Posted by cole on April 5, 2001, at 16:56:13
In reply to Re: New mood-stabilizers ?, posted by SLS on April 4, 2001, at 23:09:35
Thank you both for your responses. Here's a little more of my hx if it lends any clues/ ideas.
> I think it is reasonable to try 75mg of Remeron for a few weeks. I cannot comment on the probability of your responding to it, but you are almost done completely exploring it. Did it help at all at any point?
>
*Yes, in fact when it's working it is the best med I've ever tried. I sleep more than I would like at night, but I don't need to take naps, I have energy, I am motivated, and I am not at all depressed. I do maintain some of my anxiety, but nothing like the anxiety when severely depressed. The problem is, the best response occurs about 2-3 weeks after increasing the dose, then starts to drop off and I begin moving towards depression. So I guess I'm chasing after that initial response when I up my dose.
> What is it about your case that is cyclic?*I definitely progress through the year, my worst time is usually feb- april, best is summer. Additionally I go through periods of waxing and waning depression within a time span of days/weeks.
> Loosmrbls could be right. However, agitation is listed as a possible side effect of Zoloft.
>
> Sometimes, when someone is just beginning to respond to an antidepressant, irritability and anger can emerge. However, if your reaction to Zoloft included impatience with people, constant movement, rapid or pressured speech, fits of rage, and reduced need for sleep, then a diagnosis of bipolar II needs to be considered.*I was on zoloft all through high school, and I can't believe how much nicer I am off the stuff. On zoloft I was always starting fights with people, I was violent towards my parents, & I was always breaking things. I was so keyed up I was always bouncing my leg if seated, and I couldn't sleep at night (had to take trazodone), ground my teeth (even during the day!). . .basically I was a pain in the ass. I still had periods where I would sleep most of the afternoon despite all the anxiety the med produced/ then would be up all night without the trazodone.
> I don't know what to make of this. The driving while anxious thing is suspicious as being consistent with a mixed-state hypomania, a type of bipolar II in which depression and hypomania occur simultaneously.* One thing that I experience that makes me think mixed state is when I am depressed, and something upsets me. I get into a really dissociative state, and I usually end up slicing my arm with a knife or hurting myself somehow. I also feel this way when I get suicidal, which is a significant side to my depression. The state ends after I hurt myself, and later when the wound hurts I wonder what the hell I was thinking, but I kind of break from reality when I do that sort of thing. I self mutilated constantly on zoloft, it's very infrequent now.
> Do you ever get an acid-stomach?
*I've been diagnosed with acid reflux, does this count?> What other drugs have you tried?
* here's a an abridged list: celexa-- same rxn as zoloft; trazodone-- only helps me sleep; serzone-- only slight antianxiety effects; wellbutrin and provigial-- no AD effect, both caused serious brain lag; reboxetine-- made me suicidal; ritalin-- only helps me concentrate & stay out of bed; prozac-- no noticeable response that I recall, but that was over 10 yrs ago.
>
> A great many people have had success with adrafinil. It really cannot be lumped into the same category as the convential "stimulants", and does not seem to act identically to its sister drug, Provigil.*I might give the adrafinil a shot, but if it is metabolized like provigil, it will make my birthcontrol pills ineffective.
> Oh, I wish you would have specified "good" ideas before I wrote anything. I'll have to leave that for someone else.
You were rather helpful-- you gave me some things to think about, I really appreciate your input. I'll look into the lamictal.
Thanks!
cole
poster:cole
thread:58657
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010403/msgs/58832.html