Posted by Manic on March 7, 2001, at 8:32:41
In reply to Re: mood disorders and the new anticonvulsants, posted by thewife on July 24, 1999, at 21:33:43
> I am trying to help my husband because I understand psychopharm rather well.
>
> He's a mood disorder nos/ADHD kind of guy, which means lots of irritability and no frustration tolerance, as well as energy levels that come and go, like gearing up when just sitting and talking. No off the wall mania. He's not a real garden variety bipolar I, I am suspecting a mixed state bipolar. Also history of grand mal seizures in high school, none for 30 years.
>
> Depakote, Prozac, desiprimine, remeron and wellbutrin haven't done much, some of the ADHD responds to Dexedrine.
>
> Next move is a better mood stabilizer. Doc wants to try Neurontin, but I am leaning toward Lamactil because of the antidepressant effects. Doc is scared of the rash phenomena. I like the anti-depressant effects.
>
> Please forward any advice you might have. He took one of my son's risperdals this week in an effort to calm himself, a dumb move since it made him very tired and he fell asleep in a parking lot, fortunately after calling me.... and he lost a realllllllly good job last year.
>
>
> While we're at it, any anecdotal advice yet on Topamax or tiagibine? The doc says Topamax makes you stupid, whatever that means.....
>
> Thanks.....
>
> Klonogirl:
> > > I have severe anxiety but not necessarily panic attacks. I was put on Klonopin 2 weeks ago, but he wants me off of if cuz of the risk of becoming dependent. He is having me take neurontin with Klonopin right now and trying to wean me off the Klonopin. Do you think the neurontin will work alone? I'm scared cuz the Klonopin has been great although I am already building a tolerance to it. Chrissy
> >
> > Chrissy.......
> > Neurotin was never offered to me. I have no idea how it works. I sure would NOT go on Klonopin. Yes it is addictive and yes it does work.....but the side effects are pretty major.
> > Check it out with your Doctor.
> > Good Luck....KlonogirlThis is for the wife of a bipolar who asked about Topamax. In short, nasty stuff. When I took the first dose, the affect was very nice -- kinda reminded me of the old days of getting stoned. But it did knock me out. I could stay awake for only four hours at a time. Then I had strange body sensations -- heightened hearing, smell, sense of touch and roaring headaches. When I awakened in the morning I felt like I had been on a weekend binge. My trial with Topamax lasted three weeks.
I am a manic-depressive with PTSD with a concomitant dissociative disorder. I take Lithium, Zoloft, and Klonopin when necessary. I had been taking BuSpar, but I've developed throbbing headaches with that too. Though Lithium keeps the mania from becoming totally out of hand, I often have times of severe restlessness. Klonopin reduces that restlessness so I don't drive everyone around me insane. The trick with Klonopin, in my opinion, is not to take it all the time. I have never taken Klonopin continuously for more than a week. I only take it when I'm very restless. It is addictive and I always keep that in mind -- but it works and I use it judiciously. Just because the label says to take it twice a day, doesn't mean you should with this type of drug because the beneficial effects are immediate. There are so many drugs out now that "have to build up in your system" before they work that perhaps too many people may forget that certain classifications of drugs have an immediate effect and you don't want them to build up in your system.
Well, as Jimi Hendrix sings, "Manic Depression is a frustrating mess." But listen to your body and if a medication makes you sick, DON'T TAKE IT (for psychopharmacological drugs only). Every persons metabolism is different and if you think about it, it's all Voodoo anyway.
Tell your husband to stay out of other people's prescriptions! Hope he feels better.
-Manic-
poster:Manic
thread:1356
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010302/msgs/55829.html