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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sheilac on October 8, 2012, at 16:56:44
Taking 450mg of Trileptal. Tried getting up to 600mg, but so tired I can't function, plus suffering with very itchy skin - at least no itchy gums like Lamictal. But I could itch the skin off my face.
It seems like it takes a few hours or more for Trileptal to kick in, then I feel like I have to take a nap. If I have coffee in the morning I get hyper and have to take Klonopin.
Shouldn't Trileptal stop that from happening? I take Trileptal at night. I never used to get hyper from coffee before Trileptal.
Maybe Trileptal goes out of my system too fast, I don't know.
I'm wondering if I shouldn't go back to the tried and true low dose Trileptal/low dose Lithium.
I also feel like I should stay away from ADD stimulants. My doc thinks that I have ADD and should try Ritalin instead of Adderall. I'm afraid, even at 5mg. Adderall is great, but after a couple of days it makes me nuts. Wouldn't Ritalin make me nuts too?
I get such mixed messages. One doc says possible mood disorder with ADD and another says no ADD meds just BPII.
I feel like I have ruled out Seroquel and Adderall because they both cause severe irritability after a few days.
Maybe I'm a low dose girl with anxiety issues. I don't want to be stoned, but I hate how certain meds (Geodon, Lamictal) make me hyper.
Posted by rjlockhart37 on October 8, 2012, at 17:15:28
In reply to Coffee hypomania?, posted by sheilac on October 8, 2012, at 16:56:44
caffeine causes release of norepinephrine and can also release glutamate for wakefulness....but research varies....methypendiate is less potent than amphetamine...you should ask for a low dose of concerta or focalin ... they will have less release of NE in the synapse..its mainly dopamine it increases through reputake inhibition not release..
look into reducing coffee to half a cup...which is about 50-75mg of caffeine. Like I said with anxiety it can greatly potentiate the NE release and making you feel uncomfortable in stimulation in both feeling like nervous wreck, and anxiety.
You should look into GABAereric medications....I think they would help.
r
Posted by sheilac on October 8, 2012, at 18:35:17
In reply to Re: Coffee hypomania?, posted by rjlockhart37 on October 8, 2012, at 17:15:28
I'm not sure I can take Ritalin. I think I need to be done with stimulant drugs. Even in low doses they make me nuts.
I have my yearly physical next week and I'm going to talk to my reg doc (since it's so hard to find a pdoc where I live and my old doc retired).
I think since I am so sensitive, and I'm not severely BP, I am going back to low dose Lithium and low dose Trileptal (300mg a day of each), along with Klonopin for anxiety and melatonin if needed for sleep. My therapist couldn't understand why that new doc took me off everything and put me on Lamictal only (which made me unstable). She totally disagreed with new doc.
I can't take the side effects anymore of meds. I need to pick myself up and help myself. I have to stop relying sooooo much on meds. I realize they are not a cure all. I admit I need help, but when I read the doses of meds that others take I realize I'm not that bad off. I DO have some mood issues that need medication, but not heavy doses.
So, if my reg doc won't rx these meds, I will find a pdoc that will.
Many years of this crap and I'm starting to see the light. Meds only HELP, they don't CURE. I have to help myself.
Posted by phillipa on October 8, 2012, at 23:22:50
In reply to Can't do it..., posted by sheilac on October 8, 2012, at 18:35:17
Sheila I do feel it's true. Phillipa
Posted by Christ_empowered on October 9, 2012, at 1:32:45
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » sheilac, posted by phillipa on October 8, 2012, at 23:22:50
Some people just shouldn't take stimulants. I don't know if its a personality thing or a neurobiological thing or what, but...you know yourself best.I think its great that you're looking for a simple(r) med line up and looking for ways to help yourself get better. I'm personally scared of lithium myself (apparently I'm "Bipolar I"), but if it works for you w/o significant side effects and problems...awesome. Especially if it prevent you from having an expensive, mind-numbing cocktail.
Anyway, I hope you keep posting and updating everybody on your progress, even if (especially if?) you get better to the point that you don't want/need medication advice anymore. Its always good to see (and by "see," I mean read about) people getting better and getting things done in their lives. Success stories, you know...they do the heart good.
Good luck!
