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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 Anna Laura on November 17, 2002, at 18:37:54
hi eveybody
i've not been posting for a while (since July, mea culpa).
i had SPECT and MRi done in the meanwhile (SPECT scan showed basal ganglia hypoperfusion); also took a couple of long and expensive trips to a University Clinic to confirm my bipolar II dx. I swore to myself i was not going to come back without positive news (didn't want to self indulge in depression misery either, but here i go again).I came down from Effexor in the meanwhile (very very slowly rom 300 mg. to 75 in a five month period!); the last tiny dose was a bitch to get rid of. I dropped it last week.
I'm on Tegretol (400 mg) since Monday (almost a week from now). Side effects: sleepiness and mild mental confusion (difficulties in word finding and poor memory one of the most annoying symptoms). Don't find it a durty drug though (sound pretty "natural", unlike the AP's and even some AD's).
It might sound a bit egotistic i know, but i desperately need to hear some positive stories on bipolar II, please.
Sorry Need to be a little longer sharing some details, just in case.
I've been told i've got a mild form of the illness, being stuck in this black hole for twelve years by now with no true hypomanias (just subtle cyclings and irritability). I was exuberant and hyperthymic before i got depressed as a young adult; turned ravenously hypomanic before turning 21, it lasted several months (!!) and then crushed in to depression: i never got even barely "normal" after that .
I mean, i've been much more depressed then now (psychotic delusional depression and such), but still, this is not life. Anhedonia and lack of sexual life are killing me. missing anxiety and even terror, no kidding.
and i desperately need to have myself back this dim, fading and lobotomizied personality that has grown out of depression throughout all these years is the worst thing to tolerate other then anhedonia;
i finally met a pdoc two days ago who's willing to prescribe me the meds i want (dopaminergic, stimulants and even naltrexone in case mood stabiliers would fail);
O.K. the problem now is that i'm starting to think i'm just fooling myself, right after reaching my "goal" (the right dx, pdoc open to med trials).
Not long ago i was still persuaded my main problem being not reaching out for the "new" or "unusual" drugs, (pdocs were unwilling to prescribe dopaminergic drugs and newer mood stabilizers here in Italy where i live) .
But now I'm doubting all the drugs available will ever bring even partial relief, having roughly the same effect on me and i'm starting to think that my brain is gonna be depression-wired until i pass over.I didn't want to bother so i searched in to the archives but i seem to selectively choose the worst threads, can't find a single positive post especially about my med Tegretol (i know this happens when i'm tuned on negative thinking, i literally can't see postive things around me, so i end up picking the worst ones) .
meds taken so far:
Tofranil, Mellaril, Modaline (fenotiazine), Zoloft, Prozac, atypical AP's (levosulpiride), Effexor, Zyban
a hug to everyone on board
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on November 18, 2002, at 8:54:14
In reply to bipolar II and tegretol, posted by Anna Laura on November 17, 2002, at 18:37:54
> I didn't want to bother so i searched in to the archives but i seem to selectively choose the worst threads, can't find a single positive post especially about my med Tegretol
----------------------I've posted in praise of tegretol a couple of times, though not prominently. It's inexpensive, has few side effects (or none, in my case), has antidepressant qualities, and a long half life. It doesn't tend to interfere with most other psychoactive medications, either (it's often used to augment other stabilizers that aren't effective alone).
And, as I've mentioned before, there's also the newer analogue Trileptal, which other people seem to tolerate even better.
Posted by Anna Laura on November 18, 2002, at 9:44:38
In reply to Re: bipolar II and tegretol » Anna Laura, posted by Eddie Sylvano on November 18, 2002, at 8:54:14
> > I didn't want to bother so i searched in to the archives but i seem to selectively choose the worst threads, can't find a single positive post especially about my med Tegretol
> ----------------------
>
> I've posted in praise of tegretol a couple of times, though not prominently. It's inexpensive, has few side effects (or none, in my case), has antidepressant qualities, and a long half life. It doesn't tend to interfere with most other psychoactive medications, either (it's often used to augment other stabilizers that aren't effective alone).
> And, as I've mentioned before, there's also the newer analogue Trileptal, which other people seem to tolerate even better.Hi Eddie
Thanks for answering.
Could you describe your positive experience with Tegretol more in depth ? (like how long have you been depressed before that, how long did it take to work, which kind of symptoms it took away and such...if you don't mind of course).
