Posted by loosmrbls on May 21, 2001, at 8:54:30
In reply to Anticonvulsants CAUSING mania, posted by SalArmy4me on May 20, 2001, at 21:46:27
How about anticonvulsants causing depression?
I was on 1250mg Depakote for "bipolar II" (a shaky diagnosis in my opinion) and noticed a slide into my classic atypical depression. I was so withdrawn, my wife was about to leave with our son to go stay with her mother-in-law.I called my pdoc, he said increase the dose to 1500mg (my previous level was 83 a week ago)and get a repeat level in 5 days. Still got worse. FInally, I felt so bad (in that grey zone where you are not suicidal, so you know an ER visit is a waste but can't see my doc for several days) that I just said "screw it" and decided to stop all medications (and did three shots of alcohol that night -- NO history of alcoholism).
I began feeling better immediately. I mean, within 24 hours I was more interactive and just felt "better." This is the third day no meds, and I can think better, my mood is better. I don't feel manic at all.
poster:loosmrbls
thread:63760
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010515/msgs/63796.html