Posted by sheilac on July 9, 2017, at 14:09:35
Pdoc told me yesterday NOT to take anymore elavil (which I was taking to help with pain) and NO more Abilify.
She said to stay with 2500mg of keppra, which really does help me with mania. Usually, in the winter I can drop down to 2,000 or even 1,500mg. I'm more depressed in winter & manic in summer. BUT, right now 2500mg keppra isn't enough to keep me mania free. She won't go higher in dose, so that's why she added in Seroquel.
I have chronic pain from fibromyalgia and Interstitial Cystitis. Lithium (made me fat, burned my bladder), depakote hurt my bladder, etc. I've tried all the traditional mood stabilizers, this is the reason for Seroquel.
I have a few choices here. Seroquel seems to be great for sleep, but the next morning & day I feel very irritated, almost like the Seroquel doesn't last long enough.
I can try the Seroquel XR version, but getting the timing right is really difficult. It doesn't kick in time for sleep, and then I get a hit of it in the morning & I'm exhausted. And, even though it's the XR version, it does not last 24 hours!
Another option she said would be to take 100 - 200mg Seroquel at night, sleep good and take 25mg in the morning to get me through the day. That's probably the most reasonable course. It's terrible Seroquel isn't longer acting.
Here's an issue I have, I have a chronic pain condition. I try to only take a pain pill if I'm really hurting because I notice the norco or tramadol makes me hyper or manic.
Will getting a stronger "foundation" with Keppra + Seroquel keep me stable enough so that I don't get manic from other meds? I know some people get manic from cold medicine and steroids.
Thanks for your input!
poster:sheilac
thread:1094079
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20161215/msgs/1094079.html