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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Mandy on August 22, 2002, at 17:08:26
I diagnosed with bipolar in May and still don't feel right. Some days all I can do is get up--I can;t get out of my house. I have been in a structured program but that is stopping because of insurance. I am so afraid of getting suicidal again. Here are my meds: Prozac 80mg/day (on this med at this dose for many years and I do not think it does anything since I am still depressed,Neurontin 800mg three times a day but dr. said to stop it since it does not seem to do anything. Trileptal 600mg twice a day and I guess it has stablized my mood but in the depressed zone constantly. I also take seroquel 100 mg at night for sleep. And, on my own, I take ambien 10-30 mg when I just cannot relax. Now dr. has added Wellbutrin starting at 100mg/day and increaseing to 150 mg/day. Plus I take cozaar for hupertension and levoxyl for hypothyroid. SO MANY MEDS---Why do I still have a death wish?? Can anyone comment on this med combo and what might be better? I hate this disease and feel I am being consumed by it
Posted by moxy1000 on August 22, 2002, at 19:18:31
In reply to Bipolar and need help with so many meds, please, posted by Mandy on August 22, 2002, at 17:08:26
Geez, My neighbor is going through the same thing, and on a lot of the same meds. Have you considered asking for a new anti-depressant? Prozac is commonly known to interact with a lot of different drugs (not toxically or anything, it will just make some drugs less effective, or you will suffer worse side effects then normal on others.) I hear zoloft and celexa are better for people on a lot of different meds. It's worth asking about, at least. I took wellbutrin and did pretty well on that, except for a little agitation and insomnia. It gave me energy but I still felt depressed. Good luck.
Posted by Ritch on August 23, 2002, at 0:14:09
In reply to Bipolar and need help with so many meds, please, posted by Mandy on August 22, 2002, at 17:08:26
> I diagnosed with bipolar in May and still don't feel right. Some days all I can do is get up--I can;t get out of my house. I have been in a structured program but that is stopping because of insurance. I am so afraid of getting suicidal again. Here are my meds: Prozac 80mg/day (on this med at this dose for many years and I do not think it does anything since I am still depressed,Neurontin 800mg three times a day but dr. said to stop it since it does not seem to do anything. Trileptal 600mg twice a day and I guess it has stablized my mood but in the depressed zone constantly. I also take seroquel 100 mg at night for sleep. And, on my own, I take ambien 10-30 mg when I just cannot relax. Now dr. has added Wellbutrin starting at 100mg/day and increaseing to 150 mg/day. Plus I take cozaar for hupertension and levoxyl for hypothyroid. SO MANY MEDS---Why do I still have a death wish?? Can anyone comment on this med combo and what might be better? I hate this disease and feel I am being consumed by it
I hate polypharmacy too!
But, sometimes it is tough to do with just one or two meds. But, let's see, you are on these PSYCH meds:Antidepressants:
Prozac,
Wellbutrin,Antimanics:
Trileptal,
Neurontin,
Seroquel,Doc has said to dump the Neurontin because it isn't helping any? That's not uncommon. I would follow that advice, BUT withdraw it S L O W L Y, not all at once. DON'T change a lot of things at the same time and too close together. You will be totally lost as to what is helping or hindering your progress-I am totally guilty of that blunder. There is a definite withdrawal syndrome with Neurontin. It is short-lived though. It takes about two weeks (in my experience to work through). But mine was a very low-dose to withdraw from. You said you were on 800mg x3 daily? I would flip to 600mg x3 daily, for a week, then 400mg x3 daily for another, 300mg x3 daily for another, then 100mg 3x daily for two weeks, then off. That's five weeks, but you are on a fairly high dosage. That's your next step-a Neurontin withdrawal regime. You might be able to handle a faster withdrawal schedule with no troubles, but that is what *I* would follow if I was on that dosage.
good luck,
Mitch
Posted by swingsnroundabouts on August 23, 2002, at 9:59:43
In reply to Re: Bipolar and need help with so many meds, please » Mandy, posted by Ritch on August 23, 2002, at 0:14:09
Hi Mandy
Sounds like you feel like a rattling pill bottle! I have been there and know how this feels.
It sounds like your mood is low at the minute. Prozac does nothing for me personally. Venlafaxine (efexor) works but stops me sleeping. I'm now on mirtazapine (zispin / remeron) which is good for me (except for being continually hungry and having gained 14 lbs!).
It sometimes takes a while to get your meds right. I know that for me, efexor will get me out of a major depression, chlorpromazine will calm a manic episode, and that mirtazapine seems so far to be a good alternative antidepressant.
I don't take a mood stabiliser (advised not to) as I have very infrequent mood cycles - only one in 5 yrs. I have averted a manic relapse (I think) by taking chlorpromazine when I identified symptoms e.g. agitation, smoking more, feeling like I need less sleep, doing lots of activities (more than normal).
In the long term you will probably need less meds when you find out which work for you personally.
I hope this helps
Posted by alexs on August 23, 2002, at 17:31:39
In reply to Bipolar and need help with so many meds, please, posted by Mandy on August 22, 2002, at 17:08:26
My advice would be to drop the neurotin and triptal. I have been on 40 mg prozac for past four years,recently diagnosed bipolar and started on lamictal. As I SLOWLY raised the lamictal dose I would lose 10 mg prozac every few weeks. I am now on 10 mg of prozac and 100 mg lamictal.I feel much better now than on 40 mg prozac. I am not cycling, was rapid cycling, and I am not depressed. The lamictal does indeed have a antidepressant effect and you should be able to replace the two other drugs with it, and since the prozac is not helping I would reduce the dose as you increase the lamictal dose.
Posted by Gracie2 on August 23, 2002, at 22:33:31
In reply to Re: Bipolar and need help with so many meds, please, posted by alexs on August 23, 2002, at 17:31:39
I am also diagnosed and taking drugs for bipolar disorder and hypertension. At night, I take 400 mg Seroquel along with my hypertension meds, one of which slows my heart rate. I used to have a chronic problem with insomnia and this drug cocktail always puts me to sleep, with no need to increase the dosage to remain effective- a godsend.
This dosage of Seroquel is used to treat my bipolar symptoms and not specifically for insomnia, although it works well in this regard.
I've used Prozac and Paxil with little improvement. Now I'm taking Wellbutrin in the morning, and it seems to be helping.
Good luck to you-
Gracie
Posted by North on August 24, 2002, at 22:21:43
In reply to Re: Bipolar and need help with so many meds, please, posted by Gracie2 on August 23, 2002, at 22:33:31
Mandy, one thing that bothers me is the Prozac. My doc refuses to give me Prozac, or most other similar AD's under any circumstances. From what I've researched, she's in good company. Prozac may increase cycling in BP, and also it has a very long half life, so if you get into trouble, it will take weeks to eliminate from your system. I've started on Lamictal, which seems tř be working as an AD, in addition to Lithium, Serzone and Neurontin. I guess this can take a long time sometimes as I have been working at this for over two years now and still don't fell right. I woundn't worry about taking too many meds, everyone seems to these days.
This is the end of the thread.
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