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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lynn on January 30, 2000, at 19:37:31
I have posted here before (John L, how are you doing?), but lately have been so depressed that I hardly feel like I can talk to anyone, even through this medium. I am on Klonopin and Prozac, but my new pscyhiatrist (who I respect and trust) is thinking of adding a mood stabilizer because she notes a lot of cycling in my emotional state; the depressions I have are refractory and become much more severe each time they occur, and I am extremely polarized at times in my thinking. I am terrified of taking a mood stabilizer in some ways, because I consider myself a passionate person, and I abhored the apathy that the SSRIs induced in me. I have noticed that taking Klonopin has really been helping with some of my swings, but I feel like it has made me even more depressed. I guess I am asking for your (always SO helpful) feedback on the following:
1) what are the side effects of the mood stabilizers that some of you have tried?
2) are they numbing, or do they just quiet the pain?
3) has anyone who has found an ssri apathy-inducing tried a mood stabilizer?
4) Can Wellbutrin be mixed with a mood stabilizer?
5) Everything sedates me -- I feel my best when I have Klonopin, Prozac, and a heavy hit of caffeine in my system. Are all of the mood stabilizers sedating?
6) I can not tolerate blurred vision, even for a short time.Thank you so much for your help.
Posted by Noa on January 30, 2000, at 19:49:03
In reply to mood stabilizers, posted by lynn on January 30, 2000, at 19:37:31
I am on lithium, which was added just about a month and a half ago. I, too have frequent cycles of major depression on top of more residual, chronic depression. Lithum is one of six meds in my medical "soup". The others are Effexor XR, Ritalin, Serzone, Synthroid, and Cytomel.
> 1) what are the side effects of the mood stabilizers that some of you have tried?
Side effects of lithium, for me, are need to urinate frequently, and thirst. These are annoying, but I am bearing with it.
> 2) are they numbing, or do they just quiet the pain?
Not at all numbing. It seems to prevent me from toppling over the edge, moodwise, but I feel my feelings.
> 3) has anyone who has found an ssri apathy-inducing tried a mood stabilizer?
On Prozac (and somewhat, on Paxil) I couldn't cry even when I wanted to. This is definitely not the case with lithium.
> 4) Can Wellbutrin be mixed with a mood stabilizer?
Don't know.
> 5) Everything sedates me -- I feel my best when I have Klonopin, Prozac, and a heavy hit of caffeine in my system. Are all of the mood stabilizers sedating?
I don't find the lithium sedating. However, it potentiates the sedating effects of another med I am on, serzone, and I am sure it would do the same for any other med with sedating effects.
> 6) I can not tolerate blurred vision, even for a short time.
No blurred vision for me on lithium.
>
Posted by Cam W. on January 30, 2000, at 22:01:33
In reply to Re: mood stabilizers, posted by Noa on January 30, 2000, at 19:49:03
> I am on lithium, which was added just about a month and a half ago. I, too have frequent cycles of major depression on top of more residual, chronic depression. Lithum is one of six meds in my medical "soup". The others are Effexor XR, Ritalin, Serzone, Synthroid, and Cytomel.
>
> > 1) what are the side effects of the mood stabilizers that some of you have tried?
>
> Side effects of lithium, for me, are need to urinate frequently, and thirst. These are annoying, but I am bearing with it.
>
> > 2) are they numbing, or do they just quiet the pain?
>
> Not at all numbing. It seems to prevent me from toppling over the edge, moodwise, but I feel my feelings.
>
> > 3) has anyone who has found an ssri apathy-inducing tried a mood stabilizer?
>
> On Prozac (and somewhat, on Paxil) I couldn't cry even when I wanted to. This is definitely not the case with lithium.
>
> > 4) Can Wellbutrin be mixed with a mood stabilizer?
>
> Don't know.
>
> > 5) Everything sedates me -- I feel my best when I have Klonopin, Prozac, and a heavy hit of caffeine in my system. Are all of the mood stabilizers sedating?
>
> I don't find the lithium sedating. However, it potentiates the sedating effects of another med I am on, serzone, and I am sure it would do the same for any other med with sedating effects.
>
> > 6) I can not tolerate blurred vision, even for a short time.
>
> No blurred vision for me on lithium.
> >
Lynn - 1.Since there are 6 mood stabilizers being used, all with different side effects question #1 would be too hard to answer. Find out which one your doctor is considering and ask him why he chose that particular one.2. In general, mood stabilizers cut off the highs and lows of emotion, so that in a way is numbing, but if you mean making you a zombie, not usually, unless your dose is too high or it causes profound drowsiness in you.
3. Yes, but sometimes SSRIs can induce manic episodes (3.8% with Prozac), but they do this much less then the tricyclics (TCAs). SSRIs are considered the drug of choice in bipolar depression and now many doctors are giving Wellbutrin as an option to them.
4. Yes, Wellbutrin can be used with the mood stabilizers, safely and effectively. Some people have complained of Wellbutrin's activating properties making them anxious.
