Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 86944

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Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on December 30, 2001, at 22:11:15

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on December 30, 2001, at 20:59:36

> Yeah, Maybe the benzo/AE/pstim (Klonopin/Neurontin/Adderall) would work to fix cylcing, anxiety and attention problems...but you did mention that your anxiety was "OCD-like" for which an SSRI might do better than Klonopin (but, like you said, you risk cycling with the SSRI). Neurontin/pstim/Li? Does the lithium have an anti-anxiety effect for you? Would the weight gain issue with litium worry you?

Yes, the Lithium does have something of an anxiolytic effect. I was on lithium monotherapy for many years. It is just during the seasonal depressions I would get so tired... and the lithium didn't address that very well. Not that I ever wasn't at "high-enough" doses. I was up to 1500mg/day for a few months (about 1.2 blood level-wise). I never found more than 600mg/day to be of any additional benefit. I never experienced any major weight gain from Lithium. Depakote was a different story, though (but that was still about 15-20lbs. at most).

As far as the "OCD-like" quality to anxiety-I really think it would be more accurate to say it was GAD-like "ruminations". The "OCD-likeness" of it had mostly to do with the repetitive (and "stuck") aspect of it. I don't *do* rituals (checking-counting, etc.)-I would obsessively worry about situations-what I said-what was said in return-what I plan to say later-like a negative rehearsal of sorts-a waste of time that just makes you feel crappy. Also, a lot of "catastrophic thinking" which is typical of people with GAD. But, I don't feel uncomfortable looking at it as related to OCD-because I think it is.


> Journaling or charting is hard for me. First of all, focussing is hard, and then, when I *do* focus, I obsess over the perfection of the chart...as if a mistake is going to be the end of the world. For now, my poor friends can be my journal. I babble at manic length about where my mind is and what meds I'm on...then I ask them later what I said. Very inaccurate, but if they make a mistake I can get mad at them instead of myself < g > heh heh heh...

Yep, you have got that "stuck switch" situation that SSri's help. It is interesting that people with ADD hyper-focus and get "stuck" like folks with OCD (getting fussy and perfectionistic). Also social anxiety is related to perfectionism, too (evaluation anxiety). I am starting to see this type of symptom complex emerge the more I read and post here-this blend of bipolar, SP, ADHD, OCD/GAD. I am just hypothesizing here, but I think (my opinion!), this is all an information processing problem that involves major structures in the brain simultaneously underfunctioning and overfunctioning. I think at bottom it results in some form of an "attentional syndrome" that can manifest as over-focusing (GAD/OCD/SP), and also a lack of focus (BP, ADHD). The negative emotional "fallout" is a result of screwed-up information sharing between different functional and structural parts of the brain.

> Yeah, I though Trileptal was screwing with my concentration, but it was the caffeine withdrawal. I ran into a stressful social situation (resulting in a 4 hr drive) so I slipped off of the coffee wagon . The concentration returned (but so did the anxiety). I start my caffeine detox again tomorrow so I can enjoy the leveling effects of trileptal without the caffeine anxiety. On the trileptal, my chronic negativity and cynicism are gone (only at 150 mg), but there is still a painful dysphoria. I guess the AD and pstim will help with that. Amphetamine still seems scary to me. Did you find Adderall addictive at therapeutic doses? I was addicted to crank as a kid. I told my doctor that (that I was scared) and he said that at therapeutic doses I wouldn't be getting "high" and would have no desire to abuse it. Do you think that is true?
>
> MB


Well, I was only on Adderall for a couple of months. It was very effective-and at only 5mg/day. I never wanted to take more of it. I got a little euphoric the first day or two on it-then I was just alert and slept ok. As far as abuse goes-all you can do is try it and see. If you find that you are focused and alert and still want to take *more* to get a buzz-then that would probably be a danger sign. I never liked "speed" that much. If I was going to get "addicted" to something, opiates would be the most likely thing for me (I "liked" pain killers after surgery-etc. probably a little *too* much).

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » leonard60

Posted by Mitch on December 31, 2001, at 10:33:01

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug?????, posted by leonard60 on December 30, 2001, at 21:43:39

> is GABITRIL any thing like gabapentin

In short no. Gabitril helps prevent GABA from being scavenged (blocks reuptake). Levels of GABA then build up and since it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, this can help "stabilize" neuronal firing and help control seizures.

Gabapentin's molecule "looks like" the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA, but its mechanism doesn't appear to be "GABA-ergic". Evidently, there are specific sites in the hippocampus where it acts as a selective calcium-ion channel blocker which also "stabilizes" neuronal firing but in a more selective region of the brain.

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 1, 2002, at 15:22:34

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on December 30, 2001, at 22:11:15

> > Yeah, Maybe the benzo/AE/pstim (Klonopin/Neurontin/Adderall) would work to fix cylcing, anxiety and attention problems...but you did mention that your anxiety was "OCD-like" for which an SSRI might do better than Klonopin (but, like you said, you risk cycling with the SSRI). Neurontin/pstim/Li? Does the lithium have an anti-anxiety effect for you? Would the weight gain issue with litium worry you?
>
> Yes, the Lithium does have something of an anxiolytic effect. I was on lithium monotherapy for many years. It is just during the seasonal depressions I would get so tired... and the lithium didn't address that very well. Not that I ever wasn't at "high-enough" doses. I was up to 1500mg/day for a few months (about 1.2 blood level-wise). I never found more than 600mg/day to be of any additional benefit. I never experienced any major weight gain from Lithium. Depakote was a different story, though (but that was still about 15-20lbs. at most).


I'm pretty obsessive about not gaining weight. 20 lbs would freak me out. When you gained weight on the Depakote, was it because the Depakote made you hungrier? I gained 20 lbs on Paxil, but I was exercising and eating the same amount of food. That freaked me out (I wasn't over eating and I still got fat).


