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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by pragmatic-attack on March 23, 2012, at 22:56:59
I have a possible bipolar 2/3 diagnoses though never been manic but have been antidepressant induced irritable and sort of hypomanic that only lasts a day then I crash. My question is...are there any mood stabilizers that don't ravage cognition? I already have cognitive problems and the depression causes cognitive problems on top of that. The mood stabilizers I've tried, li, lamictal make my cognition even worse rendering me unable to work or function. I'm in a catch 22. Lamictal I found to be at times helpful for my mood but I need to be able to work and function. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...
Posted by Zyprexa on March 24, 2012, at 5:30:39
In reply to mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by pragmatic-attack on March 23, 2012, at 22:56:59
I tried Lamictal in the past and had the same problem, plus it didn't help. Zyprexa is a moodstabilizer and antipsyshotic and I find it to vastly improve my cognitive abilities. I've been taking it for 14 years now. Also Depakote, have you tried that? Its a moodstabiliizer that didn't help my condition but if I remember it didn't affect my cognition. A lot of people find it to be a effective moodstabilizer. Those are my two suggestions.
Posted by SLS on March 24, 2012, at 7:05:09
In reply to mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by pragmatic-attack on March 23, 2012, at 22:56:59
I like Trileptal.
- Scott
Posted by raisinb on March 24, 2012, at 9:02:38
In reply to mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by pragmatic-attack on March 23, 2012, at 22:56:59
Trileptal didn't affect my cognition too badly. I don't think it's working too well for me, but my intellect seems to be functioning at normal levels. Lithium lowered my IQ at least 100 points!
Posted by Phillipa on March 24, 2012, at 10:01:02
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by raisinb on March 24, 2012, at 9:02:38
When I took trileptal albeit low dose no side effects at all noted. Phillipa
Posted by pragmatic-attack on March 24, 2012, at 12:56:20
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by Phillipa on March 24, 2012, at 10:01:02
Never tried triliptal. On 5mg of zyprexa in combo with 20mg of celexa and 10mg of stratterra. Still can't really function
Posted by Zyprexa on March 25, 2012, at 8:22:33
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by pragmatic-attack on March 24, 2012, at 12:56:20
I'd drop the strattera. I took that for a week and was bed riden the whole time, could not function. Have you tried the zyprexa with out strattera. I also took celexa with good results.
Posted by psychobot5000 on March 26, 2012, at 22:47:25
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition » pragmatic-attack, posted by Zyprexa on March 25, 2012, at 8:22:33
> I'd drop the strattera. I took that for a week and was bed riden the whole time, could not function. Have you tried the zyprexa with out strattera. I also took celexa with good results.
Low dose (i.e. 10mg, twice a day--you have to split the smallest capsule in half to get this) geodon is somewhat helpful for cognition. I'm not sure if it's good as a mood-stabilizer (at these low doses it seems to function as an antidepressant), but if Zyprexa, a drug in the same class, can be used in such a capacity, perhaps geodon can as well.
Posted by SLS on March 27, 2012, at 7:37:15
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by psychobot5000 on March 26, 2012, at 22:47:25
> > I'd drop the strattera. I took that for a week and was bed riden the whole time, could not function. Have you tried the zyprexa with out strattera. I also took celexa with good results.
>
> Low dose (i.e. 10mg, twice a day--you have to split the smallest capsule in half to get this) geodon is somewhat helpful for cognition. I'm not sure if it's good as a mood-stabilizer (at these low doses it seems to function as an antidepressant), but if Zyprexa, a drug in the same class, can be used in such a capacity, perhaps geodon can as well.At 40 mg of Geodon, I was a complete zombie and I experienced dissociation. Going up to 80 mg made things much worse. Using Geodon at dosages no higher than 20 mg might avoid cognitive effects. However, low dosages are thought to produce agitation in some people.
What can one say? What is the harm in trying it?
I still like my Abilify.
- Scott
Posted by SLS on March 27, 2012, at 7:45:04
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by pragmatic-attack on March 24, 2012, at 12:56:20
> Never tried triliptal. On 5mg of zyprexa in combo with 20mg of celexa and 10mg of stratterra. Still can't really function
How about raising the Zyprexa to 10 mg for a few days? 10 mg of Strattera seems like an attempt at fooling you into responding to a placebo. You might need 100 mg/day of Strattera to glean a therapeutic effect from it.
- Scott
Posted by pragmatic-attack on March 28, 2012, at 18:11:55
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition » pragmatic-attack, posted by SLS on March 27, 2012, at 7:45:04
yeah my doctor wants to increase the straterra to 20. I started on empowerplus and am debating weening myself off the psych meds for at least a couple months to see if the empower works. I doubt it will but if I don't try then I'll constantly wonder.I do't have anything to lose, I've tried most meds. I guess I could get worse but hey I could just take a zyprexa if i start flipping out..
Posted by pragmatic-attack on March 28, 2012, at 18:13:05
In reply to Re: mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition » pragmatic-attack, posted by Zyprexa on March 25, 2012, at 8:22:33
> I'd drop the strattera. I took that for a week and was bed riden the whole time, could not function. Have you tried the zyprexa with out strattera. I also took celexa with good results.
yeah i've tried zyprexa alone. I need an upper unfortunately
Posted by phidippus on April 3, 2012, at 18:55:56
In reply to mood stabilizer that doesnt effect cognition, posted by pragmatic-attack on March 23, 2012, at 22:56:59
Trileptal is pretty easy going. Keppra supposedly improves cognition.
Eric
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