Posted by Mitch on August 6, 2001, at 8:37:00
In reply to What do mood stabilizers feel like?, posted by MM on August 6, 2001, at 3:07:25
> What are mood stabilizers supposed to feel like? How do you know if one is working? How do you know if you're on the wrong one?
> I just started depakote ER 500mg a few days ago (friday night), so maybe I'll figure this out once I've been on it for a couple weeks, but so far I've been kind of irritable (like a few minutes of feeling semi-intense anger), have been confused, kind of slow/sluggish/dull, my sleep isn't very restful and it's almost like someone took a giant sponge and soaked up all my feelings (numb, flat) but I'm left with what seems like more depression (the same feeling I had before I tried SSRI's (like a slower paced depression than after I tried them, if that makes any sense (mixed episode?)). Does it get any better? If it doesn't, should I switch, or is this just what a mood stabilizer does (which is what I'm guessing)? It couldn't be the 10mg paxil could it?
> So far I guess I can tolerate this, but it's not great. I had a shaking episode tonight (like a panic attack, from a stressful situation popping up) and I haven't had one in a few months at least. That seems odd because this combo's main purpose is for anxiety.
>
> Anyway sorry for such a long post. Thanks in advance for any replies.
I haven't found Depakote by itself to work that well for mood stabilization (both sides anyway). It seems great for slowing you down, it just doesn't seem to have much antidepressant activity to it. I know there are some folks that it helps a lot there, but I never got that out of it. I take some Neurontin with it and that makes a big difference.Mitch
poster:Mitch
thread:73741
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010804/msgs/73755.html