> As far as the "OCD-like" quality to anxiety-I really think it would be more accurate to say it was GAD-like "ruminations". The "OCD-likeness" of it had mostly to do with the repetitive (and "stuck") aspect of it. I don't *do* rituals (checking-counting, etc.)-I would obsessively worry about situations-what I said-what was said in return-what I plan to say later-like a negative rehearsal of sorts-a waste of time that just makes you feel crappy. Also, a lot of "catastrophic thinking" which is typical of people with GAD. But, I don't feel uncomfortable looking at it as related to OCD-because I think it is.


What you described is EXACTLY the kind of ruminating I go through. I *do* have a few weird rituals, though. For example, after I flush the toilet, I can't be standing on tile (I have to be standing on carpet) when the toilet is finished filling back up. This is a modification of one I've had since third grade: I had to be in bed and under the covers before the bathtub was done draining or it meant I'd have to sell my soul to Satan. Now where in the hell did a third grader come up with *that* one? Pretty bizzare. As I've gotten older, the rituals have gotten fewer, but the ruminating (e.g., having fight in my head with people that I plan to see later that day, etc.) hasn't changed and it reminds me exactly of what you described above.


> > Journaling or charting is hard for me. First of all, focussing is hard, and then, when I *do* focus, I obsess over the perfection of the chart...as if a mistake is going to be the end of the world. For now, my poor friends can be my journal. I babble at manic length about where my mind is and what meds I'm on...then I ask them later what I said. Very inaccurate, but if they make a mistake I can get mad at them instead of myself < g > heh heh heh...
>
> Yep, you have got that "stuck switch" situation that SSri's help. It is interesting that people with ADD hyper-focus and get "stuck" like folks with OCD (getting fussy and perfectionistic). Also social anxiety is related to perfectionism, too (evaluation anxiety). I am starting to see this type of symptom complex emerge the more I read and post here-this blend of bipolar, SP, ADHD, OCD/GAD. I am just hypothesizing here, but I think (my opinion!), this is all an information processing problem that involves major structures in the brain simultaneously underfunctioning and overfunctioning. I think at bottom it results in some form of an "attentional syndrome" that can manifest as over-focusing (GAD/OCD/SP), and also a lack of focus (BP, ADHD). The negative emotional "fallout" is a result of screwed-up information sharing between different functional and structural parts of the brain.
>
> > Yeah, I though Trileptal was screwing with my concentration, but it was the caffeine withdrawal. I ran into a stressful social situation (resulting in a 4 hr drive) so I slipped off of the coffee wagon . The concentration returned (but so did the anxiety). I start my caffeine detox again tomorrow so I can enjoy the leveling effects of trileptal without the caffeine anxiety. On the trileptal, my chronic negativity and cynicism are gone (only at 150 mg), but there is still a painful dysphoria. I guess the AD and pstim will help with that. Amphetamine still seems scary to me. Did you find Adderall addictive at therapeutic doses? I was addicted to crank as a kid. I told my doctor that (that I was scared) and he said that at therapeutic doses I wouldn't be getting "high" and would have no desire to abuse it. Do you think that is true?
> >
> > MB
>
>
> Well, I was only on Adderall for a couple of months. It was very effective-and at only 5mg/day. I never wanted to take more of it. I got a little euphoric the first day or two on it-then I was just alert and slept ok. As far as abuse goes-all you can do is try it and see. If you find that you are focused and alert and still want to take *more* to get a buzz-then that would probably be a danger sign. I never liked "speed" that much. If I was going to get "addicted" to something, opiates would be the most likely thing for me (I "liked" pain killers after surgery-etc. probably a little *too* much).
>
> Mitch


Yeah, I figure the first few days I'll give the Adderall to a friend and have them give me my doses so if I *do* get a craving to use more I won't me able to. This is what I have to do with Vicodin when I get hurt. Last time I was in charge of my own Vicodin I went through 20 in a 24 hr period. I wonder how addictive personality fits into this strange spectrum of mood/attention/obsession problems. The more I hang out here, the more it seems these things are not discrete disorders, but inextricably related in some fashion.

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 1, 2002, at 16:43:40

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 1, 2002, at 15:22:34

> > I never experienced any major weight gain from Lithium. Depakote was a different story, though (but that was still about 15-20lbs. at most).
>
>
> I'm pretty obsessive about not gaining weight. 20 lbs would freak me out. When you gained weight on the Depakote, was it because the Depakote made you hungrier? I gained 20 lbs on Paxil, but I was exercising and eating the same amount of food. That freaked me out (I wasn't over eating and I still got fat).

Oh yes, I definitely had an increased appetite on it. The nice thing about Depakote is that it *does* have an anxiolytic effect about it. You get kind of tired and comfortable and *hungry*! I noticed at work I was going to the cafeteria grazing around the snack machines a lot more. It was similar to Remeron as far as munchies goes (but Remeron was FAR worse). Actually, I don't think the increased weight was entirely from appetite. I saw something about Depakote in some Epilepsy journal saying there was a definite "metabolic syndrome" associated with Depakote. It slows you down..period. If you get very manic and you are chronically anorexic, Depakote probably would be ideal. I wonder however, if T4 (thyroxine) added to Depakote would counteract the "metabolic slowing" and at the same time reduce cycling (and maybe enhance any antidepressant effects it could have)??? I haven't read anything about that combo being tried. I would be curious if anyone had tried it and whether it worked or not. Why? Well, Depakote was the only MS that I have taken that can reliably axe hypomania/mixed state agitation-no matter what. Grouchiness, social phobia, uncomplicated depression.. I found Neurontin works better.

