Posted by jay on March 10, 2002, at 11:52:43
In reply to Re: Drug/Diagnosis History (or why never to give up) » Ron Hill, posted by Blue Cheer 1 on March 7, 2002, at 15:32:51
I just wanted to add a "me too" to Blue Cheer's experiences. I have been all over the board, maybe not for as many years, but through about as many drugs, and am coming up to possibly using a similar combo of two MS's, Depakote and Topamax, both at lower than normal doses, as one seems to balance out the other, and I avoid the weight gain from Depakote. (Or Epival here in Canada.)
(Once I am on the Topamax for awhile, and up the dose a bit, I will comment on any weight loss.)I am also on 3mg of bromazepam 4x a day (also a prn), and for now, am tapering off of 37.5mg's of Effexor a day, and take 50ng's of Serzone a day, which REALLY helps a tad with depression AND a bit with aggitation and anxiety left over from Effexor. I may stick with Serzone once gone off Effexor within the next week, and I think as long as on good dose of MS's, it may be the *safest* of ad's for folks with BPII. (IMHO..etc.)
The Effexor has been the clincher, though, causing the nasty dysphoria, but the Serzone and MS's help so well, as well as the bromazepam (which is like a midway point between lorazepam and clonazepam...excellent stuff only available in Canada..not in the U.S....sorry.)
I, for the first time in four years, have held down a steady job for about a year, will be finishing a University degree in the Fall of next year, and will move onto some very GOOD, well paying jobs in the social work field.
Don't get me wrong...I have my *pissed off* days..minutes...seconds...hours...weeks...but it can get under control. It takes baby steps...but it can. Tommorow I could be writting saying I am at the end of my will, and want to end it all, but I am here today, and I am *o.k.*, and have been so, and I have hope not for me, but for others, and hope to help others as MUCH as possible through this F*&^ked up, messed up, crazy, wicked, horrid, but sometimes beautiful, delicate, lovely, world.
OK...I am gonna get kicke to psy-babble..don't worry Doc BOB...that's the end of this. Just offering hope THROUGH this medication maze.
Peace, love, hope, always,
Jay
> > Blue,
> >
> > Just out of curiosity, are your current meds working.? If so, what are the meds?
> >
> > -- Ron
> > --------------------
>
> Ron,
> I had a protracted mixed episode, then crashed into a severe, vegetative depression (one-year duration), and lately I've been feeling a little better (i.e., cognition, mood, energy) with no cycling. My goal is to become relatively free of depression, or euthymic - without any further mood elevation. I've mainly been restricted to using the few drugs that I can tolerate (Lamictal 250 mg/day, Lithium 900 mg/day, Trileptal 450 mg/day, Aricept 10 mg/day- to prevent cycling, and Valium 12.5 mg/day). I just started Inositol (#5 - 950 mg. capsules/day - to go up to 12 grams/day). About 3 weeks ago, I got my nephrologist's clearance to re-start lithium, went down from 900 mg. to 450 mg. of Trileptal, and from 20 mg/day Valium to 12.5 mg/day. Both Aricept and Trileptal will be d/c'd following the inositol study because my doctor doesn't think they're doing anything. So, since resuming lithium and going down on Trileptal and Valium, I've improved a little. Also, I usually improve with the advent of Spring and the increase in sunshine. I'd say that the combination of lithium and Lamictal, and low-dose Valium have been the best drugs for me. SSRIs used to help a little, but now they cause agitation and contribute to mixed states. I can't tolerate APs at any dose, don't drink any alcohol or use any illicit drugs.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Blue
poster:jay
thread:96853
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020307/msgs/97336.html