Posted by robxblue on April 15, 2011, at 12:48:18
I began rapid cycling like crazy after taking Lexapro off and on for about two years... I am 28, and prior to that never really had significant depression, just anxiety.
Over this past year, I've been tried on most of the main mood stabilizers, most either don't help and some I can't tolerate.
I'm getting desperate for some relief, so I am curious if any of you know of other ideas I haven't tried? Thanks for any suggestions/guidance. This illness SUCKS! I used to be so happy and feel like my brain is permanently ruined...
Current Meds:
Lithium 300mg (helps depression some at lower doses, but doesn't touch sleeping/tears and other manic symptoms.)
Lyrica 300mg (great for bringing me back to normal, but can't take it too long because I develop tolerance.
Lunesta (wonderful for soothing agitation and making it possible to fall asleep.Past Meds: Mood Stabilizers:
Abilify: Felt great for 1 week, then fizzled out and "stabilized" me in a low depression, but not suicidal. Felt restless and uncomfortable.
Seroquel: Even though I slept great, it put me in a constant dysphoric mania and my moods would swing faster throughout the day.
Lamictal: Mania even on 25 mg, though great lift out of depression.
Trileptal: Helped enormously the first 10 days - stopped tears, improved sleep, felt almost normal. Then had a strange "throat closing, chest tightening" attacks on it; this happened both times I tried it.
Topamax: Felt very stimulating and had a lot of anxiety/nervousness, though it probably stopped cycling but was so uncomfortable.Antidepressants:
Lexapro: Started my illness, even though I did fine on it for the first year or so
Pamelor/Nortrptiline: Felt really good the first few weeks on it, but doctor took me off for fear of increasing cycling. Cried like crazy when I stopped it.
Mirapex: Works great in the beginning, then fizzles out and leaves me anxious dyshoric, decreased need for sleep.
Wellbutrin: Makes my anxiety 10x worse, irritable and agitated.
Other antidepressants tried that all either quite working or cause sleep problems: effexor,zoloft,prozac, remeron,The main problem now is I'm having tearfulness (my doc says a manic symptom, even though I feel down/sad), and sleep that cycles (some nights I wake up at 4 a.m. and cant go back to sleep.
We are going to try mexiletine experimentally since it's a sodium channel blocker and trileptal seemed to be helping me the most. I'm scared that Depakote will just make me so depressed, and I want a mood somewhere in the middle. I also haven't tried nimodipine or the thyroid approaches.
Thanks for any insight/hope/guidance you can provide!
Rob
poster:robxblue
thread:982923
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110406/msgs/982923.html