Selegiline for Major Depressive Disorder User Reviews

• Dr ...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 3, 2017

Selegiline "25 yrs on Nardil. One ER room crisis with cheese. Had multiple negative reactions with avocado and red wine. Switched to 12 mg Emsam five years ago. Over time, I felt anxious. Reduced to 9 mgs. Feel much better. Wanting to reduce to 6 mg. Biggest problem is finding a shrink that understands Emsam. Seems you need to find your own way with Emsam, and it is very expensive. I have had suicidal thoughts while on Emsam. They have been cyclical. No depression since going from 12 to 9 mg. My age is 79. Still very active sex life. My weight is constant. Exercise, bike ride hills, hike, and surf. I watch the diet restrictions. Hope this can help others. Nothing has ever helped except MAOI meds. Tried all the others. Nothing else worked."

• Kit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2022

Selegiline "I’m on day 97 of the Emsam 6 mg/24 hr patch, and I’m no longer the person I was for nearly five decades, having childhood-onset MDD with suicidal ideations. After years of SSRIs, SNRIs, other psychiatric medications, inpatient stays, intensive outpatient therapy, rTMS, and either no response or unsustainable side effects, I finally have relief. I’m a new person I don’t quite recognize, and I love it! Folks say, “I want to feel like myself again,” but I never wanted that because I’d only known debilitating depression. I’m motivated, active, less reserved, less fearful, and generally feeling great. I’ve lost much weight now I’m off other medications, have motivation to exercise, and, of course, Emsam is associated with some weight loss (a lot in my case). I’ve had no ill effects from this patch, only myriad positive effects and near miracles. I find wearing the patch on my upper outer thigh (alternating left and right thighs daily to avoid irritation) works best for me."

• Mus...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 3, 2015

Selegiline "I have tried several medications for my major depression over the years, and Emsam side effects have, by far, been the smallest. There are no sexual side effects, no weight gain, etc. My moods are not 'monotone' like I had felt on some of the other medications. The only drawback to this medication, in my opinion, is the food/drink watch. I personally don't have to modify much, but if you drink a lot or eat a lot of aged foods, this will be an issue for you on Emsam. Also, this is an MAOi, so there are medication interactions as well. But mood-wise, depression, anxiety... this is the best ever!"

• Boo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2019

Selegiline "I’ve tried so many psychotropic drugs for the last 30 years, resulting in untoward side effects or ineffectiveness. My psychiatrist referred me for a second opinion med consult, and the doctor I saw put me on Emsam for my MDD. I’ve been on 6 mg for 3 weeks, and I noticed a difference in about a week. I feel like the doom is lifting, and I’m not as depressed. What amazes me is I have no flat feelings at all, which is something that has left me feeling less than human on SSRIs. I will be upping my dose after a month. Insomnia is a problem, but I have it anyway, so it's hard to tell what’s what. I’m still feeling anxious and tired, but it’s much less, and I hope with time that will get better. Also, it’s tricky to get the patch to stay on, but I found a good spot that works for me. I put mine on the top of my thigh, and that seems to be okay. So... what I’m trying to say... so far I like it!"

• Mid...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 3, 2022

Selegiline "I'm a psychiatrist with multiple episodes of uncomplicated, treatment-resistant major depression. SSRIs, SNRIs, combination treatments: most helped for a few months to a year or so. Emsam has helped the most in terms of degree of symptom relief (90%+) and in terms of length of benefit (years). Orthostatic hypotension and delayed ejaculation are the most troublesome side effects for me. After carefully reading the primary information and monitoring blood pressure, I no longer worry about food interactions even though I'm on the 12 mg/d dose. Then again, I don't eat, like, 3 oz. of blue cheese, either. But medication interactions are still a big concern. I wear a MedicAlert tag that says 'MAOI = Emsam' to warn docs in case I'm seen in the ER. Frankly, this drug is a very clever miracle of modern psychopharmacology and pharmaceutics."

• dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 20, 2016

Selegiline "I've been on 6 mg for a week now. I know I will probably need to be on 12 mg, as I think I'm probably one of the most rapid drug metabolizers there is, but I can tell things are different again. I've tried Prozac, Celexa, Effexor, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Trazodone, and the traditional MAOI Parnate, and the only one that helped at all was Parnate, which I stopped because of swollen ankles but actually started again this time when I withdrew from Cymbalta again before starting Emsam. Parnate and Emsam actually lower my BP. I also take 40 mg Adderall 3x a day and Claritin D and don't have hypertensive crisis or SS. MAOIs are the only AD that don't make me numb, and hopefully at 9 or 12 mg it will be great. I get upset easier, but I am happy easier too."

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 29, 2020

Selegiline "I have been taking Emsam 6 mg for almost two months. I initially was feeling pretty good, but the last 21 days I have been very depressed and full of anxiety. I have tried almost every other antidepressant, SNRI, and mood stabilizer. I also did two rounds of TMS. I really want this medicine to work and want to stay at the 6 mg because of the possible strokes from eating foods high in tyramine. I do suffer from insomnia but take clonazepam 0.5 mg, and that has helped. Just wish I knew why I have been so depressed and full of anxiety."