I know everyone's different, what worked for you might not work for me, etc...still, a positive story, (even partially positive ) would help immensely.Thanks again
Anna Laura
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on November 18, 2002, at 11:11:56
In reply to Re: bipolar II and tegretol: bipolar depression, posted by Anna Laura on November 18, 2002, at 9:44:38
> Could you describe your positive experience with Tegretol more in depth ? (like how long have you been depressed before that, how long did it take to work, which kind of symptoms it took away and such...if you don't mind of course).
-----------------I began taking tegretol only recently, actually (about 3 months ago), having previously tried only antidepressants (efexor, serzone, paxil). I began having depressive problems a few years ago, and kept them relatively at bay with the ADs, but I could never get rid of an accompanying feeling of derealization and general confusion that accompanied it. I would feel like I was going to pass out, like my senses were blurred, delayed, and dreamlike. I couldn't concentrate on work.
Anyway, I'd been off ADs for about 6 months when these issues became too disruptive, so I begaun tegretol, 400mg daily. The only side effect I'd noticed initially was a bit of confusion, but that went away within a week. The effects were much more immediate than with ADs. Within a week, I was no longer feeling so bizzare, I could concentrate more easily, my ability to write rebounded (as well as read), and my general mood was much more even and functional. I didn't really go into usage in a depressive state, so I can't comment on it's reported antidepressant qualities, though relief from my uncomfortable mental fogginess certainly makes me happy. For me, it was mostly about relief from a state of distraction and unreality, so I'm not sure if it's comparable to BP disorder. Still, it's been the easiest drug I've been on, it works pretty quickly, and it doesn't really impart a noticeable change in the quality or feel of my thought.
Posted by Anna Laura on November 19, 2002, at 7:59:03
In reply to Re: bipolar II and tegretol: bipolar depression » Anna Laura, posted by Eddie Sylvano on November 18, 2002, at 11:11:56
Posted by missliz on November 20, 2002, at 0:41:23
In reply to thanks Eddie (nm) (nm), posted by Anna Laura on November 19, 2002, at 7:59:03
I took Tegretol for eight years for bipolar II, and have nothing but praise for it. Saved my life. Actually, it got me my normal life back. Fixed my sleep, fixed me up. Don't waste your money on the generic- that doesn't work, there's bioavailability problems with it. Get the real thing. They're like two different drugs. Unlike most anti convulsants, Tegretol doesn't have big vile weight gain troubles and if you self injure it will stop that in it's tracks.
The drugs you listed are, in my humble opinion, all crap. Strong words, but did they work? Not for me either. You should like the Tegretol much better. This is your first real anti-convulsant/ mood stabilizer? About time. You'll be drowsy and slow for a while while you adjust to the drug but then you should feel much better. I used the slow release, all at bedtime, and slept so well. It really works in the background so you can have a life.
A lot of Bi II's take a mood stabilizer and an anti depressent, so the T may not fix everything at once. It beats the dickens out of lithium, depakote et al though, the side effect profile is fairly benign. Don't use Allegra or Claritin with it, or Erythromycin antibiotics- Nasty intractions. Also, if your blood levels get too high you can get wiggy, I mean bizarre wiggy. Tell your doc if the going gets weird, it sometimes means the dose is a little high. You shouldn't need anti psychotics if the mood stabilizer is right, (my opinion) so check the Teg dose first.
I'm taking Trileptal now, a sort of second generation Tegretol. It's pricy, but very good. And weight neutral. I developed some side effects after all those years on Tegretol, but then medication is a proccess.missliz
Posted by Anna Laura on November 20, 2002, at 15:11:17
In reply to Re: Tegretol Anna Laura, posted by missliz on November 20, 2002, at 0:41:23
> I took Tegretol for eight years for bipolar II, and have nothing but praise for it. Saved my life.
Great! Good thing to hear.
Don't waste your money on the generic- that doesn't work, there's bioavailability problems with it. Get the real thing. They're like two different drugs.
Sorry didn't get the "bioavailability problem" and "generic version thing" (isn't always carbamazepine? or are you reffering to the modified version Trileptal?)
> The drugs you listed are, in my humble opinion, all crap.
Heavenly words.
I was starting to think there was something wrong with my brain physiology that would turn in to crap anything i swallowed!
thanks a lot
Posted by Eddie Sylvano on November 20, 2002, at 15:35:24
In reply to Re: Tegretol Anna Laura, posted by missliz on November 20, 2002, at 0:41:23
>The drugs you listed are, in my humble opinion, all crap. Strong words, but did they work?
-------------Poor tofranil. It always gets such a bad rap, but I think it's just as effective as effexor for depression and anxiety, while having a much more tolerable profile (and withdrawl). It's a miracle for irritable bowel, too.
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