Kim, I can't offer any advice at all other than what you could easily Google because I've had no first hand experience and it would be guesswork at most. I just want you to know I'm sorry you are going through and have gone through this private hell and have for so many years. I can't imagine how awful it has to be sometimes. I am hoping with all my heart this new course of meds will help you in some way and I also hope you will let us know how things ar going as time goes on. I'm not a big hugger of people I don't really know,but here's a big one from me because in some ways I feel I know you.

No help here either except to give you sympathy. I'd have a hard time giving up my Chinese food. Is there something in the medicines that make them react badly to salty foods? That would be the relation to cured meat & soy sauce. The cheese, I have no idea.

I'm afraid I don't know much about MAOI's. But hang in their and we are rooting for you. All I can offer now is a bit of Meditative Music. It's been known to lift my spirits on occasion.

Michael

It's been a long time since I had any dealings with MAO inhibitors, but remember them from my work experience. I think the common denominator in those foods are the fermentation process.

Not all drugs are created equal. I just googled MAOs and there seems to be a much broader choice now of drugs in this class, some with less potential for serious side effects, because of their specific mode of action. Ask your physician to consider starting you out with one of those maybe?

I'll tell you who your best friend is out there, and that's your pharmacist. That's who can really help you out........and discuss with you everything you'll need to know about impacts on your eating habits, and safety with other medications. Most of them are more than happy to discuss your medication safety, and sometimes they even have recommendations for the physicians to help them custom tailor a routine you can adjust to living with. And that's a big factor for success in any regimen, because of compliance.

Kim, I'd like to suggest you find a first class nutritionist to help you make good food choices.

If you have a market that sells organic food near you that might also give you choices. For instance, at my local Food Co-Op they sell a bacon that is uncured. I'll pop in and check out the label and let you know.

I'd also like to suggest you check out the nami.org. website. I'm aware that meds can lose their efficacy in time and coming up with a new mix is often long and frustrating. This site might point you in the direction of the very latest research.

Do you have a support group? You're not alone and sometimes it helps to talk to people who are in the same boat. Check out the nami.org site, they might have some answers to these questions for you.

I'll get back to you about the bacon.

Hi, Kim,

The bacon I wrote of is Hemplers and they have a complete line of uncured ham products. This is a link to their website and if you request it they will give you a complete list of everything that's in their products.

I hope this helps you.

Here is a link that might be useful: Uncured bacon, ham etc.

It was years and years ago (maybe early 1960's) but at one time I must have been on something in this category. I remember being given Miltown (spelling?) in the mid-fifties...not sure what I was taking later. I think the docs were freeer with dispensing these things then.

I remember the cautions about the foods you mentioned and also things like pickles and olives...are they still on the list? I remember like you feeling totally bummed about the restrictions on aged cheese and cured meats... also wine.

I hope you can find authoritative info, Kim. From what I remember being told, it could be very serious to make a misstep. No real advice to offer, just sympathy... I might try investigating new-to-me fresh veggies and fruits ...are there restrictions on fresh herbs? The Cooking Forum here may have some good advice on expanding your food choices safely. josh

I am more or less in the same boat in the sense of quite likely being on some psycotropic med for the duration. Last winter I tried to wean myself off them entirely and alas it did not work out well (this was done when I was in Mexico and away from my shrink). Here's the thing. For anxiety/depression I am taking neurontin aka gabapentin which is not supposed to be for that but it really works for me. You might ask your shrink about trying it. (He might really not want to hear from a crazy person but it does work for me.) I took lots of different meds but I think they were mostly SSRI's don't remember MAOI's but not sure. Changing meds is really quite awful isn't it!! Just hold on a little while longer because it will get better. I promise it really will get better. There is so much beauty in life. One day before too long you will open your eyes and you will see it again. Think of this, each day you are one day closer to the day when suddenly you find life good again. About the wine, I have found that I can tolerate a little teeny tiny bit. About half a glass has the same affect on me as 3 or 4 glasses when I am unmedicated.

Rebecca

No real help, but sunflowers and support from me too. The nutritionist is a good idea and so is talking to your pharmacist. You might also consider a consultation with a naturopathic physician. Holistic oriented professionals can be more in tune with the types of food/prescription interactions that you need help with. I would try the pharmacist first.

I love cheese too. :)

at least plain chocolate isn't on the forbidden list

some good news in that, kim. I've been thinking about you a lot since you posted. I can't know what it's like to be in your shoes, but I can keep you in my thoughts and I'm doing that and sending their good energy out to you. And, indeed, to all of those who, today, need to find some strength and solace.

Can't offer much advice about what to eat....but I can say..."watch it!" I have a memory of a party next door to me a lot of years ago, and the hostess served a cheese ball made from cream cheese an aged chedder and Blue....and rolled in walnuts. One of the party goers got suddenly and dangerously sick. Thenkfully, one of the other party goers was a doctor who always carried his black bag in his car, and instantly suspected what was wrong.
We were all given a lesson on the spot to always disclose what was in those simple little dips and if you were on an Mao inhibitor, watch out for hidden aged cheese and walnuts.
Linda C

Thanks for all the advice and support - especially the reminders that life will be good again. That's very hard to believe (emotionally) right now, and it's good to be told that so that at least I have something to hold onto intellectually.

