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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by McPac on September 13, 2003, at 23:13:46
In reply to Re: Lamictal.... » McPac, posted by Larry Hoover on September 6, 2003, at 8:00:02
Hi Lar,
"I understand why you're asking all these questions"
>>>>>>>>>>> (bet you don't, lol)
The reason why I was asking about the Lamictal/serotonergic connection is because the ssri's, despite always helping my dep/ocd VERY WELL, have also caused me a terrible, nasty problem as well---the ssri's all INDUCE terrible, significant anger/irritability symptoms in me (Prozac was TERRIBLE, the others bad too)...it seems like the problem has gotten worse....when I go off the ssri's then that anger disappears (it IS med-induced)....anyway, Lamictal did the SAME thing to me when I tried it last year (which is why I wondered if Lamictal had the serotonergic effect, like the ssri's, that Doc Amen says is the cause FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS (fortunately for most folks they DON'T get that reaction,......I never knew what to make of that crap, I never knew why that happened...then I was reading Doc Amen's book, "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life" and couldn't believe it when he said that he screens for such problems w/ his patients and said that happens due to temporal lobe issues and the serotonin-increasing meds....that was exactly the same reaction those meds caused in me....I don't know what the solution is though as he really didn't seem to say what he does in THESE cases (I think he either switches to other meds or uses Depakote/Tegretol to block effect?).....but for me the ssri's and meds that were said to increase serotonergic activity are always what has worked so well (for dep. and esp. for ocd, the serotonergic meds are all that does work well)....there's only a small handful of meds used for ocd and they are all serotonergic meds.....but I had wondered why Lamictal caused the same ssri-induced anger, it figures, it increases serotonin activity, Doc Amen is the only person I've seen that has mentioned that peculiar scenario, I just wish he had specifically mentioned what he does then in those situations......may have to go back on an ssri too (major bummer...my symptoms will improve but the anger/irrit will be there...may have to add Depakote, perhaps that will counter the anger side effect better than lithium????) (Imagine KNOWING what meds (ssri's) make you feel great and resolve your symptoms BUT you get terrible, dreadful anger/irrit/agitation from those meds! Any thoughts Lar? IF I go back to ssri's (my symptoms are worsening a great deal without them and I'll probably have to do that), would Depakote likely counter the anger better than lithium? Oh, one last question, does Depakote significantly increase serotonin activity? (I do NOT want it to! Lamictal worsened the problem because it did. I know the ssri will increase that but I need IT to in order to help my symptoms; but then I need an anti-conv.-type med to block the ssri-induced anger (so I do NOT want the anti-conv. med to further increase serotonin)....capiche? (understand?).....Thanks!!!!!!!
Posted by joebob on September 14, 2003, at 16:20:04
In reply to Larry Hoover, posted by McPac on September 13, 2003, at 23:13:46
i had to use depakote prior to starting lexapro re a student of amens
the depakote did make me less irritable
as i recall he also uses neurontin, lithium and something else
i had a manic break, small, after 3 days of the lex at a very low dose, but with the depakote in place it worked fine
i think the oonsensus in my case was either hot cingulate or temporal lobe but did not get the spect scan, only the input of knowledgeable others
now i cutting back on both the lex and depakote to see how it goesgood luck
Posted by McPac on September 15, 2003, at 19:54:51
In reply to ssri and temporal lobe and hot cingulate, posted by joebob on September 14, 2003, at 16:20:04
"i had to use depakote prior to starting lexapro re a student of amens"
>>>>>>>> Are you saying that you went to the Amen Clinic?
Thanks!
This is the end of the thread.
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