Posted by bleauberry on October 16, 2009, at 17:34:30
In reply to Panic Attack - Depression/Anxiety Setting In Fast, posted by BearNCrow on October 15, 2009, at 21:11:52
> I'm bipolar and was rapid cycling in July and August.
I feel the above statement is a bad way to think of yourself. When someone attaches the name of a disease to themeselves as "this is who I am", that itself is the wrong direction to initiate healing. With bipolar, it isn't even a disease. It is some name invented for a bizarre set of symptoms that have many biological causes, some of which have nothing to do with a fault in the nervous system.
A better way to view it is, "My name is XYZ, I'm an awesome person, but this weird pattern of ups and downs is seriously disrupting my life." Keep the "you" and the "disease" separated. The disease is not you.
> What do people think of Lexapro as an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety medication for people who are bipolar? I am also taking Lithium 1800mg, Risperdal 6mg and Klonopin 2mg (when I'm not taking 3mg like I am currently). And what is this Parnate that so many of you are talking about? Are my meds a good combo for me or should I be talking to my doctor about other options? I just want the depression and anxiety to turn right around and go away!
>
> I strongly feel the need to be stabilized by January 1 when I make the big move. I anticipate an Ohio winter to be a challenge on my depression -- that and all the other changes I'll be delaing with that I mentioned above. So this gives me 2 1/2 months to try and find the right medication combination. Oy.I don't know what symptoms led to a diagnosis of mania in your case. Irritibility, insomnia, anxiety, fear, going to fast... are caused by many other biochemical disruptions that have nothing to do with so-called bipolar.
Those are very high doses. Risperdal 6mg I believe would cause most people some serious psychological problems probably worse than the ones intended to be treated. Lithium 1800mg, same. Bottom line, if they are not controlling the symptoms they were intended to at those high doses, then how could any doctor claim with a straight face those drugs are good choices for you? Just glancing from the other side of the fence, those meds seem off-target from whatever is really going on. Sure they are logical choices according to a schematic flowchart of treatment. But when they don't control symptoms, they don't control symptoms, period, end of story. I don't think any amount of crossing your fingers or praying or anything else is going to magically make them wake up and do something miraculous.
Lexapro 5mg is a low dose. High dose for me, but low dose for most anyone else. I don't know you or your history, but as I read between the lines of your post and look for clues, I rather quickly came to the conclusion that you should probably not be on high dose lithium, high dose risperdal, or any ssri. Instead, if I were a doc and you were my patient, I would be turning things in the direction of low dose lithium, low dose zyprexa, and a tricycylic antidepressant with a possible low dose SSRI along with it. I would also be reviewing the charts to see if you have ever been on Lamictal or Depakote and if so what the results were. That wouldn't be it. I would also be doing deep detective work on things that haven't been looked at yet...history of amalgams, history of tick exposure, and a few specialized lab tests...all of which I would recruit the services of an Integrative MD to help direct.
Parnate is a MAO inhibitor. It stops the enzymes that break down our neurotransmitters. MAOIs were the first antidepressants. In 50 years, nothing yet has proved more effective. They have some overhyped risks based mostly on a mildly restricted diet. Over the years the politics of medicine have put more emphasis on the supposedly safer and less effective newly discovered meds. It's all about the money. There is no money in the old antidepressants. But they are still lifesaving for a not insignificant number of difficult to treat patients.
I am really sorry you are feeling so bad. I think your might have an unexpected silver lining...it is an opportunity for a new doctor, a second opinion, and a different approach.
No matter what you do, I think the wisest thing you could do is to include an Integrative MD onto your team. If you are only seeing a psychiatrist for mental symptoms, I do not think you or me or anyone else will ever get true lasting wellness. We will always be behind the curve.
poster:bleauberry
thread:921057
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20091012/msgs/921166.html