Can anyone help with what meds can be taken together? I am confused, because initially when I was taking nortriptyline and getting bad sde effects, the neuro I was seeing at the time (not Dr Granot!) said if I wanted to switch to an SSRI (eg Paxil)I would have to come off the 50mg nortriptyline first and wait for a couple of weeks to clear my system. He told me that I couldn’t take a trycyclic with a SSRI or a SNRI. As some of my symptoms were being helped by the nori I was too scared to come right off the med. I asked about Prothiaden & he said I could make the switch straight over as they were both tricyclics, which is what I opted to do.
However, I’ve read many posts since and see that it’s not unusual to mix meds! Meredith being one example of using three different meds together eg Verapamil ( calcium channel blocker), Paxil (SSRI) and Nortriptyline (Tricyclic).
I’m now up to 125mg of Prothiaden plus .5mg Ativan daily which helps with my balance problems. My understanding is Dr Granot’s view is that upping the Prothiaden dose will eventually clear all symptoms without taking Ativan. I’ve not had any noticeable difference in my balance between being on 100mg and 125mg so am reluctant to push the Prothiaden higher & higher (with extra side effects). I’ve tried stopping the Ativan for a couple of days & balance was terrible - lurching all over the place!
I’ve recently moved and have a new GP who is not keen on me taking Ativan ( I got the impression he thought anxiety was causing the balance/dizzi problem) and suggested seeing a psychologist!. By now he should have all my notes from my previous GP so my next visit may be more productive - I left a copy of the Vertigo/Migraine paper by Dr Watson & hope he’s had time to read it.
I can email Dr Granot with my queries but would like to have the info about mixing drugs a bit clearer before I do.
Thanks
Barb
I am on 3 daily migraine preventatives. I started with Nortriptalyne and have been taking 75mg at bedtime for the last 5 years
We added in the Verapamil (ER or SR) a few months later and I am on 480mg. 1/2 in the AM and 1/2 in the pm for the last 5 years
And finally added in Effexor (ER or SR) awhile after that. 75mg in the AM (make sure it isn’t generic though)
So as you can see, I have 3 meds for the last 5 years. I would say that I am about 95% daily!
Pam
Hi Barb
There is a website www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.html which might help you with drug interactions but you can also check this with a pharmacist as they know a lot more about this type of stuff.
x
Hi Muppo
Thanks for the link to drug interactions - it looks like a good site but unfortunately doesn’t recognise Prothiaden, Dothep, Dothiepin or Doulepin! Assume it is a US site as know it is not available there. I will search for a similar site in UK.
BTW I lived in Brentwood before emigrating to Oz - my youngest sis lives on Mersea Island (beaut place)! So from one Essex grl to another thanks again (have heard some comments on TV about ‘Essex’ girls so not sure I should own up to being one!! :roll:
Barb
Barb you LEGEND!!
You’re from Brentwood? So are they showing The Only Way Is Essex over there in Oz?? They must be! It’s hilarious and of course it’s set in Brentwood, Loughton (where I live) and Chigwell. TOO FUNNY!
Us Essex girls are made of seriously good stuff! Dont let anyone tell you different!
Lots of huggles xx
Hi Mups
Ww will definitely look out for this one & give it a try - would love to see my old home town. Still getting the visual vertigo - was going along fine today until I visited the local library today & lasted five minutes. Thinking of trying the neurontin - does it help with the spins? Up to 125mg on Prothiaden & going well apart from the visual stuff.
My husband’s family came from Loughton so looks like we’ll put ‘The only way is Essex’ on the must see list!!
Regards
Barb
Your hubby’s family are from Loughton?? NO WAY!!! Wooohhhhhaaaaaa I bet we all know each other secretly hahahahha!
Can I ask their name (hmmmm maybe PM me the chat). Where in Oz do you guys live now? I lived in Sydders for a year. But NZ is by far the best! 
Neurontin to me has done by far the most. Literally within 3 days it made a difference to the electricity in my head and those bloody electric shocks I was having. I still have them but they are less frequent and less severe. I still have a bit of visual stuff - the fluro lights and big monitors kill me still!
I say try it. I bloody swear by this drug. x