![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 23 of 23. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by 4WD on January 8, 2006, at 22:09:27
I was on Celexa 10mg and Klonopin .5mg daily and doing only fair but functional most of the time. About three weeks ago I became very depressed (more than usual) and couldn't stop crying and was suicidal. My pdoc raised my Celexa dosage to 20mg and the Klonopin to 1.5mg daily. For a few days I felt better and then I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times. The 1.5mg Klonopin (triple what I'd been taking) felt like sugar pills. (.5mg t.i.d.)
I reduced the Celexa back down to 10mg (I called him and asked to reduce it to 15mg - I didn't think he'd like the idea of reducing it to 10) but I was so freaking out I had to lower it quickly. After about three days, I was able to lower the Klonopin back down to 1 mg.
After another couple of days, now here I am. Not wired or hyper any more but deeply, deeply depressed today. Suididal depressed. And scared. The kind of depressed where you feel like the deepest grief you can imagine along with the deepest guilt along with dread and fear in the pit of your stomach.
Did I become hypomanic? How do you treat med induced hypomania? How do you treat depression when SSRIs or SNRIs improve the depression but make you so freaked out you can't sit still?
Low dose (37.5) Effexor is the only drug that didn't do this to me but it pooped out on me a couple of years ago.
I feel crazy and hopeless.
marsha
Posted by Phillipa on January 9, 2006, at 19:08:09
In reply to Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless, posted by 4WD on January 8, 2006, at 22:09:27
Marsha I have the exact same problem. And I wish I also knew the answer. Can you concentrate to read? Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by 4WD on January 9, 2006, at 21:42:36
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » 4WD, posted by Phillipa on January 9, 2006, at 19:08:09
> Marsha I have the exact same problem. And I wish I also knew the answer. Can you concentrate to read? Fondly, Phillipa
Only at night. During the days I am either depressed and lethargic or hyper and frantic or sometimes both at once. But only since increasing the Celexa. Before that I was just scared and sometimes depressed.
Posted by detroitpistons on January 12, 2006, at 10:18:37
In reply to Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless, posted by 4WD on January 8, 2006, at 22:09:27
I don't think my posts are showing up...I posted here and don't see it.
> I was on Celexa 10mg and Klonopin .5mg daily and doing only fair but functional most of the time. About three weeks ago I became very depressed (more than usual) and couldn't stop crying and was suicidal. My pdoc raised my Celexa dosage to 20mg and the Klonopin to 1.5mg daily. For a few days I felt better and then I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times. The 1.5mg Klonopin (triple what I'd been taking) felt like sugar pills. (.5mg t.i.d.)
>
> I reduced the Celexa back down to 10mg (I called him and asked to reduce it to 15mg - I didn't think he'd like the idea of reducing it to 10) but I was so freaking out I had to lower it quickly. After about three days, I was able to lower the Klonopin back down to 1 mg.
>
> After another couple of days, now here I am. Not wired or hyper any more but deeply, deeply depressed today. Suididal depressed. And scared. The kind of depressed where you feel like the deepest grief you can imagine along with the deepest guilt along with dread and fear in the pit of your stomach.
>
> Did I become hypomanic? How do you treat med induced hypomania? How do you treat depression when SSRIs or SNRIs improve the depression but make you so freaked out you can't sit still?
>
> Low dose (37.5) Effexor is the only drug that didn't do this to me but it pooped out on me a couple of years ago.
>
> I feel crazy and hopeless.
>
> marsha
Posted by detroitpistons on January 12, 2006, at 10:37:31
In reply to Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless, posted by 4WD on January 8, 2006, at 22:09:27
Ok, I guess it's working now....
Anyways, Marsha, what a coincidence! I just posted about this on the thread that I started(which you posted on) "When are benzos justified?" because Effexor had mostly alleviated my last depressive episode, but I was still feeling anxious and agitated, and started feeling some mild symptoms of depression again. As you probably know, I was considering starting Klonopin because I just thought the GAD was not going away with the Effexor. That's why I started that thread.
Well yesterday I had an appointment with my pdoc, and described basically what you did:
"I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times."
I mentioned that my mind races, and he kind of zeroed in on that. He explained that I was experiencing a sort of hypomanic episode (although without the euphoria and grandiosity--falls somewhere on the bipolar spectrum), and he started me on Lamictal. The more I think about it, I guess the more sense it makes.
I was surprised at first, but now I'm optimistic about it. If it is true that I'm experiencing hypomania, then I don't think it's caused by the Effexor because the first time I was on Effexor (same dose--225mg) it virtually eliminated the GAD, and this time around, it hasn't. So I think that maybe my condition has changed a bit since then. The last thing I expected was to be put on a mood stabilizer, but I trust the doc, and I'm hoping for the best.
Hope that helps.
Marc
> I was on Celexa 10mg and Klonopin .5mg daily and doing only fair but functional most of the time. About three weeks ago I became very depressed (more than usual) and couldn't stop crying and was suicidal. My pdoc raised my Celexa dosage to 20mg and the Klonopin to 1.5mg daily. For a few days I felt better and then I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times. The 1.5mg Klonopin (triple what I'd been taking) felt like sugar pills. (.5mg t.i.d.)
>
> I reduced the Celexa back down to 10mg (I called him and asked to reduce it to 15mg - I didn't think he'd like the idea of reducing it to 10) but I was so freaking out I had to lower it quickly. After about three days, I was able to lower the Klonopin back down to 1 mg.
>
> After another couple of days, now here I am. Not wired or hyper any more but deeply, deeply depressed today. Suididal depressed. And scared. The kind of depressed where you feel like the deepest grief you can imagine along with the deepest guilt along with dread and fear in the pit of your stomach.
>
> Did I become hypomanic? How do you treat med induced hypomania? How do you treat depression when SSRIs or SNRIs improve the depression but make you so freaked out you can't sit still?
>
> Low dose (37.5) Effexor is the only drug that didn't do this to me but it pooped out on me a couple of years ago.
>
> I feel crazy and hopeless.
>
> marsha
Posted by 4WD on January 12, 2006, at 20:14:54
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless, posted by detroitpistons on January 12, 2006, at 10:18:37
They're showing up. I can read this one!
Marsha
> I don't think my posts are showing up...I posted here and don't see it.
