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Re: Sleep meds @ Blue boy

Posted by blueboy on May 31, 2008, at 10:13:32

In reply to Re: Sleep meds @ Blue boy, posted by garylee on May 29, 2008, at 14:25:43

> Hi Blueboy
>
> First off, it's a very well known fact that Bipolar's (especially type II/NOS like me) should NEVER take antidepressants, especially SSRI's. You will experience periods of none or small amounts of sleep as the SSRI will make you hypomanic, almost without a doubt.
>
> I was first diagnosed Bipolar back in 2000 after a 6 week trial on Prozac. I had no response whilst on it, but almost as soon as I came off I was hypomanic for the first time for a good few weeks. The med had triggered rapid cycling in me and after the hypomanic spell I hit the worst depression of my life, I was suicidal for a good while too. I was in a dark place. It was especially bad as I was spending the summer in Ibiza, constant sun, sand, sea, girls, clubbing. I wanted to stay in bed all day... That isn't normal.
>
> Anyhow, I have got a little better since then, by no way near remission but it is manageable now. I'd recommend taking a mood stabilizer such as Lamictal (a standard Bipolar MS). I also recommend Sulpiride, just a low dose, has very handy antidepressant qualities at around 100mgh - 200mg and also helps with general anxiety and social phobia.
>
> For sleep I take Seroquel (50mg) and Clonazepam (1mg), without this combo I could go for days without any sleep, just the way my brain works. I'm looking for a med to replace Seroquel because of the weight gain, but it'll do for now.
>
> Bipolar II's seem to react well to Dopaminergics, especially DA's such as Pramipexole and Ropinerole. I was almost in remission after a experiment with Pramipexole, long story, but I changed meds and second time round it didn't work.
>
> I could ramble on more, but I should let you get a comment in! What are your current meds?
>
> Gary
>

I was just diagnosed BP II a week or two ago. I dropped a chunk of change to see a diagnostic specialist at a research facility. I could bean my pdoc, although he's a good guy and I'm sure he's feeling embarrassed at bit (and he is, after all, the one who suggested the assessment/second opinion).

Yeah the SSRI's were rough on me. After very bad episodes with Wellbutrin and Effexor, I developed a solid case of restless leg syndrome. I don't know if they "caused" it or not, but I suspect some connection because -- well, because it feels exactly like the seizures I got from the Wellbutrin.

I started Lamactil 7 days ago, 25mg for two weeks then will go to 50mg and visit my pdoc after four weeks at 50.

BTW I had a crappy day yesterday, as I broke out in a weird rash and was really bummed out, since I have high hopes for the lamotrigine (after decades of antidepressant treatment and dozens of drugs). PLUS my dermatologist was out of town. But her partner skipped lunch to see me and said she was 100% sure it wasn't Stevens-Johnson and fairly sure it wasn't a reaction to the drug at all. She did a biopsy to make sure it was some sort of contact dermatitis rather than a side effect.



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