Posted by catmint on February 26, 2003, at 15:10:53
In reply to Re: Lamictal and Pre-emptive Strikes » catmint, posted by Ron Hill on February 26, 2003, at 9:42:11
> What did the Neurontin feel like? Did it help your irritability? What was your highest dose?
>The Nuerontin felt good at first, like a kind-of buzzed, ralaxed feeling, but it had no mood stabilizing effects whatsoever. I also was taking Wellbutrin and Prozac with it, and began to fall apart after a year. I ended up smoking a lot of pot to try to help with the irritability, but it only ended up messing me up even worse, I was in a perpetual mixed state, smoking cigarretes, not sleeping well, having those night terrors I told you about, and occasional auditory hallucinations. I quit my job right after 9/11, and in a manic state, went out and bought a bunch of batteries,and film, and packed my backpack. I was paranoid that my boyfriend was going to be drafted and I wanted to get ready to move to Canada. Needless to say, I was going bonkers. I then became severely depressed and agitated and literally began tearing my hair out in an attempt to end the pain I felt. At the time I was in an outpatient program for mentally ill people who were on sick leave from work, it did help somewhat, but I mostly was either hyper and agitated or lying on the floor crying. My pdoc and I talked about hospitalization, which she told my I did not want to do unless I felt that I needed someone to watch me in case I was suicidal. Well, I had my boyfriend to take care of me and my son, so I rode it out at home, I quit all meds, still smoked pot, which I later quit, and somehow stabilized. That didn't last long, I then became euphiorically manic, over the summer and thought I was cured! LOL. THe depression inevitably hit hard in the fall and I started Depkote, tried to add Wellbutrin (no go), then Prozac(terrible).I then had my first trial of Lam. which gave me a rash. I then quit all meds again, convinced that psychiatry was ruining my life and there was no hope for me. After more misery, I opted to give Lamictal a second chance which brings us up to date.
I should add that I wasn't diagnosed until I was 32, after many years of illness. I knew I was depressed but not bipolar, the mania I had was mostly dysphoric, but occasionally I would freak out and think I was someone I wasn't, invite complete strangers into my home, spend lots of money I didn't have, drive recklessly, have delusions, and so on.
Ron, thanks for your interest.
::Amy
poster:catmint
thread:203376
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030224/msgs/204057.html