>
>
> > I was on Celexa 10mg and Klonopin .5mg daily and doing only fair but functional most of the time. About three weeks ago I became very depressed (more than usual) and couldn't stop crying and was suicidal. My pdoc raised my Celexa dosage to 20mg and the Klonopin to 1.5mg daily. For a few days I felt better and then I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times. The 1.5mg Klonopin (triple what I'd been taking) felt like sugar pills. (.5mg t.i.d.)
> >
> > I reduced the Celexa back down to 10mg (I called him and asked to reduce it to 15mg - I didn't think he'd like the idea of reducing it to 10) but I was so freaking out I had to lower it quickly. After about three days, I was able to lower the Klonopin back down to 1 mg.
> >
> > After another couple of days, now here I am. Not wired or hyper any more but deeply, deeply depressed today. Suididal depressed. And scared. The kind of depressed where you feel like the deepest grief you can imagine along with the deepest guilt along with dread and fear in the pit of your stomach.
> >
> > Did I become hypomanic? How do you treat med induced hypomania? How do you treat depression when SSRIs or SNRIs improve the depression but make you so freaked out you can't sit still?
> >
> > Low dose (37.5) Effexor is the only drug that didn't do this to me but it pooped out on me a couple of years ago.
> >
> > I feel crazy and hopeless.
> >
> > marsha
>
>
Posted by 4WD on January 12, 2006, at 20:29:50
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » 4WD, posted by detroitpistons on January 12, 2006, at 10:37:31
Hi Marc,
Another coincidence! I saw my pdoc today and also got put on a mood stabilizer. I gave him the description I posted here and he said "okay, new plan." I asked if this was a med-induced hypomania and said it very likely could be. Especially after I told him all SSRIs made me more jittery and nervous (I had told him that before but I've always been on a very low dose that didn't cause such intense symptoms.)
I had been on Lamictal before (I posted about my experiences there on your other thread about Lamictal) so didn't want to try that. He switched me from Celexa to Effexor (which had worked for me in the past but pooped out) and added Depakote. So we'll see what happens.
I'd like to know the name of this kind of bipolar. I never experienced anything but plain old clinical major depressive disorder before I tried SSRIs. And I've been basically on edge ever since (since 1989). Never made the connection til I came here. Effexor was actually very helpful for anxiety for me but I still had only two speeds - energetic warp speed and total exhaustion- when I was on it. Maybe the depakote will help it along.
Only thing that worries me now is that Effexor quit working for depression a couple of years ago which is why I started trying other meds. If it pooped out then, I sure hope it will work again now.
Finally, another thing I did was take a mood chart with me. There would be a day of deep depression, followed by a couple of days of scared and jittery, followed by a day of okay, followed by a day of scared and jittery and suicidally depressed followed by an "excellent" day, followed by another suicidally depressed day.
Like you I was kind of surprised but am very relieved actually. Finally, an explanation. And a treatment plan that will actually work (I am determined to be optimistic).
Just as an aside, my pdoc said Lamictal was a great med for cycling and bipolar but as a maintenance med, not for an acute crisis. (I guess because it takes so long to work up to the therapeutic dose. You might need some Klonopin or something to ease your agitation until the lamictal can start to work if it's bad enough to make you nonfunctional.
Best of luck. We'll both get better!
Marsha
> Ok, I guess it's working now....
>
> Anyways, Marsha, what a coincidence! I just posted about this on the thread that I started(which you posted on) "When are benzos justified?" because Effexor had mostly alleviated my last depressive episode, but I was still feeling anxious and agitated, and started feeling some mild symptoms of depression again. As you probably know, I was considering starting Klonopin because I just thought the GAD was not going away with the Effexor. That's why I started that thread.
>
> Well yesterday I had an appointment with my pdoc, and described basically what you did:
>
> "I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times."
>
> I mentioned that my mind races, and he kind of zeroed in on that. He explained that I was experiencing a sort of hypomanic episode (although without the euphoria and grandiosity--falls somewhere on the bipolar spectrum), and he started me on Lamictal. The more I think about it, I guess the more sense it makes.
>
> I was surprised at first, but now I'm optimistic about it. If it is true that I'm experiencing hypomania, then I don't think it's caused by the Effexor because the first time I was on Effexor (same dose--225mg) it virtually eliminated the GAD, and this time around, it hasn't. So I think that maybe my condition has changed a bit since then. The last thing I expected was to be put on a mood stabilizer, but I trust the doc, and I'm hoping for the best.
>
> Hope that helps.
>
> Marc
>
>
>
> > I was on Celexa 10mg and Klonopin .5mg daily and doing only fair but functional most of the time. About three weeks ago I became very depressed (more than usual) and couldn't stop crying and was suicidal. My pdoc raised my Celexa dosage to 20mg and the Klonopin to 1.5mg daily. For a few days I felt better and then I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times. The 1.5mg Klonopin (triple what I'd been taking) felt like sugar pills. (.5mg t.i.d.)
> >
> > I reduced the Celexa back down to 10mg (I called him and asked to reduce it to 15mg - I didn't think he'd like the idea of reducing it to 10) but I was so freaking out I had to lower it quickly. After about three days, I was able to lower the Klonopin back down to 1 mg.
> >
> > After another couple of days, now here I am. Not wired or hyper any more but deeply, deeply depressed today. Suididal depressed. And scared. The kind of depressed where you feel like the deepest grief you can imagine along with the deepest guilt along with dread and fear in the pit of your stomach.
> >
> > Did I become hypomanic? How do you treat med induced hypomania? How do you treat depression when SSRIs or SNRIs improve the depression but make you so freaked out you can't sit still?
> >
> > Low dose (37.5) Effexor is the only drug that didn't do this to me but it pooped out on me a couple of years ago.
> >
> > I feel crazy and hopeless.
> >
> > marsha
>
>
Posted by detroitpistons on January 12, 2006, at 21:51:50
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 12, 2006, at 20:29:50
Marsha,
Oops, sorry I missed the part about Lamictal that you posted. That's typical of how my concentration, focus, and memory have been lately...It's like trying to flip a pancake with a fork.
