Posted by hotagent339 on January 2, 2005, at 10:14:09
In reply to Re: Stigmata » hotagent339, posted by chemist on January 1, 2005, at 21:35:15
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> hello there, chemist here...tell your family that topamax is a drug categorized as an antiepileptic: this is true, as the drug is approved for use as an antiseizure medication, and an adjunct to a primary one at that (hence the utility prescribed off-label for mood disorders being of questionable validity, to say the least)....lamictal was approved as - yes - an antiepileptic drug, and only recently as a augmentation for prolonging the length of time between mood swings (broadly defined) in patients suffering from bipolar I disorder: it has been used as monotherapy, yet alone or in combination with a primary med for acute mania, lamictal does not prevent or diminish the mood swings but does appear to attenuate the frequency.
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> tell the folks you're epileptic and ask your psychiatrist why you are taking antiepileptic meds of limited if not no use for anxiety next time you visit: there are alternatives that actually work, and have been proven to be effective over a long period of time...all the best, chemistHi Chemist,
I guess heres my dilemma. My inlaws and I have been fighting for quite some time now. We have written emails back and forth and they are emotionally dead. He is a big shot lawyer and cant understand that people have feelings. He only can argue facts of a situation. One of the emails I wrote to them was completely immature and was a release of pent up anger. My hubby never acted as an ambassador to our family so I was basically alone in my struggle. I was furious. So, my inlaws brought my emails to their psychologist and HE diagnosed me as mentally ill!
It didnt help that my husband broke a promise to me by telling them that I started seeing a psychiatrist. It only fueled the fire Im sure to their label of me. Im just furious that the meds Im on prove them right? This is the stigma that Im talking about. I firmly believe that I am just a highly emotional person put in a very stressful sitution with NO help. During all of this, I started my own business, raising a toddler, figuring out finances with my husband, etc.One thing I have noticed is that I have always bitten my nails..my whole life. Since being on these meds I have no desire to and actually have long, nice nails!! Is nail biting a sign of bipolar? I have found it to be a symptom of anxiety. I have tried lots of meds in the past to "fix me" like zoloft, welbutrin, etc but all with side effects like lack of sex drive. My husband would then get on me for not having a normal sex life so I got off of those. I also felt like a zombie.
Ive read the definitions of bipolar and the mania is NOT me at all!!!! I am a passionate person but nothing at all like the description Ive seen. On the flip side, I was down after my daughter was born and when I was in school not knowing which career to pursue. I can attribute many of my "down" times to specific things going on in my life. If anything, I need some coping skills, not meds and a label.
I know you said you were a chemist and not a therapist, so thanks for hearing me out. That said, any suggestions on the chemical side after hearing this??
Thanks,
Molly
poster:hotagent339
thread:436389
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041228/msgs/436744.html