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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by ROO on December 20, 2002, at 10:35:06
I've been on Topomax for a few months (maybe a little
over 3) and I think I've decided after a fair trial, that
I don't like it. I think it might be worsening my depression,
and plus it has sexual side effects that I don't like. I did
a little experiment last week...(without the permission of my
pdoc, which I feel a little squirrely about, but...) I just went
off the stuff for about 5 days...I noticed my mood got quite a bit brighter
(I'm also on 10 mgs lexapro), I felt pretty darn GOOD...had hardly ANY
sexual side effects (which led me to believe MOST of my sexual side effects
were coming from the Topamax, not the lexapro)...but sure enough, after about 5 days, I started
to get anxious and agitated and I guess I was "cycling"...so I figured I better
restart the Topamax. I have an appt. with my pdoc today, so I guess I've
got to confess what I've done, and of course she gets really pissed when I do
stuff like this without telling her. But my question is....what
mood stabilizers are out there that aren't depressing? That don't flatten your
mood so much? I noticed Topamax had "depression" listed as an actual side effect for
some people. Which ones don't have sexual side effects?
For the record I've already tried Lamictal, and I can't sleep on that one, so it's out.
I've tried Neurotin and it seemed kind of wimpy...I could feel it wear off within hours...but
no side effects, I'd be willing to try it again...but I don't feel all that stable on it.
Any other suggestions? I really miss my "up" moods....do they all flatten you out so
much? I don't know if I like this flattening out business. Mood stabilizer are relatively
new to me. It's hard to live with the cycling though, which expresses itself as extreme agitation,
anxiety, hard to be in my own skin feeling...very hard to function that way too.I'm cyclothymic, by the way.
Posted by Krysti on December 20, 2002, at 17:01:54
In reply to Mood Stabilizer Suggestions? Topamax Depressed Me!, posted by ROO on December 20, 2002, at 10:35:06
Hi Roo,
Sorry to hear you're still having a hard time with the depression - I agree that 3 months is enough to give it a fair chance.
The Trileptal is still working well for me. From everything I've read and heard from other people - the tricyclics seem to work better for the depressive side. My anxiety is still gone also. It's only been a little over a month for me, so there's a possibility my mood might start to fall, but it is the best I've felt so far still...
I am even going through a very stressful time (my boyfriend who moved to CA who I was supposed to be going to visit over New Year's deciding to start dating again!). AND, I already have the $260 plane ticket. To be fair, we agreed we'd just be friends, seeing as we were not going to do the long distance thing, but I didn't expect him to start dating again two weeks before I was coming out to visit. Anyway, my point is, before meds this would have totally sent me over the edge and I am actually handling it pretty well. Haven't sunk into depression, haven't spiraled into mania, haven't had any anxiety attacks (although have had the crushing chest feeling on occasion - I'll take that though over the other any day).
I hope you find the right med for you and soon : )
Krysti
Posted by McPac on December 21, 2002, at 2:01:48
In reply to Mood Stabilizer Suggestions? Topamax Depressed Me!, posted by ROO on December 20, 2002, at 10:35:06
During your stoppage of the Topamax, when you think you may have began "cycling"...who knows if it was "cycling" OR the 'withdrawal' effects of stopping the Topamax? The feelings are similar. More importantly, if the Topamax is depressing you, there is Lithium yet to try. It works awesome for me..better than anything else for the agitation, anxiety..it smooths everything out. If I were you, I would try it..you may not need a real high dose; I'm fortunate, a very low dose does the job for me.
Posted by Lawrence S. on December 21, 2002, at 23:40:25
In reply to Mood Stabilizer Suggestions? Topamax Depressed Me!, posted by ROO on December 20, 2002, at 10:35:06
Roo, the flattening effect can be very distressing to put it mildly. For me it feels like my pesonality is being washed away. If that is'nt enough to make a person deppresed and anxious, I don't know what is? I know exactly what you mean by that hard to be in your own skin feeling!! I get the agitation too, Even worse, sometimes it escalates into rage.
I believe that in some people the up feeling is a neccecary part of the life experience.
While I was Chistmas shopping today, I felt good. until I came across an item in the store that made a perfect gift for my Mother. My mood crashed suddenly. I could barely speak. You see, my Mother passed away a few months ago.
would this is considered a mood swing? I wonder if this whole BP1-BP2 theory is going to fall apart some day?
I think Dr.'s should be much more carefull when prescribing mood stabilizers because a lot of us are sensitive to the effect on their personality/psyche aspect. Maybe some people should not take them at all even though they are "cycling" I hope someday someone comes up with a cure for people like us. Right now, for me, the cure is worse than the disease! Do you agree? There has to be a better way. For me, klonopin has mood stabilizing action. And it does't leave me feeling like I'm wearing a chemical strait jacket. But then there is the potential tolerance/addiction problem.
Let us know how it goes.
Hang in there!!
Lawrence S.
Posted by Chairman_MAO on October 25, 2005, at 18:14:48
In reply to Mood Stabilizer Suggestions? Topamax Depressed Me!, posted by ROO on December 20, 2002, at 10:35:06
lamotrigine, levetiracetam
This is the end of the thread.
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