Posted by jay on January 6, 2003, at 1:51:56
In reply to Re: BP 2 +3...Using Atypical AP's and benzos...relief! » jay, posted by Ritch on January 5, 2003, at 14:40:55
> Jay, I hope you can post from the hospital and >let us know how you are doing and what the docs >thinking and ideas are. AP's have done some >wonders for me over the years but I get too many >dystonic reactions from the things. Anger-wise, >the little bit of Depakote I take works just as >well as Thorazine used to with a somewhat >clearer head. My pdoc reports a lot of success >with Zyprexa, however. good luck.. Mitch
Hey Mitch...thanks very much! Right now I am pretty much open and game to most meds, even though I have tried pretty much everything. I have a couple of combos in mind I would consider...(some that have worked in the past...but because of a former uptight doctor, he wouldn't allow and didn't tolerate polypharmacy..)even Depakote (Epival in Canada) with an a.d., mainly because my depression cycles are very deep also. I know it's risky using an a.d. in BP, but the 'extra' mania I have found can also be controlled by a benzo, even as needed.
Until I get my hospital recomendations, a small dose of an a.d. plus the risperdal and a benzo is 'holding me over'...but I know I *have* to feel better than this. I still sleep 14 hours one day...2 the next..etc. My mood is also still fairly bleak, but I have worked on my own cognitive thinking, giving me some hope for the future.
I was once on two mood stabalizers...Depakote and Topomax, with high dose Effexor, which seemed to make me feel well balanced. From the literature, 2 mood stabalizers seem to be a new 'gold' standard, and the atypical a.p.'s as a 'backup'.
Again, it was my old doctor that prevented that from continuing.I am going to keep posting, as I will be an outpatient. My Dad is driving me there and back..for a few weeks, and once they get the assesment and prescriptions going, my primary care doc will be using their (the hospitals) advice until I get into one of the best psychopharmacologists in Ontario. There are a number I have suggested to me, and am lucky to have a choice. I am even going to try and do a 'preliminary consultation'...if it is possible. So, my primary doc will look after the meds for a month or so until I get to see the 'expert' psychopharm.
I am also lucky too, because my primary doc has a lot of faith in trying as many options as possible, responsibly of course. But, I had to not only search him down, I have also researched to get into the hospital I am going to, and the pdoc(s) I will eventually get. There are doctors just an office down from him who would never try half the things we have.
I will keep things updated..and I hope it maybe can help others in giving them ideas, or even just the courage to 'break out' of a non-working doctor relationship, and find some better care. We all deserve it, and think if say we broke our back in a car accident, we DESERVE the same quality and open care...as this illness is JUST as deadly and horrific. If I can retain some of the hope I have into my second decade of treatment, I have faith we all can too.
OK..sorry for rambling..and thanks for your thoughts!
Talk to you soon...
Jay
poster:jay
thread:134611
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021230/msgs/134691.html