Posted by jboardman@qtm.net on January 11, 2004, at 13:23:24
I would like anyone else's input. I have been diagnosed, after many tries, as mixed mood manic-depressive.Mid-November, my p-doc put me on a regimin of eskalith (1350 mg at night) and depakote (1000 mg at night). I had failed at everything else... Lamictal gave me a slight rash, no help with lexapro, gabatril, lots of other meds. So, the eskalith/depakote was yet another iteration.
After three or four weeks, I was really in bad shape. I seemed to be operating mentally between two parallel planes spaced very closely together. The result was an almost completely flat affect. I had to fake being friendly. Just NO feeling for much. I was extremely physically week - joint pain, muscle weakness, etc. I was shaking and twiching so bad that my wife didn't recognize my handwriting. I was staggering and occasionally slurring my speech. It was what I imagine death could be like! Never had any blood levels taken because of holiday season closures and conflicts.
On my own I quit everything about a week before Christmas. By Christmas I was feeling. That was a GREAT improvement. I was still twitching, shaking and weak, but my range of emotion was returning.
By New Year's Day, I was feeling much better physically, but began to feel depressed. I began, again on my own, to take 100 mg of Trazadone once a day. I returned several days later to my p-doc on a regular appointment. He told me I had done the right thing by quitting the eskalith, but he worried about the Trazadone because it had pushed me into a minor mania mid-year 2003. He recommended 50 mg of Traz, begin again 500 mg Depakote. I took the Depakote for one night, and all the symptoms returned with a vengence. I immediately quit the Depakote - this was about one week ago - and returned (on my own) to 100 mg of Trazadone. After a week, I am feeling GREAT.
I don't know where p-doc will go from here. It seems like an endless trial and error... from Zoloft (ten years and became ineffective), to Lexpr and Effexor (no result), adderal and concerta, straterra, wellbutrin and to Gabitril (no result) to Depakote alone (very depressed) to Depakote and Lamictol (rash). I feel that since I feel so good again, mind sharp, humor back, abstract thinking intact, physically strong and not shaking or twitching so much (pretty much attributes I need as a trial attorney if I am to be effective!), that maybe I should stay on the Traz alone. But maybe I should try a very low dose of the Eskalith, maybe one 450 per day). I am going to ask my p-doc next week at a routine appointment, but I may be losing faith in him.
Similar experience or input anyone?
Jim
poster:jboardman@qtm.net
thread:299438
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040109/msgs/299438.html