Posted by JohnX2 on November 7, 2001, at 20:07:15
In reply to Difference in anti-convulsants mood stabilizers? » JohnX2, posted by adamie on November 7, 2001, at 15:37:21
Yes anti-convulsants are the same thing as
mood stabilizers. Please don't think that their
anti-manic action would make you depressed that
is not true. Worse case scenario the mood stablizer
just makes the lows less low and prevent mania. They also help to
"set up" the brain chemistry in a way that is more
conducive to getting a good response on a add on
anti-depressant too. Lamictal of the mood stabilizer
seems to have a unique property of handling people
who just don't do well on any other med. It's
pretty good at eliminating major depression and
relapses. I wouldn't guess it would completely
"cure" you by itself, but it could get you on
you feet and in a position to have a robust add
on anti-depressant response.Also, as far as the anti-depressants go, I would
seriously consider Parnate or Selegiline. They
are unlikely to make you more depressed, and
are of a different class than you have tried.
Also the stimulant idea was good.good luck,
john>
> No, I haven't tried any anti convulsants. Are anti convulsants the same thing as mood stabilizers? What's the difference? Tomorrow I got an apointment so I'll be hoping to try lamictal. I guess I will take it along with my zyprexa. I am very impatient so I will not go with my previous plan of seeing if simply just the zyprexa will help. Also provigil seems like a choice but I hear that it's quite expensive.
>
> and no I haven't tried those MAOI's. I did try Moclobemide for 4 days. It seemed to have interacted with the zyprexa and made me extremely tired and sleepy to the point where I had to stop it. I think it may deffinetly be worth a try once I am off the zyprexa.
>
> > If you tried anti-convulsants?
> > When all else fails....lamictal.
> > I don't think I can personally think of
> > a single person who got more depressed on
> > lamictal, so its worth a go. A lot of
> > people have done well combining lamictal
> > with zyprexa (me).
> >
> > Also, have you tried Parnate or Selegiline?
> > These have MAO-B inhibition which can be
> > stimulating somewhat like amphetamine.
> >
> > -john
> >
> >
> > >
> > > hi. I have been on zyprexa 5mg before for maybe 3 weeks and it seemed to not help for my depression. The pdoc at the hospital I was staying at decided to try something else so that was the end of that. Right now I am 24 days on zyprexa and it doesn't seem to be helping. I feel quite tired and just generally very very very very bad. The reason I went back on zyprexa is because it seemed not to make my depression worse which has been the case with all AD's I've tried. I dont know why but they make my depression much worse. In some cases they have caused me to be suicidal. Although paxil seemed to have the least of such an effect although it's hard to remember. Should I completely give up on zyprexa and just try something else? I have an apointment with a pdoc on Nov 8th. I was thinking maybe try something along with the zyprexa but I dont really have the financial support to keep taking the zyprexa. I could keep taking it but that means possibly less meds to try in the future. And when does it usually take for zyprexa to work? Shouldn't 3 weeks be enough? I am sick of feeling horrible. perhaps i should stick with the zyprexa for 1 more week just to see if it may possibly help and if not then i should go with a new med. And the new med I try will hopefully be a mood stabilizer. I want to try something very different from anti depressants since something do they is very bad for me. A med is not supossed to make me suicidal. My life goes from being livable enough to constant mind torture and inability to function.
> > >
> > > Also I have tried Moclobemide (Manerex) while being on zyprexa. I was on it 4 days. I couldn't tell if it was making my depression worse like the other AD's had but I was extremely tired and sleepy on it. I slept like 15+ hours a day. So apperently there's an interaction between the two meds because such an effect is not supossed to happen. So perhaps I should try that again when I end up stopping the zyprexa. Actually I think I should try a mood stabilizer first. Anyway I hope I'll be better soon.
> > >
> > > I guess my depression is not a usual type. Since I sleep far too much than normal. Before the depression I actually would have a bit of insomnia simply because I would think a lot about various things. Yet with this depression it's as if I'm brain dead. Thinking ability and memory are extremely poor. memory expecially. I cant remember almost anything about my ex-fiance for example. My inability to think and concentrate are a huge part of my depression. They prevent me from being able to enjoy anything. It's as if my mind goes blank all the time. All I do each day is try to pass the time. I just feel quite horrible most of the time. My depression by the way is caused by accutane. If I had known of such possible and lasting side effects I would never have taken it. It's as if my life is ruined. And with all these med failures it makes me wonder sometimes if anything will ever help. I even had 6 ECT treatments. It hasn't helped except maybe a little, it's hard to tell how much it helped. I guess I should stick with this zyprexa to see if by the 4th or 5th week if it provides any relief. If not then I'll just try whatever I got prescribed on Nov 8th.
> > >
> > > and recently I've read that zyprexa has a mild anti depressant effect. perhaps this is why I felt as if it may not be causing a worsening effect? But if an AD effect doesn't work for me then I wonder what will. I hope a mood stabilizer will be my miracle. sometimes the days are just too hard. I'll be forced to go back to school next year. I dont know how I'll pass anything. My concentration and ability to recall information are beyond horrible. And I certainly dont know how I'll be able to work like this. Hopefully there will be some miracle soon.
poster:JohnX2
thread:83395
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011104/msgs/83475.html