There have been times in my life when I was definitely moody and agitated, but I would have never thought that I would require a mood stabilizer. But looking back, the first time I was on Effexor, I was probably hypomanic, but euphoric in that case. I didn't see it as hypomania at the time, but I was talking fast and feeling really good. My confidence was sky high, which is unusual for me. Someone I worked with actually asked me, "are you on drugs?" LOL. The Effexor eventually pooped out on me too.
Since then, I've tried Paxil and Lexapro, and I didn't have much success with either. Paxil seemed to help the depression for a couple months, but also made me agitated and impulsive. One day at work, I went off on my boss (it was bad). I was in the right, but I should have approached it a different way. I felt like I had totally lost control of myself at that point. It was kind of scary. It's a wonder I didn't get fired.
This "dysphoric" hypomania is totally new to me, and it really sucks. Based on my fast and furious research today (could actually focus on that), I think we would probably fall into the category of Bipolar II or something called Bipolar Spectrum Disorder, if we indeed have a bipolar disorder...This whole bipolar diagnosis business can really be quite complicated if you're not a classic bipolar I -- true manic depressive.
One thing I've learned about bipolar II is that one of the hallmarks is that you go through at least 3 antidepressants with limited or no results, or pretty rapid poop out.
If you haven't already, check out this site:
http://www.psycheducation.org/start/BPIntro.htm
I do have Xanax to take during this time, although my doctor told me to try not to take it because it would mask the symptoms, which he probably wants to know about for my next visit in two weeks...I don't think I can make it without at least a little Xanax though.
Good Luck!
> Hi Marc,
>
> Another coincidence! I saw my pdoc today and also got put on a mood stabilizer. I gave him the description I posted here and he said "okay, new plan." I asked if this was a med-induced hypomania and said it very likely could be. Especially after I told him all SSRIs made me more jittery and nervous (I had told him that before but I've always been on a very low dose that didn't cause such intense symptoms.)
>
> I had been on Lamictal before (I posted about my experiences there on your other thread about Lamictal) so didn't want to try that. He switched me from Celexa to Effexor (which had worked for me in the past but pooped out) and added Depakote. So we'll see what happens.
>
> I'd like to know the name of this kind of bipolar. I never experienced anything but plain old clinical major depressive disorder before I tried SSRIs. And I've been basically on edge ever since (since 1989). Never made the connection til I came here. Effexor was actually very helpful for anxiety for me but I still had only two speeds - energetic warp speed and total exhaustion- when I was on it. Maybe the depakote will help it along.
>
> Only thing that worries me now is that Effexor quit working for depression a couple of years ago which is why I started trying other meds. If it pooped out then, I sure hope it will work again now.
>
> Finally, another thing I did was take a mood chart with me. There would be a day of deep depression, followed by a couple of days of scared and jittery, followed by a day of okay, followed by a day of scared and jittery and suicidally depressed followed by an "excellent" day, followed by another suicidally depressed day.
>
> Like you I was kind of surprised but am very relieved actually. Finally, an explanation. And a treatment plan that will actually work (I am determined to be optimistic).
>
> Just as an aside, my pdoc said Lamictal was a great med for cycling and bipolar but as a maintenance med, not for an acute crisis. (I guess because it takes so long to work up to the therapeutic dose. You might need some Klonopin or something to ease your agitation until the lamictal can start to work if it's bad enough to make you nonfunctional.
>
> Best of luck. We'll both get better!
>
> Marsha
>
>
>
> > Ok, I guess it's working now....
> >
> > Anyways, Marsha, what a coincidence! I just posted about this on the thread that I started(which you posted on) "When are benzos justified?" because Effexor had mostly alleviated my last depressive episode, but I was still feeling anxious and agitated, and started feeling some mild symptoms of depression again. As you probably know, I was considering starting Klonopin because I just thought the GAD was not going away with the Effexor. That's why I started that thread.
> >
> > Well yesterday I had an appointment with my pdoc, and described basically what you did:
> >
> > "I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times."
> >
> > I mentioned that my mind races, and he kind of zeroed in on that. He explained that I was experiencing a sort of hypomanic episode (although without the euphoria and grandiosity--falls somewhere on the bipolar spectrum), and he started me on Lamictal. The more I think about it, I guess the more sense it makes.
> >
> > I was surprised at first, but now I'm optimistic about it. If it is true that I'm experiencing hypomania, then I don't think it's caused by the Effexor because the first time I was on Effexor (same dose--225mg) it virtually eliminated the GAD, and this time around, it hasn't. So I think that maybe my condition has changed a bit since then. The last thing I expected was to be put on a mood stabilizer, but I trust the doc, and I'm hoping for the best.
> >
> > Hope that helps.
> >
> > Marc
> >
> >
> >
> > > I was on Celexa 10mg and Klonopin .5mg daily and doing only fair but functional most of the time. About three weeks ago I became very depressed (more than usual) and couldn't stop crying and was suicidal. My pdoc raised my Celexa dosage to 20mg and the Klonopin to 1.5mg daily. For a few days I felt better and then I started feeling like I always had 10 things going at once and couldn't focus on any of them. I was super agitated and hyper and wired. I was waking up too early and sleeping badly. I was obsessing over things. I was less depressed but still very unhappy at times. The 1.5mg Klonopin (triple what I'd been taking) felt like sugar pills. (.5mg t.i.d.)
> > >
> > > I reduced the Celexa back down to 10mg (I called him and asked to reduce it to 15mg - I didn't think he'd like the idea of reducing it to 10) but I was so freaking out I had to lower it quickly. After about three days, I was able to lower the Klonopin back down to 1 mg.
> > >
> > > After another couple of days, now here I am. Not wired or hyper any more but deeply, deeply depressed today. Suididal depressed. And scared. The kind of depressed where you feel like the deepest grief you can imagine along with the deepest guilt along with dread and fear in the pit of your stomach.
> > >
> > > Did I become hypomanic? How do you treat med induced hypomania? How do you treat depression when SSRIs or SNRIs improve the depression but make you so freaked out you can't sit still?
> > >
> > > Low dose (37.5) Effexor is the only drug that didn't do this to me but it pooped out on me a couple of years ago.
> > >
> > > I feel crazy and hopeless.
> > >
> > > marsha
> >
> >
>
>
Posted by fires on January 13, 2006, at 15:26:28
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 12, 2006, at 20:29:50
Just a few comments from another med induced hypomanic:
I've been on Lamictal for some time - just got up to 400mg. Doing better overall, but having depression (still) in the afternoon.
