Posted by Girlnterrupted78 on February 6, 2010, at 9:18:10
In reply to Re: Will Lithium augment or weaken Parnate? » Girlnterrupted78, posted by inanimate peanut on February 3, 2010, at 21:59:46
Thanks for the information. I know Lithium, along with all the other meds that function as "mood stabilizers" are good for those diagnosed with bipolar. I haven't been formally diagnosed with it. My doctor simply has a slight suspicion I could be mildly bipolar, but that's about it. I don't ever go manic. He sometimes thinks that just because I responded exceptionally well to Celexa 7 years ago, that I was in fact "hypomanic" rather than simply free from depressive symptoms. I've grown tired of explaining to him that I just felt no depression--I felt freedom and happiness. But he claims that how I felt "sounds 'too good'" I guess normalcy should have some slight depressive symptoms for it to not be hypomania? If I had said "I was ok, but still slightly depressed" maybe he might have been more satisfied.
But anyway, I said I'd write down what I've tried, so here it goes:
*Paxil : no results, lethargy.
*Celexa: Outstanding AD effects for 1 year, zero side effects, stopped working after 1 year.
*Zoloft : Sexual side effects, Mild positive results on OCD. No anxiety or depression relief.
*Lithium (w/Celexa) No difference.
*Abilify (w/Celexa + w/Paxil) Horrible lethargy in both cases. Zero AD effects.
*Wellbutrin (taken w/Adderal): No AD effects at all.
*Buspar: No results.
*Effexor: No results.
*Nardil: No results. Decreased cognitive function, weight gain. Fair 1 year trial at highest dose.
*Adderall: Outstanding AD & Cognitive effects lasting less than a week. Tolerance built incredidibly fast.
*Ritalin: Mild positive effects on cognitive function. Lasted less than a month.
*Lexapro: Worst nightmare. Taken to replace Celexa. Undid all the AD effects of Celexa and took me back to point zero.
*Parnate: Taken in conjunction with Adderall. Excellent AD effect at 60mgs. Effects began to diminish after 2-3 weeks from 80% to about 50%.
*Lamictal (w/Parnate): Horrible. Caused lethargy and depression.
*Nortriptyline: (w/Parnate): Caused lethargy and no AD relief.I think this might be all. I don't believe going through every single SSRI will make a difference. I tried 3 of them, only 1 worked.
I refuse to try anything that will cause weight gain, as that would make me more depressed. So I'm not trying Remeron or any other med with such side effects. Nardil was enough of a nightmare.
Even if something worked, I would discontinued it if it made me gain weight. So I'm not sure what else could I possibly try at this point. Not even my doctor knows.. He suggested Abilify last time.. I refused immediately, since I have tried it twice and both times it was a nightmare. So we might go for Lithium, which I tried already with Celexa and did nothing, but I'll do it just for the sake of "trying something else.."
I still have the fear, though, that it will make things worse. As you can see, it's been other meds that have normally offset the positive results of the successful meds. Like in the case of Celexa. It worked outstandingly well for a year. When my doctor ran out of Celexa samples (which I was getting for free) he began giving me Lexapro samples, thinking they'd be the same thing. Within a week, I was back to point zero--horribly depressed after a successful year on Celexa. When I went back on Celexa it was never the same. Now it only gave me 40% relief, as opposed to a 90% I had experienced in the first year.
I suspect I need stimulant meds more than anything. Adderal alone (when I first took it, probably while on Celexa at the point where Celexa was no longer working at its fullest) gave me a great AD boost for a couple of days, but I built tolerance immediately.
Parnate + Adderal was once again a great combo that managed to control my depression very well. But again, it lasted 2-3 weeks.
Nothing else has worked. And what works never lasts. I think I'm doomed. I've always suspected that my problem is Dopamine, and my doctor mentioned the same thing. But what is going to fix that problem without building tolerance? I have no clue..
Thanks again for the info,
GI-----------------------------------o----------------------
> I'm glad you found some of the info helpful. My diagnosis is bipolar I, Mixed type, but the mixed states are fairly well controlled by Geodon, so really I'm just left with a very treatment resistant bipolar depression.
>
> I'd ask your doc about increasing the Parnate-- that's the first thing I would try. I don't know whether your shortness of breath is associated with the Parnate or not, but I would definitely keep an eye on it and stop if it gets worse. Your doc may not want to go any higher on the Parnate, as 80mg is a high dose according to the PDR, but it's worth a try to ask. I don't know enough about Adderall to know how high 20mg is, but that might be worth boosting too.
>
> As for combos, I just got back from Stanford who gave me my final 5 or so combos. My best combo was Lithium+Wellbutrin+Lamictal but I don't have any really good combos at the moment. I'm currently on Parnate+Lamictal+Geodon+Mirapex, but I'm still pretty depressed. I definitely encourage you to try Lithium. It was the first thing that got me partially stable and I haven't been stable since going off of it. It should make things better not worse, but of course everyone's brain is different. Lithium actually provides neuroprotection for your brain and helps keep the damage in your brain from getting worse. I would give anything if Lithium still worked for me.
>
> Anyway, do post your prior and current meds and see if anyone has any suggestions. I would say definitely try the Lithium and then if that makes you feel bad try increasing the Parnate and the Adderall. I really hope some of that helps and you start feeling better.
poster:Girlnterrupted78
thread:935824
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20100204/msgs/936127.html