Posted by Jakeo29 on November 28, 2008, at 7:56:53
Hello, My name is Jake. I have used this board a few years ago. And with a renewed treatment plan I would like to share a good medication combo for those who suffer from Aspergers, ADHD, or Depression and Narcolepsy. While it may seem that I am on many medications, there are surprisingly no side effects as the medications appear to be easy on my system and activating. Lately a doctor in the Hospital Dx me with Bi-polar, however I have a hard time believing that because it is hard enough to feel "normal" energy levels, let alone mania. My current pdoc had Dx my mood as "mood disorder-Not otherwise specified. I believe I may have features of bi-polar and ADD integrated into the Aspergers Syndrome. Aspergers was Dx a few years ago based on the extensive records I had since age 3. When I was three I had major speech problems and Developmental Dyspraxia. Narcolepsy was also DX a few years ago based on night time sleep testing, daytime MLST, and genetic testing positive for both genes for Narcolepsy types I and II. I only have mid Cataplexy as I just get excessively sleepy but not collapse or "blackout." My mood has been remarkability stable over the past few years without any behavioral autistic outbursts. Maybe that's where they get bi-polar confused. Ironically, I am on two major medications that treat bi-polar, but also treat Aspergers. Here is the low down:
Depakote: 750 mg daily-works on GABA receptors in the temporal lobes I think. this mood stabilizer seems to help with social anxiety and public anxiety such as going in a public restroom. It also stabilizes behavioral "flareups". In me, I believe Depakote works better on anxiety than clonazepam.
Lamicatal: 50 mg/day-converts to 100 mg in blood stream in combination with Depakote. This Activating and effective medication works on Glutamate receptors in the temporal lobes. The med is effective at controlling mood responses during periods of irrational thinking and autistic outbursts that may result.
Zoloft: 150 mg/day. This activating SSRI that works on Serotonin and mild effects on Dopamine appears to be effective treating depression and social phobia. It may also help deal with post traumatic anxiety from my past hardships.
Strattera: 80mg/day. This Activating SNRI that works on Norepinephrine and Dopamine in the Frontal Lobes appears to help ADD symptoms, motivational, and executive functioning problems. It also appears to have a stronger anti-depressant quality in combination with Zoloft.
Provigil: 200-400mg/day possible discontinuation. This outrageously expensive stimulant appears to work on the neurotransmitter-hypo cretin? and extra cellular Dopamine to help daytime sleeping and attention problems.
Concerta: 36mg/day. Stimulant that helps day time sleepiness and ADD symptoms by releasing Dopamine in the Meso-limbic and frontal lobes. As the dopamine breaks down, it converts to Norepinephrine and in combination with Strattera, this seems to make the medication last longer.
Risperdal: 1mg/day. This Dopamine Antagonist taken at night helps myself to achieve deeper sleep states at night to allow better wakefulness during the day. It also "turns off" the dopamine at night from the other meds to get to sleep. This med may also help with my atypical depression qualities.
Sounds like a lot. Not really. These meds all seem to be activating, work well together and target different parts of the brain as my condition effects different areas of the brain per it's symptoms.
Medications that I tried in the past that did not work. This list is only with me and should not be an assumption for anyone else as medications work differently on different parts of the brain with different peoples and their different conditions.
Prozac
Paxil
Effexor
Cymbalta
Adderall (used to work, but too powerful and addictive now)
Welbutrin-great non-smoking aid though.
Nardil-dangerously constipated.
Emsam--very effective for depression--however a manic reaction with too may energy drinks as my tiredness got worse.Thanks for reading. Well update my progress soon! :)
poster:Jakeo29
thread:865557
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20081123/msgs/865557.html