Posted by barbaracat on June 7, 2005, at 21:24:41
In reply to Re: Best wishes to my friend B-Cat, posted by paintmom on June 7, 2005, at 16:39:44
Well, we sure sound similar. I'm BP, probably BP-I because of the severity, have sleep apnea, really bad insomnia and fibromyalgia! Do you use a CPAP for the apnea? When I use it I notice a vast improvement in the fibro pain and fatigue. It took a while to finally get used to it. At first I'd get a panic attack every time and didn't use it for a year. Finally started taking - temazapam - of all things, along with Ambien, to take the edge off the panic and it did the trick. I now like the gentle whish sound of it and fall asleep sooner, but I wake up feeling like my nose is being suctioned up all night.
I really love lithium. It's made the biggest difference in my life. I only take a small amount, 600mg, which is far below the 'therapeutic window' which is a bunch of crap in my opinion and no one should be forced into taking the high levels required to reach it. Taking more makes me have tremors and nauseous. One thing I've heard many places is that lithium and lamictal are the only true mood stabilizers in the way they affect the electrical potential of the neurons. Depakote also but in a different way. I hated depakote but some people find that it works well, especially with anxious bipolar. It sent me into a very lethargic crabby depression instead.
I too am extremely sensitive to most meds. Not so much to benzos. It takes alot to knock me out and I'm sure a dysfunction in my GABA receptors is probably behind alot of my problems. However, my pdoc is sympathetic to my need to avoid anxiety states since this is the key to managing the rest, and prescribes a variety of benzos to rotate to avoid some of the inevitable tolerance.
One other suggestion is to get your hormone levels checked. You don't have to be in menopause to have rollercoaster hormones and most of us in the mid-thirties and beyond could use extra progesterone. It comes in a cream and the best is ProGest, a natural form. It's definitely an anti-anxiety hormone, helps with sleep and CFS and fibro. Most doctors don't do hormone testing and don't believe in saliva tests, which are the best ways to get your levels. Naturopaths are usually the one's up on this. It might not hurt to try some and see. - Barbara
> I have BPII, anxiety....really bad sleep problems,....apnea...and chronic fatigue syndrome.
> I am extremely med sensative....I am on tiny amounts of drugs....
> less than 5mg of buspar
> 5mg lexapro
> a smidg of elavil....it helps with the sleep but started pooping out and makes me gain weight...
> I was on 100 mgs of topamax and felt great.....but activated.....was only getting 3-5 hours of sleep a nite...and broken sleep at that...which is insane for me with the chronic fatigue...yet I didn't feel that bad.
> So yesterday ...we lowered the topamax to 50 and I took a little bit of tamazepam to help me to sleep....I slept 8 hours....I couldnt believe it.
> I went to my P doc today...and she was like..."well you want to sleep and you dont want to gain weight...so that doesn't leave me many choices" Are those unreasonable requests????? She wanted to put me on lithium but I am reluctant cause of the weight gain....I'm gonna try adding OMega 3's to the topamax and see how that does...
> She also upped my AD
> This med stuff is such a bummer.
> thanks for your help
> Paintmom
poster:barbaracat
thread:9730
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050606/msgs/509396.html