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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by jjj on December 10, 2003, at 20:33:34
Hello,
I've been taking antidespressant medication now for a little while for unipolar depression. since beginning treatment, I've experienced hypomania and some psychosis (hearing nasty voices that weren't there).I'm having a hard time attributing these symptoms. I don't know if they were caused by the medication or if they just happened to coincide with my treatment.
I was wondering if anybody else has had experiences like this. I got hypomanic while I was taking wellbutrin and prozac. after that I dropped the wellbutrin. several weeks later the psychosis really became a problem and I began taking risperdal.
things are reasonably under control now, but I keep wondering if the antidepressants were the cause of everything, because I never experienced hypomania or psychosis before starting treatment. I'm afraid to quit the risperdal and am still taking prozac for depression, but I'm not sure how much of a difference it is making.
my pdoc hasn't really given me a diagnosis. He seems to treat me as a collection of symptoms. I think I'd feel better if I had a label like bipolar or whatnot to point my finger at. I don't know...
-- jjj
Posted by gardenergirl on December 10, 2003, at 22:36:57
In reply to AD induced symptoms or just me, posted by jjj on December 10, 2003, at 20:33:34
jjj,
I know that Wellbutrin can cause hallucinations if it activates too much dopamine. I'm not sure if they are limited to visual or if it can also cause auditory disturbance. As for hypomanic, AD's can lead to hypomania. It may be your particular response, or it could be dose-dependent.I certainly can relate to your fear of discontinuing the zyprexa. I would not want to go through that. I actually had an antibiotic of all things make me hypomanic. You just never know how you might react until the meds are in your system, and we are all different in our response.
Good luck!
Posted by happyGirl on December 11, 2003, at 0:43:44
In reply to AD induced symptoms or just me, posted by jjj on December 10, 2003, at 20:33:34
Hi:
When I was put on one of SSRIs, 'Zoloft,' the symptoms of Bipolar started, that occurred five years ago and still struggling with Bp since.As your mentioning, ... yes, ... AD, especially SSRIs is notorious to bring up Bipolar symptoms *IF* you have any tendencies to have one. Just a kind of 'hiding' until some 'push' to get things out that is unfortunately done by SSRIs.
As to WB, I honestly doubt, ... because this is said to NOT produce any hypomania, especially 'psychosis' about which you've been saying. But, it could happen. All this is individual things to deal with.
You need to figure things out whether you have Bipolar after this incident, due to AD you're administered.
HappyGirl
Posted by Psychopoppy on December 11, 2003, at 0:59:00
In reply to Re: AD induced symptoms or just me » jjj, posted by happyGirl on December 11, 2003, at 0:43:44
My shrink warned me about the possibility of having psychotic symptoms when I first started Effexor XR. (The reason for the warning being the history of schizophrenia in my family which could predispose me for psychotic episodes if "pushed" by an external stimulus such as a mind-altering drug !). What he told me was that if I encounter any psychotic symptoms (voices, hallucinations..whatever) that I should immediately stop taking hte medication and call him. He seemed to think that it was a matter of much concern and should not be overlooked or ignored.
I think you should be waving a big red flag to your pdoc about the psychotic symptoms accompanying your meds and if he isnt listening or concerned then you should be trying another pdoc that does listen and is concerned.you dont want to mess with psychosis especially if you've never had any until you started these meds !!
I hope the nasty voices will go away. Hang in there and make yourself heard.
Posted by jjj on December 11, 2003, at 19:41:18
In reply to Re: AD induced symptoms or just me, posted by gardenergirl on December 10, 2003, at 22:36:57
thanks for the information. I'm leaning away from welbutrin as the cause of the hallucinations, since the really severe stuff was happening after I stopped taking it.
these problems also crept up very slowly. is that typical or would problems arise right away like most side effects? I had previously taken the same combination of medication before without any trouble.
maybe I should stop trying to come up with such a tidy solution. this isn't a tv murder mystery...
Posted by jjj on December 11, 2003, at 19:49:59
In reply to Re: AD induced symptoms or just me » jjj, posted by happyGirl on December 11, 2003, at 0:43:44
did it happen quickly? I was on welbutrin and prozac for a few months before becoming hypomanic. With other side effects, they've been immediate (tried zoloft and it made me really nauseous right away, etc...)
thanks for your insight. I'm hoping that it was just the medication that caused these problems, but it is hard to know for sure.
-- jjj
Posted by jjj on December 11, 2003, at 20:15:11
In reply to Re: AD induced symptoms or just me, posted by Psychopoppy on December 11, 2003, at 0:59:00
hmmm. that is interesting. I don't know of any history of schizophrenia in my family.
the hallucinations happened gradually, several months after I'd been taking the medication.
my apartment building has thin walls, so I can faintly hear my neighbor when he talks on the phone or whatnot. not so great. anyways, I thought that my neighbor really hated me because I was making so much noise (I was pretty reasonable). I'd hear my neighbor's voice complaining about all the noisy activities I'd been up to. (watching tv, my stereo, leaving the computer on all day, etc...) from there it got more and more personal. "why don't you do anything with your life?" stuff like that. eventually it was going on all the time. Keeping me up all night, etc... very self critical thoughts.
it was hard to believe that it wasn't real. sounds are sounds, right? I heard this guy talking. I heard his phone ring. I heard him coughing, etc... I was extra careful, trying to be extra quiet as to not disturb him. my pdoc recommended that I try to experiment to see if it was really him. (I was all ready to knock on his door and yell at him...)
I tried earplugs, but could still hear it. I even invited a friend over to listen. she didn't hear anything.
thanks to risperdal, the voices are pretty much gone. occasionally I hear my neighbor when he's actually making noise.
I don't want to be too hard on my doctor. he treated the symptoms very well. I'm not really having any problems right now other than depression. I still have my doubts about the causation, since I'm still taking the prozac. perhaps another round of experimentation is in order.
-- jjj
Posted by HappyGirl on December 11, 2003, at 23:52:08
In reply to Re: AD induced symptoms or just me » Psychopoppy, posted by jjj on December 11, 2003, at 20:15:11
Hi:
Sorry to jump in your 'thanks'-reply to someone else's response on your query. However, as having read your second-round post on this, ... frankly, I feel that you might have Bipolar I or Shizo-Affective Bipolar(I believe the name for, ... but I'm not quite sure ....), because your description sound like Bp I with shizo. affective category or Shizophrenia-related.
Mine is Bipolar II that is mostly depressive episodes with hypomanic. Either cases, Bipolar is said to be 'one of severe mental illnesses' next to shizo. Then, sometime even an experienced pdoc. misdiagnoses 'Shizo.' for 'Bipolar I with shizo. affective.' Thus, your pdoc. has not yet decided/announced on which one you have.For this/proper dx confusion above, I believe that working with your pdoc. is the best tool/way for you to discover your 'real' problem which you've been encountered.
In my case, with appropriate med. combo. I've been stabilized quite well. Then, a good med. combo. is very crucial to get well/on recovery.
HappyGirl
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