Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 206058

Shown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

I don't like this..............

Posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 1:55:02

Day 7 of Effexor-XR and day 6 of Lamictal-I feel weird-groggy, but alert-very alert kinda manic, feel like I could go on top of a mountain and scream "WHY!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Any advice would be appreciated,
Thanks,Kristen

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » KrissyP

Posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 5:36:42

In reply to I don't like this.............., posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 1:55:02

Krissy,

Personally,I think Effexor and Lamictal together make for a potentially explosive combo.if you're anywhere near bipolar.
Titrating Lamictal(at least for the first few months)can be hard work- you'll probably experience a good deal of irritability, even instability before things smooth out.Worth the wait though, it's an excellent med. that's restored many people to 'normal'.
I think ideally the Lam. should be firmly in place, and then the effexor tentatively added further along the line.
You could try reducing the venlafaxine somewhat,while you concentrate on dealing with the Lamictal.You may well find that you'll need an AD less and less as you reach therapeutic levels of Lam.
Unless of course you were doing well on Eff. and the Lam. was just an add-on.


Just my thoughts,as your doc. may well have other ideas(if he does, stick with them of course!!!)

Best wishes,

Col.

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace

Posted by Mikey_C on March 5, 2003, at 8:30:56

In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » KrissyP, posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 5:36:42


Colin, I've got a question for you. If your Doctor put you on both Seroquel and Lamictal with Clonazepam added strictly as needed, similar to Krissy's combination, would that not in itself keep you from sliding into mania or depression? Like would it not cure both your anxiety and your depressive conditions?

Just asking here cuz I'm in just about the same boat as her.

Thanks,

Mike

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » Mikey_C

Posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 12:43:37

In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace, posted by Mikey_C on March 5, 2003, at 8:30:56

>
> Colin, I've got a question for you. If your Doctor put you on both Seroquel and Lamictal with Clonazepam added strictly as needed, similar to Krissy's combination, would that not in itself keep you from sliding into mania or depression? Like would it not cure both your anxiety and your depressive conditions?
>
> Just asking here cuz I'm in just about the same boat as her.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Mike

Hi there Mike,

Yup, I've considered the use of atypicals too, and I'd probably go for Seroquel because it's not supposed to cause weight-gain;piling on weight depresses me like hell.Seroquel seems to help depressive symptoms aswell.
To be honest,I'd wanted to avoid using an AP because many here have felt quite 'smothered' by them.I guess keeping the dose at the low end would negate that somewhat-I don't know.
Lamictal all but eliminated my depression, and I got my anxiety under control over a year ago.
Breakthrough mixed-states are my main problem now, so an AP may be another likely candidate(I've never tried one, so I'll admit to not having personal insight here).
But in answer to your question, yes, in theory Lamictal and seroquel *could* well take care of depression, mania and anxiety.Sounds like a good combo. all in all.


Col.

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace

Posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 13:30:19

In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » KrissyP, posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 5:36:42

It is funny you say this, because a previous, excellent psychiatrist, 2 in fact, said that the Lamictal should help the depression and shook their heads no to any AD. Yes, I am near bipolar.
I am wondering, if I just took the Lamictal now w/o the Effexor would that affect me so horribly like I was when I went off the Effexor?
Also-maybe I can just take 37.5 of the Effexor? Your post really got me thinking and what you say makes some pretty good sense. I just started back on the Lamictal since going off last March-the med does wonders for my moods, I felt normal, and my friends noticed also!
My concern, the psychiatrist I have is so not knowledgeable, I had to help her spell "Lamictal" and then she had to look in the PDR to find out the dosages. This worries me-A LOT. I am not in a position to look for another doc at this time becuase most likely, it will be months before I get an appt., and then I have to convince a new doc what works for me, yada yada yada-been there done that:-(
What are you views on that?
Please get back to me, you make an EXCELLENT point here, and thank you so much.
Kristen
-------------------------------------------------


