Posted by SLS on July 26, 2004, at 16:24:02
In reply to med dialogue, posted by Lyrical13 on July 26, 2004, at 10:16:58
I might have missed something along the way, but I am assuming that you are not taking any antidepressants currently. Is the answer as simple as adding Effexor to Depakote, or is the Depakote really messing you up?
I think if I were in your shoes, from the way you describe things, I would want to discontinue the Depakote and see how I reacted to Trileptal and make decisions from there.
If you don't react adversely to Trileptal, but the depression persists, I would then add Effexor and watch for mania. If Trileptal doesn't prevent mania despite dosage increases, I would then treat the mania acutely with Zyprexa or Depakote. Once under control, you can proceed to experiment with other mood stabilizers if necessary.
Regarding Lamictal: Lamictal isn't a very good drug to treat mania, although I am not yet convinced that it won't prevent it. I am doubtful, though. For severe depression, Lamictal by itself usually doesn't make for a very good antidepressant. If someone has experienced differently, please chime in. Taking one drug would be so much easier. If your depression is mild to moderate, it might be worth a try.
- Scott
poster:SLS
thread:369525
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040724/msgs/370814.html