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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
I am really still having a very difficult time. One of the worst things I suffer with is extreme agitation and anxiety. My depression is really bad but this agitation is worse I think. I feel like I'm crawling out of my skin. My pdoc put me on clonidine (beta blocker) and it made my depression worse. I don't think the dr believes it but it really does. He says the agitation is from the bipolar and not the tegretol I'm on. Any suggestions on what to take? Benzos make me depressed and ad's arent good for bipolars. Any thoughts?
Mark
Posted by SLS on December 16, 2011, at 15:20:50
In reply to Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
> My pdoc put me on clonidine (beta blocker) and it made my depression worse.
Clonidine is not a beta blocker. It is a NE alpha-2 receptor stimulator. It does the opposite of Remeron, and most definitely can cause depression or make it worse.
- Scott
Posted by linkadge on December 16, 2011, at 18:14:28
In reply to Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
Pure DHA. 1 gram
Posted by emmanuel98 on December 16, 2011, at 18:54:45
In reply to Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
when I get agitated depression, I take 10mg haldol and 2 mg ativan and knock myself out for 12 hours. I generally feel better the next morning.
Posted by creepy on December 16, 2011, at 21:52:43
In reply to Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
Beta blockers have depression as a known possible side effect. Maybe hes counting on tegretol blocking that, Im not sure if thats possible or not.
Agitation can be a hypomanic symptom, but is your doc sure its not akathisia? Not sure what else you are on.
If the agitation is a bipolar symptom, Id imagine an AAP would be a better thing to try.Try some benadryl in a pinch.. might help while you get things sorted.
Posted by SLS on December 16, 2011, at 21:56:37
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds?, posted by linkadge on December 16, 2011, at 18:14:28
> Pure DHA. 1 gram
Can pure DHA be depressogenic?
- Scott
Posted by g_g_g_unit on December 17, 2011, at 5:27:51
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds?, posted by linkadge on December 16, 2011, at 18:14:28
> Pure DHA. 1 gram
Does this really work? I've tinkered with tiny doses on one-off occasions and could've sworn I found it activating, if anything. Then again, I may just be a hypochondriac.
Posted by markwell on December 17, 2011, at 7:25:30
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds?, posted by linkadge on December 16, 2011, at 18:14:28
> Pure DHA. 1 gram
I was concerned about it causing more depression also. I know for me I once tried omega 6 oil and that definitely increased my depression so maybe that's what I am thinking of. I googled it and the only thing I found was a science daily article. It basically was about bipolar mice who were agitated were given dha and it calmed them down. That's exactly what i'm looking for but I didn't see anything else.
Mark
Posted by linkadge on December 17, 2011, at 20:05:12
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 17, 2011, at 7:25:30
I don't know about depressogenic.
I know that when my brain is going a mile a minute I can take 1 gram of DHA and it feels like about 250mg of depakote.
Linkadge
Posted by g_g_g_unit on December 18, 2011, at 6:23:27
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds?, posted by linkadge on December 17, 2011, at 20:05:12
> I don't know about depressogenic.
>
> I know that when my brain is going a mile a minute I can take 1 gram of DHA and it feels like about 250mg of depakote.
>
> LinkadgeIs that pure DHA? I have DHA in the form of 'Neuromins', which I believe is a non-fish source or something. Anyway, I normally have trouble tolerating 100mg of the stuff but I think the anxiolysis from my Lexapro finally kicked in and I took 1g as a test today. I could tolerate it to some degree, but DHA still feels some what unpleasant in a 'noradrenergic' way to me.
Posted by ed_uk2010 on December 18, 2011, at 7:06:56
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds?, posted by emmanuel98 on December 16, 2011, at 18:54:45
> when I get agitated depression, I take 10mg haldol and 2 mg ativan and knock myself out for 12 hours. I generally feel better the next morning.
10mg of Haldol seems like a lot, do you need that much?
Posted by bleauberry on December 18, 2011, at 7:14:11
In reply to Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
He can tell that your troubles are coming from bipolar not tegretol? Wow that's pretty good. Kidding.
Get some Rhodiola Rosea. Empty a capsule and divide out piles of about an estimated 25mg. Do 1/2 of 25mg twice a day. If you feel nothing from it go ahead and double it. In about a month's time you could be in the 100mg to 200mg per day range. It will probably make a better mood stabilizer than tegretol, definitely a ton better antidepressant, and should pretty much make all the agitation stuff a bad memory.
Posted by Phidippus on December 18, 2011, at 18:31:22
In reply to Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
ADs are not bad for bipolars. The wrong AD can have bad consequences however.
Clonidine can make depression worse. Its not a beta blocker - its an alpha anderenergic blocker.
The only thing that works for me when I am extremely agitated is certain antipsychotics. Seroquel, Invega and Zyprexa have all helped with agitated states, Seroquel probably being my favorite.
Lithium is also great for agitated states. What mood stabilizers have you been on?
Eric
Posted by markwell on December 18, 2011, at 19:09:17
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds? » markwell, posted by Phidippus on December 18, 2011, at 18:31:22
I've been on seroquel and geodon. Seroquel made me a zombie and I got td from geodon. My Dr is reluctant to try an ap as he thinks td could become permanent. I am less depressed since being off clonidine. My doc may be willing to try an ap soon but which one? Im very med sensitive and its driving me and my Dr crazy.
Mark
Posted by creepy on December 19, 2011, at 3:21:10
In reply to Re: Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 18, 2011, at 19:09:17
If it was me, Id try zyprexa for a PRN med. seroquel would be a lot more sedating.
You could also try some of the old typicals.. some have risk of EPS almost as low as the AAPs.
Posted by alchemy on December 24, 2011, at 16:07:01
In reply to Extreme agitation meds?, posted by markwell on December 16, 2011, at 13:41:38
By chance did the tegretol make it worse or help?
Most things make my have made my agitation worse, including tegretol. I don't know if it was that or trileptal - but it really made it worse where I wanted to cut my head off or my friends while on vacation! So did Topomax, which my doctor didn't understand why I reacted that way.
That's too bad xanax doesn't help.
This is only my guess, but I think what may have helped my agitation (not my depression or cycling), was Lamictal. Although it makes me very agitated at first, it may be what got rid of it.Anyway, just my experience. And I'm sorry for your agitation. It sucks!!!
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