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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by shelby on May 21, 2001, at 9:40:55
I have had a sneaking suspicion that I could be a mild bipolar. Can this happen or do you have to have the huge mood swings from highs to lows? I don't have these huge swings but enough for me to question this.
I have been on medication for 10 years. I have tried all the SSRI's with no help to the depression and the side effects were bad (insomnia, fidgety, aggressive).
I have tried the tricyclics and the only one that has helped is amitriptyline. I have been trying nortriptyline (50 mgs.) in the morning and 70 mgs. of amitriptyline at night. I have tried lowering the dose of the elavil but then insomnia came back. I have been on this combo for 3 months now.
The doctor would like to try neurontin at night which he says will help with irritability and anxiety. With the hope that I can delete the elavil.
Any thoughts?
Thanks in advance
Shelby
Posted by Mitch on May 21, 2001, at 10:05:45
In reply to Can I be treated as bipolar?, posted by shelby on May 21, 2001, at 9:40:55
Your doc may already suspect it. Have you brought it up with him yet? If your main troubles are insomnia/anxiety and TCA's seem to help a lot and they haven't made irritability *worse* I wouldn't worry about it needlessly.
The Neurontin should help you sleep better. Maybe a lot of your irritability stems from being sleep-deprived at times?> I have had a sneaking suspicion that I could be a mild bipolar. Can this happen or do you have to have the huge mood swings from highs to lows? I don't have these huge swings but enough for me to question this.
>
> I have been on medication for 10 years. I have tried all the SSRI's with no help to the depression and the side effects were bad (insomnia, fidgety, aggressive).
>
> I have tried the tricyclics and the only one that has helped is amitriptyline. I have been trying nortriptyline (50 mgs.) in the morning and 70 mgs. of amitriptyline at night. I have tried lowering the dose of the elavil but then insomnia came back. I have been on this combo for 3 months now.
>
> The doctor would like to try neurontin at night which he says will help with irritability and anxiety. With the hope that I can delete the elavil.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Shelby
Posted by loosmrbls on May 21, 2001, at 11:44:18
In reply to Can I be treated as bipolar?, posted by shelby on May 21, 2001, at 9:40:55
May I ask what symptoms you have specifically that make you think you are bipolar. No, "high's and low's" are not required -- there are various types of bipolar illness.
Posted by kid47 on May 21, 2001, at 12:57:13
In reply to Can I be treated as bipolar?, posted by shelby on May 21, 2001, at 9:40:55
Hi. I tried lotsa AD's with no relief until a couple a mood stabilizers were added (Neurontin, Topamax). I was then dx'd Bipolar II. I think there are quite a few folks out there with undiagnosed "softer" bipolar disorder that mainly displays as depression. They have no success or even are made worse by mono therapy with typical AD's especially SSRI's. With some of the new low side fx "mood stabilizers" that are available I think it is a good idea for just about anyone who hasn't tried it, to add one to treat resistant depression. As always check with your doc. Hope this helps.
> I have had a sneaking suspicion that I could be a mild bipolar. Can this happen or do you have to have the huge mood swings from highs to lows? I don't have these huge swings but enough for me to question this.
>
> I have been on medication for 10 years. I have tried all the SSRI's with no help to the depression and the side effects were bad (insomnia, fidgety, aggressive).
>
> I have tried the tricyclics and the only one that has helped is amitriptyline. I have been trying nortriptyline (50 mgs.) in the morning and 70 mgs. of amitriptyline at night. I have tried lowering the dose of the elavil but then insomnia came back. I have been on this combo for 3 months now.
>
> The doctor would like to try neurontin at night which he says will help with irritability and anxiety. With the hope that I can delete the elavil.
>
> Any thoughts?
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Shelby
Posted by SalArmy4me on May 22, 2001, at 1:17:20
In reply to Can I be treated as bipolar?, posted by shelby on May 21, 2001, at 9:40:55
Irritability on antidepressant medication is a possible sign of bipolarity: http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Irritability-from-medicati.html
This is the end of the thread.
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