My pdoc says that Lamictal is as much as an antiD as it is a mood stabilizer. Seems paradoxical to me.
Posted by 4WD on January 13, 2006, at 22:20:14
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » 4WD, posted by detroitpistons on January 12, 2006, at 21:51:50
> Marsha,
>
> Oops, sorry I missed the part about Lamictal that you posted. That's typical of how my concentration, focus, and memory have been lately...It's like trying to flip a pancake with a fork.
>
> There have been times in my life when I was definitely moody and agitated, but I would have never thought that I would require a mood stabilizer. But looking back, the first time I was on Effexor, I was probably hypomanic, but euphoric in that case. I didn't see it as hypomania at the time, but I was talking fast and feeling really good. My confidence was sky high, which is unusual for me. Someone I worked with actually asked me, "are you on drugs?" LOL. The Effexor eventually pooped out on me too.
>
> Since then, I've tried Paxil and Lexapro, and I didn't have much success with either. Paxil seemed to help the depression for a couple months, but also made me agitated and impulsive. One day at work, I went off on my boss (it was bad). I was in the right, but I should have approached it a different way. I felt like I had totally lost control of myself at that point. It was kind of scary. It's a wonder I didn't get fired.
>
> This "dysphoric" hypomania is totally new to me, and it really sucks. Based on my fast and furious research today (could actually focus on that), I think we would probably fall into the category of Bipolar II or something called Bipolar Spectrum Disorder, if we indeed have a bipolar disorder...This whole bipolar diagnosis business can really be quite complicated if you're not a classic bipolar I -- true manic depressive.
>
> One thing I've learned about bipolar II is that one of the hallmarks is that you go through at least 3 antidepressants with limited or no results, or pretty rapid poop out.
>
> If you haven't already, check out this site:
>
> http://www.psycheducation.org/start/BPIntro.htm
>
> I do have Xanax to take during this time, although my doctor told me to try not to take it because it would mask the symptoms, which he probably wants to know about for my next visit in two weeks...I don't think I can make it without at least a little Xanax though.
>
> Good Luck!Hi Marc,
On Lamictal I felt better even though I never got beyond 50mg. I had some weird side effects though. Sharp shooting pains in various parts of my body that would come and go at random. Finally they settled into a kind of neuralgia in my bottom front teeth. Also headache and very intense muscle spasm in my upper back. All went away within a couple of weeks of stopping the Lamictal.
Paxil and Lexapro both made me much more agitated and scared and jittery. Actually that's part of what started this whole thing (along with a bunch of traumatic events). When the Effexor pooped out I tried Paxil. Within a week, I was panicky. Went back to Effexor and was okay again, but still depressed. Tried again a couple of months later with the same effect. Same thing happened with Cymbalta. So I went backto Effexor but that time it didn't work for the anxiety even any more. So I switched to Celexa which didn't help much. (Not at all with anxiety). The last time I was on Effexor was about a year ago so I'm hoping that enough time has passed that I will respond to it again. Even if I get apathetic and anhedonic again, it will be better than being scared and jittery and suicidal.
I've been through at least 15 antidepressants with failed results or intolerable side effects.
I'm glad you've got the Xanax for the rough times. I'm not trying to stop my Klonopin until I've got the Depakote built up in my system a bit. I'm hoping desperately it will take care of the anxiety/fear (hoping that the fear is a function of the "dysphoric mania.")
I never had any kind of mania before SSRIs. I know mine is med induced. I don't think you can suddenly become biologically bipolar at the age of 48. I'm not sure what the classification is but there's bound to be a name for med-induced bipolar cycling and dyphoric mania/mixed states.
I'm just relieved to have a (possible) answer. I've been living in hell for the past 16 months.
And you're right about the dysphoric mania - it's a new concept for me (that I'd never have known about except for this board) and I hate it beyond any state I've ever experienced. Even when I was the most depressed (unipolar), I was't suicidal, just blank and miserable. This other state is just plain dangerous.Good luck with the lamictal. Let us know how it goes.
Marsha
Thanks for the link. I'd been there before but forgotten about it. I've bookmarked it now.
Posted by detroitpistons on January 16, 2006, at 14:25:01
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 13, 2006, at 22:20:14
> Hi Marc,
>
> On Lamictal I felt better even though I never got beyond 50mg. I had some weird side effects though. Sharp shooting pains in various parts of my body that would come and go at random. Finally they settled into a kind of neuralgia in my bottom front teeth. Also headache and very intense muscle spasm in my upper back. All went away within a couple of weeks of stopping the Lamictal.
>
> Paxil and Lexapro both made me much more agitated and scared and jittery. Actually that's part of what started this whole thing (along with a bunch of traumatic events). When the Effexor pooped out I tried Paxil. Within a week, I was panicky. Went back to Effexor and was okay again, but still depressed. Tried again a couple of months later with the same effect. Same thing happened with Cymbalta. So I went backto Effexor but that time it didn't work for the anxiety even any more. So I switched to Celexa which didn't help much. (Not at all with anxiety). The last time I was on Effexor was about a year ago so I'm hoping that enough time has passed that I will respond to it again. Even if I get apathetic and anhedonic again, it will be better than being scared and jittery and suicidal.
>
> I've been through at least 15 antidepressants with failed results or intolerable side effects.
>
> I'm glad you've got the Xanax for the rough times. I'm not trying to stop my Klonopin until I've got the Depakote built up in my system a bit. I'm hoping desperately it will take care of the anxiety/fear (hoping that the fear is a function of the "dysphoric mania.")
>
> I never had any kind of mania before SSRIs. I know mine is med induced. I don't think you can suddenly become biologically bipolar at the age of 48. I'm not sure what the classification is but there's bound to be a name for med-induced bipolar cycling and dyphoric mania/mixed states.
>
> I'm just relieved to have a (possible) answer. I've been living in hell for the past 16 months.
> And you're right about the dysphoric mania - it's a new concept for me (that I'd never have known about except for this board) and I hate it beyond any state I've ever experienced. Even when I was the most depressed (unipolar), I was't suicidal, just blank and miserable. This other state is just plain dangerous.
>
> Good luck with the lamictal. Let us know how it goes.
