Posted by Mitch on November 29, 2001, at 23:41:47
In reply to Re: ex drug-addicts and psychopharmocology, posted by Peter on November 29, 2001, at 11:52:43
> > You pretty much already answered your own question. When you stopped the Depakote you started to become unstable.
> Mitch:
> This was my doctor's explanation, but I just wonder if my heightened anxiety/instability at the time could have been due to sept.11 and other disturbing things that were happening in my life. I live in Manhattan so I was sort of in the thick of it all. Additionally, around the same time my dermatologist suddenly demanded that I needed a biopsy. These are events that would make anyone unstable (with or without a neurological disorder). Plus, I had been down to a very small dose of depakote during the months leading up to these events and I seemed fine. On the other hand, I'm aware that the events could have triggered or exacerbated a dysphoric manic cycle, requiring my need to restart the medication. But I wasn't out of control; I was just very uncomfortable and anxious. I find it very difficult to discern between psychological reactions and biological imbalances. Finally, there's the additional possibility that my discomfort at the time was a natural, temporary rebound effect of depakote withdrawel (since I'd been taking it continuously for 4 years), which would have dissipated had I 'toughed out' the tapering a bit longer. These are my concerns; I've shared them with my pdoc but he's pretty set in his opinions.
> PeterPeter,
I think maybe you ought to bug your pdoc about a different mood stabilizer than Depakote in this case (that would satisify his conviction that you need an MS and *you* might find something really helpful in a different one). I remember when I withdrew from Depakote for the first time I did experience a lot of agitation which felt like a mixed state. I was told by my pdoc at the time (a behavioural neurologist) that Depakote withdrawals/dose reductions can be a bit "buzzy" and unsettling.
A Depakote withdrawal combined with environmental stressors could be a good explanation for your state. I remember the Sept. 11th situation very well. I was *totally* unfocused at work-I felt this weird numbness that seemed to result from the over-adrenalization from the immediate event. It felt like I had been up for several days *moving* into a *new house* or something-the world around me had changed fundamentally and I had to adjust one way or another.
As far as dependencies go-a mood stabilizer (that works for you) makes a more reliable long-term *wet-suit* (with respect to the irrational world around us) over time than does heroin....
poster:Mitch
thread:85484
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011123/msgs/85581.html