>
>
> > As far as the "OCD-like" quality to anxiety-I really think it would be more accurate to say it was GAD-like "ruminations". The "OCD-likeness" of it had mostly to do with the repetitive (and "stuck") aspect of it. I don't *do* rituals (checking-counting, etc.)-I would obsessively worry about situations-what I said-what was said in return-what I plan to say later-like a negative rehearsal of sorts-a waste of time that just makes you feel crappy. Also, a lot of "catastrophic thinking" which is typical of people with GAD. But, I don't feel uncomfortable looking at it as related to OCD-because I think it is.
>
>
> What you described is EXACTLY the kind of ruminating I go through. I *do* have a few weird rituals, though. For example, after I flush the toilet, I can't be standing on tile (I have to be standing on carpet) when the toilet is finished filling back up. This is a modification of one I've had since third grade: I had to be in bed and under the covers before the bathtub was done draining or it meant I'd have to sell my soul to Satan. Now where in the hell did a third grader come up with *that* one? Pretty bizzare. As I've gotten older, the rituals have gotten fewer, but the ruminating (e.g., having fight in my head with people that I plan to see later that day, etc.) hasn't changed and it reminds me exactly of what you described above.


Yepper, those are definitely OCD symptoms. However, you have to keep in mind the all important qualifier-Does this cause discomfort if you don't perform the ritual? I say that because I wonder if some of this stuff is really like behavioural "tics". If you stopped yourself consciously from doing it-do you get agitated/anxious? In other words, do you just "find yourself" doing these things and don't "mind" doing them, and if you didn't do them would it really make any difference? (A ritualistic "habit" rather than an important "ritual")

> > > Yeah, I though Trileptal was screwing with my concentration, but it was the caffeine withdrawal. I ran into a stressful social situation (resulting in a 4 hr drive) so I slipped off of the coffee wagon . The concentration returned (but so did the anxiety). I start my caffeine detox again tomorrow so I can enjoy the leveling effects of trileptal without the caffeine anxiety. On the trileptal, my chronic negativity and cynicism are gone (only at 150 mg), but there is still a painful dysphoria. I guess the AD and pstim will help with that. Amphetamine still seems scary to me. Did you find Adderall addictive at therapeutic doses? I was addicted to crank as a kid. I told my doctor that (that I was scared) and he said that at therapeutic doses I wouldn't be getting "high" and would have no desire to abuse it. Do you think that is true?
> > >
> > > MB
> >
> >
> > Well, I was only on Adderall for a couple of months. It was very effective-and at only 5mg/day. I never wanted to take more of it. I got a little euphoric the first day or two on it-then I was just alert and slept ok. As far as abuse goes-all you can do is try it and see. If you find that you are focused and alert and still want to take *more* to get a buzz-then that would probably be a danger sign. I never liked "speed" that much. If I was going to get "addicted" to something, opiates would be the most likely thing for me (I "liked" pain killers after surgery-etc. probably a little *too* much).
> >
> > Mitch
>
>
> Yeah, I figure the first few days I'll give the Adderall to a friend and have them give me my doses so if I *do* get a craving to use more I won't me able to. This is what I have to do with Vicodin when I get hurt. Last time I was in charge of my own Vicodin I went through 20 in a 24 hr period. I wonder how addictive personality fits into this strange spectrum of mood/attention/obsession problems. The more I hang out here, the more it seems these things are not discrete disorders, but inextricably related in some fashion.
>
> MB


Yes, my pdoc tells me that "it's all the same thing!"-but there isn't a *label* for it, yet. There is just a couple of handfuls of differential diagnoses and comorbid conditions. Also, I think *personality disorders* for the most part are cop-outs-a "miscellaneous bin" of sorts to toss people into.

It sounds like the Trileptal is doing you some good. I definitely got an antidepressant effect and some improved attentional qualities with it. It was just the damn nausea! BTW, that nausea didn't kick in for me until I got to 300mg/day. So, watch out. I found that 75mg tid was my upper limit. Maybe if I would have stayed there for a month I could have upped the dose without the nausea-who knows?

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 1, 2002, at 23:42:51

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 1, 2002, at 16:43:40


> Oh yes, I definitely had an increased appetite on it. The nice thing about Depakote is that it *does* have an anxiolytic effect about it. You get kind of tired and comfortable and *hungry*! I noticed at work I was going to the cafeteria grazing around the snack machines a lot more. It was similar to Remeron as far as munchies goes (but Remeron was FAR worse).


I took Remeron for several days. I must have averaged about 7000 calories a day while I was on it. Besides worrying about getting fat, I was concerned about the cost of keeping up with such an appetite!! Plus, I couldn't function during the day on it. I was only taking 15 milligrams, though...I guess the smnolence gets better at higher doses, but I didn't want to risk. By the way, does Depakote have any antihistamine properties to it? Any drug like that (tricyclics, neuroleptics, allergy medicine, etc.) make me SOOO tired and hungry.


> Actually, I don't think the increased weight was entirely from appetite. I saw something about Depakote in some Epilepsy journal saying there was a definite "metabolic syndrome" associated with Depakote. It slows you down..period. If you get very manic and you are chronically anorexic, Depakote probably would be ideal. I wonder however, if T4 (thyroxine) added to Depakote would counteract the "metabolic slowing" and at the same time reduce cycling (and maybe enhance any antidepressant effects it could have)??? I haven't read anything about that combo being tried. I would be curious if anyone had tried it and whether it worked or not. Why? Well, Depakote was the only MS that I have taken that can reliably axe hypomania/mixed state agitation-no matter what. Grouchiness, social phobia, uncomplicated depression.. I found Neurontin works better.


