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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rachel on September 11, 1998, at 2:04:57
I've been taking 25mg of desipramine at bedtime, and 450mg eskalith cr, twice daily, for a year and a half. Since my last major depression (nine months of '95)i have been grateful just to function. Lately, however, i feel like i'm better and ready to make improvements. I want to be an artist again, and i want to quit smoking.
soooo, i got a scrip for wellbutrin sr--150mg, twice daily, with the desipramine, and lithium. it worked great! I had absolutely no desire to smoke, and other
nice effects---unfortunately it was nudging me toward hypomania---four hours of sleep and feeling fine is a very bad sign.
soooo, i kept taking the lithium and stopped both antidepressants. after three weeks of lithium only (i wanted to see if lithium alone would hold back depression)i started to get depressed. so back to desipramine and lithium.during my first depression, and first round of drug trials ( before the recognition of type II), i had been mis-diagnosed as unipolar. all the anti- depressants i tried had bizarre side effects. desipramine induced a hypomanic episode that lasted for six weeks after i stopped taking it. because of that, doctors would not prescribe it for me, until i demanded it, nine months into my third and last debilitating depression. before wellbutrin, desipramine was the only antidepressant that elevated my mood at all.
use i feel relatively strong and stable, i'm ready to seek the recipe that will help me be an artist again, and help me quit smoking---that's worth some trials.
so anyway, the next time i saw my psychiatrist, he raised the desipramine to 50mg, left the lithium and wellbutrin the same. (i had expected him to raise the lithium.)
after a month on that regimen, nothing has happened, except i'm sleeping more, because of the desipramine, that i can't sleep without.
sooo, i called and talked to his receptionist, to ask him where to go from there; she called me and said that he recommended "smokestoppers".
he's fired.
i realize that type two bipolar disorder is a convoluted pain in the brain, but if two experiments is all he'll attempt; how could he help me with something as complex as regaining my creativity?
how much i smoke, and how intensely i crave, has always changed with my moods. i think that quitting smoking may still be so hard, because, i am still very mildly depressed, and still don't have sufficient brain chemistry to cope with the stress of withdrawal.
what would you recommend as a good starting cocktail, to treat type 2 bipolarity and addiction? i'm in the market for a new brain m.d., and i'd like to compare notes.
Posted by Brian on September 28, 1998, at 3:59:38
In reply to II bipolar, lithium, desipramine, and wellbutrin, posted by rachel on September 11, 1998, at 2:04:57
I merely wanted to boost you a tad by saying that I thought you composed a clear and nifty query.
> I've been taking 25mg of desipramine at bedtime, and 450mg eskalith cr, twice daily, for a year and a half. Since my last major depression (nine months of '95)i have been grateful just to function. Lately, however, i feel like i'm better and ready to make improvements. I want to be an artist again, and i want to quit smoking.> soooo, i got a scrip for wellbutrin sr--150mg, twice daily, with the desipramine, and lithium. it worked great! I had absolutely no desire to smoke, and other
> nice effects---unfortunately it was nudging me toward hypomania---four hours of sleep and feeling fine is a very bad sign.
>
> soooo, i kept taking the lithium and stopped both antidepressants. after three weeks of lithium only (i wanted to see if lithium alone would hold back depression)i started to get depressed. so back to desipramine and lithium.> during my first depression, and first round of drug trials ( before the recognition of type II), i had been mis-diagnosed as unipolar. all the anti- depressants i tried had bizarre side effects. desipramine induced a hypomanic episode that lasted for six weeks after i stopped taking it. because of that, doctors would not prescribe it for me, until i demanded it, nine months into my third and last debilitating depression. before wellbutrin, desipramine was the only antidepressant that elevated my mood at all.
> use i feel relatively strong and stable, i'm ready to seek the recipe that will help me be an artist again, and help me quit smoking---that's worth some trials.
> so anyway, the next time i saw my psychiatrist, he raised the desipramine to 50mg, left the lithium and wellbutrin the same. (i had expected him to raise the lithium.)
