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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rosieshepherd on August 23, 2001, at 9:10:51
I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II and I am addicted to all of the above. I drink coffee and mountain dew alot, I smoke about a pack a day of cigarettes, and I smoke about a joint a day. I am also taking Zoloft right now, 50 mgs at night. I am about to start taking depakote as soon as my daughter is weaned from the last nursing. I am not looking for critisism of me or my choices. I am here looking for some help. Does caffeine, nicotine, and thc, have any effect on the bipolar? Do any of them react to zoloft or depakote? I need to get my moods stabilized, but i don't want to hurt myself you know.Thanks for any help or advice that you can offer.
Posted by SalArmy4me on August 23, 2001, at 9:43:35
In reply to Bipolar II, Caffeine, Nicotine, THC, posted by rosieshepherd on August 23, 2001, at 9:10:51
Of course all those addictions may not hurt you, but they certainly don't _help_ your mood.
This is fun: http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Psychosis-from-long-term-m.html
Posted by kid47 on August 23, 2001, at 11:11:30
In reply to Bipolar II, Caffeine, Nicotine, THC, posted by rosieshepherd on August 23, 2001, at 9:10:51
Hi. I am also Bipolar II & have severe anxiety. I gave up caffeine completely for awhile & found I was less anxious & had less cycling & mixed states. I now have an occassional coffee or soda without problems. I gave up nicotine because the health issues made me very anxious (fear is a great motivator). As far as other drug use I just figure my brain chemistry is screwed up enough without adding something else with unknown consequences.(I also believe previous drug & alcohol use when I was younger might have predisposed me to this type of illness) You might find as the meds begin to work your cravings for these things lessen. Good luck. Take care
kid
> I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II and I am addicted to all of the above. I drink coffee and mountain dew alot, I smoke about a pack a day of cigarettes, and I smoke about a joint a day. I am also taking Zoloft right now, 50 mgs at night. I am about to start taking depakote as soon as my daughter is weaned from the last nursing. I am not looking for critisism of me or my choices. I am here looking for some help. Does caffeine, nicotine, and thc, have any effect on the bipolar? Do any of them react to zoloft or depakote? I need to get my moods stabilized, but i don't want to hurt myself you know.Thanks for any help or advice that you can offer.
Posted by Mitch on August 23, 2001, at 13:02:06
In reply to Bipolar II, Caffeine, Nicotine, THC, posted by rosieshepherd on August 23, 2001, at 9:10:51
> I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II and I am addicted to all of the above. I drink coffee and mountain dew alot, I smoke about a pack a day of cigarettes, and I smoke about a joint a day. I am also taking Zoloft right now, 50 mgs at night. I am about to start taking depakote as soon as my daughter is weaned from the last nursing. I am not looking for critisism of me or my choices. I am here looking for some help. Does caffeine, nicotine, and thc, have any effect on the bipolar? Do any of them react to zoloft or depakote? I need to get my moods stabilized, but i don't want to hurt myself you know.Thanks for any help or advice that you can offer.
Coffee, pot, and smokes are just a lot of different ways to deal with symptoms of mood instability. Pharmaceuticals are just supposed to be cleaner, healthier, alternatives that will get you in less trouble. I used to smoke 3 packs of cigarettes a day-they helped me concentrate better and I felt relaxed. Of course I have ADHD, and that could have explained some of it.
Mitch
Posted by Ron Hill on August 25, 2001, at 16:43:52
In reply to Bipolar II, Caffeine, Nicotine, THC, posted by rosieshepherd on August 23, 2001, at 9:10:51
Rosie,
I also am BP II. For me it was very important to have a mood stablizer (e.g. depakote, Li, etc) fully in place prior to starting an antidepressant otherwise the AD pushes me into mania.
Do you think you use the caffiene, nicotine, and THC to self-medicate? I self-medicated for years without being cognitive of what I was actually doing.
Who knows what long term effects these substances may or may not have on the disorder itself. And I personally don't know what drug interactions these substances have with medication. However, my opinion is that your pdoc will be more successful in finding the right med combo for you if you minimize the amount of non-prescription psychoactive substances taken.
