Combinations - Sulpiride (Dolmatil)

[detox]

Hi,


I have been prescribed lots of different drugs (for various things) Dihydrocodeine, Diazepam, Effexor, Prozac, Amitriptyline, Lorazepam, and something called Sulpiride (Dolmatil).


I decided not to take it after reading the side effects- it is described as an Anti-psychotic Drug and a 'major tranquilliser'.


I am not psychotic and not schizophrenic. Anyone taken it or know why it was prescribed? Is it stronger or act the same way as Diazepam (Valium)?





Cheers


D.

[Micklemouse]

That's quite a cocktail you've got there - an opiate
painkiller, 3 antidepressants(SNRI, SSRI and a
tricyclic), 2 benzo's and an antipsychotic...

Sulpiride is quite a versatile drug, used at low
doses(200-400 mg) to treat what are called 'negative
symptoms' in psychotic illnesses, i.e withdrawn, highly
introspective, depressed and troubled mind sets. At
these doses it can have an activating effect, providing
relief from troubling thoughts without the sedation and
side effects found at higher doses. Low dose
antipsychotics are sometimes used as an alternative to
benzo's for treating agitation and anxiety, which
ironically can be side effects of antipsychotics and
antidepressants. Valium is often used to counter the
'restless legs' that sometimes come with antipsychotics
and antidepressants, as well as being an anxiolytic and
sleeping aid, which I can imagine you'd need after
Prozac and Effexor, both quite effective stimulants in
a lot of people, although Amitriptyline has a sedating
edge, so will also help sleep...

If you don't mind me asking, what doses are you taking
and when, what exactly is your doctor trying to treat,
and has he/she explained why this collection of uppers,
downers and roundabouters has been prescribed? Don't
be afraid to ask your doc for a justification of the
decision made - it's your nervous system and head that
the doc is tinkering with, and polydrugging, even with
prescribed drugs, can be dangerous.

Edited by: micklemouse

[detox]

Originally Posted by micklemouse

That's quite a cocktail you've got there - an opiate
painkiller, 3 antidepressants(SNRI, SSRI and a
tricyclic), 2 benzo's and an antipsychotic...


If you don't mind me asking, what doses are you taking
and when, what exactly is your doctor trying to treat,

I suffered from Anxiety and Depression and a serious sport injury.


The Dihydrocodeine was for my injury and I got addicted to them even taking large quantities until I couldn't get them any more (hell on earth after).


Just before that I was on various ssri's as mentioned to see which one worked the best? Diazepam and Lorazepam for my Anxiety.


It was when they put me on Sulpiride that I was worried and didn't take them.


The Amitriptyline was something else I don't know why I was on but can remember being put on dothiepine also? Sleep I think?


The only thing I take now is diazepam once in a blue Moon just to take the edge off. Although I only have about 60mg left and I will not be able to get anymore because I am OK health-wise now?


I think I was a Guinea-pig for a few months?


D.

[detox]

[/QUOTE]


It was when they put me on Sulpiride that I was worried and didn't take them.


[/QUOTE]


Just to add The reason I wondered about whether Sulpiride was like Diazepam (Valium) was because as I just mentioned I am low on Diazepam and wondered if Sulpiride would act the same way...for my once in a blue moon.


The Sulpiride Tablets are 200mg x 30


D.

[Micklemouse]

O.k., that's a bit more reassuring! The way I read
your first post I thought you were still taking all the
meds you mentioned! Apologies! !

From what you've said it sounds like Sulpiride,
although an unusual choice because of the side effect
profile, is being used as an alternative to benzo's,
with the added bonus of the antidepressant edge that I
mentioned before. 200 mg is pretty much the lowest
dose prescribed, but you can always ty halfing it if
you find it too sedating.

