Posted by fluffy on March 11, 2004, at 12:05:35
In reply to Re: Bipolar success stories?, posted by bark2323 on March 8, 2004, at 12:47:11
So I have a question for you. My doc recently took me off trileptal (hence my MIGHT statement) since he thinks Ive been getting hypomanic more and more.
***Has there been a discussion about raising your Trileptal levels? Or does it not seem to be cutting the mustard (in terms of mania control)
I was just wondering what benefits you have found from using fish oil?
***Hmm. Not sure yet. I've been taking it for 6 months now at 1-2 grams. I THINK it helps with irritability, but it's hard to say for sure. From what I hear, it may take like 6 months to a year to fully kick in. The dosing is also moot, but most studies show 2 grams to be the most beneficial. All in all, it is subtle for me so far. But my nails and skin are real purdy. It's inexpensive if you buy in bulk and don't get reeled in to the expensive health-food store brands.
Also, any comments on depakote would be helpful. Ive tried it before, but it made me anxious when I started and possibly 'blunted me' a bit, so I never gave it a fair trial. Have you noticed either of these side effects, and if so, where they transient?
***Unfortunately, I CAN'T tolerate ANY other first-line mood stabilizers. So in the end, we've stuck with Depakote. It made me feel really sleepy and depressed for the first 5 days (I was already very depressed, though). But the sleepiness and "drugged" feeling made me feel really bad. Within 5 days, the ultradian cycling had stopped, and I've settled into a more subtle cycle of about a week long. Other than sleepiness, I've had no side effects that have lasted. I noticed that when I bump the dose up, it's a lot easier to tolerate than when I first got the drug in my system. I barely notice. It's been 2 months now, and it hasn't kicked my butt, and I feel better. I guess I notice a "dull" feeling, but it's not terrible, and it beats cycling like crazy.
best of luck,
Katy
poster:fluffy
thread:221828
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040308/msgs/323259.html