Krissy,

Personally,I think Effexor and Lamictal together make for a potentially explosive combo.if you're anywhere near bipolar.
Titrating Lamictal(at least for the first few months)can be hard work- you'll probably experience a good deal of irritability, even instability before things smooth out.Worth the wait though, it's an excellent med. that's restored many people to 'normal'.
I think ideally the Lam. should be firmly in place, and then the effexor tentatively added further along the line.
You could try reducing the venlafaxine somewhat,while you concentrate on dealing with the Lamictal.You may well find that you'll need an AD less and less as you reach therapeutic levels of Lam.
> Unless of course you were doing well on Eff. and the Lam. was just an add-on.


Just my thoughts,as your doc. may well have other ideas(if he does, stick with them of course!!!)

Best wishes,

Col.

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » Mikey_C

Posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 13:40:18

In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace, posted by Mikey_C on March 5, 2003, at 8:30:56

Hey Mike-Yep we are pretty much in the same boat and isn't it quite frustrating? I am now wondering if I should cut my Effexor-only being back on it for a week, and concentrate on the Lamictal, as 2 psychiatrists had said-try Lamictal alone FIRST and at the time, I was not on Effexor-they eventually added Celexa and it was a good combo THEN-I didn't get the mania like I do a lot with Effexor. Oh my, what a tangled web I weave. This is getting me to think that Lamictal may just keep my moods under control without the Effexor-OR a lower dose so I don't get this mania. BUT whenever I am on Effexor-I NEVER took Lamictal at the same time, so maybe I just need to give the Lamictal time WHILE I continue the Effexor?
Any comments would be soooooooooooo
appreciated.
Thanks, Kristen


Colin, I've got a question for you. If your Doctor put you on both Seroquel and Lamictal with Clonazepam added strictly as needed, similar to Krissy's combination, would that not in itself keep you from sliding into mania or depression? Like would it not cure both your anxiety and your depressive conditions?

Just asking here cuz I'm in just about the same boat as her.

Thanks,

Mike

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace

Posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 14:04:51

In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » Mikey_C, posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 12:43:37

IBTD here. Seroquel HAS put on weight for retaining water also-when I took 200mg-I now take 100mg, but know the Seroquel has affected my weight. One of the side effects IS weight gain I've seen it many times and read about it. It frustrates me. But, some people do not gain-guess I wasn't so lucky-BUT it does help with sleep.
I am in trial and error stage right now and I want to get through this. UUUGGHHH
Any ideas? Anyone?
Kristen
-------------------------------------------------



Hi there Mike,

Yup, I've considered the use of atypicals too, and I'd probably go for Seroquel because it's not supposed to cause weight-gain;piling on weight depresses me like hell.Seroquel seems to help depressive symptoms aswell.
To be honest,I'd wanted to avoid using an AP because many here have felt quite 'smothered' by them.I guess keeping the dose at the low end would negate that somewhat-I don't know.
Lamictal all but eliminated my depression, and I got my anxiety under control over a year ago.
Breakthrough mixed-states are my main problem now, so an AP may be another likely candidate(I've never tried one, so I'll admit to not having personal insight here).
But in answer to your question, yes, in theory Lamictal and seroquel *could* well take care of depression, mania and anxiety.Sounds like a good combo. all in all.


Col.

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » KrissyP

Posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 14:41:54

In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace, posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 13:30:19

> It is funny you say this, because a previous, excellent psychiatrist, 2 in fact, said that the Lamictal should help the depression and shook their heads no to any AD. Yes, I am near bipolar.
> I am wondering, if I just took the Lamictal now w/o the Effexor would that affect me so horribly like I was when I went off the Effexor?
> Also-maybe I can just take 37.5 of the Effexor? Your post really got me thinking and what you say makes some pretty good sense. I just started back on the Lamictal since going off last March-the med does wonders for my moods, I felt normal, and my friends noticed also!
> My concern, the psychiatrist I have is so not knowledgeable, I had to help her spell "Lamictal" and then she had to look in the PDR to find out the dosages. This worries me-A LOT. I am not in a position to look for another doc at this time becuase most likely, it will be months before I get an appt., and then I have to convince a new doc what works for me, yada yada yada-been there done that:-(
> What are you views on that?
> Please get back to me, you make an EXCELLENT point here, and thank you so much.
> Kristen
> -------------------------------------------------

