![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Wrangler on March 7, 2002, at 22:23:15
I have just started a régime of Depakote and Seroquel. This is my first week on the drugs. For many long years I have suffered from depression. I have been able to keep the emotional part of my depression in check very well. I have the occasional bouts but they are short lived.
Along with the depression came what I termed “physical” side effects. There are two. I have a very “noisy mind” and pychomotor agitation.
My noisy mind consist of annoying music of the strangest kinds and repeating phrases. The music will be something like the theme to the old TV show “My Three Sons” over and over for hours. It can even wake me up at night. The repeating phrases will be something that I have heard someone say or even something I have thought. Mostly single words and phrases. A little bit like an echo that continues.
The psychomotor agitation has gotten so bad I have to sit on the aisle at church, on planes and in theaters. I have to be able to get up sometimes. Folks think I have hemorrhoids or something. I bob in my chair at work and pull at my clothes and seatbelts in cars. Mercy! It’s more than annoying.
Now my questions. Have others here taken either Depakote or Seroquel? What has been your expeience? Have you had any sexual dysfunction? Have you had new and bizarre thought race through your head? I have had good luck so far. They seem to be having the desired effects. The bad news for me is that I am having little interest in things in my life. My sex life has stopped. Oh, truth is I can do it – it just takes a real strong jump start to get me going. I am also experiencing that pesky ringing in my ears. I am willing to give this a chance. I am in touch with my psychiatrist regarding this as well.I’ll watch here for any response. Much obliged for any help.
Posted by TSA West on March 8, 2002, at 2:29:24
In reply to Seroquel Depakote - New user with questions, posted by Wrangler on March 7, 2002, at 22:23:15
Hi Wrangler
Do you have unipolar or bipolar disorder? And have you ever tried standard antidepressants? These questions are to clarify so that we may be able to assist you better.
Keep posting and supporting,
TSA West
Posted by Wrangler on March 8, 2002, at 8:54:41
In reply to Re: Seroquel Depakote - New user with questions » Wrangler, posted by TSA West on March 8, 2002, at 2:29:24
I have never been diagnosed with with bi-polar disorder. I have a cyclical depression that seems to come round several times a year in more pronounced ways. Other times of the year I simply have what I call "down times" that may last a week or two.
I have used many of the standard anti-depressants over the years. Some are: Paxill, Wellbutrine, Celxa, Serzone, Remeron, Buspar to name a few. I have never had very good luck with any of these. Either the cure was worse than the depression or they had little effect. I have had good luck with Klonopin for very short term treatment of anxiety. It works very well for me but I fear it can become addictive. I have taken it periodically for years now but never long enough to become addicted. Of course, I am not taking it now.
My main reason for the post was to hear if others taking either the Seroquel or Depakote had experienced a markedly diminished sex life. One of the two, likely the Seroquel, has knocked the wind out of my sails in that area. I am just curious and wonder if others have found through their psychiatrist a solution. I plan to discuss this with my psychiatrist at my next meeting with her.
Posted by Jerrympls on March 11, 2002, at 0:32:59
In reply to Re: Seroquel Depakote - Questions - Part Deux, posted by Wrangler on March 8, 2002, at 8:54:41
I am on 400mg Seroquel but I started taking it close to the time I started desipramine. I am more suspicious of the desipramine causing my almost complete loss of sexual drive. I too wonder if Seroquel might be playing an part. I was put on Provigil for a while and that helped a bit. Now I am on dexedrine and that has helped too--but it hasn't restored it fully.
Jerry
> I have never been diagnosed with with bi-polar disorder. I have a cyclical depression that seems to come round several times a year in more pronounced ways. Other times of the year I simply have what I call "down times" that may last a week or two.
