Posted by olysi79 on February 3, 2005, at 16:31:32
In reply to Re: BP- periodic bouts of depression - any advice?, posted by med_empowered on February 3, 2005, at 12:51:12
Hye, thanks for your input. I take 900 MGS, what did you take?
I don't like to think that i have "resistant depression" for the record, but it hits now and again VERY intensely, depending upon how much sleep I am getting, stress levels, and whether or not I am eating right. I have some friends who have this too. One in particular is BP and he has this happen to him, even though he is on wellbutrin, Lexapro, depakote, tegretol, and Klonopin. But I'd still say he's a far cry from resistant. When I think resistant I think frequent hospitalizations and ECT, just so we're on the same page.
I Don't think I'll give up SSRIS because they work for OCD. I have to be careful about hypomnias though. Luvox in particular has had this effect on me. I'd bounce between feeling like I was on speed to intense anxiety and despair, awful feeling.
Many people ahve what you have described, the searing anxiety in the morning. I keep Klonopin handy but since it is not a long term treatment option (in my opinion, with its addiction potential), I won't go with it in the long haul. I am going to add Wellbutrin to the mix to balance my dopamine/NE, keep my SSRI, and hold onto to the trileptal.
I use Zyprexa because it is a killer for irrational thinking. I think taking that occasionally with a regular dose of Wellbutrin to keep dopamine levels balanced may be good idea. Alot of people on the site actually use Zyprexa daily with Wellbutrin. EPS is definetely a factor, and akathisia is intensely unpleasant, so I hear that. With the Zyprexa dopamine blockage EPS can be hardcore, but perhaps augmenting with Wellbutrin would help to boost up the dopamine availablity and not make it so harsh.> hey! I'm a former trileptal user myself (my meds are in the midst of yet another change)...what's your dosage? I too sometimes had those bouts of intense depsair, etc...sometimes it would hit just when I woke up, kind of like a panic attack. I found Klonopin helped these feelings and panic, as well; its THE benzo for bipolar, since it has mood-stabilizing properties...it seems to help some people with resistant depression, though it can cause/worsen depression in others. I also personally found that the SSRIs just didn't cut it for me. Although shrinks love cleaner drugs for bipolar, I found I needed something along the lines of Effexor, Tofranil, or Cymbalta for relief. A tricyclic is the ultimate defense against misery before ect or maois; getting a shrink to rx it for bipolars is hard (more likely to activate mania), but not impossible. Switching to lamictal might help, but I personally think switching your mood-stabilizer is a big deal in bp. As for zyprexa...if you want MORE dopamine, cut it out completely. Its a neuroleptic, and neuroleptics clamp down hardcore on dopamine. In addition, stopping a neurleptic leads to rebound of dopamine that can cause all kinds of problems if the drug was taken continuously, long-term. Plus, if you factor in the risks inherent in antipsychotic use (tardive dyskinesia, akathisia, cognitive impairment), I think you'll also come to the conclusion that you're better off antipsychotic-free. Good luck!
poster:olysi79
thread:452422
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050202/msgs/452547.html