>
> Marsha
>
> Thanks for the link. I'd been there before but forgotten about it. I've bookmarked it now.
>
Marsha,It definitely is weird that you just started having these symptoms. It seems like it must have something to do with the meds. At least in my case, it would make more sense because I'm only 27, and bipolar or hypomanic symptoms can take years to uncover. I've always had a sense that I'm a bit unstable or cyclical with respect my moods, but I always thought my main problems to be anxiety and depression.
In case you haven't found out yet, med induced bipolarism is considered to be bipolar III, I believe.
After I quit Paxil cold turkey (I know, very, very, very stupid thing to do--was at least 6 WEEKS of misery), I felt like something was changed permanently in my brain. I don't really know how to explain this...It's probably just paranoia. The bottom line is that I seem to get worse every year.
Anyways, I'm on day 6 of Lamictal, I don't feel anything yet. I think the hypomania (or whatever it is) may be beginning to run it's own course as I am feeling slightly better. I've read that the mood stabilizing effects of Lamictal don't kick in until you're up to at least 100 mg, which, as you know, takes 5 weeks. I'm really hoping this is "the answer," although I know I shouldn't get too excited because it would set me up for a major letdown if it doesn't work.
I heard that Depakote can work pretty fast. Are you feeling it yet? Hope you feel better.
Marc
I'm going to see the doc on the 25th again, and I'm hoping he can explain more to me, but I have the sense that he may be just as confused as I am.
Posted by 4WD on January 16, 2006, at 21:18:57
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » 4WD, posted by detroitpistons on January 16, 2006, at 14:25:01
Marc,
Well, it did all start when I started trying to switch from Effexor to a different AD. I was okay, anxiety wise, on Effexor but very lethargic and anhedonic. Just blank and no interest or joy in anything. So I switched to Paxil. Within two weeks, I was panicky. Like on the verge of a panic attack but never quite having one. Same scenario twice (tried to switch to Paxil again). Then back to Effexor again and okay again but still depressed. Then switched to Cymbalta and got panicky and terrified again. Finally went back to Effexor AGAIN but this time, the panicky fear feeling didn't go away. So switched to Celexa. Less depressed for a while but still having to take Klonopin for the fear and still scared even so.
Finally increasing the Celexa from 10 to 20mg was the clincher. I got really really wired and flitting around. Very dysphoric at the same time.
I don;t know. I do know I was always a nervous kid. I've been anxious all my life but never been manic or had cycles of any kind (unless induced by recreational drug use). This is all new to me.I know what you mean about feeling like your brain is permanently changed. I think the Effexor permanently changed my brain chemistry. I swore I'd never go back on it. I quit it half a dozen times and always ended up going back because it was the only one whose side effects I could tolerate.
It is terribly scary to think that maybe our brains have been irreversibly changed.
As for the Lamictal, I noticed some benefit after only about 2 weeks. It was very subtle but it was there. I was less anxious. Still anxious but not as bad and not having to take as much Klonopin. I didn't realize how much it was doing until I had to quit it and got worse again.
I have to go ahead and get my hopes up. I HAVE to believe this is going to work. If I don't believe it will work, then it maybe won't. I have to believe in it to get through the next weeks. But I know what you mean. There have been so many disappointments in the last year or two. Still, I've found that expecting a negative result usually results in a negative result. That shouldn't be. It ought to work or not regardless of what I"m expecting but maybe I'm just awfully suggestible.
Good luck. I hope the Lamictal is indeed the "answer" for you.
Marsha
> Marsha,
> It definitely is weird that you just started having these symptoms. It seems like it must have something to do with the meds. At least in my case, it would make more sense because I'm only 27, and bipolar or hypomanic symptoms can take years to uncover. I've always had a sense that I'm a bit unstable or cyclical with respect my moods, but I always thought my main problems to be anxiety and depression.
>
> In case you haven't found out yet, med induced bipolarism is considered to be bipolar III, I believe.
>
> After I quit Paxil cold turkey (I know, very, very, very stupid thing to do--was at least 6 WEEKS of misery), I felt like something was changed permanently in my brain. I don't really know how to explain this...It's probably just paranoia. The bottom line is that I seem to get worse every year.
>
> Anyways, I'm on day 6 of Lamictal, I don't feel anything yet. I think the hypomania (or whatever it is) may be beginning to run it's own course as I am feeling slightly better. I've read that the mood stabilizing effects of Lamictal don't kick in until you're up to at least 100 mg, which, as you know, takes 5 weeks. I'm really hoping this is "the answer," although I know I shouldn't get too excited because it would set me up for a major letdown if it doesn't work.
>
> I heard that Depakote can work pretty fast. Are you feeling it yet? Hope you feel better.
>
> Marc
>
>
>
>
>
> I'm going to see the doc on the 25th again, and I'm hoping he can explain more to me, but I have the sense that he may be just as confused as I am.
>
>
Posted by fires on January 16, 2006, at 22:23:43
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 16, 2006, at 21:18:57
> I know what you mean about feeling like your Still, I've found that expecting a negative result usually resultbrain is permanently changed. I think the Effexor permanently changed my brain chemistry. I swore I'd never go back on it. I quit it half a dozen times and always ended up going back because it was the only one whose side effects I could tolerate.
>
> It is terribly scary to think that maybe our brains have been irreversibly changed.
Then again, maybe they are sometimes permanently changed for the better.
>If I don't believe it will work, then it maybe won't.If that were the case then the ill with severe cognitive distortions (like believing that no med can help them) would never get better.
Just my 2.5 cents worth.
Posted by elkat on January 17, 2006, at 0:54:35
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » 4WD, posted by fires on January 16, 2006, at 22:23:43
I thought I would jump in here. I'm having the same dilemma. The AD meds are causing my hypomania. I have no doubt, because I quit the remeron and wellbutrin I was taking and the hypomania went away. Then, after a week, back come the horrible depression. I went back on the Wellbutrin and I feel less depressed but somewhat hyper again. not nearly as bad. I think the Wellburtrin doesn't bother me as much because there is no SSRI effect. Makes me cranky though.
I had the same bad experience with the SSRI's. I tried Lexapro a year ago and it drove me up the wall, especially after increasing the dose.
