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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 2, 2005, at 15:40:21
Hi,
I have been debating going on lithium, but I am not bipolar nor do I have any psychosis or mania.
I do have racing thoughts with my anxiety and major depressive disorder.
I was told that lithium can drop you way down, especially if you are not in mania.
Lactimal was also suggested to me.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
The idea is to take something for my racing thoughts. Already tried seroquel and all it did was make me sleep and like a zombie, don't want to feel sedated all the time:)
Posted by woolav on June 2, 2005, at 17:26:15
In reply to Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 2, 2005, at 15:40:21
What else are you taking? Lamictal alone will not help with the major depression. Are you on an AD med as well? I take lamictal (the sleepyness goes away after a few weeks) and its been good to me. I havent had weight gain etc. but I do have bp2, so I take that along with another mood stabelizer (trileptal) and prozac (for depression) and klonopin (for anxiety) So far this is working for me...Its all trial and error with meds. I dont think you should go on lithium unless you have bp. But thats just my opinion.
Good Luck
S
Posted by bjm on June 2, 2005, at 17:42:40
In reply to Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 2, 2005, at 15:40:21
Took Lithium years ago supposedly to augment Prozac. YUKKA!!!!!! Major weight gain and major drop in mood. Lamictal is worth a try in my opinion. As far as racing thoughts I'm curious what other meds you are on and what dose. I got the racing thoughts thing from Prozac but that went away after decreasing the dose. It wasn't like a manic thing just more of an anxiety thing.
Posted by yesac on June 2, 2005, at 18:23:27
In reply to Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 2, 2005, at 15:40:21
I have been on both lithium (current) and Lamictal. They are both mood stabilizers and could possibly help with the racing thoughts. Racing thoughts are a symptom of bipolar disorders, but also they could be related to other things. Do you have any other bipolar symptoms, or do you think the racing thoughts are truly because of anxiety?
Lamictal doesn't have quite the weight gain risk as lithium, although I think some people gain a few pounds on it. I don't remember really having any side effects when I took Lamictal, but it didn't have any positive effects for me either. If you are looking for something that's easier to take and possibly more gentle, I guess you should go with Lamictal. However, don't completely shun lithium. See my post above in your other thread. It's really not that bad for lots of people. Just stay on a relatively low dose.
Also, both lithium and Lamictal have antidepressive properties. Both are used (especially lithium) to augment antidepressants such as SSRIs, but both can also help depression if they are used alone... and not just for people who are bipolar.
Posted by blueberry on June 2, 2005, at 19:32:55
In reply to Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 2, 2005, at 15:40:21
Just my opinion, but I think you were on the right track with seroquel. Though that one didn't do what you wanted, one of the other atypicals could be great. I just think they are great all around meds for various psychiatric conditions including racing thoughts. I like zyprexa and have been with it for a couple years.
It just takes a little trial and error to weed out the ones you don't like and find the best one.
I've taken lamictal and it didn't help with racing thoughts or anxiety and maybe even made them worse.
Posted by Maxime on June 2, 2005, at 19:46:16
In reply to Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 2, 2005, at 15:40:21
Hi. The lithium might be your best bet. It will help with both the depression and the anxiety. Many people who are not bipolar take it. And you won't have the same weight gain because you will probably be kept at low dose.
Lamictal dose actually help depression and some people use it as monotherapy. Some people get hyper on it, and other calm down. It made me more depressed so I had to try it.
I think you should try a low dose of lithium. Like 300 mg or so.
Maxime
> Hi,
> I have been debating going on lithium, but I am not bipolar nor do I have any psychosis or mania.
> I do have racing thoughts with my anxiety and major depressive disorder.
> I was told that lithium can drop you way down, especially if you are not in mania.
> Lactimal was also suggested to me.
> Any input would be greatly appreciated.
> The idea is to take something for my racing thoughts. Already tried seroquel and all it did was make me sleep and like a zombie, don't want to feel sedated all the time:)
Posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 7:47:46
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by blueberry on June 2, 2005, at 19:32:55
Thank you for all your responses. I am still so confused. I do have racing thoughts and always figured it was a manifestation of my anxiety. My pdoc is exploring if it might be something else. That is why the seroquel was tried. I currently take celexa and klonopin for my anxiety and depression.
I am not super depressed, anxiety is my main issue, to me it makes sense, if you have bad anxiety you are probably going to be depressed..imo..but I do need an ad for sure.
I guess that is why I am so confused. The people I have talked to personally who have taken lithium told me to stay far away...lactimal was suggested, or maybe just more clonazepam.
I don't know, but I am going to go ahead and get my kidney's checked as per my pdoc incase I do try lithium. I dread weight gain and I do not want to be or feel stoned all the time..which is what seroquel did to me.
Any more insights are definitely welcomed and appreciated:)
Posted by bjm on June 3, 2005, at 8:11:36
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 7:47:46
Heres a thought. How much of your problem is anxiety vs depression. Maybe some of the problem is med side effects and lower doses or dropping something may help. Celexa caused racing thoughts for me similar to Prozac at one point but definetly from the increased anxiety side effect stand point. I had tried Klonopin but my depression started getting worse. My doc told me that Klonopin can increase depression in some people and suggested using Ativan or Xanax when needed for anxiety and lowering the dose of AD due to anxiety side effects. The combo worked much better. Also, I know that some people can get increased anxiety from Lamictal but it also has antidepressant properties on its own and if you start off super low you might be able to ward off the anxiety. Maybe combining lower doses of AD with Lamictal or Lamictal alone after tapering off an AD and tapering up on Lamictal could work. My doc didn't like the Lamictal alone idea at first but is actually starting to see it working with some people. I can't do it that way for myself but you know how everyone is different. Obviously, don't change A THING without talking it over with the doc first but its a thought. Good Luck.
