Posted by BarbaraCat on September 29, 2003, at 11:12:02
In reply to Re: BP2, FMS, and seroquel here » BarbaraCat, posted by Sabina on September 29, 2003, at 0:45:44
Hi Sabina,
Thanks so much for responding. I'm sorry for your BP and fibro, but happy for me that there's someone else who is aware of this very challenging (hell, it sucks!) dual condition. When a fibro flare strikes it leaves me incapable of physically dealing with anything, especially bipolar related difficulties. If I'm hypomanic, well too bad, there's no way to release or channel that skittery energy while lying in bed feeling like one big toothache, no energy, exhausted yet wired from anxiety and insomnia. Or depression, when getting up and doing something, anything, is hard enough yet there you are barely able to crawl to the bathroom, can't even escape it through sleep. Even if I can force myself to move, the old cognitive breakdown prevents me from doing simple things like remembering how to tie my shoelaces, assuming I'm able to find my shoes. I feel so dull and stupid which doesn't help with the magnified self-recrimination of depression. This is the extreme end during a flare, but it's always going on at a lesser level.I'd like to believe that getting a really good night's sleep is half the battle with fibro and if seroquel helps with this, then I'm all for it. I've weaned myself off ambien and valium for sleep and for the first time in a long time had a good rest last night, so I'm going to see if I can continue 'au natural'. I'd like to not add another med unless it's really going to benefit me.
Is it primarily for sleep or do you think it's helping your BP condition in other ways? I know that it's an antipsychotic. Since starting lithium 2 years ago I haven't had one of my horrible black mixed state depressions, but they were truly psychotic in their nightmarish quality. An antipsychotic would probably have helped alot then, but I wonder if it would be indicated now since psychosis hasn't been a problem. But maybe there are other benefits besides AP and sleep aid?
One of my concerns about seroquel is what I've read on this board as far as causing long term rebound insomnia once reducing or discontinuing. How about dry mouth? That was a big problem for me with nortriptyline and why I eventually stopped. I had a hard time talking without making smacking sounds with my parched lips.
Have you come up with any theories about why you've come down with fibro? My personal feeling is that it's probably genetic, but mainly stress based - chronic intense stress damaging the hypothalamus from doing it's hormonal job. I know this stress theory is very unpopular with many fibro advocacy groups, but it makes the most sense in my case. Having bipolar or fibro is bad enough, but having both together - yikes! Makes me wonder about their interrelation. Looking forward to hearing from you. - Barbara
poster:BarbaraCat
thread:238206
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030928/msgs/264213.html