Posted by blueberry on May 10, 2006, at 18:20:39
In reply to CLARIFYING....., posted by becksA on May 10, 2006, at 17:53:37
Depakote made you too foggy, yeah? Isn't that why you lowered it? I can relate to that. Did the same with me.
I really don't know if meds can cause symptoms that weren't there before, but logically it would seem they can. I mean, the brain is not static, it doesn't just stay the same. As meds influence the brain, receptors change in terms of density and sensitivity, and who knows what else changes at a molecular level. When the med is removed, or lowered, the brain is not the same as it was pre-med. It may or may not revert back to the way it was, but even if it did it would take at least as much time as you were on the med I would think.
I don't usually like to suggest antipsychotics. Have you ever tried zyprexa? I took it with depakote. For many people it has profound antianxiety effects. I remember the first time I had a panic attack (due to st johns wort withdrawals, xanax withdrawals, and smoking some extremely strong paranoid type marijuana). It was 5pm. I usually took my zyprexa at 7pm. I knew from experience it took 2 hours to kick in. I took it at 5pm. At about 6:30 the panicness was melting away. By 7pm it was completely gone and I swear zyprexa saved my life that night.
I only suggest the possibility of zyprexa because you have been through other options at high doses. Often times zyprexa can work wonderfully in those situations, because it is doing anti-anxiety stuff through other mechanisms that are being missed by benzos or mood stabilizers. The anxiety might just be over-sensitive dopamine or serotonin receptors, which zyprexa will block.
Just a thought. Like I said, I wouldn't normally suggest it. But when things are severe, that's what it is for. The cool thing is that no long trial is needed. You would know within 3 or 4 days, and likely even the first day, if it was helping a lot or not. And if it is some kind of mania/anxiety mixed, zyprexa is approved for bipolar.
poster:blueberry
thread:642197
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060510/msgs/642313.html