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Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » SLS

Posted by Mitch on December 16, 2001, at 15:54:14

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by SLS on December 16, 2001, at 9:49:43

> > I took it for a few weeks for bipolar as a mood stabilizer. It seemed to have more of an antidepressant effect (at lower doses) than an antianxiety effect.
> > Mitch
>
>
> Hi Mitch.
>
> It comes as exciting news to me that you experienced an antidepressant effect to Gabitril.
>
> Of course, I've got a bunch of questions for you, but I'll try to limit them.
>
> 1. Are you bipolar I or bipolar II?

BPII, atypical BP, adult ADHD, seasonal depressive, depending on which doc I see.

>
> 2. Is your depression chronic, severe, or treatment resistant?

Seasonal major depression (winter and summer-avg. six weeks each) sometimes a mild mixed-state scene in the summer, with 20-day cycles in between involving a few days of mild depression during the cycling.
Treatment intolerant-lots of different AD's "work"-I just either can't handle G.I. side effects/insomnia or they make me hypomanic or aggravate cycling.

>
> 3. How often have you been manic?

Never have been "manic"-in the sense of staying up all nite and having people getting concerned and trying to drag you to the doctor. Never have been high enough that I couldn't go to work-however I was off meds for a while and I had to *leave* work a couple of times to go home and take some meds to chill me out because I was having a hard time not laughing!

>
> 3. Which antidepressants have you responded well to in the past?

I have done the best with Prozac and other more activating SSri's (Zoloft-Celexa). However, they are the toughest ones for me to tolerate. I am taking 75mg of Wellbutrin with just a pinch of Celexa (2mg/day) for my seasonal depression right now and it is working well. But, the Wellbutrin overall is a little too activating. I found that Celexa+Nortriptyline or Zoloft+Nortiptyline worked about as good as the current Celexa/WB combo. For the seasonal stuff I have to have something a little "buzzy" or I get worse.

>
> 4. Did the antidepressant effect disappear at higher dosages?

Usually could never get there! The highest "therapeutic" dose of an AD that I have ever taken was probably 150mg of doxepin a day (TCA), and it never did much for me except help me sleep.

>
> 5. Why did you discontinue Gabitril?

Derealization/depersonalization, facial/forehead numbness, and severe cognitive dysfunction at the higher doses. I was just drawing "blanks" at work. I had this "panic" attack where I felt completely unreal, didn't know who I was or where I was. But my body didn't have any adrenaline rushes or anything-one of the weirdest feelings I have ever experienced (this at 24mg/day). GABA affecting meds-Depakote, benzos (at anything above small doses), and Gabitril just blitz my ability to focus and think (hence the ADHD dx).
The antidepressant effect seemed to wear away on the Gabitril after I got above 12mg/day. I just got very flattened and blunted and very stupid!

>
> I guess I didn't do a very good job at limiting them. Any feedback will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Thanks much.
>
>
> - Scott


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poster:Mitch thread:86944
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011213/msgs/87122.html