Krissy,

I know what you mean here about frustration-it took me three years of mental torture before it dawned on me that AD's were exacerbating both my depression, and my mood swings.They seemed to help in the *short-term* and then send me flying off the Richter scale within a few months max.
For me, Effexor felt great initially, and then turned very, very ugly.But the dose was way too high,I knew nothing about stabilizers or mania-and neither did my GP!!
I'm guessing that most BP or otherwise knowledgable folks here would go with Lamictal monotherapy preferably(not that I think I'm that knowledgable!)Check the archives-lots here.
It just seems to make much more sense not to chance destabilizing yourself with an AD if you can get by with the Lam. alone.Reducing Effexor to 37.5mg is again an option, but remember the longer you're on it, the likelier the withdrawal thing.I've done that one-not nice.
Still, you've got a great opportunity here to ask Dr.Bowden for advice.I have.

All the best,

Col.

Ps.Bummer about the Seroquel weight gain.Just read that that fewer people get it, but....

 

Re: I don't like this.............. » colin wallace

Posted by KrissyP on March 5, 2003, at 16:36:16

In reply to Re: I don't like this.............. » KrissyP, posted by colin wallace on March 5, 2003, at 14:41:54

Still, you've got a great opportunity here to ask Dr.Bowden for advice. I have. Where do I do that? I need to look over the site-I didn't know there was more than just this board.
Thanks,
Kristen

> > It is funny you say this, because a previous, excellent psychiatrist, 2 in fact, said that the Lamictal should help the depression and shook their heads no to any AD. Yes, I am near bipolar.
> > I am wondering, if I just took the Lamictal now w/o the Effexor would that affect me so horribly like I was when I went off the Effexor?
> > Also-maybe I can just take 37.5 of the Effexor? Your post really got me thinking and what you say makes some pretty good sense. I just started back on the Lamictal since going off last March-the med does wonders for my moods, I felt normal, and my friends noticed also!
> > My concern, the psychiatrist I have is so not knowledgeable, I had to help her spell "Lamictal" and then she had to look in the PDR to find out the dosages. This worries me-A LOT. I am not in a position to look for another doc at this time becuase most likely, it will be months before I get an appt., and then I have to convince a new doc what works for me, yada yada yada-been there done that:-(
> > What are you views on that?
> > Please get back to me, you make an EXCELLENT point here, and thank you so much.
> > Kristen
> > -------------------------------------------------
>
> Krissy,
>
> I know what you mean here about frustration-it took me three years of mental torture before it dawned on me that AD's were exacerbating both my depression, and my mood swings.They seemed to help in the *short-term* and then send me flying off the Richter scale within a few months max.
> For me, Effexor felt great initially, and then turned very, very ugly.But the dose was way too high,I knew nothing about stabilizers or mania-and neither did my GP!!
> I'm guessing that most BP or otherwise knowledgable folks here would go with Lamictal monotherapy preferably(not that I think I'm that knowledgable!)Check the archives-lots here.
> It just seems to make much more sense not to chance destabilizing yourself with an AD if you can get by with the Lam. alone.Reducing Effexor to 37.5mg is again an option, but remember the longer you're on it, the likelier the withdrawal thing.I've done that one-not nice.
> Still, you've got a great opportunity here to ask Dr.Bowden for advice.I have.
>
> All the best,
>
> Col.
>
> Ps.Bummer about the Seroquel weight gain.Just read that that fewer people get it, but....


This is the end of the thread.


Show another thread

URL of post in thread:


Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ


[dr. bob] 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.