![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
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 jmarie on September 25, 2001, at 18:06:47
I need people's feedback on whether lamictal has worked for them to control their bipolar or whether other meds might work better. I am currently on 175mg of Lamictal, 5mg of Zyprexa and Klonopin 2mg (per day total) I ended up in the hospital with mania becuase a concerned friend who knows me well saw what my behavior was like and took me there to be evaluated. They sent me home and told me to see my doctor. I have an appointment with him tomorrow. I want to know what others think in terms of adding wellbutrin to kill the corresponding depression that I have now. ( I am also out of work which makes this so much worse) or whether a stimmulant might work becuase at the height of my last manic episode, I drank coffee and it seemed to calm me down. I also worry about side effects I can deal with anything but nausea... I know some meds are known for it and I have stocked up on ginger, but I still am scared of all this stuff. Please help and thanks for listening!
jmarie
Posted by SalArmy4me on September 26, 2001, at 14:55:46
In reply to Please help! Bipolar....and scared! (longish), posted by jmarie on September 25, 2001, at 18:06:47
Wellbutrin is supposed to be good for bipolars:
http://www.dr-bob.org/tips/split/Possible-indications-of-bi.html
From: LJGROLD@aol.com (L.James Grold M.D.)
Date: Fri, 16 Feb 1996 20:40:31 -0500
Subject: Possible indications of bipolarityI have come to the same conclusion on several patients with recurrent depressions starting in adolescence. I also have found in such patients that venlafaxine and buproprion with a mood stablizer like divalproex to be very helpful in smoothing out the moods and in preventing more cycles.
Posted by jay on September 26, 2001, at 18:37:51
In reply to Please help! Bipolar....and scared! (longish), posted by jmarie on September 25, 2001, at 18:06:47
> I need people's feedback on whether lamictal has worked for them to control their bipolar or whether other meds might work better. I am currently on 175mg of Lamictal, 5mg of Zyprexa and Klonopin 2mg (per day total) I ended up in the hospital with mania becuase a concerned friend who knows me well saw what my behavior was like and took me there to be evaluated. They sent me home and told me to see my doctor. I have an appointment with him tomorrow. I want to know what others think in terms of adding wellbutrin to kill the corresponding depression that I have now. ( I am also out of work which makes this so much worse) or whether a stimmulant might work becuase at the height of my last manic episode, I drank coffee and it seemed to calm me down. I also worry about side effects I can deal with anything but nausea... I know some meds are known for it and I have stocked up on ginger, but I still am scared of all this stuff. Please help and thanks for listening!
>
> jmariejmarie:
For nausea, there is an excellent med you can get at the drugstore, without a script, called 'Dramamine'(sp?)..it is called 'Gravol' in Canada.
Regarding med questions, it is so hard to say anything about how effective one will be over another, that it is useless really for anyone to say which med you should take. But, a couple of quick points:
1) A benzo is excellent in mania, especially even if you give yourself a few weeks on one at a good dose.
2) If you are in a 'mixed episode', a very small amount of an a.d. for a short period of time along with the mood stabalizers may keep the spirits up. (And also, a benzo along with these can keep the lid on mania without making you depressed.) This is contoversial, but you have to find what works best by only trying a med. All the research in the world may tell you "..take this and that med..", but you will find the best only by trying. IMHO...
Good luck....keep coming back for support.
Jay
Posted by jmarie on September 26, 2001, at 18:45:42
In reply to Re: Please help! Bipolar....and scared! (longish) » jmarie, posted by jay on September 26, 2001, at 18:37:51
> > I need people's feedback on whether lamictal has worked for them to control their bipolar or whether other meds might work better. I am currently on 175mg of Lamictal, 5mg of Zyprexa and Klonopin 2mg (per day total) I ended up in the hospital with mania becuase a concerned friend who knows me well saw what my behavior was like and took me there to be evaluated. They sent me home and told me to see my doctor. I have an appointment with him tomorrow. I want to know what others think in terms of adding wellbutrin to kill the corresponding depression that I have now. ( I am also out of work which makes this so much worse) or whether a stimmulant might work becuase at the height of my last manic episode, I drank coffee and it seemed to calm me down. I also worry about side effects I can deal with anything but nausea... I know some meds are known for it and I have stocked up on ginger, but I still am scared of all this stuff. Please help and thanks for listening!
> >
> > jmarie
>
> jmarie:
>
> For nausea, there is an excellent med you can get at the drugstore, without a script, called 'Dramamine'(sp?)..it is called 'Gravol' in Canada.
>
> Regarding med questions, it is so hard to say anything about how effective one will be over another, that it is useless really for anyone to say which med you should take. But, a couple of quick points:
>
> 1) A benzo is excellent in mania, especially even if you give yourself a few weeks on one at a good dose.
>
> 2) If you are in a 'mixed episode', a very small amount of an a.d. for a short period of time along with the mood stabalizers may keep the spirits up. (And also, a benzo along with these can keep the lid on mania without making you depressed.) This is contoversial, but you have to find what works best by only trying a med. All the research in the world may tell you "..take this and that med..", but you will find the best only by trying. IMHO...
>
> Good luck....keep coming back for support.
>
> JayThanks Jay and to all who have replied. My doc has given me a start on Wellbutrin 150mg only in the am so hopefully it will kill the downs without throwing me into mania. Geez I want off the roller coaster already!!!
jmarie
Posted by Krazy Kat on September 27, 2001, at 15:52:39
In reply to Re: Please help! Bipolar....and scared! (longish), posted by jmarie on September 26, 2001, at 18:45:42
I think the best advice is to take your meds regularly and try to stick with it. It took me awhile before I was "committed".
Keep coming back here - it's a good place for support.
And keep seeing your doctor, even if you start to feel better. Everything I've read says BiPolar has to be treated for life. And be as honest as possible with him/her. If you're not feeling better, tell them outright.
Lamictal wasn't great for me, but, as has been said, everyone is so different! I take Depakote and Prozac now for BPII.
Good luck.
- K.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.