Posted by Ritch on January 5, 2003, at 14:35:20
In reply to Mitch and others, I am at my wits end., posted by nmk on January 5, 2003, at 11:28:54
> I am going to see my pdoc tomorrow and I am hoping any of you can help with suggestions, treatment options etc.. I am currently one year postpartum and dove into a severe depression five months after the baby was born (this also happened with my first pregnancy). I have tried zoloft (no effect), effexor (made me too dizzy), Lexapro (cured the anxiety and depression but left me extremely nauseous), and am currently back on 125 mg of zoloft with 300 mg x 2 per day of Trileptal with no success. I have never been diagnosed as bipolar but my doc wanted to see if the Trileptal would help. I have been on the current cocktail for the past month.
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> I don't know what to do at this point and am wondering if I have given the AD's a fair shot. I feel normal when I get my period each month but then the anxiety and depression emerge afterward. I have tried oral contraceptives but the progesterone sent me into a severe depression so I discontinued immediately.
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> I awake with severe anxiety, take 1 mg of ativan, and feel a bit better afterward but still depressed. The depression is more tolerable than the anxiety for me. I don't want to continue taking the ativan but it is the only source of relief for me.
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> I just don't know what to do at this point and am hoping anyone can offer some suggestions? Thanks in advance.
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> Nicole
Nicole, one important clue you mentioned was that Lexapro worked for your anxiety/depression but it made you too nauseous. Trileptal can provoke considerable nausea in some people as well. I can't take more than 225mg/day because of that reason. Also, I am finding Trileptal to be very little help for hypomania or anxiety, only the depressive symptoms seem to be helped. In fact, I get a "wirey" nauseous feeling from it. I would suggest to your pdoc the idea of going back to what worked for you (in this case Lexapro), and find some means to get the nausea under control. Try to find out if the Trileptal is aggravating it-maybe a dose reduction would do the trick. A nausea reducing antihistamine such as Meclizine or Periactin or Atarax might be helpful. Clearly your depressions are connected to hormone changes. What about getting a complete hormone level blood workup done? While you are there it might be a good idea to get a serum sodium level done to make sure the Trileptal isn't lowering it excessively. Hope this of some help---Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:134602
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021230/msgs/134622.html