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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by James K on May 8, 2006, at 13:12:28
Hi, things on this board can get very technical for me, but that is some of what I'm looking for on this question. Please bear with my igorance and speculation and any help or ideas you have will be much appreciated.
Here is my situation. I'm a very long-term alcoholic, and depressed person. I've been on many psych meds over the last 14 years, ussually while drinking daily or binge drinking. Right now I am sober for about 2 months with one recent relapse. I'm on Welbutrin xl 150 and Lamictal 100. I cold turkeyed from 12 beers a day and 2 mil of klonopin and ambien.
Here's the confusing part/question from me.
I understand that the alcohol abuse has some how depleted my store of dopamine and harmed my receptors of neurophinepherine (I'm making that word up out of memory from what an addiction specialist mentioned in treatment). I've read here and there that the two psych meds I'm on work on the parts of my brain I have messed up. Is there any point to restricting uptake of substances I don't currently have? or blocking receptors that are damaged? Intuitively, this is exactly the wrong thing, or exactly the right thing. Thats why intuition doesn't do a layman much good.
Any thoughts, corrections, information, or direction to a good information site, on the general concepts I'm asking about would be much appreciated. I have half knowledge and don't know the direction to better understanding yet.
thanks
James K
Posted by Phillipa on May 8, 2006, at 17:45:26
In reply to welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question, posted by James K on May 8, 2006, at 13:12:28
James it's about time you're back. And you promised to update via E-mail. No alchohol? I'm so proud of you and look at the big words you picked up not trying to be sarcastic. Looks like the place was worth wating for. Now let the meds experts answer the med questions as it sure isn't me. Love Phillipa
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 9, 2006, at 14:35:54
In reply to welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question, posted by James K on May 8, 2006, at 13:12:28
>I've read here and there that the two psych meds I'm on work on the parts of my brain I have messed up. Is there any point to restricting uptake of substances I don't currently have? or blocking receptors that are damaged? Intuitively, this is exactly the wrong thing, or exactly the right thing. Thats why intuition doesn't do a layman much good.
If you are asking if there could be a benefit to eliminating your existing meds, and getting a look see at the naked James brain, as it now exists.....sure, that's possibly the most reasonable starting point for initiating an optimal self-care regime. You're not yet down to the point where you're stripped of all influences. You're not yet at the point where you can let your brain and body stabilize, without drugs of any sort.
Alternatively, the meds are part of your current situation, which is the result of about 2 months sober, having followed a lengthy history of binges. It makes sense to continue whatever it is that is part of that present state of stability.
I take it that your intuition is presently ambivalent. You see value in either proposition.
I would ask you which proposition is more likely to give you stability. What do your caregivers think? Have you asked around about that?
I hope you're paying good attention to diet and sleep, et al.
Lar
Posted by James K on May 9, 2006, at 15:05:24
In reply to Re: welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question » James K, posted by Larry Hoover on May 9, 2006, at 14:35:54
Thanks Lar, those are good questions. In the process of talking to Phillipa and Curtm, and now your questions to me, I've realized I'm starting to mess up. BECAUSE, I don't have a psychiatrist. I'm not eating, sleeping or getting outside. I left the hospital so abruptly because of an insurance screw job that I hadn't set up any aftercare program or had my meds adjusted at all.
I've never given these low dose meds a chance, because I've always either stopped them or drank on them, or both. The sad truth is that unbeknownst to my wife, I've already started tapering off of the Lamictal. And I said I was going to do things differently this time. I've spent the day trying to research alcohol's effects on brain function and structure while my cognitive functioning is still impaired. I don't get much of it yet. Yet I was hoping to find out how to medicate myself.
Tomorrow I have an eye doctor appt. A good reason to go to bed, get up, and leave the house. I'll take that as the first day back on track.
thanks,
James K
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 9, 2006, at 16:04:36
In reply to Re: welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question » Larry Hoover, posted by James K on May 9, 2006, at 15:05:24
James, if you're up for an experiment, I think you're a prime candidate. Next time you want to have a drink, take some taurine. There is a prescription medication, acamprosate, based on taurine. (Acamprosate looks a lot like the amide dimer of taurine and vinegar to me.) I think that mama nature might just know better. Taurine is available pretty much any place you can buy muscle-building supplies. Where you get protein powders, and all that. I prefer the bulk powder. One teaspoon, dissolved in water, and down she goes. And with it, sir, I hope, the urge to have a drink.
Lar
Posted by Phillipa on May 9, 2006, at 20:04:09
In reply to Re: welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question » James K, posted by Larry Hoover on May 9, 2006, at 16:04:36
James I'm taking taurine now and don't drink and Lar isn't it supposed to be calming? Love Phillipa
Posted by James K on May 9, 2006, at 23:21:23
In reply to Re: welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question, posted by Phillipa on May 9, 2006, at 20:04:09
Interesting about the taurine. I've been looking it up on the boards. It turns out that some is in the Nitroplex whey protein drink I take for chronic fatigue syndrome. I don't know what dose yet. I'll research and find some alone at the health store. Getting back on vitamins and supplements is a priority I think.
Your (Larry's) theory about Campral (a pharmaceutical drug, so we are still on the right board) and taurine connection that I saw elsewhere is of interest to me because Campral was the most mysterious drug I ever took as far as information on what it did (last year) It was helpful though. I relapsed after I ran out? I was still emotionally disturbed though. I was taking it with naltrexone which was horrible for me, but the campral wasn't.
thanks again.
James K
Posted by Phillipa on May 9, 2006, at 23:32:27
In reply to Re: welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question, posted by James K on May 9, 2006, at 23:21:23
James have you been to the substance abuse board? Two posters have posted on campral. I think it has something to do with not having anxiety and helping detox. Love Phillipa
Posted by Larry Hoover on May 10, 2006, at 9:52:18
In reply to Re: welbutrin, lamictal and alcoholism question, posted by James K on May 9, 2006, at 23:21:23
> Interesting about the taurine. I've been looking it up on the boards. It turns out that some is in the Nitroplex whey protein drink I take for chronic fatigue syndrome. I don't know what dose yet. I'll research and find some alone at the health store. Getting back on vitamins and supplements is a priority I think.
I got 10 oz. bulk taurine for $12, or something like.
> Your (Larry's) theory about Campral (a pharmaceutical drug, so we are still on the right board) and taurine connection that I saw elsewhere is of interest to me because Campral was the most mysterious drug I ever took as far as information on what it did (last year) It was helpful though. I relapsed after I ran out?
I didn't know you had already used Campral, James. I truly think they're just trying to find something patentable that still works. I'm not sure Campral is superior to taurine, is what I'm saying. I haven't seen a study which did a head to head comparison.
> I was still emotionally disturbed though. I was taking it with naltrexone which was horrible for me, but the campral wasn't.
>
> thanks again.
> James KTaurine, by itself, is generally very calming. When I look back at what I wrote back when I did my initial experiments, taurine made me feel as if I didn't need a benzo, rather than making me feel as if I had taken one. In the context of drinking, it is precisely the right kind of effect to try and induce.
Lar
This is the end of the thread.
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