Posted by Abby on June 30, 2000, at 22:47:50
I've been reading through kerry's posts, and it's obvious that her treatment regimen is not adequate. Nor does she seem to be in a situation where she can do much herself. I think she doesn't have any choice about what doctors she sees. I think it's going to be a somewhat unusual solution. I am not as informed about older and foreign medications as other people are. And right now my brain is in a macro, overarching kind of mode. In short analyzing what neurotransmitters are amiss and how the response to one drug might indicate what other drugs should be considered.
I believe that currently kerry is on stelazine and has bad side effects. These are pacing,"irritability in the legs" and excessive staring.
Diagnosis--Schizoaffective
History-- Multiple hospitalizations.
1995- Presented with severe depression and rage. Given prothiedine (sp?) an antidepressant ---obviously not an SSRI-- by GP. HOSPITAL Overdosed and in ICU but refused psych hospitalization. SYMPTOM Went home despite hearing voices.
At home further PSYCHOSIS. Heard voices. Demons were entering her body. "People" came by and were invited to chat.
INVOLUNTARY COMMITMENT
1.) Valium and Melleril--Bad side effects. (kerry, perhaps you could elaborate.)
2.) Switched to stelazine and aropax.POST COMMITMENT--Maintained stelazine and aropax until another episode. 4 hospitalizations in the intervening time.
Valium overdose while in hospital.
1.) Meds: Neulactil and Tegretol. Side effects: EPS specifically mouth contortions.
2.) Meds: Lithium and Risperidone. Side effects: Muscle. (which kind--TD, dystonia?)
3.) Meds: Zyprexa (Lithium still?) Side effects: Same as with risperidone.
4.) Meds: Zoloft and (Lithium?) Problem: Got sick. Kerry--do you mean that it made you vomit or that it triggered another episode?
5.) Meds: Lithium. No remission
6.) Meds: Stelazine. As above "leg irritability", staring and pacing.My own suggestions are very limited, but typing all this out has made me think through a couple of things. I think, though, that this is a tough case and will need a lot of input from others here.
Mellerill is, as far as I can tell, a crappy drug. It's cheap though and public hospitals still use it.
If kerry needs an anxiolytic, would Ativan be a better choice?
Tegretol is an anticonvulsant. What's neulactil? (sounds like it might be one too.) Anticonvulsants all work differently. So this might be an avenue to explore. The problem with Zoloft, sounds like SSRI induced mania, seems to be the tipoff concerning the bipolar compnent i.e. the affective part of schizoaffective. And that means you need some sort of mood stabilizing drug. Also, consider fish oils.
That you had severe side effects on risperdal and zyprexa---both of which are newer atypical antipsychotics and are not supposed to cause problems---is interesting and must be important.
kerry doesn't mention her financial situation. kerry-- do you have money to pay out of pocket for drugs you order from abroad? Would something like reboxetine be good to try for her depression?
I'm wondering if lamictal or topomax might be worth trying.I don't know enough about antipsychotics. Could some other type of drug help kerry's chemistry?
Sorry for the confusion with switching between she and you.
John L, AndrewB, Adam?
Abby
poster:Abby
thread:38901
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000630/msgs/38901.html