So, my Pdoc gives me the "maybe you have undiagnosed bipolar" business, but I know it's the meds. She is suggesting lithium, but I was wondering about lamictal. It's like I have to be on the AD med, or I start losing it, and it looks like I'm going to have to take something else for the hyper side effects.
No doubt these meds change our brain chemistry permanently. But at least we are still here so we can write to each other on these message boards.
Mark
Posted by detroitpistons on January 17, 2006, at 9:41:21
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless, posted by elkat on January 17, 2006, at 0:54:35
Mark,
Personally, I would be very reluctant to get on lithium (unless I was truly manic/bipolar), but the lamictal is no problem for me. It has a very benign side effect profile, and it's easier to take...You don't have to get your blood checked, and you don't have to worry about developing thyroid problems. I would just tell your doctor that you would feel more comfortable trying Lamictal or Depakote.
I'm really excited about the Lamictal because I also expect it to boost my mood (has great antidepressant effects). Effexor lifted me out of a bad depression this past summer, but I definitely don't ever feel happy either (unlike the first time that I took it).
Keep us posted.
Marc
> I thought I would jump in here. I'm having the same dilemma. The AD meds are causing my hypomania. I have no doubt, because I quit the remeron and wellbutrin I was taking and the hypomania went away. Then, after a week, back come the horrible depression. I went back on the Wellbutrin and I feel less depressed but somewhat hyper again. not nearly as bad. I think the Wellburtrin doesn't bother me as much because there is no SSRI effect. Makes me cranky though.
>
> I had the same bad experience with the SSRI's. I tried Lexapro a year ago and it drove me up the wall, especially after increasing the dose.
>
> So, my Pdoc gives me the "maybe you have undiagnosed bipolar" business, but I know it's the meds. She is suggesting lithium, but I was wondering about lamictal. It's like I have to be on the AD med, or I start losing it, and it looks like I'm going to have to take something else for the hyper side effects.
>
> No doubt these meds change our brain chemistry permanently. But at least we are still here so we can write to each other on these message boards.
>
> Mark
Posted by elkat on January 17, 2006, at 10:01:35
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » elkat, posted by detroitpistons on January 17, 2006, at 9:41:21
I talked to a friend last night and she's been taking lamictal for a couple of years and said it's really helped her. I was wondering how many people continue with their current ADs then add the TCA (is that what those are called?)
Posted by detroitpistons on January 17, 2006, at 10:16:20
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 16, 2006, at 21:18:57
Marsha,
The meds changing our brain chemistry issue does not make me feel good, to say the least...I just can't help but feel that my condition has changed because of them. A doctor would probably say that it's not the meds, that your condition is changing naturally, but my gut tells me that it's the meds. Regardless, what's done is done, and now I have to take more meds to treat my slowly deteriorating condition.
I know what you mean about being anhedonic. Paxil made me feel better for a short time, but I was mostly just numb...Very little emotion or feeling, and no happiness or joy. I didn't like that at all. Lexapro was a complete waste of time--virutally no effect. And now back to the Effexor, and it doesn't work even remotely as well as it did the first time.
When you said that you felt like you were on the verge of having a panic attack, but never quite having one, I could relate 110% because that's exactly the way I've felt recently. I think it's noteworthy to point out that the first time I ever felt that way, I was withdrawing from Paxil. I wonder if there's some sort of connenction.
I was also a very nervous kid. As I got older and my anxiety progressed, I'd become very irritable when my stress levels increased (due to school). This happened even after adolescence, while I was in college. I severely distressed relationships with certain people. I would get overly angry and irritable about things. I think I've always managed to salvage my important relationships, but I killed off other, less significant relationships. I would have thought that all of this is caused by GAD, and that my depression is anxiety driven, but I'm curious to see what my doctor says.
I'm not suggesting you're bipolar, but there is a very strong connection between anxiety and bipolar II. Anxiety can actually be a result of bipolar (or be a separate disorder). It's an interesting subject.
You really do HAVE TO GET YOUR HOPES UP. At least you have Klonopin to bail you out if all else fails. I know it doesn't cure everything, but it probably helps a lot. Besides, it makes perfect sense that Depakote could help you. You are in a hypomanic state, and Depakote is a mood stabilizer. What else could you ask for?
One last thing...in my post yesterday, I mentioned that I thought I was feeling better. Well, I've been taking Xanax, but yesterday I didn't take it in the morning. On my way home from work, mind started speeding out of control. I felt super depressed and anxious. It felt more like a mixed state. But then I got home, popped a xanax, and everything was fine. It seems like I feel the worst when I am by myself and I have nothing else to do but think (like when I'm in the car in the terrible Chicago traffic which also agitates me).
I don't feel bad all the time though. Do you? I'm curious.
Marc
> Marc,
>
> Well, it did all start when I started trying to switch from Effexor to a different AD. I was okay, anxiety wise, on Effexor but very lethargic and anhedonic. Just blank and no interest or joy in anything. So I switched to Paxil. Within two weeks, I was panicky. Like on the verge of a panic attack but never quite having one. Same scenario twice (tried to switch to Paxil again). Then back to Effexor again and okay again but still depressed. Then switched to Cymbalta and got panicky and terrified again. Finally went back to Effexor AGAIN but this time, the panicky fear feeling didn't go away. So switched to Celexa. Less depressed for a while but still having to take Klonopin for the fear and still scared even so.
>
> Finally increasing the Celexa from 10 to 20mg was the clincher. I got really really wired and flitting around. Very dysphoric at the same time.
>
> I don;t know. I do know I was always a nervous kid. I've been anxious all my life but never been manic or had cycles of any kind (unless induced by recreational drug use). This is all new to me.
>
> I know what you mean about feeling like your brain is permanently changed. I think the Effexor permanently changed my brain chemistry. I swore I'd never go back on it. I quit it half a dozen times and always ended up going back because it was the only one whose side effects I could tolerate.
>
> It is terribly scary to think that maybe our brains have been irreversibly changed.
>
> As for the Lamictal, I noticed some benefit after only about 2 weeks. It was very subtle but it was there. I was less anxious. Still anxious but not as bad and not having to take as much Klonopin. I didn't realize how much it was doing until I had to quit it and got worse again.