I think Paxil gave me some kind of "metabolic syndrome" because I really packed on the pounds. I didn't gain for the first nine months, but then it came on rapidly. At the same time the weight gain started, I got really fatigued: slept approx 14 hrs/day. That's why I got off of it...also, I was still anxious all the time (but without the physical symptoms). Maybe the anxiety was because I had to triple my caffeine intake to combat the fatigue? I sure hope that the Trileptal doesn't slow the metabolism. I figure that Prozac will since Zoloft and Effexor and Paxil made me porky in the long run. I'm on T4 right now, and I don't notice any difference between the way I feel now and the way I felt 7 yrs ago when I started. Tests show I need it, though.


> > > As far as the "OCD-like" quality to anxiety-I really think it would be more accurate to say it was GAD-like "ruminations". The "OCD-likeness" of it had mostly to do with the repetitive (and "stuck") aspect of it. I don't *do* rituals (checking-counting, etc.)-I would obsessively worry about situations-what I said-what was said in return-what I plan to say later-like a negative rehearsal of sorts-a waste of time that just makes you feel crappy. Also, a lot of "catastrophic thinking" which is typical of people with GAD. But, I don't feel uncomfortable looking at it as related to OCD-because I think it is.
> >
> >
> > What you described is EXACTLY the kind of ruminating I go through. I *do* have a few weird rituals, though. For example, after I flush the toilet, I can't be standing on tile (I have to be standing on carpet) when the toilet is finished filling back up. This is a modification of one I've had since third grade: I had to be in bed and under the covers before the bathtub was done draining or it meant I'd have to sell my soul to Satan. Now where in the hell did a third grader come up with *that* one? Pretty bizzare. As I've gotten older, the rituals have gotten fewer, but the ruminating (e.g., having fight in my head with people that I plan to see later that day, etc.) hasn't changed and it reminds me exactly of what you described above.
>
>
> Yepper, those are definitely OCD symptoms. However, you have to keep in mind the all important qualifier-Does this cause discomfort if you don't perform the ritual? I say that because I wonder if some of this stuff is really like behavioural "tics". If you stopped yourself consciously from doing it-do you get agitated/anxious? In other words, do you just "find yourself" doing these things and don't "mind" doing them, and if you didn't do them would it really make any difference? (A ritualistic "habit" rather than an important "ritual")


No, if the toilet's filling back up and my feet are on the bathroom tile, I feel panicked as if my very soul is at stake. Sometimes I'll force myself to stand on the tile and let the toilet fill just to prove that nothing will happen. The sensation is one of immanent evil or impending doom. I do have some behavioral tics, though. I'll get a word stuck in my head and spell it over and over by "writing" the letters of the word on my index finger with my thumb. Once I realize I'm doing it, it doesn't bother me to stop.


> > > > Yeah, I though Trileptal was screwing with my concentration, but it was the caffeine withdrawal. I ran into a stressful social situation (resulting in a 4 hr drive) so I slipped off of the coffee wagon . The concentration returned (but so did the anxiety). I start my caffeine detox again tomorrow so I can enjoy the leveling effects of trileptal without the caffeine anxiety. On the trileptal, my chronic negativity and cynicism are gone (only at 150 mg), but there is still a painful dysphoria. I guess the AD and pstim will help with that. Amphetamine still seems scary to me. Did you find Adderall addictive at therapeutic doses? I was addicted to crank as a kid. I told my doctor that (that I was scared) and he said that at therapeutic doses I wouldn't be getting "high" and would have no desire to abuse it. Do you think that is true?
> > > >
> > > > MB
> > >
> > >
> > > Well, I was only on Adderall for a couple of months. It was very effective-and at only 5mg/day. I never wanted to take more of it. I got a little euphoric the first day or two on it-then I was just alert and slept ok. As far as abuse goes-all you can do is try it and see. If you find that you are focused and alert and still want to take *more* to get a buzz-then that would probably be a danger sign. I never liked "speed" that much. If I was going to get "addicted" to something, opiates would be the most likely thing for me (I "liked" pain killers after surgery-etc. probably a little *too* much).
> > >
> > > Mitch
> >
> >
> > Yeah, I figure the first few days I'll give the Adderall to a friend and have them give me my doses so if I *do* get a craving to use more I won't me able to. This is what I have to do with Vicodin when I get hurt. Last time I was in charge of my own Vicodin I went through 20 in a 24 hr period. I wonder how addictive personality fits into this strange spectrum of mood/attention/obsession problems. The more I hang out here, the more it seems these things are not discrete disorders, but inextricably related in some fashion.
> >
> > MB
>
>
> Yes, my pdoc tells me that "it's all the same thing!"-but there isn't a *label* for it, yet. There is just a couple of handfuls of differential diagnoses and comorbid conditions. Also, I think *personality disorders* for the most part are cop-outs-a "miscellaneous bin" of sorts to toss people into.
>
> It sounds like the Trileptal is doing you some good. I definitely got an antidepressant effect and some improved attentional qualities with it. It was just the damn nausea! BTW, that nausea didn't kick in for me until I got to 300mg/day. So, watch out. I found that 75mg tid was my upper limit. Maybe if I would have stayed there for a month I could have upped the dose without the nausea-who knows?
>
> Mitch


I seem to be tolorating the Trileptal really well. I'm at the 300mg/day dose and doing fine. After 5 days of taking 300mg at bedtime, I'm supposed to move to 150mg t.i.d. I don't notice that much from it. I haven't broken anything since I started it, though. Hmmm...that's gotta mean *something*...

Are you going to discuss a possible med change when you see the doctor next? How are you feeling now that the holidays are over? I feel like I can try to get on with my life again...phew!!

