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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by KonTiki on May 12, 2007, at 0:38:05
I'm back, I had been dorking around with the EMSAM patchy, it just made me mad irritable. My pdoc now thinks that I have some sort of bipolar2 and anxiety combo. I never get manic, but swing between normal and despair rapidly.
At any rate, after having tried every med on the market, she suggested depakote, which also makes sense since I have intermittently had migraines since age 12. Depakote is really making ahuge difference in cutting though my anxiety- I'm able to hang out with groups of people and not worry what they think, or iif I'm saying something too self-aggrandizing, etc.
I don't worry about how I'm going to make ends meet (recently took a part time job in order to have time off to get my meds worked out)thank goodness I was able to take the time off, since depakote MAKES ME SLEEP ALL DAY AND ALL NIGHT. at 250 it was tolerable, felt kinda groovy, but I was still anxious. then it was 250 xr one in am one in pm. Last night she had me try a 500 xr at night, with the thought that i'd sleep it off and be chipper during the day. did not happen... so I didn't take any dep tonight and maybe I will call her back.
The next step, if I can stomach the 500 at night (beleive me pun intended) would be to try wellbutrin for the elevating effect. I hope that I don't get too anxious, irritable, and have difficulty sleeping which is often what happens with me on ADs
the best AD for me ever was Effexor, but I had to stop it due to headaches, muscle tension, and insomnia.
I also have some provigil that I tried last summer (with p-docs consent and script). That was one of the best weeks of my life, I had energy, I could pick a task and finish it ( i also have ADD). i had staming, I could envision a life in which I could get things done! like cleaning out the basement! and getting all my drawers organized!
Anyway, I like thedepakote mellow out effect, and I don't get depressed on it, but I also don't get happy , and I really won't get happy if I can't stay awake long enough to hold down a job soon. anyone who has had experience with these combos, please let me know... aeon
Posted by Phillipa on May 12, 2007, at 11:53:34
In reply to depakote and wellbutrin, maybe provigil again too, posted by KonTiki on May 12, 2007, at 0:38:05
I didn't know depakote made you tired and wouldn't trying wellbutrin first be better than providgil firsr? Just a thought. Love Phillipa
Posted by KonTiki on May 12, 2007, at 12:55:55
In reply to depakote and wellbutrin, maybe provigil again too, posted by KonTiki on May 12, 2007, at 0:38:05
Wow, sorry my previous message was so disjointed. I posted in the middle of the night, and I really should know better because I wake up the next day and am shocked by the typos and rambling.
At any rate, to answer your question Philippa, yes we are planning to try the wellbutrin and depakote together, to see if the former can help me overcome the sedation of the latter. Then, if that doesn't work, I am hoping that my pdoc will let me try the Provigil again with the depakote (but probably without the wellbutrin). I have a hard time tolerating stimulants, so I think there is very little chance I'd be able to handle the wellbutrin and the provigil together anyway.
Yesterday I was napping most of the day, so frustrating, so I didn't take the depakote at night to see how I would feel today. I'm much more alert, up and about, feeling much better. I'm going try the 500mg XR again tonight just to really give it a chance, but if it makes me sleep all day tomorrow I will call my pdoc and see whether to add in the wellbutrin or go back to 250 at night...
thanks for reading!
Posted by MidnightBlue on May 12, 2007, at 18:26:53
In reply to depakote and wellbutrin, maybe provigil again too, posted by KonTiki on May 12, 2007, at 0:38:05
I took that combo for many years. Up to 1000 mg of Depakote and up to 450 of Wellbutrin. The Depakote did help my migraines some. And it did help me sleep at night. It took a long time, but I did finally get less sleepy during the day on Depakote, but I had to edge up slowly. And every time I raised the dose I would have side effects again.
Wellbutrin in high doses can cause headaches and can make you more anxious. It made me grind my teeth.
I no longer take either.
MB
Posted by KonTiki on May 12, 2007, at 21:33:45
In reply to Re: depakote and wellbutrin, maybe provigil again too » KonTiki, posted by MidnightBlue on May 12, 2007, at 18:26:53
what do you take now, MB?
yeah i already grind my teeth- sometimes I wear two mouthguards at night- an upper and a lower! when I'm on activating/ stimulating meds the grinding is worse. Fortunately I've finally been able to break a bad coffee habit, so the grinding is much reduced now.
This is the end of the thread.
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