One more thing, which your doc should have told you,
if you get any stiffness in the jaw, neck, shoulders or
wrists, or find you have difficulty controlling your
eyes, after taking Sulpiride get to your nearest E.R.
as quickly as you can (but please don't drive
yourself!), taking the packet/bottle of Sulpiride with
you. They'll give you a little drug that'll sort it
out in a matter of minutes - usually Procyclidine or
Benzhexol. This is unusual at such a low dose, but
still something you should be aware of.

Like I said, an unusual choice(Olanzepine or one of the
other Atypical antipsychotics would have been better),
but it should work as an alternative to benzo's.

Both Dothiepin and Amitryptiline are used to help
sleep, being quite sedating antidepressants.

As for being a guinea pig, you're not far off the mark!
Doctors decisions seem to be quite arbitrary at times,
and often seem to be made on a flavour of the month
basis, depending on what incentives, adverts and
freebies the drug reps have dropped off, coupled with
the fact that there is no way of knowing whether a drug
will actually work for an individual when it comes to
psychiatric medication. Psychiatry is a very new and
still inexact science.

Hope this helps, and best of luck!

[dr ACE]

i too have been prescribed Sulpiride (Dolmatil) not for the exact same reason but for what was described by the 'psych-doctor'as what he termed possible 'begining off psychosis',due toheavy cannabis use.he said it would sort out my brain chemistry.i would describe the effects as being a very powerfull sleeping drug it dose seem to take the edge off Anxiety but not with the pleasent euphoric effect that diazepam has.does anyone have any more info on this drug and its possible effects and side effects (sulpiride)?Edited by: dr ACE

[mark_v]

I have to take 2 mg Diazepam and 50 mg Dolmatil 2 times a day for my nasty withdrawel symptomes from Benzo's.

And it helps a bit, but i think the dose is too low for me, because i
was realy hooked on those benzo's and took VERY high dosages...

Well.. it's better then going Cold Turkey, I can tell you that </span>

[gwioi]

is not a precription of doctor...it's a dealer change
alternate molecule is not the only
solution dixcover yoursekf...don't let other
kill you for money

[psyche]

SWIM has tablets containing 50mg sulpride, they are some sort of antidepressants at that dose I guess, emphasis on guess. What are the effects of 50 or 100 mg? Would low doses be ok with alcohol?

[ladenburg]

Sulpiride, 50-100 mg per dose, 2-3 times a day was powerfully activating - much more so than Concerta (18-72 mg/day). The effect was almost undesirably strong in the first few days, almost to the point of agitation and restlessness. Unfortunately, tolerance developed fairly rapidly, with little or no effect remaining in the 3rd or 4th week.

Sulpiride preferentially blocks pre-synaptic dopamine D2 autoreceptors, which regulate dopamine synthesis and release by negative feedback to the nerve terminal. The result is a stimulant effect.

At higher doses, the blockade of post-synaptic dopamine D2/D3 receptors begins to predominate, accounting for the antipsychotic effects. Even then, however, sulpiride is a lot cleaner than almost all other antipsychotics (the exception being amisulpride and other agents stucturally related to sulpiride), because it has little or no affinity for dopamine D1, adrenergic, serotonergic, cholinergic and a variety of other receptors that account for many of the side effects associated with dirtier anti-psychotics.

In rats, low-dose sulpiride potentiates the effects of cocaine, and probably other dopamine reuptake inhibitors like methylphenidate.
I'm currently investigating this potential, and I would be very interested in any comments pertaining to this topic.

Another interesting issue I have yet to look into is whether sulpiride can also potentiate L-DOPA, or the more indirect dopamine precursors tyrosine and phenylalanine.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Interesting Pharmacology Info. Thanks for Sharing

[merecat]

I was prescribed sulpiride 50mg once or twice a day, in combination with effexor and xanax (the xanax to take 'as needed'... yeah right).

I found sulpiride to be mild, very mild. It helped take the edge off things, but nowhere near like xanax or the effexor.

I've taken up to 500mg of sulpiride... effects were minimal- improved my concentration in much the same way as a small does of ritalin would. There were no major side effects (or any side effects for that matter).

Snorting sulpiride had no recreational value, according to my parrot.