Posted by Mitch on November 8, 2001, at 13:01:11
In reply to SickNTired of Meds, posted by Sleepy on November 8, 2001, at 11:54:54
> I'm just writing to see if there is anyone out there who's been diagnosed bipolar and has successfully gone off all meds--? I was misdiagnosed at one point and put on Prozac for a time, which led to bouts of extreme mania, then put on Serzone, which gave my life entire blank voids (memory blackouts I still haven't filled in). Now I'm on Depakote, which suppresses the mania okay and does absolutely nada for depression. So my dr. put me on Effexor, which he seemed to think would do the trick, but after a brief and horrible time I took MYSELF off that drug. I had awful memory lapses (during one incident I had both my children in the car with me and forgot how to get to my daughter's music lesson--I'd been driving her there for months and suddenly I couldn't recall how to get there! I drove around frantically searching before realizing I was scaring my kids to death) and decided it was NOT for me. I've gained 20+ lbs. on the Depakote and that in itself makes me miserable. I start with a new therapist today and I'm going to start making noise about getting off the Depakote and staying off of everything. I know this probably sounds outlandish to some of you out there, but isn't there some way to get beyond all this without medication??? I keep hearing, when I complain about the weight gain, "Isn't that a small price to pay...???" Well, it isn't a small price to pay. I've never weighed this much (nonpregnant) in my entire adult life and it's making me so, so unhappy. *sigh* Friends and family seem to think it's their job to make sure I'm taking my meds and it's just really getting to me. Sorry to be such a downer. Thanks for any advice/suggestions, etc.
Hi sleepy,
Have you ever been on Neurontin? There are some alternatives to Depakote. I wouldn't go off cold turkey on everything!! I never gained any weight on Neurontin and it actually helps my ADHD (at lower doses). Also lower doses of Tegretol or Trileptal or Lamictal tend not to cause weight-gain or cognitive blunting either. There was ONE time I went off all meds and I nearly wound up homeless. Not a good idea. You need some alternatives-maybe a different doctor.
Mitch
poster:Mitch
thread:83541
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011104/msgs/83555.html