame, its a drug for the devil ,,, you are only a test subject to them... good luck to you,,

I'm thinking of taking myself off Paxil as well, and going with something new. Maybe I will talk to the psych. about this new one as well. I'd be real interested to see how your switch goes/has gone. Updates??

I start weaning off EffexorXR tomorrow, at 37.5mg/week, until I reach 75mg, then jump to 50mg Pristiq. I should be there in 1 month tops, 2 weeks if I push it. I can drop from 187.5 to 112.5 tomorrow and to 75mg next week.

They are odd looking though. Perfectly square, peach/pink tablets. I hope they deliver the goods. My depression has been creeping back, with the EffexorXR. This extra molecule they've conjured up, in the lab, had better help me out.

I hope it works, but side-effects include beady eyes, hairy ears and an appetite for eucalyptus:

http://www.desvenlafaxine.com/

Am I going marsupial?

Meh, don't be fooled everyone. Effexor's patent expired last year. Desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), aside from having a pretty name is no more "novel" or new than venlafaxine's primary metabolite. lol

Nephro,you didn't know this?

Hence Wyeth contininues to reel in billions of dollars whiilst unwitting patients receive exactly the same drug--nortorious side effects and all.

Think Celexa (citalpram) and Lexapro--escitalopram, the latter being nothing more the stereoisomer of the former.

And yes, as soon as Celexa's patent expired, out came "a brand new drug, omg!" called Lexapro.

Been a pleasure, but hell... Nephro you RETIRED or something? Sry, nothing personal.

Stits

We both know it's a patent thing, but it's also a chemical thing and a psychological thing. If I think that 'des' is going to help, who knows, it might?

Wonder if Pristiq might be easier on your liver since it is a metabolite? (even though it is just a trick of the pharma companies).

I also wonder if they developed Pristiq first, then added a group to the molecule (to make effexor) just to be able to market Pristiq after the patent for effexor expired?

If so, cleaver bastards.

Greedy bastards, mojo.

Pillar: There will be a million dollar compaign to market Pristiq. Watch and see (watch your evening news, actually! lol)

There will henceforth be a widespread placebo effect that "hmmm, well it's.... it's certainly working." lol

Doctors, rewarded by professional drug representatives, will also recommend and recommend and recommend this "brand new" AD to patients.

It's how our system works; I've observed and learned from it since the Xanax introduction back in -what '81?

You see, the way the American system works is that drug companies SEND OUT -in person- representives to move (tout) their new products, complete with free samples aplenty.

Now... that's not "bad" in and of itself, but when you give free samples (for patients) of highly addicting medications, or meds that wind up costing a fortune, it's the very height of unethical practice. It's how I got addicted to Xanax--they were freeee! (Weee!)

Understand too, that alprazolam at the time was touted as more efficacious, as having possible anti-depressant properties, and yes--as being a far less addictive benzodiazepine alternative than Valium, Ativan, and so on.

Just remember that ye old caveat emptor also applies to Big Pharma as it is an incredibly profitable business, that's all.

Stits

The main reason I'm switching is for the free samples, lol!

LOL

Good one.

Yes of course I bloody knew. The picture of the animal was supposed to be a joke. Sorry you didn't get it.

Sticking 'des' or 'es' in front of an existing drug name produces differences in cost to the consumer, and little else.

Take zopiclone and eszopiclone for example. Absolutely no advantage to the newer drug over the older one, except for the manufacturers in terms of making money.

And Stits, at least I could retire if I wanted, as I have actual jobs. Anyone PMed you yet about drug withdrawal? Christ I hope not. You are in no position to counsel anyone in drug withdrawal, and I am pleased you have taken that stupid sig line down.

"Yes of course I bloody knew."

LOL How are you Nephro.


Well. I mean at least you knew. That's good. A lot of people needed things explained to them, see. No need to get nasty mate. I'm doing nicely--hope you are as well.

Stits

You have been gone, are 'supposedly' feeling better, yet you come back and goad nephro deliberately. Did you think it went unnoticed? Why do you do those things, stits? Why do you deliberately provoke arguments and upset feelings?

Those 12 steps DO work if you work them. But you have to be willing to try. From reading your other posts, seems you were reluctant to even take a walk and get exercise to help yourself. Hurt yourself if you choose, but please stop hurting others.

To all posters: now that we know that the topic of this discussion is Prestiq...
We can all post about Prestiq and keep all personal issues off the board...
The topic is Prestiq. Discuss the topic and not the posters!!!