>
> I have to go ahead and get my hopes up. I HAVE to believe this is going to work. If I don't believe it will work, then it maybe won't. I have to believe in it to get through the next weeks. But I know what you mean. There have been so many disappointments in the last year or two. Still, I've found that expecting a negative result usually results in a negative result. That shouldn't be. It ought to work or not regardless of what I"m expecting but maybe I'm just awfully suggestible.
>
> Good luck. I hope the Lamictal is indeed the "answer" for you.
>
> Marsha
>
>
>
>
> > Marsha,
>
> > It definitely is weird that you just started having these symptoms. It seems like it must have something to do with the meds. At least in my case, it would make more sense because I'm only 27, and bipolar or hypomanic symptoms can take years to uncover. I've always had a sense that I'm a bit unstable or cyclical with respect my moods, but I always thought my main problems to be anxiety and depression.
> >
> > In case you haven't found out yet, med induced bipolarism is considered to be bipolar III, I believe.
> >
> > After I quit Paxil cold turkey (I know, very, very, very stupid thing to do--was at least 6 WEEKS of misery), I felt like something was changed permanently in my brain. I don't really know how to explain this...It's probably just paranoia. The bottom line is that I seem to get worse every year.
> >
> > Anyways, I'm on day 6 of Lamictal, I don't feel anything yet. I think the hypomania (or whatever it is) may be beginning to run it's own course as I am feeling slightly better. I've read that the mood stabilizing effects of Lamictal don't kick in until you're up to at least 100 mg, which, as you know, takes 5 weeks. I'm really hoping this is "the answer," although I know I shouldn't get too excited because it would set me up for a major letdown if it doesn't work.
> >
> > I heard that Depakote can work pretty fast. Are you feeling it yet? Hope you feel better.
> >
> > Marc
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > I'm going to see the doc on the 25th again, and I'm hoping he can explain more to me, but I have the sense that he may be just as confused as I am.
> >
> >
>
>
Posted by detroitpistons on January 17, 2006, at 10:23:02
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless, posted by elkat on January 17, 2006, at 10:01:35
Mark,
Lamictal is an atypical anticonvulsant, and it's way better to take than TCA's, which have way more side effects. It was first intended for seizure control (epilepsy), but was approved by the FDA for the treatment of bipolar disorder. So it's also a mood stabilizer and, I swear to god, I have yet to read any bad reviews of it...Everybody seems to love the stuff. It really lifts peoples moods and seems to be a really good augmentor of AD's. You don't need to be bipolar in order for the stuff to help you.
> I talked to a friend last night and she's been taking lamictal for a couple of years and said it's really helped her. I was wondering how many people continue with their current ADs then add the TCA (is that what those are called?)
Posted by 4WD on January 17, 2006, at 22:12:38
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » 4WD, posted by detroitpistons on January 17, 2006, at 10:16:20
> Marsha,
>
> The meds changing our brain chemistry issue does not make me feel good, to say the least...I just can't help but feel that my condition has changed because of them. A doctor would probably say that it's not the meds, that your condition is changing naturally, but my gut tells me that it's the meds. Regardless, what's done is done, and now I have to take more meds to treat my slowly deteriorating condition.>
> I know what you mean about being anhedonic. Paxil made me feel better for a short time, but I was mostly just numb...Very little emotion or feeling, and no happiness or joy. I didn't like that at all. Lexapro was a complete waste of time--virutally no effect. And now back to the Effexor, and it doesn't work even remotely as well as it did the first time.I'm afraid of that too. The last time I was on Effexor it didn't work well at all. It's kind of a last resort now - at least I can tolerate it's side effects and it will (I hope) at least keep me out of suicidal depression.
>
> When you said that you felt like you were on the verge of having a panic attack, but never quite having one, I could relate 110% because that's exactly the way I've felt recently. I think it's noteworthy to point out that the first time I ever felt that way, I was withdrawing from Paxil. I wonder if there's some sort of connenction.The first time I felt that way was when I had stopped Effexor and started Paxil. That happened twice. It happened again when I stopped Effexor and started Cymbalta. But I had stopped Effexor in the past without having this happen. Only a couple of years earlier.
>
> I was also a very nervous kid. As I got older and my anxiety progressed, I'd become very irritable when my stress levels increased (due to school). This happened even after adolescence, while I was in college. I severely distressed relationships with certain people. I would get overly angry and irritable about things. I think I've always managed to salvage my important relationships, but I killed off other, less significant relationships. I would have thought that all of this is caused by GAD, and that my depression is anxiety driven, but I'm curious to see what my doctor says.I used to have mainly depression but I truly think now that if I didn't have the anxiety, I would be much much less depressed. Before I got into this state of horrible fear and anxiety, I was doing fairly well on just 37.5 mg Effexor. By fairly well, I mean functional, tired and listless and anhedonic but not desperately depressed and not anxious.
>
> I'm not suggesting you're bipolar, but there is a very strong connection between anxiety and bipolar II. Anxiety can actually be a result of bipolar (or be a separate disorder). It's an interesting subject.
>
> You really do HAVE TO GET YOUR HOPES UP. At least you have Klonopin to bail you out if all else fails. I know it doesn't cure everything, but it probably helps a lot. Besides, it makes perfect sense that Depakote could help you. You are in a hypomanic state, and Depakote is a mood stabilizer. What else could you ask for?I've been on the Depakote for less than a week and haven't noticed any difference. I'm still at a low dose, though. I'm hoping it will kick in soon.
Well, I don't know if I"m in a hypomanic state or not. I wake up scared and very jittery. I'm very nervous until my Klonopin kicks in but it's not a worry kind of anxiety. I was definitely in teh hypomanic state (flitting around, no concentration, way too much bad energy, doing too many things at once, etc) while I was on the increased dose of Celexa but within a week or 10 days of lowering the Celexa back down that went away.
>
> One last thing...in my post yesterday, I mentioned that I thought I was feeling better. Well, I've been taking Xanax, but yesterday I didn't take it in the morning. On my way home from work, mind started speeding out of control. I felt super depressed and anxious. It felt more like a mixed state.That's exactly how I feel a lot of the time. Very scared and nervous and jittery and deeply deeply depressed at the same time. It's horrible.
But then I got home, popped a xanax, and everything was fine. It seems like I feel the worst when I am by myself and I have nothing else to do but think (like when I'm in the car in the terrible Chicago traffic which also agitates me).
