Posted by grapebubblegum on February 16, 2001, at 11:42:17
Nutshell history - My father was a longtime sufferer of bipolar disorder and was hospitalized several times and took, among others, lithium, tegretol, zoloft and clonazepam. Just yesterday my five-year-old son was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and was given a prescription for Zyprexa. But I am really asking a question about myself here.
I have been on and off Zoloft for years and it seems to control my panic disorder pretty well and keep depression under control, also. I never thought I had depression and can only see it now in hindsight; I always thought depression meant "sad" but to me, it has been more like oversensitive, easily angered/hurt, unable to let even small disagreements go, and feeling inappropriately guilty or responsible for things.
I am now taking a whopping 200 mg. of Zoloft per day and I am discouraged to find that because of a very stressful life situation I am trying to get out of but can't immediately, I am having breakthrough panic attacks. So far they have been short and treatable with clonazepam (in fact, since my Dr. upped my Zoloft dose from 100 to 200 mg. per day I think I have required less Klonopin to derail a panic attack, and I only get the attacks on the order of once or twice a month, anyway, so I never take Klonopin on an ongoing basis.) But the combination of my situation plus the return of panic attacks that have previously been under control for years has been making me feel at times that I may wind up in a hospital which I am trying to avoid because I am in a bitter custody battle and my spouse would try to use that against me.
Since my child was diagnosed I talked to my own psychiatrist who said she wants me to report how my son does on that medication and she may consider whether it would be a good medication for me. My question is: Does anyone know whether Zyprexa would help or aggravate panic attacks? I want to avoid them at all costs because they can be debilitating, i.e. immobilized and unable to speak in a hospital E.R. Luckily I have been able to handle all recent attacks at home with klonopin and sleep, but in the past I have been in the E.R. overnight (never admitted to hospital, though.) I have to admit that the sexual side effects of Zoloft are undesirable and I would consider trying something that doesn't cause such effects. Also, I know klonopin is not a long-term answer for me since at times I have been given so much klonopin that I could barely stand up or walk or see or speak and I was still panicking inside. The panic attack persisted until physical exhaustion and medicinal sedation put me to sleep.
I am kind of discouraged that the mammoth Zoloft dose plus mind-numbing doses of klonopin still barely keeps me out of the hospital and I am open to anyone's suggestions on what else might help. I am very prone to sedating effects of medications and am not typically a "nervous" or anxious person... it's like I don't perceive any anxiety till it knocks me over in a total attack. I don't think I'm a very depressed person in terms of feeling "sad" as much as being overly sensitive and overly "paranoid" about the disapproval or rejection of others, and easily overwhelmed by stress and unable to get work done for fear of not being able to do it right... that sort of thing.
Thanks for anyone's input, particularly on my Dr.'s idea about considering Zyprexa.
poster:grapebubblegum
thread:54157
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010212/msgs/54157.html