Posted by willow02 on November 5, 2002, at 21:27:41
I was recently diagnosed (2mo.s ago). I am BP 1 Rapid Cycler.
Before I was diagnosed I was put on Paxil b/c I was severely depressed, and at 10mg/day for 4 days I was flying so high I just stopped taking it. Got too manic.
After diagnosed, I was put on Lithium which barely helps. And I had to deal with some uncomfortable ultra rapid cycling which I suspect is from the Paxil - this went away after about a month, I think.
The mild mania lasted for 2 months and was pretty bearable. Not severe. Got lots of work done. Didn't mind insomnia (more work hours, way more projects and creativity, and I didn't get tired) and had Klonopin just in case which helped.
Then I crashed again which was unbearable.
I knew how strongly Paxil affected me and told my temp pdoc that it probably wasn't a good idea though it was his first suggestion.
Now I have been on remeron 15mg 1 week and I hate it. No noticable improvement, and my day is now only 12 hours because of the drastic sleep.
My depressions generally only last 2 weeks anyway. Should I even be bothering with remeron? Or should I have tried the Paxil on the ultra-short term, knowing I was risking ultra rapid cycling/mixed states?
I'm still depressed and for me the remeron makes life worse. Paxil is a super quick fix for me. Should I go for it? My pdoc is temporary and encourages me to make my medication decisions. I am at the point now where I just want to switch from remeron to paxil without consulting them first - but I could probably put a call in tomorrow. I just don't want to sound irrational or be a nuisance.
It's just that I told them no to the paxil a week ago emphasizing the neg. side effects of rapid cycling and mania, but now I want that quick fix, and remeron seems a more long term thing, so why am i bothering to waste my time with it if my depressions are so short?
I am also on lithium and it is not working. this is so frustrating. We are going to work on the mood stabilizer after the anti-d. and I just feel like I made the wrong choice with the anti-d. How do you think my pdoc will feel if I call with a reversal after going to the trouble of starting on remeron? Because he's only temporary I am not sure if he knows my depressions are so short... and remeron definitely seems long term, so in effect I am suffering the side effects for a week while my depression should be petering out of its own accord. On the other hand, the paxil would abolish the depression but I don't know how drastic this high would be now that I'm on lithium or how severe the side effects afterwards. any advice?
Willow02
poster:willow02
thread:126601
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021101/msgs/126601.html