Posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 14:41:54
In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace, posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 13:30:19
> It is funny you say this, because a previous, excellent psychiatrist, 2 in fact, said that the Lamictal should help the depression and shook their heads no to any AD. Yes, I am near bipolar.
> I am wondering, if I just took the Lamictal now w/o the Effexor would that affect me so horribly like I was when I went off the Effexor?
> Also-maybe I can just take 37.5 of the Effexor? Your post really got me thinking and what you say makes some pretty good sense. I just started back on the Lamictal since going off last March-the med does wonders for my moods, I felt normal, and my friends noticed also!
> My concern, the psychiatrist I have is so not knowledgeable, I had to help her spell "Lamictal" and then she had to look in the PDR to find out the dosages. This worries me-A LOT. I am not in a position to look for another doc at this time becuase most likely, it will be months before I get an appt., and then I have to convince a new doc what works for me, yada yada yada-been there done that:-(
> What are you views on that?
> Please get back to me, you make an EXCELLENT point here, and thank you so much.
> Kristen
> -------------------------------------------------
Krissy,I know what you mean here about frustration-it took me three years of mental torture before it dawned on me that AD's were exacerbating both my depression, and my mood swings.They seemed to help in the *short-term* and then send me flying off the Richter scale within a few months max.
For me, Effexor felt great initially, and then turned very, very ugly.But the dose was way too high,I knew nothing about stabilizers or mania-and neither did my GP!!
I'm guessing that most BP or otherwise knowledgable folks here would go with Lamictal monotherapy preferably(not that I think I'm that knowledgable!)Check the archives-lots here.
It just seems to make much more sense not to chance destabilizing yourself with an AD if you can get by with the Lam. alone.Reducing Effexor to 37.5mg is again an option, but remember the longer you're on it, the likelier the withdrawal thing.I've done that one-not nice.
Still, you've got a great opportunity here to ask Dr.Bowden for advice.I have.All the best,
Col.
Ps.Bummer about the Seroquel weight gain.Just read that that fewer people get it, but....
poster:colin wallace
thread:206058
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030301/msgs/206185.html