Posted by missliz on April 16, 2003, at 12:56:21
In reply to Re: An Atypical ANTIPSYCHOTIC eg Zyprexa, posted by mags on April 15, 2003, at 13:44:26
Judy is right- your meds are a strange choice, mags, and a second opinion is called for. The treatment for bipolar two is usually a mood stabilizer, and an anti depressent, and very often a benzodiazepine. Anti psychotics for people who aren't actively psychotic is for the convenience of doctors, not the best interest of the patient. It also has a lot to do with drug company marketing- theres a lot of money to be made off of psychiatric patients because we have no voice and little advocacy to protect us from being used as human sacrifice for the benefit of the stockholders. It's just like the cigarette makers- they don't care how brutally they wreck peoples health.
I feel it's not my place to tell you to go off a med- thats your choice. Ritalin is used as an anti depressent, but doesn't work very well over the long term. The Seroquel is, in my opinion, a bad drug for anybody other than the schizophrenics it was developed for. It was largly ignored till recently, then they apparently hired a marketing firm. I've been harrassed by Seroquel reps in the powder room at my Pdocs clinic. Bad sign.
Depakote will make you fat and flat. The new favorite first linr drug is Trileptal, which I'm on now and VERY impressed with. There's a new drug called Strattera wich is used for ADD and as an antideppressent, but it isn't speed, it's something all new and nonaddicting. BP2s often are mired down at the lower half of mood cycles and need a boost, and this drug is really impressive for me so far.
There are lots of more constructive options, and you need to educate yourself and feel free to disagree with your doc. It's your life, and you deserve better care. If he doesn't want to be a team player find somebody who will be.missliz
poster:missliz
thread:219104
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030411/msgs/219828.html