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 2, 2002, at 10:15:59

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 1, 2002, at 23:42:51

> I took Remeron for several days. I must have averaged about 7000 calories a day while I was on it. Besides worrying about getting fat, I was concerned about the cost of keeping up with such an appetite!! Plus, I couldn't function during the day on it. I was only taking 15 milligrams, though...I guess the smnolence gets better at higher doses, but I didn't want to risk. By the way, does Depakote have any antihistamine properties to it? Any drug like that (tricyclics, neuroleptics, allergy medicine, etc.) make me SOOO tired and hungry.


I don't think it has much antihistaminic action if at all. It might be its potentiation of GABA in the brain. But that is just speculation, usually when a "mechanism" is found out about a particular med it often is something that most people wouldn't have thought of.


> > > > As far as the "OCD-like" quality to anxiety-I really think it would be more accurate to say it was GAD-like "ruminations". The "OCD-likeness" of it had mostly to do with the repetitive (and "stuck") aspect of it. I don't *do* rituals (checking-counting, etc.)-I would obsessively worry about situations-what I said-what was said in return-what I plan to say later-like a negative rehearsal of sorts-a waste of time that just makes you feel crappy. Also, a lot of "catastrophic thinking" which is typical of people with GAD. But, I don't feel uncomfortable looking at it as related to OCD-because I think it is.
> > >
> > >
> > > What you described is EXACTLY the kind of ruminating I go through. I *do* have a few weird rituals, though. For example, after I flush the toilet, I can't be standing on tile (I have to be standing on carpet) when the toilet is finished filling back up. This is a modification of one I've had since third grade: I had to be in bed and under the covers before the bathtub was done draining or it meant I'd have to sell my soul to Satan. Now where in the hell did a third grader come up with *that* one? Pretty bizzare. As I've gotten older, the rituals have gotten fewer, but the ruminating (e.g., having fight in my head with people that I plan to see later that day, etc.) hasn't changed and it reminds me exactly of what you described above.
> >
> >
> > Yepper, those are definitely OCD symptoms. However, you have to keep in mind the all important qualifier-Does this cause discomfort if you don't perform the ritual? I say that because I wonder if some of this stuff is really like behavioural "tics". If you stopped yourself consciously from doing it-do you get agitated/anxious? In other words, do you just "find yourself" doing these things and don't "mind" doing them, and if you didn't do them would it really make any difference? (A ritualistic "habit" rather than an important "ritual")
>
>
> No, if the toilet's filling back up and my feet are on the bathroom tile, I feel panicked as if my very soul is at stake. Sometimes I'll force myself to stand on the tile and let the toilet fill just to prove that nothing will happen. The sensation is one of immanent evil or impending doom. I do have some behavioral tics, though. I'll get a word stuck in my head and spell it over and over by "writing" the letters of the word on my index finger with my thumb. Once I realize I'm doing it, it doesn't bother me to stop.


Yeah, that definitely is an OCD ritual. Are you taking an SSri (or other med) for it now (is Trileptal and T4 your only meds)?


> > It sounds like the Trileptal is doing you some good. I definitely got an antidepressant effect and some improved attentional qualities with it. It was just the damn nausea! BTW, that nausea didn't kick in for me until I got to 300mg/day. So, watch out. I found that 75mg tid was my upper limit. Maybe if I would have stayed there for a month I could have upped the dose without the nausea-who knows?
> >
> > Mitch
>
>
> I seem to be tolorating the Trileptal really well. I'm at the 300mg/day dose and doing fine. After 5 days of taking 300mg at bedtime, I'm supposed to move to 150mg t.i.d. I don't notice that much from it. I haven't broken anything since I started it, though. Hmmm...that's gotta mean *something*...
>
> Are you going to discuss a possible med change when you see the doctor next? How are you feeling now that the holidays are over? I feel like I can try to get on with my life again...phew!!

I kind of doubt it. The only thing that I might bring up is Provigil as a swap from Wellbutrin. I have read more than a couple of posts here saying that it helped with SP symptoms. The Wellbutrin has kept me out of major depression and helps with assertiveness, but it tends to worsen my "freezing" when I am around strangers. It would be nice to be alert and attentive through the day without being edgy. I wonder if my pdoc has some samples. I would be able to tell after a few days at most if it would do me any good.

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 2, 2002, at 16:42:13

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 2, 2002, at 10:15:59


> > No, if the toilet's filling back up and my feet are on the bathroom tile, I feel panicked as if my very soul is at stake. Sometimes I'll force myself to stand on the tile and let the toilet fill just to prove that nothing will happen. The sensation is one of immanent evil or impending doom. I do have some behavioral tics, though. I'll get a word stuck in my head and spell it over and over by "writing" the letters of the word on my index finger with my thumb. Once I realize I'm doing it, it doesn't bother me to stop.
>
>
> Yeah, that definitely is an OCD ritual. Are you taking an SSri (or other med) for it now (is Trileptal and T4 your only meds)?


Right now, I'm only on the Trileptal and T4. I'm supposed to add the Prozac soon. Last night was the third night that I took 300 mg of Trileptal. This morning, I really realized how sleepy it is making me. It's not a bad sleepiness. I think antihistamine sleepiness feels *awful*, but this feeling is just kinda relaxing...almost like a benzo...but I worry about being able to go back to school this Monday to continue the year. Yesterday, I spent 14 hrs sleeping. What have you heard through the grapevine; have people been building tolorances to Trileptal sedation?


