Posted by Ritch on January 30, 2002, at 9:37:37
In reply to Re:TCA/focalin/depakote/sleep? » Ritch, posted by Chloe on January 30, 2002, at 9:09:25
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> > Well..I already wear absorbent 100% cotton socks. Our company president is "casual Friday" all week long. I already noticed less itching and sweating today by reducing the WB. I don't really need it that much right now anyhow. The thing that dissapoints me about it is that it doesn't seem to help my attentiveness as much as pstims or even nortripytline helped. It seems to just eliminate melancholia and keeps me awake-that's about it. I would like to get rid of it and try a different low-dose pstim (than Adderall). I am interested in trying either Provigil or Focalin. The Focalin sounds interesting because we never tried methylphenidate before, just amphetamines. Also, the Focalin appears to be easier on your liver, etc. than the Provigil.
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> I thought methylphenidate was an amphetimine. I took Ritalin in my "golden days" when I was on Mellaril. Ritalin is very effective for improving mood and concentration. But the crashes, even with the ER formula were almost unbearable. I have read a little about focalin. It's supposed to be gentler...Too bad your pdoc is not a fan of Provigil. But, in all fairness to him, it is still quite new. I hope you find something better than what you have now. Sounds like less WB is helping a little.Actually, I have *transitioned* out of the melancholic winter SAD episode entirely this week and probably will taper what little WB I am taking away by next week. The attentional probs I have obviously get quite bad during the major depressions. When those clear my focus is adequate enough probably without a pstim. That would leave me on Neurontin, Klonopin, and Celexa. That's cool.
As far as pstim "crashes" go I didn't have any problem on Adderall. I took one 5mg tab in the morning as soon as I got up and felt fine all day. I noticed a little fatigue about an hour or two before I went to sleep. I remember when I took just 2.5mg in the am, I *did* crash in the evenings at work and got kind of grouchy. I don't have any probs with taking small doses up to 3x daily (I already take Neurontin 3x daily).
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> > Oh, as far as your thoughts/questions about the difference between doxepin and amitripytline.... Don't get too worried about it..really. Just take 10mg of the amitrip. at bedtime for sleep (if that's what your pdoc wants you to do anyhow). If it is helping you sleep and reducing pain-hey-maybe just waiting for the right mood stabilizer(s) to work could be the right plan.
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> Thanks for your levelheadedness! I got so enraged at my pdoc for not even answering the question I put out to her. I have since learned that she just doesn't know anything about TCA's causing rages in particalar...Whatever. Pdoc's are so behind the times. So frustrating...
> I think the depakote is helping, though. I have had a day without a unrelenting rage outburst. But I since starting dep, 125mg at bedtime, my sleep is totally disrupted. It's like I went back to per-amitriptyline sleep. I though Dep. was supposed to help sleep! Do you have any thoughts on this? Should I take it in the am? I think I will try to start a thread about Dep and sleep disturbance...Got to rush off now though.
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> Take care
> Chloe
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> > Mitch
Yes, I doubt if you are going to find many agents as capable of producing sleep as amitriypline. You might chop one of those 10mg tabs in half and just take 5mg at bedtime-use it as your sleeper. Depakote *helps* with sleep, but it won't guarantee it.Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:90799
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020124/msgs/92175.html