5. Some of the mood stabilizers are sedating, especially at the start of treatment, but most people's body adjusts to this within the first month. Sedation occurs especially when mood stabilizers are combined with medications that also cause sedation.
6. Some mood stabilizers can cause blurred vision. Be sure to tell your doctor of this and he will probably give you one that won't cause this reaction.
I have never taken mood stabilizers, so hopefully those who have, like Noa, can give you more advice than I have. Good luck - Cam W.
Posted by Janice on January 30, 2000, at 22:04:00
In reply to mood stabilizers, posted by lynn on January 30, 2000, at 19:37:31
Hello lynn,
Sorry to hear you're feeling so bad. I'm also on lithium (I have tried 2 other mood stablizers, but I cannot remember their names).
> 1) what are the side effects of the mood stabilizers that some of you have tried?
Nausea, which doesn't affect me if I take lithium with gingerroot
Acne, which I take an antibiotic for
> 2) are they numbing, or do they just quiet the pain?
No numbing. They help to quiet the pain.
> 3) has anyone who has found an ssri apathy-inducing tried a mood stabilizer?The SSRIs did nothing for me other than throw me into a manic phase, which was great for a few days.
> 4) Can Wellbutrin be mixed with a mood stabilizer?
I would imagine; check with a medical person.
> 5) Everything sedates me -- I feel my best when I have Klonopin, Prozac, and a heavy hit of caffeine in my system. Are all of the mood stabilizers sedating?
I don't find lithium at all sedating.
> 6) I can not tolerate blurred vision, even for a short time.
I never experienced blurred vision lithium.
>
> Thank you so much for your help.I am also an intensely passionate person, lynn. Lithium only seems to get rid of what I don't want to experience. Plus, the lows of depression do not dip anywhere as low as they used to. The bottom of my life doesn't fall out anymore.
I have heard good things about Neurotin (excuse spelling) too.
peace, Janice
Hey Noa, Aren't you suppose to be cleaning!
Posted by Noa on January 30, 2000, at 22:35:23
In reply to Re: mood stabilizers, posted by Janice on January 30, 2000, at 22:04:00
Janice, what form does gingerroot come in?
I don't get nauseous, but I do get a slight queasiness in the morning after taking the lithium. It supresses my appetite, which isn't a bad thing, except then I do get hungry later, at an inconvenient time.
Posted by Abby on January 31, 2000, at 12:57:06
In reply to Re: mood stabilizers, posted by Noa on January 30, 2000, at 22:35:23
> Janice, what form does gingerroot come in?
>
> I don't get nauseous, but I do get a slight queasiness in the morning after taking the lithium. It supresses my appetite, which isn't a bad thing, except then I do get hungry later, at an inconvenient time.You can buy the root whole for cooking, but it can also be bought as a nutritional supplement in capsules, almost anywhere from GNC to Wal-Mart.
Abby
Posted by Noa on January 31, 2000, at 13:37:08
In reply to Re: Noa-ginger root, posted by Abby on January 31, 2000, at 12:57:06
I have bought the root whole before, for cooking. Kept it in the freezer, and shaved off bits for seasoning. Isn't this what the spice, ginger, comes from?
Do you notice a difference in effectiveness between the fresh root, or capsule form?
Posted by Abby on January 31, 2000, at 14:27:37
In reply to Re: Noa-ginger root, posted by Noa on January 31, 2000, at 13:37:08
> I have bought the root whole before, for cooking. Kept it in the freezer, and shaved off bits for seasoning. Isn't this what the spice, ginger, comes from?
>
> Do you notice a difference in effectiveness between the fresh root, or capsule form?I've only used the powder for for nausea. Another good thing, which I wouldn't recommend as a regular thing, but as a treat is crystallized ginger. One of my favorite candies are little sticks of crystallized ginger coated in dark chocolate.
Perfect when you crave chocolate, but don't want too much. It also kind of warms you up.I seem to remember Dr. Andrew Weil saying that fresh and dried had different properties. I'm pretty sure I've seen some information in Chinese herbal books, but I don't remember. For convenience sake, I'd be tempted to go with capsules. I bought one of those days of the week pill boxes, with separate compartments for each day of the week which I use for vitamins. Do you have one for your soup? A ginger capsule would fit in the morning one quite easily.
Abby
Posted by Noa on January 31, 2000, at 14:41:02
In reply to Re: Noa-ginger root, posted by Abby on January 31, 2000, at 14:27:37
I only use the pill organizer for the ones I "take on the road". The lion's share of my "soup" is taken at home before I leave for work. I keep all my vials in an oval-shaped cardboard Hershey's candy gift box. Usually it works fine not to have them all counted out. Once in a while, tho, I do get the feeling, "Did I lose count?" "Did I take that one already?"--that sort of thing. So I have thought about getting an organizer for the am, too. But it would have to be BIG, cuz I take 5 Effexors, 2 lithiums, 1 ritalin, 1 synthroid, and 1/2 cytomel, not to mention this ginger pill I might add.
Thanks for the info, Abby.
This is the end of the thread.
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