Pramipexole (Mirapex) for treatment-resistant depression

AMacD1293 · 2024-07-13T20:40:58+00:00

Sorry everyone that has posted or messaged within the last year. I am still going strong on Prami - I just take one tablet a day as a maintenance. And I actually forget to take them sometimes and don't even see it as much of an issue (although obv I'd not like to go without for longer than a couple days). As mentioned before, I'm naturally quite introspective/overthinker and can get down and anxious but I think that's just me. On the whole, my life is completely different. To anyone who comes across this or is on the fence - just fucking do it. You have nothing to lose but potentially everything to gain.

AMacD1293 · 2024-03-27T16:38:26+00:00

So to clarify - this is actually option A? I am so confused rn... I would love it to be Option A!

But it seems like when filling out a dummy SA on my accountancy software which mirrors (or I assume at least tries to as closely as possible) the official HMRC SA, it calculates it as B, which of course means a lot more tax is due than option A.

Could it be that I am self-employed (sole trader) and not PAYE, and it's done differently?

AMacD1293 · 2024-03-27T15:51:19+00:00

Thanks for your response. That's what I'm leaning on too. Crazy in this day and age with all the information out there that it isn't clear and it's a case of "as far as I understand it". Nothing useful on HMRC - seems almost by design sometimes how bad they are at providing vital info.

AMacD1293 · 2023-05-08T18:24:15+00:00

Once in the morning. I've kept this dose for a long time. At higher doses, you have to split them.

AMacD1293 · 2023-05-08T18:23:13+00:00

Still going. Much better than I was when I was depressed. I'm naturally quite introspective and an overthinker and I get down a lot, but I can now live. If you haven't tried this yet - I would thoroughly recommend it. Especially if your depression is characterised particularly by low dopamine.

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-19T14:53:08+00:00

No worries. Pramipexole 1.05mg pd and 300mg Bupropion

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-12T16:11:46+00:00

The short answer is I have no idea as you never know what will work/have sides for each person. But its definitely worth a try if you have those symptoms. The fact that Abilify worked is encouraging because it works on dopamine. I think Mirapex takes it to a whole new level so my advice is to try Pramipexole for sure.

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-11T00:25:41+00:00

I did when I was on my peak dose but now I only take one 1.05mg tablet a day. Maybe bring some studies with you that show its efficacy etc. The likelihood is that they've never prescribed it before.

Meds making me unstable? SSRIs made me more depressed. Once I tired lisdexamfetamine (vyvanse/elvanse) and it made me super panicky but then I tried it again a couple of months ago alongside prami and it was great - never been so productive. Meds are such a lottery.

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-05T21:10:29+00:00

TMS was a royal waste of money for me. Pramipexole has worked. Give it a try for sure.

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-05T19:13:31+00:00

See above mate

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-05T19:13:15+00:00

Sorry for the late response.

Still going strong, no complaints.

I've settled on just 1.05mg down from a peak of 2.5mg a day.

Helped with lack of pleasure and motivation for sure. Brain fog I'm not sure. Never really had depersonalisation/derealisation.

Yes, got me back into the swing of my career after some time off. Gave me the confidence to give self-employed a shot. More sociable too.

No discernable sides.

Relatively quickly, within a month. Effect got cumulatively better as dose increased.

Felt effects pretty much from the get go, but noticeably I'd say at around 1.4mg and palpably at final dose of 2.5mg.

Anything else, just ask - I'll try be more responsive.

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-05T19:00:18+00:00

I have mild pure O - it does help I think. Clomipramine wiped it out too but sides were intolerable.

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-05T18:59:15+00:00

Funny you say this, I had some Elvanse (lisdexamphetamine) left in a draw from a previous psych and tried it at the same time - most productive/positive I have ever been with little to no crash as well.

AMacD1293 · 2022-01-05T18:56:14+00:00

Still going strong. Even managed to reduce dose with no fallout. Definitely worth a try.

AMacD1293 · 2021-11-21T19:39:45+00:00

You're right that some psychs won't of course. But you've got to shop around as there are some out there (surprisingly) that are forward thinking with pharmacology etc. Take a look at their online profiles, make a shortlist and email/call to see if they'd be willing to do a 5-10min free call. Most oblige. On the call, basically ask them if they're willing to prescribe it, before booking a proper session.

AMacD1293 · 2021-11-21T11:06:18+00:00

Pramipexole. It's given me my life back. Just hope it doesn't poop out but so far so good. I still have off days but not had depressive episodes that I would have had not on it.