My 2 cents worth. Best Wishes!
-- Ron
----------------------------------------> I have been diagnosed with Bipolar II and I am addicted to all of the above. I drink coffee and mountain dew alot, I smoke about a pack a day of cigarettes, and I smoke about a joint a day. I am also taking Zoloft right now, 50 mgs at night. I am about to start taking depakote as soon as my daughter is weaned from the last nursing. I am not looking for critisism of me or my choices. I am here looking for some help. Does caffeine, nicotine, and thc, have any effect on the bipolar? Do any of them react to zoloft or depakote? I need to get my moods stabilized, but i don't want to hurt myself you know.Thanks for any help or advice that you can offer.
Posted by SalArmy4me on August 28, 2001, at 2:59:28
In reply to Re: Bipolar II, Caffeine, Nicotine, THC » rosieshepherd, posted by Ron Hill on August 25, 2001, at 16:43:52
The British Journal of Psychiatry
© 2001 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
Volume 178 February 2001 pp 101-106
Pharmacology and effects of cannabis: a brief review†"There is considerable evidence, reviewed by Hall et al (1994), that performance in heavy, chronic cannabis users remains impaired even when they are not actually intoxicated. These impairments, especially of attention, memory and ability to process complex information, can last for many weeks, months or even years after cessation of cannabis use (Solowij, 1998). Whether or not there is permanent cognitive impairment in heavy long-term users is not clear.
Cannabinoids produce a dose-related tachycardia which may reach rates of up to 160 beats/minute or more, although tolerance develops with chronic use. There is also a widespread vasodilation and reddening of the conjunctivae, a characteristic sign of cannabis use (Paton & Pertwee, 1973). Postural hypotension and fainting may occur. These and other cardiovascular effects may carry a risk for individuals with preexisting cardiac disease, and several cases of acute and sometimes fatal cardiac incidents have been reported in young cannabis smokers.
Effects on the respiratory system
The smoke from herbal cannabis preparations contains all the same constituents (apart from nicotine) as tobacco smoke, including carbon monoxide, bronchial irritants, tumour initiators (mutagens), tumour promoters and carcinogens (British Medical Association, 1997). The tar from a cannabis cigarette contains higher concentrations of benzanthracenes and benzpyrenes, both of which are carcinogens, than tobacco smoke. It has been estimated that smoking a cannabis cigarette results in approximately a fivefold greater increase in carboxyhaemoglobin concentration, a three-fold greater amount of tar inhaled and retention in the respiratory tract of one-third more tar than smoking a tobacco cigarette (Wu et al, 1988; Benson & Bentley, 1995). This is mainly due to the way a cannabis joint is smoked, with deep and prolonged inhalation and no filter. In addition, cannabis has a higher combustion temperature than tobacco.Chronic cannabis smoking is associated with bronchitis and emphysema. It has been calculated that smoking 3-4 cannabis cigarettes a day is associated with the same evidence of acute and chronic bronchitis and the same degree of damage to the bronchial mucosa as 20 or more tobacco cigarettes a day (Benson & Bentley, 1995). Prospective studies of the long-term effects on the lungs of chronic cannabis smoking are lacking, but some authors suggest that chronic airways disease and bronchogenic carcinoma may be as great a risk as with tobacco smoking. In addition, there appears to be an increased incidence of rare forms of oropharyngeal cancer in young people who smoke cannabis chronically.
Effects on other systems
Cannabis also has immunosuppressant and endocrine effects although the clinical significance of these is still not clear. Chronic cannabis use appears to carry reproductive risks, both to the mother during pregnancy and childbirth and to the foetus and neonate, although these areas need further study. The full extent of long-term health risks of chronic cannabis use (if today's young smokers continue the habit) may require a latent period of 10-20 years to be revealed.CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS
* Cannabis use is associated with increased risk of road, rail and air traffic accidents.
* Chronic cannabis use can result in tolerance, dependence, withdrawal effects and possibly long-term cognitive impairment.
* Long-term cannabis use carries respiratory, cardiovascular and other health risks."
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