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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by heaven help me on May 16, 2006, at 21:54:08
You can already tell that it's probably not a good idea for me to get on here at night. But I feel so caught inside a chem experiment and don't have a clue what I should do or can expect. Can you take time to read this?
3yrs ago I was diagnosed BP2, insomnia as presenting symptom, mood swings, suicidal deductions and despair thrown in there. Since then I have tried many mixes of meds with the only one that seemed to work to be Prozac, Zyprexa and Ambien. After a 35lb weight gain and blood sugars over the top we decided to go off the Zprexa (hell in itself, but it's done!)
After some other mixes I am now on:
Geodon 120mg, Lamictal 200mg, Resotoril nightly, Prozac 20mg in the am. As of today I am on Valium for vertigo as well (the newest "side effect"?). I feel emotionally ok, anxiety and intense jitteryness increases each day as it gets later. By afternoon I have internal nervous shakes, as well as external jolts, my nerves are shot and raw and even the littlest suddenty sends me through the roof (even the tender little hand of one of my children on my shoulder - it's so sad.) I am very heightened, like hypersensitive to external stimuli, all the while feeling emotionally ok (I do take Lorazepam sometimes which ony barely takes the edge off). By the time I go to bed I have to lay there with the lights on to keep my mind for running off in some negative direction, or much too fast direction, or neurotic direction. I sleep "OK" but not at all the real thing where you wake up rested. Some days I wake up ready to go at least, other days I think I can't get out of bed (seems to be linked to Lorazepam too close to bed time?) The fact is that I DON'T KNOW! When I call or see my Dr. he usually just makes a change and it all starts all over again with a new face. I don't know what works or how and I am getting really, really worn out from trying to figure this out. I sure could use some direct information if you've had experience (or encouragement) with what I'm on. I did some searches and find lots of mixed stuff. Please, anyone, please.
Now I am going to bed because you know I should not stay on here, but I am checking back in the morning. Oh, and rjlockhart, I'm still sending up some prayers for you!
xo all
Mary
Posted by Phillipa on May 16, 2006, at 22:42:06
In reply to this is what I'm on,someone please give insights, posted by heaven help me on May 16, 2006, at 21:54:08
Well since you're going to bed I'm hoping the valium gives you sleep. Let us know how you feel in the morning. Sweet Dreams Love Phillipa
Posted by TJO on May 17, 2006, at 5:36:20
In reply to this is what I'm on,someone please give insights, posted by heaven help me on May 16, 2006, at 21:54:08
> You can already tell that it's probably not a good idea for me to get on here at night. But I feel so caught inside a chem experiment and don't have a clue what I should do or can expect. Can you take time to read this?
> 3yrs ago I was diagnosed BP2, insomnia as presenting symptom, mood swings, suicidal deductions and despair thrown in there. Since then I have tried many mixes of meds with the only one that seemed to work to be Prozac, Zyprexa and Ambien. After a 35lb weight gain and blood sugars over the top we decided to go off the Zprexa (hell in itself, but it's done!)
> After some other mixes I am now on:
> Geodon 120mg, Lamictal 200mg, Resotoril nightly, Prozac 20mg in the am. As of today I am on Valium for vertigo as well (the newest "side effect"?). I feel emotionally ok, anxiety and intense jitteryness increases each day as it gets later. By afternoon I have internal nervous shakes, as well as external jolts, my nerves are shot and raw and even the littlest suddenty sends me through the roof (even the tender little hand of one of my children on my shoulder - it's so sad.) I am very heightened, like hypersensitive to external stimuli, all the while feeling emotionally ok (I do take Lorazepam sometimes which ony barely takes the edge off). By the time I go to bed I have to lay there with the lights on to keep my mind for running off in some negative direction, or much too fast direction, or neurotic direction. I sleep "OK" but not at all the real thing where you wake up rested. Some days I wake up ready to go at least, other days I think I can't get out of bed (seems to be linked to Lorazepam too close to bed time?) The fact is that I DON'T KNOW! When I call or see my Dr. he usually just makes a change and it all starts all over again with a new face. I don't know what works or how and I am getting really, really worn out from trying to figure this out. I sure could use some direct information if you've had experience (or encouragement) with what I'm on. I did some searches and find lots of mixed stuff. Please, anyone, please.
> Now I am going to bed because you know I should not stay on here, but I am checking back in the morning. Oh, and rjlockhart, I'm still sending up some prayers for you!
> xo all
> MaryHi,
I have heard other stories of Zyprexa causing weight gain, you're not alone. I think the Geodon is causing your "hypersensitivity" as an EPS (extrapyramidal symptom).
I think you should switch from Geodon to Seroquel as your anti-psychotic. Seroquel can be sedating and might remove the need for a sleeping pill, take care of the shakes, slow down your thoughts and etc. You can take as much as 1600 mg of the Seroquel although common usage is only up to 800 mg.
If you only switch 1 med at a time, you will be able to evaluate the effects of each change instead of starting all over.Good Luck
Tammy
Posted by blueberry on May 17, 2006, at 6:13:40
In reply to this is what I'm on,someone please give insights, posted by heaven help me on May 16, 2006, at 21:54:08
Hi Mary,
As a long time prozac (8 years) and zyprexa user (5 years) I can offer some comments to think about.
It didn't develop until after a few years, but I did start getting that late day nervousness you spoke of. Exactly the way you described. I couldn't tell if it was the prozac or zyprexa or the combination.
