Posted by GeneLady on January 10, 2009, at 19:06:06
In reply to Re: Namenda - Mood Influence?, posted by SLS on January 10, 2009, at 16:59:14
We've noticed that other drugs both for MS as well as depression that are not supposed to trigger bipolar episodes do in fact do it. i.e., antidepressants are real bad about making bipolar worse in him. I'm also aware that some cutting edge treatments in MS trigger a worsening and although the docs don't like to admit it. Bipolar in MS is probably, per what I've read, a bit different than in the "regular" population. Also, he's on some different co-meds which might have changed his reaction plus the body changes over time. In the beginning I thought Namenda was good for him too but he's becoming more manic and complains of equally deep depression.
I'm not sure what's going on ... we're reducing the dose for a few days to see what happens before raising the Trileptal. The latter is bad about increasing MS symptoms and decreasing cognitive functioning. He's also on Lamictal.
He doesn't have Alzheimer's, rather a somewhat mild form of dementia that can go along with the MS. (the brain is damaged from demylination) And, MS is different than other neurological diseases such as Huntington's and Parkinson's. MS is also different in different people. Still a mystery disease. I do appreciate the links and your comments.
> > The only study i'm aware of indicated it has mood-stabilising property.
>
> Memantine is a real good drug.
>
> However, I imagine that untoward behavioral side effects occur in a minority of people taking memantine. Call them paradoxical effects if no other term applies for these phenomena.
>
>
> For what it is worth, you can find stuff:
>
> http://www.drugs.com/sfx/memantine-side-effects.html
>
> http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7997066?ordinalpos=2&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
>
> http://www.journals.elsevierhealth.com/periodicals/bps/article/PIIS0006322396000479/abstract
>
>
> I just think that one should allow for the possibility that memantine - indeed all psychotropics - can produce unwanted psychiatric side effects that are idiosyncratic to a small number of people who take them. Memantine consistently shows itself to reduce the psychiatric symptoms when used to treat Alzheimers. Perhaps certain vulnerabilities to adverse psychiatric side effects are prevalent in people with multiple sclerosis. The last citation may provide a rationale for memantine having a differential side effect profile depending on the state of neuron populations.
>
> Just thinking.
>
>
> - Scott
>
>
poster:GeneLady
thread:873086
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090104/msgs/873223.html