Posted by lorilu on December 9, 2004, at 17:15:22
In reply to Lithium, posted by anxiety_free on December 8, 2004, at 21:21:19
Trileptal was given to my son as a first line therapy also and also because he is a child. It was given as a mood stabilizer and works great.
I take 400 mg of Topamax and it has been my only mood stabilizer and it has "cured" many of the same symptoms you wrote of; however I work through the "stupids" (the side effects) The side effects of Topamax aren't soo... bad I got my Masters on it and I am able to teach. I just cut down on it when I have real important stuff due (Then I'm grumpy and can't wait to get back up..wait my family can't wait for me to get back up to the right dose) ;)
> Drugs such as Depakote, Tegratol, Trileptal, and Lamictal have pretty much replaced Lithium as "first line" therapy; usually lithium is used if newer meds fail. That said, some docs swear by the stuff, ESPECIALLY when harm to self or others is involved in a manic/hypomanic state. But, there are options; atypical anti-psychotics are being used successfully for bipolar, and don't require all the lab work. The previously mentioned drugs are also effective. Has your doc thought about also pulling the Prozac? Talk to him/her about your options...if you're sensitive to meds, I'd try to get either an atypical antipsychotic or something like Trileptal. Good luck!
poster:lorilu
thread:426420
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041206/msgs/426855.html