> > > It sounds like the Trileptal is doing you some good. I definitely got an antidepressant effect and some improved attentional qualities with it. It was just the damn nausea! BTW, that nausea didn't kick in for me until I got to 300mg/day. So, watch out. I found that 75mg tid was my upper limit. Maybe if I would have stayed there for a month I could have upped the dose without the nausea-who knows?
> > >
> > > Mitch
> >
> >
> > I seem to be tolorating the Trileptal really well. I'm at the 300mg/day dose and doing fine. After 5 days of taking 300mg at bedtime, I'm supposed to move to 150mg t.i.d. I don't notice that much from it. I haven't broken anything since I started it, though. Hmmm...that's gotta mean *something*...
> >
> > Are you going to discuss a possible med change when you see the doctor next? How are you feeling now that the holidays are over? I feel like I can try to get on with my life again...phew!!
>
> I kind of doubt it. The only thing that I might bring up is Provigil as a swap from Wellbutrin. I have read more than a couple of posts here saying that it helped with SP symptoms. The Wellbutrin has kept me out of major depression and helps with assertiveness, but it tends to worsen my "freezing" when I am around strangers. It would be nice to be alert and attentive through the day without being edgy. I wonder if my pdoc has some samples. I would be able to tell after a few days at most if it would do me any good.
>
> Mitch


Wellbutrin makes me extremely irritable (unless I pop some Xanax when it starts to kick in). I don't know that much about Provigil. I took something called adrafinil (similar to modafinil??) years ago. I don't think I liked it...it was like drinking too much coffee. Do you know the differences between modafinil and adrafinil?

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 2, 2002, at 22:13:55

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 2, 2002, at 16:42:13

> Right now, I'm only on the Trileptal and T4. I'm supposed to add the Prozac soon. Last night was the third night that I took 300 mg of Trileptal. This morning, I really realized how sleepy it is making me. It's not a bad sleepiness. I think antihistamine sleepiness feels *awful*, but this feeling is just kinda relaxing...almost like a benzo...but I worry about being able to go back to school this Monday to continue the year. Yesterday, I spent 14 hrs sleeping. What have you heard through the grapevine; have people been building tolorances to Trileptal sedation?

Interesting. I felt noticeably *wired* when I was taking Trileptal (a definite stimulant like feeling-I even got up somewhat *early*). Maybe you ought to try 150mg twice daily before you increase to 150mg three times daily??
Oh BTW, I found Prozac very very activating. It may be that when you add in the Prozac you will see a reversal of the hypersomnia you are seeing now.


> Wellbutrin makes me extremely irritable (unless I pop some Xanax when it starts to kick in). I don't know that much about Provigil. I took something called adrafinil (similar to modafinil??) years ago. I don't think I liked it...it was like drinking too much coffee. Do you know the differences between modafinil and adrafinil?
>
> MB


I think that modafinil is a metabolite of adrafanil. I believe the FDA won't let adrafanil in due to liver toxicity concerns.
I have had *some* irritability attributable to the WB. But, it is very short lived-I don't ruminate/adrenalize for hours afterwards. That is nice because I have taken other meds that increased hostility and I couldn't *put it down* (Effexor, Remeron, Buspar).

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 2, 2002, at 23:52:38

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 2, 2002, at 22:13:55

> > Right now, I'm only on the Trileptal and T4. I'm supposed to add the Prozac soon. Last night was the third night that I took 300 mg of Trileptal. This morning, I really realized how sleepy it is making me. It's not a bad sleepiness. I think antihistamine sleepiness feels *awful*, but this feeling is just kinda relaxing...almost like a benzo...but I worry about being able to go back to school this Monday to continue the year. Yesterday, I spent 14 hrs sleeping. What have you heard through the grapevine; have people been building tolorances to Trileptal sedation?
>
> Interesting. I felt noticeably *wired* when I was taking Trileptal (a definite stimulant like feeling-I even got up somewhat *early*). Maybe you ought to try 150mg twice daily before you increase to 150mg three times daily??
> Oh BTW, I found Prozac very very activating. It may be that when you add in the Prozac you will see a reversal of the hypersomnia you are seeing now.


Well, at 150 mg, the Trileptal gave me insomnia. Then, when I increased the dose to 300 mg, I didn't notice a change until the third night at that dose, after which I slept 14 hrs. Maybe I'm just catching up on the sleep I missed when I first started taking it. Also, today was the third day without caffeine...that can cause hypersomnia too. I just took my bedtime dose an hour ago (I take it a little early so I can get it in with some food) and I don't notice any sleepiness. Maybe I'm adjusting! All in all, it is really tolorable. I realize how much I disliked the Gabitril!! One weird thing, though: When my last dose started to "kick in" I began to have the physical sensations of a panic attack but it never got too bad...just dissipated


> > Wellbutrin makes me extremely irritable (unless I pop some Xanax when it starts to kick in). I don't know that much about Provigil. I took something called adrafinil (similar to modafinil??) years ago. I don't think I liked it...it was like drinking too much coffee. Do you know the differences between modafinil and adrafinil?
> >
> > MB
>
>
> I think that modafinil is a metabolite of adrafanil. I believe the FDA won't let adrafanil in due to liver toxicity concerns.
> I have had *some* irritability attributable to the WB. But, it is very short lived-I don't ruminate/adrenalize for hours afterwards. That is nice because I have taken other meds that increased hostility and I couldn't *put it down* (Effexor, Remeron, Buspar).
>
> Mitch


What about Adderall, how did it affect hostility/anger? Also, have you heard about the Serzone--liver connection? I just read about that on Medline. I think I may not ask the doc about Serzone after all.