Diet-wise, the big bad guy is tryptophan. I didn't realize it showed up in so many things besides turkey. Too bad it's not listed on nutrition labels alongside saturated fats and protein. The good news is that my initial dose of the MAOI will be so low that food interactions will not be a factor. I will be using the time that I'm starting on the medicine to get myself better educated nutritionally. I'll be asking for a referral to a good nutritionist as well as talking to my pharmacist. I suspect that I'm going to have to start reading labels very carefully from now on, looking for those contamination warnings as well as the regular ingredient lists.

I'll be applying the first MAOI patch on Monday. Please keep the advice and support - especially the support - coming. I can't begin to express how much of a difference it's making between being able to keep going from here at home and a place with rubber walls where they only let you write with crayons.

Kim, that's very positive that the food groups may not be so restricted on low dose.

You are set to be very pro-active and I think that's the key in these kinds of situations...education coupled with determination is going to take you a long way on this hard road. You clearly have the latter and have good handle on the former.

My hat is off to you, Kim. And my hand is held out to you.

Sheila.

Kim, I just looked at the time and I see you're about twelve hours closer to that patch then when I wrote to you last night (early morning your time).

I hope you're still holding on to the positive things...that there will be bacon, there will be salami!

And you will find your way out of this place you find yourself now and life will get balanced again.

Hang on, Snoopy, hang on:)

Hi, Kim. No info, no advice, certainly no criticism.... just best wishes and hopes that you are soon feeling better.

Okay, maybe one piece of advice. Maybe spend an afternoon on a pretty day, sitting in the sun, paging through books of recipes to get some new and interesting ideas for things you might enjoy eating when you can no longer have some of these things you enjoy now. I saw an interesting recipe the other day for a shallot-potato-asparagus frittata (sp?) that would make an excellent breakfast.

In fact, maybe have some sausage and pepperoni and aged cheese and red wine while you do it--kind of a farewell fanfare to that stuff before you start on the MAOI.

Again, best wishes.

Kim, You have my heart felt empathy. I too have that cancer of the soul--chronic depression,so i know the daily struggle. Look for and hold on to that light at the end of the tunnel. It is really there and it will get bigger and better untill you return to the full sunlight again. That is what i hold on to when things get so bad.
I was on an MOAI for a short time a lng time ago so i don't remember the foods to omit,as mentioned above your pharmacist is the person to ask. Do you have trouble asking people for information when you are so depressed ? If you do ,i'll ask mine and tell you what he says.
I'll be thinking of you and sending prayers too.
Since you've been fighting this before- you know the rules to follow. You did good to post here. please keep it up. Someone will answer back. It is so hard to seek out others when we are so depressed. Are you getting counciling now too. It's been proven that counciling makes a difference along with meds.
Some things i work to remember when things look so black.

I am a unique individual.

Persistence will help me succeed.

I deserve support and will ask for help when i need it.

I will treat myself as someone special.

I determine what sucess means to me.

If you want to just talk e-mail me. You're going to make it hang on to that idea.
(((HUGS)))
i really am a big hugger.
vickie

Hello Kim!

First a big sunflower, a hug, and a congratulations! I am so glad that you are on top of this and working with the pros to get it right...

Secondly - and most special - to work with a nutritionist... I had no idea...tiny little hints here and there, foods that contain special nutrients, foods that help with heart disease, foods for extra fibre for good digestive health, foods that help our bodies to process cholesterol in a healthy way, foods that give us extra energy, that aid our brains, support our livers, etc.

Its like the world of research and medicine just discovered gardners and a bright new day is dawning.

I am confident that you will develop a list of foods to avoid for your increased good health, but also a list of foods that will help you maintain a good balance between meds and food.

Just you hang on... a brighter day is coming, and you already speak the language!

Hey Kim like others I really have no words of advice. I think consulting a nutritionist sounds like a good idea for many of your answers. My SIL has thyroid problems and I know a nutritionist was able to help her find a diet that got her problems under control. My bet is that they are versed in interpreting some of this stuff.

Hang in there. Coming from a family where depression runs heavily I have a lot of sympathy for you.

-janet

Kim, as the day grows long for you I suspect this might be a difficult time and I wanted you to know that I'm here for you.

You are doing so very well under these painful and difficult circumstances. So when you feel as sea in the midst of it all know that we are here to support you, to be thinking of you and beaming that good energy to you.

The patch is getting closer.

Sheila

Kim - I'm here for you too sweetie. I've got no advise except to offer you my friendship and support. Hugs.

Kim,

I am on the Low Tyramine diet for Migraine auras...so, my response is experience with the diet.

The diet has been a pain due to my love for chocolate, avacados, bread, cheese, peanuts and raspberries. How all these things get lumped into one is beyond me. All were a mainstay, as was microwave meals. Oh, I forgot the raisins loved in oatmeal and ham for great winter soups.

It is interesting that our minds think we have to have these things. I still "want" them, and keep thinking I hate everything else. Which is a bit silly as the everything else is quite a long list and no reason to not have some great stuff. Guess it is the grass being greener deal.

My list also includes avoiding MSG. Have done a lot of searches to get a handle on this and the Low Tyramine diet. There is nothing out there except one book. And, if you start looking too hard. the list of what you can't have gets longer or just too confusing. Bottom line is anything on the store shelf has MSG as does fast food. So, I'm on the cooking from scratch diet, using fresh food, etc. Tis a pain, but am dealing with it.

I will say that with this diet I am sleeping wonderfully. It has been years since getting more than a few hours at a time and waking up at 4 am. Actually I wake up surprised the night is without interruption. Cannot really say
there are any other significant changes seen.

Let us know how you are doing. It will be interesting to know how the diet affects another in a different situation.