![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Cath78 on January 7, 2001, at 21:55:00
Has anyone else out there tried Trileptal? Any good experiences with it? I'm also on zoloft. I'm diagnosed as atypical bi-polar, meaning that I'm always depressed except when I'm a little bit less depressed (mood swings from severe depression to less severe depression). The zoloft has helped enormously but my doc thinks that I need a mood stabilizer also.
Posted by Chris A. on January 8, 2001, at 1:15:37
In reply to Trileptal, posted by Cath78 on January 7, 2001, at 21:55:00
Have been taking it since Sept or so along with Lamictal. It clearly makes me foggy on low doses so I don't take it during the daytime. All other anticonvulsants have had the same effect on me (only worse) except for Lamictal. Mood stabilizers are essential for anyone with any variant of bipolar.
Blessings,
Chris A.
Posted by S.D. on January 10, 2001, at 12:42:54
In reply to Trileptal, posted by Cath78 on January 7, 2001, at 21:55:00
> Has anyone else out there tried Trileptal? Any good experiences with it? I'm also on zoloft. I'm diagnosed as atypical bi-polar, meaning that I'm always depressed except when I'm a little bit less depressed (mood swings from severe depression to less severe depression). The zoloft has helped enormously but my doc thinks that I need a mood stabilizer also.
>
>I haven't tried Trileptal, but I know it was approved in the USA only last year, has been around in other countries about 10 years, and seems to be considered a somewhat safer version of Tegretol (but otherwise very similar and I haven't heard it claimed to be any more or less effective in general than Tegretol.)
The symptoms you describe sound similar to my primary ones - alternate periods of greater and lesser depression - and my doctor also said a mood stabilizer was a reasonable addition if an AntiDepressant alone didn't nail it.
What seems to be a recent change in practice is the prescribing of a range of mood stabilizers in these cases. Especially, I think, tough dysthymia cases. I think that traditionally our symptoms would be diagnosed as dysthymia (chronic lesser depression) + recurring Major Depressive episodes and not bipolar (it doesn't fit the "official" criteria).
Lithium is well accepted as effective for depression (at least as an addition to an antidepressant), but maybe the diagnosis of a type of bipolar is needed for insurance companies to accept prescribing some other mood stabilizers for this purpose. There doesn't seem to be any research results to show effectiveness of most other mood stabilizers for depression, though.
Can I ask you a few things?
• Did either the lesser or greater depressions begin before you were 12 years old?
• Have the 'swings' occured at regular intervals or do they seem unpredictable or are they caused by external events?
During less-depressed periods that ocurred *before* medication was helping, were you able to:• function somewhat well in society (hold a job or keep other commitments, or maintain some social contacts)?
• feel pleasure, at least briefly, from activities that should be pleasurable?
• Is your current state on Zoloft less depressed than your unmedicated "little bit less depressed" periods?
• If you have felt persistantly low-energy or unmotivated when depressed, do you still?Sorry for so many questions, it's more than I had intended when I started writing. I've tried to write them so that very short answers can be given.
peace and health,
S.D.
Posted by Cath78 on January 10, 2001, at 20:01:29
In reply to re: Trileptal + ? re:AD+mood stab. for atypical BP » Cath78, posted by S.D. on January 10, 2001, at 12:42:54
> Lithium is well accepted as effective for depression (at least as an addition to an antidepressant.
> • Did either the lesser or greater depressions begin before you were 12 years old?
Yes I experienced some depression by age 12 but I wasn't suicidal for the first time until I was 13 years old.
>
>
> • Have the 'swings' occured at regular intervals or do they seem unpredictable or are they caused by external events?
Not regular intervals, and mostly unpredictable. I know that I struggle more with depression during the winter. Sometimes there are external events that contribute to my depression or which trigger it, but mostly it's random.> During less-depressed periods that ocurred *before* medication was helping, were you able to:
I didn't start on medication until I was 17 years old (I'll be 23 in less than a month), and during those less depressed periods before I started on meds I was able to function very well, I was capable of being an excellent student, I was athletic, and I had a few friends.
>
> • feel pleasure, at least briefly, from activities that should be pleasurable?
Yes, when I wasn't severely depressed I could briefly experience pleasure.
>
> • Is your current state on Zoloft less depressed than your unmedicated "little bit less depressed" periods?
Most of the time. But my unmedicated "little bit less depressed" periods are so long ago (relatively speaking) and there are so many things that have changed in my life since then that I really can't compare the two.
>
> • If you have felt persistantly low-energy or unmotivated when depressed, do you still?
I did experience little energy and no motivation when I was depressed. Most of the time now (on Zoloft) this isn't a problem, although I do have periods lasting a week or several days where I experience these symptoms of depression but usually I can force myself to do enough of what I'm supposed to be doing until the lack of energy period passes.Another thing I thought I'd add: I've been on prozac, effexor, lithium, depakote, wellbutrin, ritalin, neurontin, and trazadone.
Cath78
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.