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 3, 2002, at 9:28:11

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 2, 2002, at 23:52:38

> > > Right now, I'm only on the Trileptal and T4. I'm supposed to add the Prozac soon. Last night was the third night that I took 300 mg of Trileptal. This morning, I really realized how sleepy it is making me. It's not a bad sleepiness. I think antihistamine sleepiness feels *awful*, but this feeling is just kinda relaxing...almost like a benzo...but I worry about being able to go back to school this Monday to continue the year. Yesterday, I spent 14 hrs sleeping. What have you heard through the grapevine; have people been building tolorances to Trileptal sedation?
> >
> > Interesting. I felt noticeably *wired* when I was taking Trileptal (a definite stimulant like feeling-I even got up somewhat *early*). Maybe you ought to try 150mg twice daily before you increase to 150mg three times daily??
> > Oh BTW, I found Prozac very very activating. It may be that when you add in the Prozac you will see a reversal of the hypersomnia you are seeing now.
>
>
> Well, at 150 mg, the Trileptal gave me insomnia. Then, when I increased the dose to 300 mg, I didn't notice a change until the third night at that dose, after which I slept 14 hrs. Maybe I'm just catching up on the sleep I missed when I first started taking it. Also, today was the third day without caffeine...that can cause hypersomnia too. I just took my bedtime dose an hour ago (I take it a little early so I can get it in with some food) and I don't notice any sleepiness. Maybe I'm adjusting! All in all, it is really tolorable. I realize how much I disliked the Gabitril!! One weird thing, though: When my last dose started to "kick in" I began to have the physical sensations of a panic attack but it never got too bad...just dissipated

I would hazard a guess that it will probably be a little while and at somewhat higher doses of Trileptal before you are going to see what it is going to be like taking longer-term. I believe the dose "target" for seizures (as monotheraphy) is 1200mg/day (600mg/bid). Usually when you get into the range used for epilepsy you are more likely to see a lot of unwanted side effects (I am thinking here of cognitive sfx). Maybe your pdoc will be "nice" and you will get a good response before you get "there". Trileptal is related to Tegretol. I knew someone in college that had been on lithium for about 20 years for bipolar (he was a Navy vet)and he complained about the cognitive sfx of his lithium and they switched him to Tegretol. He definitely liked it a lot better. It would be nice to hear about a Trileptal success since Tegretol can cause nasty blood disorders (rare, but dangerous).


>
>
> > > Wellbutrin makes me extremely irritable (unless I pop some Xanax when it starts to kick in). I don't know that much about Provigil. I took something called adrafinil (similar to modafinil??) years ago. I don't think I liked it...it was like drinking too much coffee. Do you know the differences between modafinil and adrafinil?
> > >
> > > MB
> >
> >
> > I think that modafinil is a metabolite of adrafanil. I believe the FDA won't let adrafanil in due to liver toxicity concerns.
> > I have had *some* irritability attributable to the WB. But, it is very short lived-I don't ruminate/adrenalize for hours afterwards. That is nice because I have taken other meds that increased hostility and I couldn't *put it down* (Effexor, Remeron, Buspar).
> >
> > Mitch
>
>
> What about Adderall, how did it affect hostility/anger? Also, have you heard about the Serzone--liver connection? I just read about that on Medline. I think I may not ask the doc about Serzone after all.
>
> MB

I had some intermittent grouchiness from it-but I don't think it was the Adderall so much as the fact I wasn't taking an SSRI with it (SSRI's really calm me down). The main thing about Adderall that was just so dramatic was the improved sleep quality, daytime alertness, and NO cycling. Nothing else ever just flattened it out like that-so weird.

Yes, I heard about the Serzone. I read about some isolated cases of liver probems associated with it before they had to include the warning in their script info., but I thought it was too rare to get that concerned. Actually, the thing about Serzone that I don't like is that it has too many metabolites (WB does too) and hits too many receptors (like Remeron).

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 3, 2002, at 20:53:48

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 3, 2002, at 9:28:11


> > Well, at 150 mg, the Trileptal gave me insomnia. Then, when I increased the dose to 300 mg, I didn't notice a change until the third night at that dose, after which I slept 14 hrs. Maybe I'm just catching up on the sleep I missed when I first started taking it. Also, today was the third day without caffeine...that can cause hypersomnia too. I just took my bedtime dose an hour ago (I take it a little early so I can get it in with some food) and I don't notice any sleepiness. Maybe I'm adjusting! All in all, it is really tolorable. I realize how much I disliked the Gabitril!! One weird thing, though: When my last dose started to "kick in" I began to have the physical sensations of a panic attack but it never got too bad...just dissipated
>
> I would hazard a guess that it will probably be a little while and at somewhat higher doses of Trileptal before you are going to see what it is going to be like taking longer-term. I believe the dose "target" for seizures (as monotheraphy) is 1200mg/day (600mg/bid). Usually when you get into the range used for epilepsy you are more likely to see a lot of unwanted side effects (I am thinking here of cognitive sfx). Maybe your pdoc will be "nice" and you will get a good response before you get "there". Trileptal is related to Tegretol. I knew someone in college that had been on lithium for about 20 years for bipolar (he was a Navy vet)and he complained about the cognitive sfx of his lithium and they switched him to Tegretol. He definitely liked it a lot better. It would be nice to hear about a Trileptal success since Tegretol can cause nasty blood disorders (rare, but dangerous).


So, what is the target dose of Trileptal in treating "rage attacks"? I haven't been diagnosed as bipolar, but I assume the dose to treat hypomania would be about the same needed to treat bad anger outbursts?? I'm at 450mg a day (150 tid). At this point, I don't think I would be willing to go any higher. I'm just starting to feel "icky". Not really sick, but a general malaise. I haven't really felt like leaving the house for about three days, and I feel like my depression is getting worse. Kinda depressed and chilled and headachy...I've come close to falling over in the shower a few times. That's OK when you're drunk because you feel so good, but when you feel shitty and you keep falling over, is it worth it? Also, I'm feeling a discomfort in my right side that I think is my liver. I've felt it a few times after I've had alcohol poisoning. I don't think I'm really happy with this stuff. But, then again, I've never been happy with medications: no benifit, all side effects. That's why I got the spect scan...figured that on the "right" med, I'd be willing to put up with the side effects, because I'd be feeling better in my mind. The AE merry-go-round is turning out to be very similar to the AD merry-go-round. How long do you give one of these meds (AE) before you know if the side effects are going to go away?

