Posted by Ritch on July 3, 2002, at 23:25:14
In reply to Re: Cycling-depakote/Li prn???? » Ritch, posted by Chloe on July 3, 2002, at 18:45:24
> > Hi there! I have been away for a while. My suggestion would be to up the Depakote to 500mg at bedtime or 250mg twice daily. It definitely works better on my temper than anything else.
> >
> > Mitch
>
>
> Hey Mitch,
> I was wondering about you...Hoping you were doing ok and all.
>
> I have been in an agitated rages on and off for days. I have wanted to increase the Depakote. But if I increase a med, like depakote, I have a hell of a time decreasing it. So everytime I bump up a med, it becomes permanent, because I get so irritable trying to decreasing the dose. Depakote is fairly benign interms of side effects, except for the hair loss thing, for me. It's like a hair-be-gone pill for me. I loose so much hair everyday, it's amazing I still look like i have a decent but fine crop.
> I also hate the weight gain thing. It increases appetite and with the doxepin+depakote+bcp, i am just starving all the time. I guess it's better than a stark raving lunitic.
>
> I HATE it when I cycle. More than anything. On my latest "up", I planned this "vacation" where I intend to drive 600 miles by myself. So I can spend two weeks with my family, i.e parents, brother, sister, nephews. I was so excited about this at the time. I rented a cottage for two weeks, rented a car that could make the trip. I was so high and confident. I thought this was going to be the greatest trip. Well, I have all this money invested in this, and my family is so excited that I am coming, and everyday since my crash about a week ago, I can't stop freaking out about this. I start crying in panic, dissociating or planning my final exit, because I am to embarrassed to cancel and loose all the money and disappoint my family. I am so messed up now, I just don't know what to do. The date is going to come, and I think I am just not going to go. I can't handle it in my agitated depressed state. This trip would be a challenge on a good day!
>
> But who knows I might cycle around into feeling EXTREMELY ambitious, and want to go on this trip. I sure can't imagine it now. My therapist kept saying two weeks is a long time, family always gets you going, yadda, yadda. I scoffed at his attempts to reeling me back in. Oops. Now I am really in a mess. And I don't know if dep. will help. It sure won't help the depression part of this. But might make me more reasonable in the interum.
>
> Sorry for the blab fest. I guess I am really scared this time. Cycling should not be taken lightly. The crash, IMO is too hard to live through time and time again...I wish my pdoc were more help.
>
> I am really glad to hear from you. I missed reading your posts. How are you doing? Any secrets to the perfect med regime? :?)
> Chloe
Hi,The Depakote is probably going to work on your rapid cycling a lot better. I got hungrier too when I restarted it a couple of months ago (after being off for over a year). But, I am taking a little bit of Effexor with it and the Effex. kills my appetite really well, so I have actually *lost* some weight in the last few days. I quit Neurontin, BTW. I was feeling so so sleepy during the day. I know a lot of it was the Dep, but I thought, why not kill the N? I was only taking 300mg/day anyhow. There was a withdrawal, although mild. The first thing that I noticed was a big increase in light-sensitivity. Everything was much brighter. Then I felt a little agitated. That passed after a week or two. But, the big benefit was the reduction of the daytime tiredness associated with it. Also, the noradrenergic activity of the Effexor is activating me during the day and is wearing off by bedtime so I can sleep OK. NO early-morning awakenings now for about a week! So, I am on Depakote 250mg+Klonopin .5mg at bedtime, with Effexor 25mg AM. That's it, plus Flax seed oil/Evening Primrose (just 2 caps each/day). If I can maintain this 6-7hr uninterrupted sleep pattern I can keep serious depression away-fingers crossed! I have to put up with this for another six-eight weeks.
Mitch
poster:Ritch
thread:110954
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020628/msgs/111352.html