Posted by Jay2112 on December 30, 2022, at 14:59:18
In reply to Re: Bipolar and constipation » Jay2112, posted by SLS on December 30, 2022, at 9:41:46
> > > > Ok, a not so lovely topic...buttttt...All of these meds cause me major constipation, and as long as I take Omega 3's, every 3-4 days I swallow a good size laxative, do my jobbers, and I feel *amazing*!! Otherwise, I am bunged up for over a week sometimes, and I find my mental health deteriorates. I have tracked this in my journal, and it's true....this is always the same sequence of events. I wish I could get on a long-term antibiotic, with a probiotic, and I wouldn't have this problem! There is one called rifaximin, for IBS, and I am trying to convince my doctor to put me on it.
> > > >
> > > > Jay
> > >
> > > I went very rarely (once a week?) when I was on buprenorphine. Opies have that effect. However I also ate less, which I believe is due to kappa-opioid receptor antagonism.
> > >
> > > -undopaminergic
> > >
> >
> > I have to *go* once every 3-4 days, or else I feel wretched!! My amitriptyline, clonidine, and risperidone certainly can back me up. I use Tylenol 1 (OTC here in Canada) for migraines, regulaly, so that is the nail in the coffin. :(
> >
> > Jay
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> If you haven't tried the metabolite of amitryptyline, nortryptyline, you might respond equally well, but avoid the anticholinergic side effects (constipation, cognitive and memory difficulties, elevated heart rate). However, finding the right dosage of nortriptyline can be tricky. It is the black sheep of the tricyclics. It has a true therapeutic window / index. Generally, I see low-dosages (50-75 mg/day) and high-dosages (125-150 mg/day) produce a robust antidepressant response, but nothing in between. *Generally*. A blood test to assay blood concentrations of nortriptyline can be used as a guide, but an absolute index.
>
> The therapeutic range of nortriptyline is currently quoted lies between 70-170 ng/mL. Formerly, it had been 50-150 ng/mL. At 150 mg/day, my blood level of nortriptyline was 153 ng/mL. However, I am a low-dosage responder. It took two years for me to play out a hunch and reduce the dosage of nortriptyline. I am not a high-dosage responder, after all. I am a low-dosage responder. Right now, 75 mg/day is giving me a better quality of mood that is more stable.
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> If I recall correctly, you are somewhat improved relative to your untreated baseline. What does your current regime comprise?
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>
> - Scott
>Hi Scott. I hope you are doing well, and happy pre-new year! lol.
Yes, I am about mod-relatively improved to baseline. "Perfect"...well, never really (constantly) achieved, but that's good, because I am an existentialist human! Even at points in my life where I could have been considered having a mostly non-depressed person, at times, I would get a "whoooosh" of the black dog's presence.
It's the anti-cholinergic affects that promote sleep for me, in amitriptyline. I am thinking of trying a combo of ami and nor triptyline. Just a small bit. But, nortriptyline does have anticholinergic effects, just much less. Nortriptyline did work well at one time for me. But, I MUST take it with heavy mood stabilizers and antipsychotics.I am, for most parts, within a range of stability. I track my mood with moodtraker, an app on droid and apple phones. It's a REALLY good scientific mathimatical tracking app of your daily moods.
p.s. I know you don't believe in herbal remedies
, I am part Indigenous, and they worked well for us for for a very, very long time....particularly CBD, CBG, THC.Best,
JayHumans punish themselves endlessly
for not being what they believe they should be.
-Don Miguel Ruiz-
poster:Jay2112
thread:1121386
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20220917/msgs/1121409.html