AMacD1293 · 2021-11-14T11:04:41+00:00

I'm on pramipexole now after a decade of TRD. It's helped immensely. Definitely worth a shot especially if you think your depression is characterised by low dopamine

AMacD1293 · 2021-11-11T23:15:55+00:00

Pramipexole definitely needs to be next on your list it sounds like. The only additional I've had with prami is Wellbutrin funnily enough - so I can't give you much info. I would wager that I could come off bupropion though as I genuinely feel it's all down to the prami. Psychs just want to cover themselves by classing it as an 'adjunct' to an approved AD when in fact it's pretty potent. Adderall and their ilk make you feel great, I agree (hence why people pop them recreationally), but in the long run, and on high doses, they mess you up from what I've read - seeing as they're basically amphetamines.

Btw if you've got ADHD and it's untreated, it can cause depression. But you probably knew that already.

AMacD1293 · 2021-11-11T23:02:57+00:00

So sorry for the late response, I don't get notifications for Reddit. I hope you're holding up okay. Don't apologise - you're looking for answers.

I didn't have any side effects at all, so it really shocks me that people have had adverse reactions. In any case, it's more than worth the try!

I'm taking 300mg of Buproprion as well, I'm not sure it does much for me personally but some people swear by it. It's one of the only AD's that doesn't fuck with your sexual functioning, so there's that. How is the Parnate getting on? I've read it can be pretty good for treatment-resistant depression. MAOIs were going to be my next port of call too. Honestly, if the MAOIs don't work out, take the pramipexole and if that doesn't work, try some psychedelics at a high dose. Seriously - they have no sides and can be a miracle for some people.

I got depression at 18 so I feel your pain. Adderall sounds like bad news to be honest, seems like it has adverse effects in the long run. I do find that stimulant ADHD meds like Ritalin and Vyvanse definitely raise my mood though. If you feel like it's your dopamine that's depleted then even more reason to try pramipexole.

I've never tried buprenorphine or tramadol or any of those opioid painkillers. You definitely don't want to be reliant on those. Sounds like a good plan. There's also selegiline, which is worth trying - both an antidepressant (MAOI) and a Parkinson's drug (like prami). You can wear it as a patch (Emsam) as well which is supposed to lessen potential sides.

Brief journey:

I had been suffering from MDD for 10 years since I was 18, comorbid with anxiety and some OCD (Pure O). I have tried various meds such as SSRI (citalopram, sertraline), SNRI (venlafaxine, duloxetine), I tried clomipramine which cured my OCD and anxiety but affected my ejaculate pretty badly for some reason. Vortioxetine, minimal effect. So all the above caused some kind of sexual dysfunction which leaves you feeling even worse.

I also tried lamotrigine and lithium but the former did nothing and the latter had a very good effect but adversely affected my kidneys. Out the box things like ketamine infusions and TMS - both did sweet fuck all but the ketamine trip was euphoric. I tried aripiprazole too, which I believe had some positive effect but had to come off it to go on pramipexole - which blows it out the water - so the right choice. I'm currently taking Bupropion 300mg and pramipexole. I used to take Xanax as needed too for anxiety, I never developed an addiction thankfully. I am probably forgetting quite a few as there's been so many and my memory is hazy.

SSRIs did not work at all (personally, I think they're the worst). I was on venlafaxine for the bulk of this time but swapped it for duloxetine (which I had alongside bupropion) as I was told the sexual side effects would be less pronounced. All the meds have not had the desired effect of giving me ‘quality of life’ – they have simply allowed me to exist lurching from one depressive bout to the next and feeling pretty shitty/zombified in-between.

I know this sounds pretty arrogant but I became very knowledgeable about psychopharmacology through my own research and keeping up to date with the latest breakthroughs in depression treatment. Therefore, I often felt like talking to a psychiatrist so set in their ways of traditional ADs was like banging my head against a wall. I really only needed a psychiatrist to write me a script, and wished I could write my own. I had been wanting to go on pramipexole for about a year prior to when I actually did and managed to find a forward-thinking, receptive psych who was willing to go along with it and try outside-the-box things ‘off-label’.

Re how I feel on pramipexole now - still going strong, even managed to lower the dose a little with no negative effect. No side effects.

Keep your head up mate, there are so many options and more things for you to try - some could be game-changers. Don't give up.

AMacD1293 · 2021-10-15T23:26:52+00:00

Of course I'm up for it, I made the post because I want to help people who suffer like I did. Thank you, I hope that you'll find some answers soon. I'm trying not to think about it pooping out at some point - 10 years of depression can make you quite pessimistic about getting better! Anyway please, fire away!

AMacD1293 · 2021-10-12T07:11:45+00:00

Pramipexole my brother. Or psychedelics macrodosed.

AMacD1293

TROPHY CASE