Posted by colin wallace on March 3, 2003, at 7:51:15
In reply to Re: Lamictal Monothearpy » catmint, posted by Ron Hill on March 2, 2003, at 8:50:02
>
> > Hi there,
> > I saw my pdoc on Thursday. He agreed with what you guys have been telling me, that I'm not even within therapuetic range yet, so no wonder I'm still cycling. He said the range for BP is between 100-400 mg. I'm going to take your advice, Colin, and titrate every 5 days or so by 12.5 until I hit 100. He said that he has not heard of the Lamictal losing it's effect once the right level is obtained. None of his patients have expressed this to him. Colin, I sincerely hope that you can continue with Lamictal monotherapy. As you know, adding on more meds just confuses things. I hear you that you want to be prepared for when the bad weather hits, and the subsequent depression, but who knows, it is entirely possible that once you reach a saturation point (is that what it's called?), you won't need to add anything. Are you still taking Prozac occasionally? How about the NADH?
> >
> > Anyway, back to my appointment. He said that he won't consider add ons at this time. I asked him what about Klonopin for the irritability that I get at night and in the morning. Not even!
> > I don't care, I think that that will go away when I get rolling again with the increases.
> > He then got really quiet, you know, like psych. people do, and asked me how my therapy was going. I told him that she (my psychologist) is a bit strange and her "energetic healing" makes me uncomfortable, like she does this wierd shit when I am doing a visualization or meditation. She takes these long drawn out breaths, and once I fluttered my eyes so I could see what the heck she was doing and she had her arm in the air holding her fingers in a circle. I'm thinking, "OK! this kind-of bugs! Huh?
> >
> > He agreed and suggested Jungian analysis, that it makes you delve into your unconcious if the ego is willing and can open one up to who they really are. He said that a good Jungian analyst helped him during the five years he saw him. I'm thinking, "Ok, I'll see if I can budget in two sessions a month at $100 a pop" Yea, right! I'm afraid it's either the quack that the state pays for or nada! All of that aside, I do believe that a good Psydoc can help.
> > Write back!
> > ::Amy
Hi there Amy,I'm glad that you have a Pdoc. with experience with Lamictal.That counts for a lot, and should be quite reassuring for you.And of course, he's absolutely right about your dose being too low at the minute for you to properly bring the stabilty to heel.
As for me, well quite honestly I'm struggling badly to bring things back to norm.
This is directly a result of my GP. forcing me to halt my titration at 100/150mg for way too long(he was only prepared to go up by 25mg monthly).
I had warned that each time I 'crash', it gets that much harder to pull myself out of it- and the 'mixed-states' get worse too(kindling-theory)
in action methinks.
I'm now slowly starting to pull things back together-just reached 300mg-but the damage has been done.You can't stop a runaway train with a pebble, as I'd pointed out.Anyway,gonna see my YDNP on Thurs. so we'll see what happens.Will have to go for an add-on, or hammer it with a higher dose...Blah,Blah...
Laughed at the image of your psychologist doing wierd arm circles- bet she talks to plants too.Probably owns a pet triffid, keeps in the attic...don't fall asleep whatever you do.
Jungian analysis?They set great store by dreams ya know, so I'd be stuck in a straight-jacket rightaway,'cos mine are really off the wall.
Still, any form of talking to someone should be helpful.Have you ever read The Dice Man, by...
Luke Rhinehardt(?)if I remember rightly.
It's about this nutty psychiatrist who suddenly doesn't give a shit and starts to make major life decisions by rolling a dice.Whether to sleep with his best friend's wife etc.Really funny.May try it myself.Keep us posted.
Col.
poster:colin wallace
thread:203376
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030301/msgs/205468.html