Posted by mattye on February 2, 2007, at 13:02:54
In reply to Re: Atypicals for anxiety? » mindevolution, posted by yxibow on February 2, 2007, at 2:44:51
I know this is a long post, but I am figuring out a lot about myself from this board. Reading people's responses has helped me out so much! So please read!
Yxibow, I would say you have me pretty well figured out. I have explained my mood swings and BDD to other doctors, and I haven't gotten a proper diagnosis. My previous therapist had NO idea whasover on how to treat BDD. I explained to him on the first day that my body image obsession was a HUGE factor in my depression and anxiety. I repeated this to him on multiple sessions, and he never addressed it. Also tried to explain to my doctor about my violent mood swings and he just upped my doage of Lexapro, which did help a bit. The thing is my mood swings don't fall into a typical diagnosis for Bipolar. I get hypomania, which I'm really fine with... it is just that I know there will be a crash shortly. Like I feel on top of the world (but not out of control) and then some little thing will set me off and very quickly plunge into a sulky abyss for a few days. It is very disorienting to feel so confident and optimistic one day and then feel like total sh*t the next. I go from feeling like a great person to feeling like an awful, guilty person. It is like having two personalities. My boyfriend calls me Jekyl and Hyde and I feel so bad for him putting up with my unpredictable behavior. Like when I am depressed I get hypersensitive and paranoid and accuse him of deliberately trying to cut me down when he is just teasing me. Then when I feel great I get overconfident and I act like I don't need him and act dismissive towards him.
The great thing about Klonopin is that I can take it as needed and this interrupts this process from happening. If I feel myself starting to fall to peices, I just take a milligram, and because of its long half life, it calms my brain and stops the racing, obsessive thoughts for the rest of the day. I can drink a cup of herbal tea, step back, and start thinking more realistically. Then I can get myself on the right track.
Seroquel, on the other hand, doesn't manage my anxiety all that well. It feels so potent and I get that lobotomized feeling. I feel groggy and foggy throughout the day.
So... my question is... if my symptoms are well managed by an SSRI and a benzo as needed, why would my doctor be so wary of prescribing the benzo? Especially since the side effect profile and the history behind Klonpin shows it to be a much safer drug? Also, how many times do I have to explain that I do not get "high" from klonopin. I just don't! If I take more than nessecary I just get sleepy, and I don't like it. I feel no more urge to abuse Klonopin than I would my Lexapro ... which is NONE!
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> I can't speak for the above case because it sounds like some partial bipolar disorder possibly mixed with an OC Spectrum disorder (BDD) and maybe GAD. Mania can be sometimes managed with Trileptal and other AEDs, but brief periods of extreme mania are also capable of being handled with atypicals. The severity and the choice of agents is something that should be a collaboration with your doctor.
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> Please respect the community without issuing gross generalizations.
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> Thank you.
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> -- tidings
poster:mattye
thread:728141
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070201/msgs/729072.html