Posted by polarbear206 on May 15, 2002, at 12:13:59
In reply to New Questions=New Diagnosis In Progress=Thanks, posted by Leighwit on May 14, 2002, at 10:49:55
> Someone here wrote recently about irritable and dysphoric moods as part of the bi-polar spectrum even without any episodes of mania whatsoever. They also linked a site titled "Dr. Ivan's Depression Central" and I cannot find the post using the site search engine. (I must be doing something wrong).
>
> In any case, if you're recognizing this as the author I'm referring to, please respond, so I can thank you again.
>
> I saw my Pdoc yesterday, and she agreed that I should try Lamictal, and that it's possible I am not unipolar. !!! She didn't actually give me a new diagnosis yet, but talked about why I might meet the criteria for a cyclothymic (I'm not sure that was the word she used -- sounded like it) type. She also said that since nothing across the board had worked in terms of AD meds, perhaps a mood-stabilizer had been needed all along.
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> I guess she's waiting to see if the Lamictal works, and if it does then she'd "backwards-engineer" the diagnosis. At this point, given the dismal performance of everything else that's been tried, it sounds like that's as good a diagnostic tool as anything else (process of drug elimination?)
>
> I'll start tomorrow. I can't believe the many ADs I've taken for over a decade might have been excaserbating my condition instead of treating it. On the other hand, I'll be greatful if this works.
>
> Speaking of gratitude, thanks to everyone who responded to my posts about Wellbutrin and irritability and questions about the Bi-Polar Spectrum. I had no idea that someone without any mania should think/look outside of the box in terms of their unipolar depression diagnosis. I had been using a number of erroneous assumptions in deciding to just "grin and bear it" year in, and year out.
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> Lamictal might not be the answer. But at least I'm asking new questions and have been told by a Pdoc that they are valid questions. If it weren't for this site, I wouldn't be asking any of them.
>
> Thanks again,
> LaurieHi again Laurie! Here is the web address.
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.html
I'm not very computer savvy, so I might of goofed when I gave you this address. I'm glad you took my advice and asked your pdoc about trying Lamictal. Keep me posted with your progress. I might of suggested this in this post to you last time, a great book to read is "Why Your Depression Isn't getting better",by Michael R. Bartos M.D. You can order it through amazon.com. There is a FAQ sheet on Lamictal in the web site above. Good Luck, Laura.
poster:polarbear206
thread:106330
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020510/msgs/106521.html