Me too. If there is something I have to do, and I go ahead and do it, especially if it involves being around other people, I usually feel better. In fact, I can't let myself stay home by myself too much or I will definitely start to get crazy feeling. The mixed state feeling. There are times, however that I try to go ahead and do what I need to do and I still feel horrible.
> I don't feel bad all the time though. Do you? I'm curious.Sometimes at night it all goes away. And I take my last Klonopin dose of the day at about 2 or 3 pm. By maybe 9 or 10 at night, sometimes 11, I feel almost normal. Sometimes I even feel happy at night. But when I wake up in the morning, it's all back again. I feel bad every single morning. Scared and wired. That's what wakes me up- the nervous feeling. I don't get enough sleep because the nervousness wakes me up.
When do you feel okay? It is at regular intervals or is it random?
Until I started this thread I had no idea there were so many people here having these very same symptoms. Seems like *somebody's* pdoc could figure it out.
Marsha
Posted by elkat on January 17, 2006, at 23:10:50
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 17, 2006, at 22:12:38
> Until I started this thread I had no idea there were so many people here having these very same symptoms. Seems like *somebody's* pdoc could figure it out.
>
> MarshaYeah, it's pretty weird. My pdoc doesn't seem to believe this is a real problem. She called it "undiagnosed bipolar," though she said I don't quite fit the profile.
I've been taking AD SSRI meds since 1995 - the whole spectrum - Prozac, Zoloft, Effexor, Serzone and Remeron. I think the Effexor combined with a nasty rapid detox off it a couple of years ago screwed me up somehow. SSRIs did not used to bother me like this.
I'm like you, I take a klonopin in the late afternoon, and sometimes feel OK at night. Tonight I feel pretty good, this morning I was just whacked.
This is a tough situation, hang in there with your Depakote and let us know how you are doing. I'm going to do the same thing here pretty soon.
Mark
Posted by detroitpistons on January 18, 2006, at 9:01:59
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 17, 2006, at 22:12:38
Sometimes at night it all goes away. And I take my last Klonopin dose of the day at about 2 or 3 pm. By maybe 9 or 10 at night, sometimes 11, I feel almost normal. Sometimes I even feel happy at night. But when I wake up in the morning, it's all back again. I feel bad every single morning. Scared and wired. That's what wakes me up- the nervous feeling. I don't get enough sleep because the nervousness wakes me up.
>
> When do you feel okay? It is at regular intervals or is it random?
>
> Until I started this thread I had no idea there were so many people here having these very same symptoms. Seems like *somebody's* pdoc could figure it out.
>
> Marsha
Marsha,I take Trazadone at night, and sometimes I still don't sleep well. I never used to have a hard time sleeping when I was younger...Then I got into the habit of taking Xanax at night, and then everything changed. Now I can't sleep at all without chemical assistance -- that's a big concern of mine. Of course, it doesn't help that I'm all keyed up because of this supposed hypomania. Anyways, sometimes I wake up a couple hours early. I stay in bed in kind of a half sleep, but it feels like I'm actually thinking the whole time! I've been extremely irritable when I wake up, and not because I didn't sleep enough. You don't want to get in my way in the morning (recently).
I feel OK mostly when I'm home at night, although it seems like I can't relax. I don't really want to sit down and watch TV (this would be a great time to get back in the gym!) I spend a lot of time on the internet because it takes my mind away from things, and sort of allows me to try to dissipate all this excess energy because I can almost surf as fast as I can think (well, not really, but...)
Also, on the weekends I sometimes feel better too.
But being that I'm single and in my twenties, I go out on the weekends (when I'm not depressed). Usually I have some drinks, and that may have the effect of settling me down some the next day. But I still do feel anxiety on the weekends. It's just really hard to explain. My moods have been so variable lately. I can feel depressed/anxious one minute, and then be fine later on that day.I think I may be starting to feel the Lamictal, but very, very subtly. I have a good feeling about this.
Marc
Posted by 4WD on January 18, 2006, at 21:42:24
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » 4WD, posted by detroitpistons on January 18, 2006, at 9:01:59
I'm really glad you're feeling the Lamictal. It worked a lot quicker for me than they say to expect. It was, as you said, very subtle, and so maybe when you get up to the higher dose, it will be more noticeable.
I went through that whole insomnia thing, too. I'd always had some trouble falling asleep and then discovered Ativan. I was supposed to be taking it t.i.d. but I discovered that if I saved it all up and took it all at night I could sleep beautifully. For a couple of months. Then I had to up the dosage. And again. By the end of about 12 years, I was taking 10mg at night and still couldn't sleep at all. It was horrible. It took me a couple of years to get over that (I stopped it cold turkey and it was hell).
I continued to have falling asleep problems the whole time I was on Prozac (9 years) but it got a little better when I switched to Effexor. Then last fall when I went on Cymbalta, within 2 weeks, my insomnia disappeared. Just went away. I could fall asleep in minutes at night. I could even take a nap. It was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received. I was so afraid to quit taking the Cymbalta (it wasn't working for depression or anxiety very well and I had to find something better) because I was terrified the insomnia would come back. When I went off it I did have some mild insomnia for a day or two but now, over a year later, I still fall asleep easily without meds. I think the Cymbalta did something to my brain - reset it or something. I'm not going to try and figure it out. I'm just grateful for it.
Now if I could just keep from waking up an hour too early in the morning. Can't have everything, I guess.
Marsha
Posted by detroitpistons on January 19, 2006, at 8:18:28
In reply to Re: Med-induced hypomania? Crazy and hopeless » detroitpistons, posted by 4WD on January 18, 2006, at 21:42:24
"I'm really glad you're feeling the Lamictal. It worked a lot quicker for me than they say to expect. It was, as you said, very subtle, and so maybe when you get up to the higher dose, it will be more noticeable."Funny you should say that...A couple hours after I posted that I thought I might be feeling it, I turned into a complete wreck and had to take Xanax. It seems the Lamictal is starting to brighten my mood at times, but it's anything but stabilizing me...If anything, I feel more moody right now. We're talking even from hour to hour. No kidding, that fast. Sometimes it feels like minute to minute. For example, I'll hear a song that I like and start singing along and feel very happy, and then as soon as the song is over I may feel totally anxious. I'm really confused.
This is the end of the thread.
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