Posted by MB on December 22, 2001, at 19:31:18
In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on December 22, 2001, at 17:06:39
> I doubt if you will have a seizure if you stopped taking it abruptly if you are down to 8mg/day anyhow. Believe it or not, people that are taking Gabitril for intractable seizures are taking between 24-56mg/day!
YIKES! How do people tolorate it in such high doses? I bet if I were suffering seizures, I would be willing to put up with a lot more in the side effects department.
> The migraine thing sounds interesting. I don't know if you were aware that Depakote is used for migraines 250-500mg/day. Perhaps Depakote would be a better match for you as a mood stabilizer if you are having troubles with migraines, too. According to what you said previously, your doc wants to find the "right" mood stabilizer first, then add an SSRI (the "right" one I assume), and then a stimulant,correct? Wow, that will take a while, but at least it sounds like a good plan.
I think it's a great plan, but the waiting is lame. Comming off the Gabitril doesn't worry me, since it never really did anything for me anyway. What *does* worry me though, is that the doctor didn't think I was going to really feel better until I was on all three medications. That could take a long time, it seems (if my intolorance to antiepileptics is anything like my intolorance to antidepressants). I guess tolorance is related to willingness (i.e., how bad am I willing to feel in exchange for relief of original symptoms). Maybe three years ago when I was taking mushrooms and smoking weed, derealization and depersonalization wouldn't have bothered me. I want a new life though, now, one based on *reality*. I mean, I'd like to finish school and get a job some day. I guess, right now, I'm not willing to put up with feeling very bad at all. If the medication feels like it's hurting my ability (or desire) to live life *in reality* then screw it.The antiepileptic is supposed to increase my tolorance to the AD by "smoothing things out," but the idea of adding Prozac to the mix when I feel the way I do on the Gabitril scares the hell out of me. Also, now it's going to be hard to tell how the Gabitril withdrawal is affecting me because I am also weaning myself off caffeine (I tried cold-turkey and made it about 24 hrs when I said "screw this!"). One thing that is definitely food for rumination (for me) is making a change in more than one area and not knowing *which* change is making me feel the way I do.
> I wonder if he could work on the SSRI at the same time? It sounds like all of this experimentation has gotten you ruminating a lot.
That's an understatement. Also, the length of my posts is starting to scare me. I'm definitely obsessing.
> It isn't nice when you are withdrawn from something that didn't work and don't have anything else in place, yet.
>
> Mitch
Yeah, I want to move on, too. I could possibly tolorate the Prozac without an antiepileptic if I had a benzo (and that would take care of the anxiety there and then without months of waiting) but the doc wants to save that as a last resort because of my history of alcohlism. I agree with him that an AE would probably be best for the rage attacks. Did you experience any discontinuation symptoms from quitting Gabitril?MB
poster:MB
thread:86944
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/87716.html