Selegiline for Major Depressive Disorder User Reviews

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

Emsam (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 9mgs. 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 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."

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

Emsam (selegiline) "I’m on day 97 of the Emsam 6mg/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."

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

Emsam (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!"

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

Emsam (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 years 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 12mg/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."

• Booky
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 4, 2019

Emsam (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 6mg 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 SSRI’s. I will be upping my dose after a month. Insomnia is a problem but I have it anyway so 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 ok. So... what I’m trying to say... so far I like it!"

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

Emsam (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 6mg, 9mg, 12mg 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 selegeline 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."

• Diano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 29, 2020

Emsam (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. 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."

• danjsul
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 20, 2016

Emsam (selegiline) "I've been on 6mg for a week now. I know I will probably need to be on 12mg 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 & Emsam actually lower my BP. I also take 40mg Adderall 3xday and Claritin D and don't have hypertensive crisis or SS. MAOIs are the only AD that don't make me numb & hopefully at 9 or 12mg it will be great. I get upset easier but I am happy easier too."

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

Emsam (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"

• Tunio
• February 16, 2018

Emsam (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 sides effects are unbearable stomach pain, indigestion, nausea, upset stomach. I tried to relieved 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."

• Vsharp
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 27, 2019

Emsam (selegiline) "Was on the lowest dose, to prevent to 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."

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

Emsam (selegiline) "I’ve been on just about very antidepressants 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 where 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."

• Tess
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 21, 2022

Emsam (selegiline) "I have been on Emsam since 2007, when it first came out. Started on 12 mg patch then down to 9 and then down to six which I have been on for 10+ years. I tried all SSRI with minor and limited time help. It has been true blessing. Insomnia has been constant problem. Now taking 300 mg gabapentin and .25 lorazepam with 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 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 spike in BP also I did have a hospital stay for spike due to old mushrooms but not bad for this many years."

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

"Have been struggling with MDD, PTSD & GAD 4 years. Given that a plethora of therapeutic modalities did absolutely nothing 4 me, I gave up on standard therapy & figured that I’d have 2 go 2 meds & other things 2 try to get back 2 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 pharma meds, “natural remedies,” supplements, & illicit substances on my path to betterment. The only things that EVER had a positive affect on my psyche & 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 4 me are short-lived), and psychedelic substances — which saved my life. Selegiline is one more med I can add 2 the list of doing absolutely nothing 4 me. No downsides, but also no benefit 2 taking it. Hence my neutral review."

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

Emsam (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."

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

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