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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 2, 2012, at 20:48:56
Not quite sure why. Part of me was concerned that it might be making my pseudo-hallcuination worse. Part of me thought I could go without it. I thought, after 1 week, that I should go back on, but that would require another titration up to 200, and I don't have the pills for that.
So far, so good. I feel a bit more clear headed and more "in touch" with my life somehow. Not that Lamictal was bad--it got me through yet another rough patch pretty nicely.
Have been taking a full 30 Abilify every couple days, when the voices get intense (if I can really call them "voices"--I don't know how else to explain them). I'd like to move on to just taking the Abilify at 30 for crisis periods and staying off of it the rest of the time. I know that for many schizophrenics (and I imagine most bipolar patients), that's the impossible dream. What I'm hoping is that with stuff to occupy my time (I'm in vocational rehab and therapy), some social interaction, reasonable diet, and good lifestyle habits (I'm quitting smoking, I swear!), I won't need to be on a neuroleptic 24/7.
Posted by sleepygirl2 on January 2, 2012, at 22:21:12
In reply to Off Lamictal, posted by Christ_empowered on January 2, 2012, at 20:48:56
Did you lower the dose gradually? Or just drop it?
Posted by Phillipa on January 2, 2012, at 22:34:37
In reply to Re: Off Lamictal » Christ_empowered, posted by sleepygirl2 on January 2, 2012, at 22:21:12
Careful CE but with all the folks around you if you are not acting right I'm sure others will not and let you know. Jan/P
Posted by creepy on January 3, 2012, at 15:48:34
In reply to Off Lamictal, posted by Christ_empowered on January 2, 2012, at 20:48:56
Do psychotic episodes cause kindling? That is, a liklihood of increased severity and duration?
Is there any kind of backlash from going from 30mg to zero like that?
Id be careful doing this. Id say ask your doc, but we all know that if you have any sort of psychosis and want to get off meds, youre going to meet a lot of resistance from your doc. There seems to be an automatic assumption that things will go badly and they could be sued.
Posted by SLS on January 3, 2012, at 16:24:26
In reply to Re: Off Lamictal, posted by creepy on January 3, 2012, at 15:48:34
> Do psychotic episodes cause kindling?
This is probably true of mania in bipolar disorder. I don't know about schizoid disorders.
- Scott
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 3, 2012, at 17:15:13
In reply to Re: Off Lamictal » Christ_empowered, posted by sleepygirl2 on January 2, 2012, at 22:21:12
I just dropped it. For several days there, I just thought "maybe not" and didn't take it. Then it was too late to back on. Tricky medication, that Lamictal.
But I'm OK. Not over-tranquilized, mildly depressed but nothing requiring chemical intervention. My thinking seems clearer.
Posted by emmanuel98 on January 3, 2012, at 19:51:41
In reply to Re: Off Lamictal, posted by Christ_empowered on January 3, 2012, at 17:15:13
i was on 200mg lamictal and just stopped it. I had talked to my p-doc about the fact that the drugs I was taking weren't working and he agreed and wanted me to try an MAOI, so I just stopped everything, including lamictal. When he found this out, he got very angry and said lamictal is an anti-convulsive and sudden discontinuation can cause seizures.
Then he calmed down and said, well you didn't have a seizure so that's good. What's done is done. But you should be careful discontinuing lamictal for this reason and do it gradually.
Posted by Phidippus on January 3, 2012, at 19:58:34
In reply to Off Lamictal, posted by Christ_empowered on January 2, 2012, at 20:48:56
>when the voices get intense (if I can really call >them "voices"--I don't know how else to explain >them).
Explain your voices. I get internal voices telling me what to do when I'm out of whack.
Eric
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 3, 2012, at 21:15:59
In reply to Re: Off Lamictal » Christ_empowered, posted by Phidippus on January 3, 2012, at 19:58:34
hey. OK, so its like this: I went through a really, really rough phase for a couple years ago (from 20/21-24; I'm 27 now). I had some docs from a mental hospital breaking confidentiality, I looked like crap so people said I had AIDS and/or was a junky; I was the town outcast. I also had mild psychosis along with mind-numbing depression that went into psychotic mania when I tried to go back to school and landed into another mental hospital.
The voices are people talking about me, saying things that people around town and some mental health "professionals" used to say about me--that I have AIDS, that I'm a narcissist, that I'm a "brain damaged loser." That sort of thing.
So, its my thoughts. Its a replay of very rough experiences I had in the past. Sometimes I get lost in them--I'll "hear" conversations about me. I *know* the voices aren't real, but I hear them anyway, and it sucks. My therapist said I just need to realize that people are people first, and doctors, therapists, etc. second, and the people who did this to me are just a$$holes. This is sound advice, and it seems to be helping.
Posted by SLS on January 4, 2012, at 6:58:02
In reply to 'voices', posted by Christ_empowered on January 3, 2012, at 21:15:59
Are the voices intrusive thoughts that resemble your having a conversation with yourself, or do you actually hallucinate that you hear real voices around you?
- Scott
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 4, 2012, at 9:10:19
In reply to Re: 'voices' » Christ_empowered, posted by SLS on January 4, 2012, at 6:58:02
I actually hear them, but I (usually) recognize them as a sort of replay of a tough past.
Posted by Phillipa on January 4, 2012, at 21:01:19
In reply to Re: 'voices', posted by Christ_empowered on January 4, 2012, at 9:10:19
Almost like reliving a past experience and the trauma involved? Jan/P
Posted by sigismund on January 5, 2012, at 3:34:23
In reply to 'voices', posted by Christ_empowered on January 3, 2012, at 21:15:59
My parents would never have called anyone a loser (this is WWII time). They would have called him/her a hobo or a drunk or a communist.
It angers me, this loser talk. It is as if life is a game. There is of course the 'Whoever dies with the most toys wins' game, and I guess there are many others. It is just so awful and disrespectful.
Posted by Phillipa on January 5, 2012, at 18:55:30
In reply to Re: 'voices', posted by sigismund on January 5, 2012, at 3:34:23
My olderst Daughter definitely has the most and best toys but won't share. Jan/P PJxx
Posted by Christ_empowered on January 5, 2012, at 19:15:19
In reply to Re: 'voices' » sigismund, posted by Phillipa on January 5, 2012, at 18:55:30
yeah, it sucks, especially since I was in my early 20s at the time. Very few people in their early 20s have a whole lot of toys, you know? The whole environment was just so...unforgiving.
Sorry about your daughter, Phillipa.
Posted by Phillipa on January 5, 2012, at 21:10:24
In reply to Re: 'voices', posted by Christ_empowered on January 5, 2012, at 19:15:19
CE which one and add Son in also. I gave they took. Jan/P
Posted by SLS on January 8, 2012, at 7:27:18
In reply to Re: 'voices', posted by Christ_empowered on January 4, 2012, at 9:10:19
> I actually hear them, but I (usually) recognize them as a sort of replay of a tough past.
You are a better man than I for being to deal with such voices.
- Scott
Posted by creepy on January 13, 2012, at 20:18:24
In reply to Re: Off Lamictal, posted by emmanuel98 on January 3, 2012, at 19:51:41
I dont understand where the anger comes from. I had a similar thing with a doc.
Is it bad to d/c without letting them know? yes. Tell the patient, sure.. get angry with the patient? I dont think thats called for.
What I want to know is what this emotional response from some docs is about. Control?
This is the end of the thread.
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