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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rainbowlight on February 7, 2003, at 19:06:24
As far as sleep goes, she switched me to Ambien. I got to the pharmacy, HMO doesn't cover it, they wanted $50. Called her, told her I don't want to pay $50, so she put me on Elavil 10 mgs. at bedtime. She wants me to get off the Restoril, says I am becoming immune to it (or addicted! LOL!) So she is having me take Ativan 2 mgs. twice a day for a week and then 1 mgs. once a day for 3 weeks. She says this will wean me off the benzos, if not I may have seizures coming off the Restoril. So that is the plan. The good thing is my copay for Elavil was only like $2.50. Now that I can handle! Have you ever taken Elavil before? I never have. Hopefully it is strong and will knock me out! I told her I didn't like the Seroquel, too sedating. I didn't mention I didn't want to be on an AP if I don't have to. My new insurance is really getting me on the new copays. If it isn't on their "formulary" they want a $50.00 copay. Yikes! That hurts! I didn't ask her about the Topamax yet. I want to try the splitting of the Zoloft first. I have lost 3 pounds so far. Not much, but better than nothing. The only problem is since stopping the Remeron I am losing a ton of hair. Hope it stops soon!
Posted by Ritch on February 7, 2003, at 22:15:17
In reply to Ritch, posted by rainbowlight on February 7, 2003, at 19:06:24
> As far as sleep goes, she switched me to Ambien. I got to the pharmacy, HMO doesn't cover it, they wanted $50. Called her, told her I don't want to pay $50, so she put me on Elavil 10 mgs. at bedtime. She wants me to get off the Restoril, says I am becoming immune to it (or addicted! LOL!) So she is having me take Ativan 2 mgs. twice a day for a week and then 1 mgs. once a day for 3 weeks. She says this will wean me off the benzos, if not I may have seizures coming off the Restoril. So that is the plan. The good thing is my copay for Elavil was only like $2.50. Now that I can handle! Have you ever taken Elavil before? I never have. Hopefully it is strong and will knock me out! I told her I didn't like the Seroquel, too sedating. I didn't mention I didn't want to be on an AP if I don't have to. My new insurance is really getting me on the new copays. If it isn't on their "formulary" they want a $50.00 copay. Yikes! That hurts! I didn't ask her about the Topamax yet. I want to try the splitting of the Zoloft first. I have lost 3 pounds so far. Not much, but better than nothing. The only problem is since stopping the Remeron I am losing a ton of hair. Hope it stops soon!
Hey, that's a sneakingly good idea! Amitriptyline is so good for that (insomnia/anxiety). When I first saw a pdoc (when I was wiggin' out with insomnia and agitative mixed bipolar states), they put me on lithium and doxepin AND amitrip. with a benzo. Whooo. I was so relieved after just a couple of days. Hmmm.. let us know how you sleep afterwards??
Posted by rainbowlight on February 8, 2003, at 17:04:19
In reply to Re: Ritch » rainbowlight, posted by Ritch on February 7, 2003, at 22:15:17
I slept great. It put me right to sleep and I didn't wake up until 10 hourse later. It was awesome! I took 1 Eleavil and 2 mgs. Ativan. Today I am also taking 2 mgs, Ativan (per pdoc) to get the Restoril out of my system. I feel a bit loaded, okay, alot loaded, lol! Thankfully it is the weekend and I can lay around until it passes. Does Elavil affect your moods at all? Will in interact with any of my other meds. Have you personally ever taken any of the trycyclics or MAOI by themselves? Are they any good?
Posted by Ritch on February 8, 2003, at 17:44:06
In reply to Re: Ritch, posted by rainbowlight on February 8, 2003, at 17:04:19
> I slept great. It put me right to sleep and I didn't wake up until 10 hourse later. It was awesome! I took 1 Eleavil and 2 mgs. Ativan. Today I am also taking 2 mgs, Ativan (per pdoc) to get the Restoril out of my system. I feel a bit loaded, okay, alot loaded, lol! Thankfully it is the weekend and I can lay around until it passes. Does Elavil affect your moods at all? Will in interact with any of my other meds. Have you personally ever taken any of the trycyclics or MAOI by themselves? Are they any good?
So you split your Zoloft into two and you don't feel too nauseous now? That's good! Elavil kicks ass for sleep. I believe that is what they compared Remeron to in clinical trials. I would take the Elavil over Remeron anyday. At least with Elavil I felt an improvement in alertness during the daytime after being on it a while (that never happened with Remeron 7.5mg-30mg over several weeks-three different trials each with different other meds). I've never been able to take an antidepressant by itself of any kind-never tried an MAOI. It will take two full weeks for any improvement in daytime alertness from the Elavil. The sedative properties will die down somewhat but they tend to remain a little sticky. That's good, because the sedative TCA's can make for reliable sleepers over the long haul. Ativan causes near total amnesia for me! The perfect med for airplane flights (that is if you can remember what plane you need to get on next).
Posted by rainbowlight on February 8, 2003, at 20:43:41
In reply to Re: Ritch » rainbowlight, posted by Ritch on February 8, 2003, at 17:44:06
I took the Ativamn (2 mgs.) and ZOloft, 25 mgs. This morning. WHAM! Within a few hours it knocked me out like a light. The good thing is she only plan on having me take the Ativan until it helps wean the Restoril out of my system (since they are similiar meds). Hopefully the Elavil won't bee too sedating during the day on it's own. SO far so good, no nausea today. Perhaps one of these others meds is helping with that too.
Posted by Ritch on February 9, 2003, at 10:58:13
In reply to Re: Ritch, posted by rainbowlight on February 8, 2003, at 20:43:41
> I took the Ativamn (2 mgs.) and ZOloft, 25 mgs. This morning. WHAM! Within a few hours it knocked me out like a light. The good thing is she only plan on having me take the Ativan until it helps wean the Restoril out of my system (since they are similiar meds). Hopefully the Elavil won't bee too sedating during the day on it's own. SO far so good, no nausea today. Perhaps one of these others meds is helping with that too.
When I was taking Wellbutrin+Celexa a year ago during a wintertime depressive episode I had a lot of nausea from that combo (yes either of them cause nausea for me) and found an occasional 10mg nortriptyline capsule would settle that down quite well. It could be the Elavil is helping the nausea.
Posted by cybercafe on February 12, 2003, at 20:14:43
In reply to Re: Ritch » rainbowlight, posted by Ritch on February 9, 2003, at 10:58:13
hey mitch you're bipolar + ADD right?
did you find that combining stims + antidepressants causes mania?
or do you just take a stim?
Posted by Ritch on February 12, 2003, at 21:33:08
In reply to Re: Ritch, posted by cybercafe on February 12, 2003, at 20:14:43
> hey mitch you're bipolar + ADD right?
>
> did you find that combining stims + antidepressants causes mania?
>
> or do you just take a stim?Actually, bipolarII (rapid-cycling) + ADHD (mixed type) + GAD (with a history of periods of panic attacks). I never got much mood elevation from stimulants-they just seem to wake me up-but they make me too tense. I've combined Effexor+Adderall, Effexor+Ritalin, Celexa+Dexedrine, Celexa+Focalin, and adding a stimulant to the SSRI didn't aggravate any hypomania that wasn't already there because of the SSRI. The SSRI itself is what causes hypomania from what I've observed-so doses have to stay very low-just enough to quell anxiety. If I take a stim without SSRI I'm too anxious, but not hypomanic.
This is the end of the thread.
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