> after a month on that regimen, nothing has happened, except i'm sleeping more, because of the desipramine, that i can't sleep without.
> sooo, i called and talked to his receptionist, to ask him where to go from there; she called me and said that he recommended "smokestoppers".
> he's fired.
> i realize that type two bipolar disorder is a convoluted pain in the brain, but if two experiments is all he'll attempt; how could he help me with something as complex as regaining my creativity?
> how much i smoke, and how intensely i crave, has always changed with my moods. i think that quitting smoking may still be so hard, because, i am still very mildly depressed, and still don't have sufficient brain chemistry to cope with the stress of withdrawal.
> what would you recommend as a good starting cocktail, to treat type 2 bipolarity and addiction? i'm in the market for a new brain m.d., and i'd like to compare notes.
Posted by SydBarrett on November 7, 2003, at 23:00:11
In reply to II bipolar, lithium, desipramine, and wellbutrin, posted by rachel on September 11, 1998, at 2:04:57
I'm on a cocktail of Lithium and wellbutrin in rather heavy dosage to control my very rapid onseting bp2, and it seems to work well. Cant say much for knocking off addiction, cept that when i was cutting back on the drinking, I spent three weeks at a buddhist monastary. Alone, no medicines of any kind. It helped my drinking problem, my LSD abuse, and my writing (im a professional writer)
Posted by EscherDementian on November 9, 2003, at 7:16:06
In reply to Re: II bipolar, lithium, desipramine, and wellbutrin, posted by SydBarrett on November 7, 2003, at 23:00:11
Thank you for the note about the monastery.
Was a Buddhist in many many yrs ago .... Jasahara in Marin...(my memory is not always so good on spellings)...and the SF Zen Center...
Gads i'd forgotten how it helped.
Escher
Posted by belter on March 31, 2004, at 3:59:48
In reply to Re: II bipolar, lithium, desipramine, and wellbutr, posted by Brian on September 28, 1998, at 3:59:38
> I merely wanted to boost you a tad by saying that I thought you composed a clear and nifty query.
>
>
> > I've been taking 25mg of desipramine at bedtime, and 450mg eskalith cr, twice daily, for a year and a half. Since my last major depression (nine months of '95)i have been grateful just to function. Lately, however, i feel like i'm better and ready to make improvements. I want to be an artist again, and i want to quit smoking.
>
> > soooo, i got a scrip for wellbutrin sr--150mg, twice daily, with the desipramine, and lithium. it worked great! I had absolutely no desire to smoke, and other
> > nice effects---unfortunately it was nudging me toward hypomania---four hours of sleep and feeling fine is a very bad sign.
> >
> > soooo, i kept taking the lithium and stopped both antidepressants. after three weeks of lithium only (i wanted to see if lithium alone would hold back depression)i started to get depressed. so back to desipramine and lithium.
>
> > during my first depression, and first round of drug trials ( before the recognition of type II), i had been mis-diagnosed as unipolar. all the anti- depressants i tried had bizarre side effects. desipramine induced a hypomanic episode that lasted for six weeks after i stopped taking it. because of that, doctors would not prescribe it for me, until i demanded it, nine months into my third and last debilitating depression. before wellbutrin, desipramine was the only antidepressant that elevated my mood at all.
>
> > use i feel relatively strong and stable, i'm ready to seek the recipe that will help me be an artist again, and help me quit smoking---that's worth some trials.
>
> > so anyway, the next time i saw my psychiatrist, he raised the desipramine to 50mg, left the lithium and wellbutrin the same. (i had expected him to raise the lithium.)
>
> > after a month on that regimen, nothing has happened, except i'm sleeping more, because of the desipramine, that i can't sleep without.
>
> > sooo, i called and talked to his receptionist, to ask him where to go from there; she called me and said that he recommended "smokestoppers".
>
> > he's fired.
>
> > i realize that type two bipolar disorder is a convoluted pain in the brain, but if two experiments is all he'll attempt; how could he help me with something as complex as regaining my creativity?