• Pat...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 26, 2023

Selegiline "I have been diagnosed with MDD + TRD, which is just MDD that has failed many different treatments. I have had every class of med and several treatments, including TMS, ECT, ketamine infusion, therapy, dextromethorphan, psilocybin microdosing, etc. I was even in an MDMA-assisted therapy clinical trial. Emsam is a game-changer. Emsam is a 6 mg, 9 mg, 12 mg 24-hour transdermal patch. It releases a tiny amount of medicine into your body every second. Unlike pills or injections, where it all goes into your body at once, the patch keeps the blood plasma concentration of selegiline extremely low, so the side effects are minimal. It took about 6 weeks for me to see the full effects, but I was shocked at how my severe depression went from 10/10 to 2/10 in just two months. It brought back my motivation, stopped my constant crying, and my brain is functioning again (most days). However, it is important not to forget to wear the patch, or the depression may come back."

• hap...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 15, 2017

Selegiline "The side effects of this drug have destroyed my well-being, and I am not exaggerating when I say that. Everything was going very well the first 2 months I was on the drug. But then the insomnia started. And then came the irritability. Then the short temper. Then the escalated anger. And then came the panic attacks, leading to dependency on Xanax XR. Depression came back anyway when the insomnia started. My social anxiety has returned in a big way. The lowest dose was too activating for me. I would not recommend this medication for anyone who suffers from anxiety along with depression, even if your depression is worse than your anxiety. I've been off it for almost a week. Pro: transdermal = bypasses the digestive tract."

• Tun...
• February 16, 2018

Selegiline "I took Emsam for 3 weeks, and before Emsam, I tried many antidepressants, TMS, and also ECT, nothing helped. I was hoping this medicine would help, but side effects are unbearable: stomach pain, indigestion, nausea, upset stomach. I tried to relieve this with other medications like Zantac, but with no effect. I really want this medicine to work, but I have no luck again. I don’t know what to do now because my options are limited."

• tho...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 31, 2024

Selegiline "Diagnosed at age 22 (1984) with Major Depressive Disorder, I was prescribed the MAOI NARDIL. It completely changed my life, and I continued taking it. In the year 2003 (thereabouts), my Major Depression returned. Unbeknownst to me and the thousands who also took NARDIL, the drug was sold to a new manufacturer who removed several elements in the compound. It stopped working. I noticed the change of the pill - it had been a hard-shell orange color, then after the new manufacturer took over, it was chalky with orange-pink color. The Internet was in its early days, but five years later, I began finding groups online describing the devastating effects after the NARDIL compounds were removed. One famous artist in New York committed suicide within a few years after not being able to find a replacement drug. My experience was horrific. I was paraded through a series of SSRIs, like then-popular Prozac, and NOTHING worked. I went back to the 'new' NARDIL as it was better than nothing. Over time, I read ab"

• Vsh...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2019

Selegiline "Was on the lowest dose, to prevent too many food restrictions. Did nothing for my depression-in fact, made my mood awful, gave me nightmares in which I did unspeakably violent things, and a waking rage I have never experienced. Weeks off it, and my doctor is trying to get rid of my extreme agitation and anger with no success. I can’t interact with people without losing my temper. Comes in a very convenient patch form, but that’s the only positive, in my opinion."

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

Selegiline "I’ve been on just about every antidepressant known to man over the last 40 years. Nardil worked for five years and then suddenly stopped being effective. Two years ago, I had 10 ECT treatments at UCLA, which were ineffective. Becoming desperate, I tried Emsam for two months. It had no effect at all, and at a cost of $1500.00 per month, might be considered one of the bigger pharmaceutical rip-offs."

• End...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2022

"Have been struggling with MDD, PTSD, and GAD for 4 years. Given that a plethora of therapeutic modalities did absolutely nothing for me, I gave up on standard therapy and figured that I’d have to go to meds and other things to try to get back to a healthy headspace, from which I had long since fallen. Over the course of the past 10 years or so, I have tried a ridiculous abundance of pharmaceutical meds, “natural remedies,” supplements, and illicit substances on my path to betterment. The only things that ever had a positive effect on my psyche and mental health in general were Lithium Orotate (not the stuff given at ultra high doses in clinical settings [i.e. crazy house]), Kratom (although its effects for me are short-lived), and psychedelic substances — which saved my life. Selegiline is one more med I can add to the list of doing absolutely nothing for me. No downsides, but also no benefit to taking it. Hence my neutral review."

• Tes...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 21, 2022

Selegiline "I have been on Emsam since 2007, when it first came out. Started on a 12 mg patch, then down to 9, and then down to 6, which I have been on for 10+ years. I tried all SSRIs with minor and limited-time help. It has been a true blessing. Insomnia has been a constant problem. Now taking 300 mg gabapentin and 0.25 lorazepam with the patch about 9 p.m. and falling asleep after midnight. Sleeping well most nights. Tremors and fine motor skill weakness are my main problematic symptoms. I am a 74-year-old female. I would highly recommend Emsam. Not many problems with food or medicine. I am careful with food and drink selections and have had a few reactions. Hair dye with MSG, eye drops for numbing caused me to spike in BP, also, I did have a hospital stay for a spike due to old mushrooms, but not bad for this many years."

• Z-N...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2018

Selegiline "Is a potential cure for your depression worth crippling debt? Well, I guess you'll find out after you pay over $1500 for a 30-day supply. Unless you have your Medicare paid for you, look elsewhere."

• Rad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2019

Selegiline "Tried many antidepressant medicines over 30 years without much satisfaction, now on 9 milligrams of Emsam patch, waiting to see results in 1 to 3 weeks with a slight improvement in depression."