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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 6:41:32
I've been on Depakote 750mg/day for a few weeks now. I feel a slight, generalized improvement in mood, but nothing significant. Still have racing thoughts, interfering thoughts, anxiety (for which I have Xanax, but I can't take it during the day when I'm working), along with the usual rollercoaster of very deep depression over a course of several days improving to moderate depression before bottoming out again.
So, for you Depakote and other mood stabilizer vets, what does real mood stabilization feel like? I know it's a very subjective question, but I'm trying to figure out if I'm setting my expectations of the drug too high.
Thanks.
Posted by naughtypuppy on April 12, 2006, at 11:16:14
In reply to What does mood stabilization feel like?, posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 6:41:32
I've been taking Depakote 1000mg for over 2 months now and I've noticed that I'm a lot less irratible than before. I don't get that black rage over small things like I used to. Depakote is supposed to help with the anxiety/irratibility part of mood, but doesn't seem to do much for the depressive part. I feel occasional dips into depression, but that could be because the anxiety part was so overwhelming and the depressive part was just background noise until now. If you think of anxiety/depression as peaks and valleys the peaks have been greatly reduced but the valleys haven't been filled in. How do you find Depakote for motivation and amount of sleep.
Posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 12:52:33
In reply to What does mood stabilization feel like?, posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 6:41:32
Thanks for your thoughts. Right now, I feel some reduction in irritation, as you described, but not much in the way of anxiety reduction. Absolutely no effect on depression, though.
As to sleep, I seem to get to sleep easier, but wow are my dreams vivid.
Posted by bipolarspectrum on April 12, 2006, at 13:25:46
In reply to Re: What does mood stabilization feel like?, posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 12:52:33
Hey Grey,
I think I'm a great candidate to answer your question.. I've been on every single 'mood stabilizer' available in north america... i live in canada but I was also able to get access to those only availabe in america... I was on a drug cocktail of seroquel and lithium... I then added trileptal to this combo and much changed... mood stabilization is a REDUCTION of both depression and any manifestations of mania (anxiety, irritability, racing thoughts)... improvements in sleep are common as well... I personally think that if your experiencing depresion and/or mixed states and mania, then u can treat it effectively with mood stabilizers... depakote may not be for u, or it may not be effective as monotherapy... combos are much more effective as the drugs can work synergistically but require a sharp pdoc to administer them.... just my opinion, good luck!
bps
Posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 17:03:40
In reply to Re: What does mood stabilization feel like?, posted by bipolarspectrum on April 12, 2006, at 13:25:46
Thanks for your advice. I'm on a low dose of Depakote just to maintain until I eventually get in to see a new psydoc. I've been on lithium before in combination with ADs, to little positive effect. Perhaps the new doc will have a different perspective.
Posted by blueberry on April 12, 2006, at 18:11:28
In reply to What does mood stabilization feel like?, posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 6:41:32
I'm not sure, but I get the hunch that depakote works a lot better as part of a combination than it does on its own.
Posted by Phillipa on April 12, 2006, at 21:46:14
In reply to Re: What does mood stabilization feel like?, posted by blueberry on April 12, 2006, at 18:11:28
I don't see that much anymore on depacote usually trileptal or lamictal or lithium. Love Phillipa
Posted by naughtypuppy on April 13, 2006, at 10:49:19
In reply to Re: What does mood stabilization feel like?, posted by greywolf on April 12, 2006, at 12:52:33
> Thanks for your thoughts. Right now, I feel some reduction in irritation, as you described, but not much in the way of anxiety reduction. Absolutely no effect on depression, though.
>
Might take a higher dose and more time to reduce the irritability. It did for me. Still have an overall uneasyness and dips into depression.
> As to sleep, I seem to get to sleep easier, but wow are my dreams vivid.
>
>The dreams ARE really wild aren't they? Wonder why.
This is the end of the thread.
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