>
> > how much i smoke, and how intensely i crave, has always changed with my moods. i think that quitting smoking may still be so hard, because, i am still very mildly depressed, and still don't have sufficient brain chemistry to cope with the stress of withdrawal.
>
> > what would you recommend as a good starting cocktail, to treat type 2 bipolarity and addiction? i'm in the market for a new brain m.d., and i'd like to compare notes.
>
>
>
>Brian and R,
Thank you for your post.
I am also bipoloar, level 2, I think... my doctor thinks, therefor I am?Yes it is a cool battle.
I have tried, Lithium and CELEXIA (sp?) for my depression. It DID elevate my mood.
I was on too much lithium however 1200 mg!! yikes. So personally I would of recommended for myself, 300-600 mg of Lith. and 20mg of cilexa for the down times, as maintence etc.
too much Lithium made me.... well a zombie.
I too am a creative. I need to soar, and to be grounded, thus the salt of the earth.. Ya I get it now, hard to gulp that one down at first.
I think the problem with the diagnosis is: It is too narrow for our minds.
Quest: Are you sleeping?
Yes, then how long.
Yes, 6-8 hours. Great, then: do you feel rested once you are awake?
If NO, then, perhaps you are giving too much of yourself, and not recieving? Or you are in a manic phase perhaps and burning out? Watch for the down, depression for the answer Batman... ok cheif.Quest: Are you shopping?
Heavens YES! That's what I do, my life mission is love and joy, surrounded in beauty. So tough one for my Doc. to handle. However:
Ask:Are your bills paid? On time this month?
If yes, great, then: Have you savings?
If no: then perhaps you want to put some away before you spend what's left?
Ok... that sounds like common sense to me.So.... the 4 wealth secrets are... savings, taxes, lifestyle then bills, according to:
The amazing, Doctor Dean Martini.
WOW, I guess we need a Spiritual advisor too? U huh, oy ya baby. That's the ticket.
I use spiritual guides, many of them, horse whisper, intuitive, Nassa North in Calgary, Si Baba - look alike, I think.
So now I am.... feeling great, I was off the lithium and drugs all together, until my sister (the bratt, but a good one), called my Doc.
My Doc. went scared post on me. I had to justify why I think in possibilites, and "yes" I am bipolar and I GROUND myself, like salt, with walking in the woods, hanging with horses (the only truth, truth), my cat and dogs.
So that is my experience.
Perhaps I can write my own book once I am finished with my experience.I will always be BIPOLAR, as to me this signifies an amazing quest to unite heave and earth, east and west etc...
I am very grateful for being such a genius!
And I apply my knowledge!
Hugs to all.
Posted by shocker147 on June 2, 2004, at 12:26:44
In reply to Re: II bipolar, lithium, desipramine, and wellbutr, posted by Brian on September 28, 1998, at 3:59:38
My doctor has added 30 mg of desipramine to my meds. 10 mg in the morning, 10 in the afternoon, and 10 at night. I stopped smoking cigarettes (to which I was INCREDIBLY addicted) about two weeks after, and the desire to smoke a cigarette was extremely mild.
Posted by zeugma on June 4, 2004, at 4:29:38
In reply to Desipramine and smoking, posted by shocker147 on June 2, 2004, at 12:26:44
Desipramine's cousin, nortriptyline, has proved to be an effective anti-smoking med.
Posted by Somaticide on June 4, 2004, at 20:11:12
In reply to Re: Desipramine and smoking, posted by zeugma on June 4, 2004, at 4:29:38
What kind of drugs are desipramine and nortriptyline? How do they work and what are they used for?
Posted by zeugma on June 5, 2004, at 18:41:31
In reply to Re: Desipramine and smoking, posted by Somaticide on June 4, 2004, at 20:11:12
> What kind of drugs are desipramine and nortriptyline? How do they work and what are they used for?
desipramine and nortriptyline are tricyclic antidepressants, which were more widely used before the adent of SSRI's. They work more on norepinephrine reuptake than on serotonin. They are more useful than SSRI's for conditions of chronic pain, melancholic depression, and probably severe depression as well.
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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