>
> I have used many of the standard anti-depressants over the years. Some are: Paxill, Wellbutrine, Celxa, Serzone, Remeron, Buspar to name a few. I have never had very good luck with any of these. Either the cure was worse than the depression or they had little effect. I have had good luck with Klonopin for very short term treatment of anxiety. It works very well for me but I fear it can become addictive. I have taken it periodically for years now but never long enough to become addicted. Of course, I am not taking it now.
>
> My main reason for the post was to hear if others taking either the Seroquel or Depakote had experienced a markedly diminished sex life. One of the two, likely the Seroquel, has knocked the wind out of my sails in that area. I am just curious and wonder if others have found through their psychiatrist a solution. I plan to discuss this with my psychiatrist at my next meeting with her.
Posted by Gracie2 on March 12, 2002, at 21:37:41
In reply to Re: Seroquel Depakote - Questions - Part Deux, posted by Jerrympls on March 11, 2002, at 0:32:59
I have experience with both Depakote and Seroquel. I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I believe with what they call "mixed state"...meaning that the manic phase did not bring euphoria but only agitated depression. I would stay up for 3 or 4 nights at a time, sleeping only an hour or two every couple of days.
I was terribly anxious and depressed.
Initially Depakote helped me out of this mess. I began to sleep regularly and was not so jittery.
However, after 6 months of Depakote (500 mg daily)
I became lethargic and robotic and felt a decrease in the dosage would be appropriate. My psychiatrist didn't agree, so I stopped taking the Depakote on my own.
DO NOT DO THIS!! What a terrible mistake...I literally went haywire, began to suffer panic attacks so intense that I actually got into my car, drove to the nearest psychiatrist's office, and begged the receptionist to let me see one of the doctors, although I had no appointment and knew none of the doctors. When she told me this was impossible, I stood there in the waiting room in front of a dozen patients and started to cry like a baby.
Taper from Depakote, very slowly, under your doctor's supervision.
Seroquel has been helpful for me. I sleep regularly and have had a decrease in both manic and depressive states. Sometimes I have some breakthrough anxiety, for which I take Klonapin. Overall it has increased my quality of life.
-Gracie
Posted by Wrangler on March 13, 2002, at 16:57:56
In reply to Re: Seroquel Depakote - Questions - Part Deux, posted by Gracie2 on March 12, 2002, at 21:37:41
Thanks for all the information, stories and advice. Gracie, your comment about "mixed state" interest me. I wonder if that is what I have a touch of. I am never manic. I do have cyclical depression though. Trouble with that idea is that the symptoms I am now trying to alleviate occur whether I am depressed or not.
The good news is that so far the new meds have really done some good stuff. The noise in my mind has had it's volume turned way down and my psychomotor-agitation has abated. It does ramp up in the late afternoon unless I take another Depakote.
I never mentioned my dosages.
125mg of Depakote in the morning
Another 1 to 2 125mg Depakote during the day as needed
250mg Depakote at bedtime75mg of Seroquel at bedtime
Posted by firestorm on September 19, 2003, at 16:18:31
In reply to Seroquel Depakote - New user with questions, posted by Wrangler on March 7, 2002, at 22:23:15
I am taking 800mg of Seroquel (the highest prescribable dosage), and 1000mg of Depakote ER. Definitely I think that my libido and sex life has be adversely affected. This is very very depressing for me, especially being male and 23. I’m going ask my shrink to drop me down on the Seroquel… If he doesn’t agree, I’m probably going to drop it down anyway.
Posted by mazzie on October 28, 2003, at 12:23:17
In reply to Re: Seroquel Depakote - New user with questions, posted by firestorm on September 19, 2003, at 16:18:31
Hi--Is anyone out there still talking about this? I just signed up to this service and it's probably another sign of how desperate I'm getting--I'm just wondering if there's anyone out there, bi-polar, who's taken the Depakote and Seroquel and has any advice. I haven't started yet. I have piles of medications that I never start--but, things are getting worse and worse and I might be ready to try these meds. Hope you're all well out there in the world--thanks.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.