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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by StefL on August 8, 2003, at 13:12:13
I am feeling so miserable today, and I just don't know where else to turn! I posted a few days ago about starting off on Lamictal (with Risperdal) for bipolar. Since then, I don't feel any adverse side effects yet, but I don't feel any meds working for me either! Today I just feel like a roller coaster- but with very little space between ups & downs! I keep swerving in & out of depression and anger, without any control! One minute I am thinking that I want to kill my two year old (figure of speech wise, not homicide!) because she is making me so angry! But the very next second I feel so depressed that nothing ever seems to get any better & I should have just killed myself years ago, before I ever had her. I have had very few days in my life where I felt so unbalanced! Is this a result of meds not working & essentially feeling unmedicated? Or is it possible that either the Lamictal or the Risperdal/Lamictal combo is spiraling me into hypomanic rapid cycling hell?!?! I feel very helpless and lost here. Any ideas or advice anyone?
Posted by Janelle on August 8, 2003, at 14:03:20
In reply to Too confused! Please help!, posted by StefL on August 8, 2003, at 13:12:13
Having been a rapid cycler myself, although not like what you describe, I feel for you. I have no idea if the combo of meds you're on is causing it, but I can say that several pdocs have told me that DEPAKOTE is the med of choice for rapid cycling.
However, when I was put on it, at a moderate-high dose, it plunged me into depression and I was so lethargic I couldn't do anything.
I am now on a combo of a therapeutic dose of Lithium with a low dose of Depakote, which is another supposedly effective way to control rapid cycling. It has worked for me in that respect, although I've continued to have cycling, it's just longer intervals. So my pdoc and I are continuing to tweak my meds to try to find the right dosing. It is so frustrating.
If you continue to feel the way you do, call your pdoc and report it. GOod luck.
Posted by StefL on August 8, 2003, at 17:33:45
In reply to Re: Too confused! Please help! » StefL, posted by Janelle on August 8, 2003, at 14:03:20
Thanx Janelle. I have had a difficult time deciding what to do about Depakote because I am already very overweight & cannot afford to chance the seemingly inevitable weight gain that comes along with it. Otherwise, I'd be on it already! So, I read some archive stuff here with positive notes on Lamictal, that give me a bit of hope. I just can't stand how slow the process is to get to a theraputic dose! 8 weeks before we even get to a dose that might do something for me is just TOO long! In the mean time, I did take a two hour nap today while my daughter napped & that did help. So I am considering starting back up with the Ambien at night & Provigil in the AM & see if that helps get me through the transition. Thanx for your thoughts!
Posted by galkeepinon on August 10, 2003, at 0:33:18
In reply to Too confused! Please help!, posted by StefL on August 8, 2003, at 13:12:13
Hi, I hope you are feeling better today. I was put on Resperdal and had to go off because it made me sick and caused some problems with my prolactin levels. Lamictal, in my humble opinion, is a wonderful medication for bipolar. I have been on Depakote and Lithium, and Lamictal has the least amount of side effects for me (thats just me) I hope you can give Lamictal a try-it may help you, but you'll never know unless you try. I know it is an issue of patience, but aren't you and your daughter worth it? :-)
Best,
Gal
> I am feeling so miserable today, and I just don't know where else to turn! I posted a few days ago about starting off on Lamictal (with Risperdal) for bipolar. Since then, I don't feel any adverse side effects yet, but I don't feel any meds working for me either! Today I just feel like a roller coaster- but with very little space between ups & downs! I keep swerving in & out of depression and anger, without any control! One minute I am thinking that I want to kill my two year old (figure of speech wise, not homicide!) because she is making me so angry! But the very next second I feel so depressed that nothing ever seems to get any better & I should have just killed myself years ago, before I ever had her. I have had very few days in my life where I felt so unbalanced! Is this a result of meds not working & essentially feeling unmedicated? Or is it possible that either the Lamictal or the Risperdal/Lamictal combo is spiraling me into hypomanic rapid cycling hell?!?! I feel very helpless and lost here. Any ideas or advice anyone?
Posted by StefL on August 10, 2003, at 7:48:37
In reply to Re: Too confused! Please help! » StefL, posted by galkeepinon on August 10, 2003, at 0:33:18
Thanx Gal. I have been on Risperdal for a few months longer than Lamictal. It never made me sick, it just made me so druggy that I was a med zombie all the time. It was awful! So I could never stay on the .5mg starter dose even! I am now taking .25mg of it, which does seem to help take a tiny bit of the edge off, but not much. And the Lamictal hadn't caused me any side effects yet, after almost a week of the every other day thing. So I decided to go to every day last night, a week early. It's still only 25mg a day! And if we're working up to between 100-200mg a day, that will take months to get to at the pace she had me at! I just don't feel like I'm stable enough at the moment to wait it out, as is. So I will call her on Monday & see if she wants to up the Lamictal sooner, or give me something else to help get me through without ripping heads off in the mean time! Keep your fingers crossed for me!
Posted by galkeepinon on August 10, 2003, at 20:34:40
In reply to Re: Too confused! Please help!, posted by StefL on August 10, 2003, at 7:48:37
This is the end of the thread.
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