Posted by yesac on June 3, 2005, at 12:21:42
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 7:47:46
I think you should figure out if the racing thoughts started before you were on Celexa. As others have said, antidepressants can cause such symptoms, although it could very well be a manifestation of anxiety.I think that it's a good idea to get ready to take lithium. Really it's not that bad, especially at low doses. If you decide to take it, start really low and go from there. People that you've talked to may have had bad experiences with lithium because they were on too high of a dose.
I can understand the fear of weight gain, but you can always stop taking it if you start to notice weight gain. The weight gain on lithium is slow, unlike Zyprexa or Depakote, so it's not like you'll wake up one day 20 pounds heavier.
That's just my thought.
Also, just remember that drugs don't care what your diagnosis is. Whether you are diagnosed as bipolar, anxiety, depression, whatever.... a drug can help similar symptoms across diagnoses.
Posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 15:14:28
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by bjm on June 3, 2005, at 8:11:36
I have had racing thoughts before ever being on medication, and clonazepam is the only thing that has calmed them to date.
I have been on everything from zoloft, parnate, nardil, serzone, Rima, you name it, aside from the TCA's, I have tried it.
Nothing has ever really stopped the anxiety.
Clonazepam just provides the temporary relief.
Lithium just scares me, that is really the long and short of it.
Thanks again for your input:)
Posted by bjm on June 3, 2005, at 18:18:54
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 15:14:28
Have you tried Effexor by any chance. My doc loves that one. Totally removed the anxiety for me but I couldn't get myself out of the rocking chair and I've got 4 kids to chase after. My doc swears it doesn't do that to most people. I'm a bit of a medicine-a-phobe because I am one of those people who ends up with the side effects that 1 in 10,000 people get but I remember Effexor totally getting rid of any anxiety and didn't cause any racing thoughts. I hope you find the answer. Its a frustrating struggle sometimes but you've got lots of support from us to fall back on.
Posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 18:22:28
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by bjm on June 3, 2005, at 18:18:54
Hi,
I did try effexor for almost three years I was on it at the maximum dose. I went through so much other crap at that time that I really can't say if it worked for me or not. It certainly had its ups and downs.
I hope that something ends up working, it is very frustrating:)
Posted by BIGDaddyachmed69 on June 4, 2005, at 1:24:07
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!!, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 15:14:28
> I have had racing thoughts before ever being on medication, and clonazepam is the only thing that has calmed them to date.
> I have been on everything from zoloft, parnate, nardil, serzone, Rima, you name it, aside from the TCA's, I have tried it.
> Nothing has ever really stopped the anxiety.
> Clonazepam just provides the temporary relief.
> Lithium just scares me, that is really the long and short of it.
> Thanks again for your input:)Lithium scares you, I'm assuming, because you've heard that it can "drop you way down". I was prescribed Lithium to augment the efficacy of the antidepressant Paxil, and it helped to an extent. It didn't make more depressed...just content. Depakote, on the other hand, does seem to have a slight depressiogenic quality to it. At the same time, it seems to have an anxiolytic feel to it. Lamictal and Paxil was overall a good cocktail, the Lamictal enhancing not only the antidepressant properties of the Paxil, but the anxiolytic properties as well.
Posted by DoYouKnowHim? on June 4, 2005, at 9:39:12
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!! » bjm, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 3, 2005, at 18:22:28
What do you mean Seroquel made you feel that were stoned? Please explain. Did Seroquel take away any anxiety?
Posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 5, 2005, at 18:51:07
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!! hcokeyirl, posted by DoYouKnowHim? on June 4, 2005, at 9:39:12
Hi,
Seroquel did make me feel extremely sedated, and heavy in the head, if that makes sense. I guess it did help with the anxiety but it made me feel so slow and stupid and then knocked me out. It is definitely good for sleeping, did help with the racing thoughts, but not the anxiety feeling in my stomach, the impending doom feeling.
And it made me want to sleep three times a day no matter how much caffeine I drank, so my pdoc said that was no good, and that is why he suggested lithium, but it really does scare me!!
Posted by DoYouKnowHim? on June 5, 2005, at 22:12:14
In reply to Re: Any Lactimal Users, Please HELP!! hcokeyirl » DoYouKnowHim?, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 5, 2005, at 18:51:07
Did Seroquel help with depression?
Posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 6, 2005, at 6:50:08
In reply to Re: Hockey, posted by DoYouKnowHim? on June 5, 2005, at 22:12:14
No, Seroquel did not, but again I do not have any psychosis or mania either, I just slept, so it didn't make me anything really, just a zombie, but I hate to diss meds on here, because one person's horror story could be another's miracle.
I did find research suggesting that it does ameliorate depression though:)
Posted by DoYouKnowHim? on June 8, 2005, at 7:38:24
In reply to Re: Hockey » DoYouKnowHim?, posted by hockeygirlcanada on June 6, 2005, at 6:50:08
Also if you have e-mail, send me one at SPORTSCARvell@aol.com
This is the end of the thread.
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