MAOI's

[Catriona]

Hello everyone,

Does anybody have experience of being on MAOI's? It looks like I am about to be put on them as SSRI's,SNRI's and Tricyclics have all failed me. I know about the dietary restrictions, but any information or experience of them would be fantastic.

Thanks xx

[yenool]

I've been on Moclobemide but that is a little different because it is a "reversible MAOI" and therefore the dietary restrictions are not really significant.

I would like to try another MAOI but I couldn't get my doctor to agree due to the perceived risks. I'm surprised your doctor recommended them, they are so rarely used these days but do have a reputation for helping people with treatment resistant anxiety and depression.

Main thing is the dietary restrictions (which some sources are a bit over-dramatic about, most people eating a healthy diet would not have to change much) and the drug interactions. Should not be taken with certain OTC cold medicines and definitely not mixed with other serotonergic antidepressants.

I wish I had a direct experience to share with you, I would love to try a proper MAOI myself.

[Catriona]

Thank you for getting back to me

I have been on so many of the different kinds of anti-depressants and just gotten nowhere with them. The MAOI is literally a last resort. I'm going to be giving my current SSRI another three weeks to see if it is viable, and if not, it is onto an MAOI. Here's hoping something, ANYTHING, works!

xx

[yenool]

Thank you for getting back to me

I have been on so many of the different kinds of anti-depressants and just gotten nowhere with them. The MAOI is literally a last resort. I'm going to be giving my current SSRI another three weeks to see if it is viable, and if not, it is onto an MAOI. Here's hoping something, ANYTHING, works!

xx

I've tried loads of things without success too, SSRI, sNRI, tricylics, etc.

Good luck

Make sure you have the correct wash-out period from stopping the SSRI to starting the MAOI... .can be quite a long time depending on which SSRI you are on.

[Catriona]

Thanks for wishing me luck, I suspect I'll need it!

The washout between fluoxetine and MAOI's is 5 weeks, which to me seems like a lifetime.

If I do end up getting put on an MAOI, let's hope it is worth it. x

[Mosquito]

An MAOI was my last resort too after more than twenty years of SSRIs, SNRIs and tricyclics. I'm on moclobemide too, it's been working pretty well so far, with a lot less side effects than anything else I've tried in the past. I'd definitely consider trying another MAOI if/when this one stops working.