After getting off prozac those symptoms diminished quite a bit but were still there.
I weaned off zyprexa. That was very very hard.
Beginning about a week after I was all done with it, I got the same hypersensitivity you spoke of. Exactly the way you described. After 10 weeks being med free, I had to give up and go back on zyprexa. The hypersensitivity diminished quite a bit, but is still there a little bit. I am only on half the dose I used to be.My gut feeling tells me it has something to do with the combination, that both meds contribute. And that long after zyprexa has been discontinued, symptoms continue for a long time and maybe indefinitely. At least 10 weeks for me with no hint of letting up.
Suggestions...replace prozac with another ssri that is more suited for anxiety...such as lexapro or paxil. One that is cleaner and more specific to just serotonin. Prozac is not clean in that way. You can do a cross taper. Just stop prozaz and then slowly over a two week period introduce the new med in very small amounts (lexapro 2.5mg example). After the majority of the prozac is out of your system, about 2 weeks, then you can move up the doses of the new med.
You might have to try a different antipsychotic. Seroquel is a possibility. Risperdal is a possibility. Both are good for anxiety hypersensitivity stuff. Or possibly go back on zyprexa with a carefully strategized diet to control blood sugar.
In any case, based on my own experience, I would point the finger at prozac, and I would point the finger at zyprexa even though you have been off of it. I think somehow zyprexa creates some supersentivity on the dopamine receptors after they have been accustomed to being blocked. Possibly the same thing with the 5th2 serotonin receptors.
In the meantime, benzos like xanax and klonopin can help a lot, if they don't worsen your depression.
Posted by crazy777girl on May 18, 2006, at 0:04:34
In reply to this is what I'm on,someone please give insights, posted by heaven help me on May 16, 2006, at 21:54:08
> You can already tell that it's probably not a good idea for me to get on here at night. But I feel so caught inside a chem experiment and don't have a clue what I should do or can expect. Can you take time to read this?
> 3yrs ago I was diagnosed BP2, insomnia as presenting symptom, mood swings, suicidal deductions and despair thrown in there. Since then I have tried many mixes of meds with the only one that seemed to work to be Prozac, Zyprexa and Ambien. After a 35lb weight gain and blood sugars over the top we decided to go off the Zprexa (hell in itself, but it's done!)
> After some other mixes I am now on:
> Geodon 120mg, Lamictal 200mg, Resotoril nightly, Prozac 20mg in the am. As of today I am on Valium for vertigo as well (the newest "side effect"?). I feel emotionally ok, anxiety and intense jitteryness increases each day as it gets later. By afternoon I have internal nervous shakes, as well as external jolts, my nerves are shot and raw and even the littlest suddenty sends me through the roof (even the tender little hand of one of my children on my shoulder - it's so sad.) I am very heightened, like hypersensitive to external stimuli, all the while feeling emotionally ok (I do take Lorazepam sometimes which ony barely takes the edge off). By the time I go to bed I have to lay there with the lights on to keep my mind for running off in some negative direction, or much too fast direction, or neurotic direction. I sleep "OK" but not at all the real thing where you wake up rested. Some days I wake up ready to go at least, other days I think I can't get out of bed (seems to be linked to Lorazepam too close to bed time?) The fact is that I DON'T KNOW! When I call or see my Dr. he usually just makes a change and it all starts all over again with a new face. I don't know what works or how and I am getting really, really worn out from trying to figure this out. I sure could use some direct information if you've had experience (or encouragement) with what I'm on. I did some searches and find lots of mixed stuff. Please, anyone, please.
> Now I am going to bed because you know I should not stay on here, but I am checking back in the morning. Oh, and rjlockhart, I'm still sending up some prayers for you!
> xo all
> MaryDear Mary, I may not be the perfect person to give advice, but am also bipolar, and while I have not read all responses to your post, I feel compelled to say this; my experience with meds has taught me that there is no way to tell what will work for any one, other than thru trial and error. Unfortunately, error abounds. I was diagnosed 7 years ago, but for the first 5 years, thought I was holding my own pretty well w/ a mix of just a couple of meds, certainly nothing like the cocktail I take now. My last 2 years have been a flurry of drugs in every combination & dose level imaginable, w/ any side effect you could dream up. Including diabetes, while on Seroquel. I'm still not on a perfect mix, and like you, I dread every talk or visit w/ my doc, as I hate the med adjustments & side effects. I'm now on an unconventional combo that my pharmacist called to my attention as dangerous and my insurance company wouldn't approve on first pass (in combination) as these drug types are never taken together. Nothing else has worked, however, so we're trying this. It's frustrating. Don't give up hope that one of the combinations, if not a perfect mix, might make an improvement that will give you a better grip on things. If you give up, it could be the very next thing you try that works. That's how I look at it. By the way, I also take 200mg of Lamictal every nite. I take mood stabilizers, an anti-psychotic, a tricyclic anti-depressant, an anti-anxiety med, an AM stimulant, & have just started the new patch EMSAM. I'm not really sure if it's working, I don't quite know what to expect yet. If this isn't the right mix, I'll have to keep trying, you will, too. You're right, we are 'experimenting'. If you haven't already cut your caffeine intake, that may help slightly. It also seems that this board is full of people like us who have been where we are and have more experience and answers than we do. I think we're in a good place.
This is the end of the thread.
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