Posted by Sheilac on October 9, 2012, at 6:01:03
In reply to Re: Can't do it..., posted by Christ_empowered on October 9, 2012, at 1:32:45
C H , I can go up to a "therapeutic level" of lithium. It makes me sick as low as 450-600mg. But I can use it in combo with something else and avoid the side effects.
Hopefully, keeping lithium at 300mg will help boost mood without hurting kidneys or other organs.
I like Trileptal, but moving up on the dose has caused it by, awful sides effects.
So, if taking 2 meds in lower doses keeps me level then great.
Don't get me wrong, I love the hypomania stimulants bring on, but the ending mood instability just isn't worth it. It is a love hate relationship.
Posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 8:06:28
In reply to Coffee hypomania?, posted by sheilac on October 8, 2012, at 16:56:44
>Shouldn't Trileptal stop that from happening?
Trileptal is aa mood stabilizer and its mechanism of action will do nothing to neutralize caffeine.
Caffeine may make you hyper, but it doesn't really trigger hypomania.
>Maybe Trileptal goes out of my system too fast, I don't know
As long as you're dosing twice daily, the likelihood of it going out of your system is very low.
>Wouldn't Ritalin make me nuts too?
It may not. You'll only know if you decide to try out.
>One doc says possible mood disorder with ADD and another says no ADD meds just BPII.
Have you ever been hypomanic?
>Maybe I'm a low dose girl with anxiety issues.
You do get pretty anxious about meds.
Eric
Posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 9:55:52
In reply to Can't do it..., posted by sheilac on October 8, 2012, at 18:35:17
>Lithium and low dose Trileptal (300mg a day of each
What about this combo works? Do you not feel good on just the trileptal?
>Meds only HELP, they don't CURE
I like this.
Eric
Posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 10:45:53
In reply to Can't do it..., posted by sheilac on October 8, 2012, at 18:35:17
> Meds only HELP, they don't CURE
What is it that meds don't cure?
- Scott
Posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 11:08:02
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » sheilac, posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 10:45:53
I think she means head medicine.
Eric
Posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 15:29:40
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » SLS, posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 11:08:02
> I think she means head medicine.
>
> Eric
Perhaps Sheilac could answer for herself?If by "head medicine" you mean psychotropics, they may not always be a "cure" according to some definitions of that word, but I am someone who would feel cured if I could remain in remission for the rest of my life, even though I would need maintenance treatment.
- Scott
Posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 16:00:23
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » phidippus, posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 15:29:40
If its anyone who deserves a cure, its you.
Me, I deserve the constant suicidal ideations.
Eric
Posted by Sheilac on October 9, 2012, at 16:22:35
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » phidippus, posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 15:29:40
I meant that I guess we can't count on psychotropics to be a magic cure. The best we can hope for on meds is remission or lack of drastic swings.
Also, I read a post by 4WD, I think that said he was augmenting with just 20mg of Geodon.
I have taken Geodon and never really reached remission, but I could see how it would be a good add on, kinda like Abilify.
So, my question is this: is augmenting with low dose Geodon or Lithium better for slight depression. Trileptal is great for stability but does nothing for depression. I don't do we'll on antidepressants.
Opinions? My old doc would pic either one or a stimulant.
Posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 17:05:10
In reply to Ideas/wondering?, posted by Sheilac on October 9, 2012, at 16:22:35
The Geodon acts more like an anxiolytic at the 20 mg dose. I think a dose of 80mg would be sufficient for treating depression. Geodon gets better as you go up.
Geodon vs. Lithium: they are hard to compare.
Eric
Posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 17:51:08
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » SLS, posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 16:00:23
> If its anyone who deserves a cure, its you.
>
> Me, I deserve the constant suicidal ideations.
Well, with or without your ideations, I hope you can be happy.
- Scott
Posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 18:11:49
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » phidippus, posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 17:51:08
Happy is not hard for me.
Eric
Posted by SLS on October 9, 2012, at 19:02:26
In reply to Re: Can't do it... » SLS, posted by phidippus on October 9, 2012, at 18:11:49
> Happy is not hard for me.
I am happy for you.
:-)
- Scott
This is the end of the thread.
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