Posted by akc on August 17, 2001, at 16:33:26
In reply to Re: Recurrent unipolar vs bipolar » akc, posted by Elizabeth on August 17, 2001, at 14:42:39
> > This is a point I have been trying to get across to my treatment "team" (my therapist, pdoc and then two therapist that lead my group therapy) this week.
>
> Wow, you have quite an entourage there.
>
I really only work with my pdoc and my therapist - the other two do handle a crisis from time to time, but even though they do group, are not really that involved in my primary treatment.>
> But as long as your behaviour is "good," you can be suffering a great deal and it doesn't matter to treaters? (No, of course I'm not bitter. :-) )
>It is easy to feel bitter. I had to get my therapist on the phone this week after our session just to make sure she understood the pain I am feeling -- I am convinced now she did, but on Monday, during our session, I sure felt that she was minimizing it with the "you are doing great" type talk.
> I'm not convinced that agitated depression constitutes mania for treatment purposes. I'm definitely unipolar, but I've had periods of depression when I was quite agitated (and various mood stabilisers didn't help, BTW). If you are having some kind of mixed state, I think the anticonvulsants are actually preferred over lithium.My pdoc seems to be giving my the lithium as much for the depression as for mood stabilization. When we started the topamax, I stopped taking the lithium, and then had this episode. She blames the stopping of the lithium for the depressive episode, more than the lowering of the effexor. I did have a period of high anxiety, that she blamed on the increasing dose of topamax. I try hard to know why exactly she has me on stuff, but obviously, I am not clear.
>
>
> Heh. I found that trazodone was of no use for chronic insomnia: I got up to about 400 mg (due to tolerance) before I gave up on it.
>I don't have sleep troubles all the time -- just when I am in an episode. So far it has helped some, so I am going to keep my fingers crossed -- I sure don't want to add any more meds to the mix.
> (Oof.) What sort of distorted thinking do you mean? I found that neuroleptics just made me feel more tired and anergic.
While I have had problems with cutting and such, my distorted thinking gets locked on images of self-harm. It is more than just wanting to cut. I get in a frame of mind that I can't shake the images at all. And it is more than just cutting. It is pretty disturbing, to say the least.
>
> If Seroquel doesn't work out, you might try Geodon. That seems to be giving some people good success.
>My pdoc has mentioned Geodon.
> > To early to tell what the topamax is going to do.
>
> It might help with the weight thing, at least!I so hope!
>
> Nerd pride!RULES
akc
poster:akc
thread:74539
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010814/msgs/75423.html