Posted by SLS on February 14, 2012, at 7:45:04
In reply to Re: parnate agitation » SLS, posted by g_g_g_unit on February 14, 2012, at 7:20:54
> > I find that Depakote works great for bipolar II mania, but not so much for depression. Some people feel somewhat more depressed on Depakote.
> >
> > In the past, lithium had been the most popular augmenter of Parnate. As an augmenter, one needs only to take a relatively low dosage - 300-600 mg/day. It might stabilize mood "drift" in depression, but actually feels like an antidepressant if it hits the right target.
> >
> > Trileptal is a good choice if you start experimenting with mood-stabilizers. It is weight-neutral and is not sedating.
> >
> > Well, let's take just one step at a time.
> >
> > Good luck.
> >
> >
> > - Scott
>
> Thanks Scott. I wrote to Dr Ivan Goldberg and he said that Lithium is his mood-stabilizer of choice when augmenting Parnate.
>
> Which do you believe produces the least cognitive impairment and 'flattening' effect?
I really liked the way Trileptal felt. Although it didn't help improve my depression, my thoughts were very clear and I was not at all sedated. Unfortunately, Trileptal has not attracted sufficient attention to encourage clinical study. Perhaps this is because its sister drug, Tegretol, has already demonstrated efficacy. I guess it is assumed that Trileptal is as effective as Tegretol. I happen to agree that it this.A friend of mine is doing well with Keppra as an antimanic drug for bipolar II. I don't know to what extent it helps with depression.
This is going to seem counterintuitive, but Topamax (topiramate) can act as a mood stabilizer with little or no cognitive impairments. The key is not to trigger the impairments in the first place. You need to start very low and titrate very gradually. I established a dosage of 200 mg without any hint of impairment. I felt that it gave me more energy and motivation. It just wasn't enough for me to justify continuing with it. Topamax is more effective as a mood stabilizer than is generally thought. Just drink some extra water to avoid kidney stones.
- ScottSome see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.- George Bernard Shaw
poster:SLS
thread:1009862
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20120212/msgs/1010196.html