...starting to get discouraged,

>
> >
> >
> > > > Wellbutrin makes me extremely irritable (unless I pop some Xanax when it starts to kick in). I don't know that much about Provigil. I took something called adrafinil (similar to modafinil??) years ago. I don't think I liked it...it was like drinking too much coffee. Do you know the differences between modafinil and adrafinil?
> > > >
> > > > MB
> > >
> > >
> > > I think that modafinil is a metabolite of adrafanil. I believe the FDA won't let adrafanil in due to liver toxicity concerns.
> > > I have had *some* irritability attributable to the WB. But, it is very short lived-I don't ruminate/adrenalize for hours afterwards. That is nice because I have taken other meds that increased hostility and I couldn't *put it down* (Effexor, Remeron, Buspar).
> > >
> > > Mitch
> >
> >
> > What about Adderall, how did it affect hostility/anger? Also, have you heard about the Serzone--liver connection? I just read about that on Medline. I think I may not ask the doc about Serzone after all.
> >
> > MB
>
> I had some intermittent grouchiness from it-but I don't think it was the Adderall so much as the fact I wasn't taking an SSRI with it (SSRI's really calm me down). The main thing about Adderall that was just so dramatic was the improved sleep quality, daytime alertness, and NO cycling. Nothing else ever just flattened it out like that-so weird.
>
> Yes, I heard about the Serzone. I read about some isolated cases of liver probems associated with it before they had to include the warning in their script info., but I thought it was too rare to get that concerned. Actually, the thing about Serzone that I don't like is that it has too many metabolites (WB does too) and hits too many receptors (like Remeron).
>
> Mitch


That's too bad, because I thought Serzone was a good drug. I never got to stay on it more than a couple of weeks...got taken off of it because of a symptom that turned out not to be the Serzone. I would give it another try, but the liver thing scares me. I've drunk enough alcohol over the past ten years to kill 12 armies. My liver needs some kindness, probably for the rest of my life!

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 4, 2002, at 10:25:25

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 3, 2002, at 20:53:48

>
> > > Well, at 150 mg, the Trileptal gave me insomnia. Then, when I increased the dose to 300 mg, I didn't notice a change until the third night at that dose, after which I slept 14 hrs. Maybe I'm just catching up on the sleep I missed when I first started taking it. Also, today was the third day without caffeine...that can cause hypersomnia too. I just took my bedtime dose an hour ago (I take it a little early so I can get it in with some food) and I don't notice any sleepiness. Maybe I'm adjusting! All in all, it is really tolorable. I realize how much I disliked the Gabitril!! One weird thing, though: When my last dose started to "kick in" I began to have the physical sensations of a panic attack but it never got too bad...just dissipated
> >
> > I would hazard a guess that it will probably be a little while and at somewhat higher doses of Trileptal before you are going to see what it is going to be like taking longer-term. I believe the dose "target" for seizures (as monotheraphy) is 1200mg/day (600mg/bid). Usually when you get into the range used for epilepsy you are more likely to see a lot of unwanted side effects (I am thinking here of cognitive sfx). Maybe your pdoc will be "nice" and you will get a good response before you get "there". Trileptal is related to Tegretol. I knew someone in college that had been on lithium for about 20 years for bipolar (he was a Navy vet)and he complained about the cognitive sfx of his lithium and they switched him to Tegretol. He definitely liked it a lot better. It would be nice to hear about a Trileptal success since Tegretol can cause nasty blood disorders (rare, but dangerous).
>
>
> So, what is the target dose of Trileptal in treating "rage attacks"? I haven't been diagnosed as bipolar, but I assume the dose to treat hypomania would be about the same needed to treat bad anger outbursts?? I'm at 450mg a day (150 tid). At this point, I don't think I would be willing to go any higher. I'm just starting to feel "icky". Not really sick, but a general malaise. I haven't really felt like leaving the house for about three days, and I feel like my depression is getting worse. Kinda depressed and chilled and headachy...I've come close to falling over in the shower a few times. That's OK when you're drunk because you feel so good, but when you feel shitty and you keep falling over, is it worth it? Also, I'm feeling a discomfort in my right side that I think is my liver. I've felt it a few times after I've had alcohol poisoning. I don't think I'm really happy with this stuff. But, then again, I've never been happy with medications: no benifit, all side effects. That's why I got the spect scan...figured that on the "right" med, I'd be willing to put up with the side effects, because I'd be feeling better in my mind. The AE merry-go-round is turning out to be very similar to the AD merry-go-round. How long do you give one of these meds (AE) before you know if the side effects are going to go away?
>
> ...starting to get discouraged,


Well, I *doubt* if the Trileptal would be messing with your liver much (it is mostly excreted by your kidneys), but the "ickiness" and "malaise" could be mild hyponatremia (low blood sodium) which the Trileptal can provoke. If you are dizzy that could be lowered blood pressure or orthostatic hypotension-have you checked your BP? I would call the doc and see if you can get a serum sodium done (perhaps a liver panel would be smart here, too). If it is ok, then the sfx might fade over a few days if you hold your dosage steady. You did mention that you haven't had any rage attacks on the Trileptal-right?
FWIW, the meds that helped me the most with hostility were low-dose SSRI, lithium, and Neurontin.


 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 4, 2002, at 11:33:47

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 4, 2002, at 10:25:25

> >
> > > > Well, at 150 mg, the Trileptal gave me insomnia. Then, when I increased the dose to 300 mg, I didn't notice a change until the third night at that dose, after which I slept 14 hrs. Maybe I'm just catching up on the sleep I missed when I first started taking it. Also, today was the third day without caffeine...that can cause hypersomnia too. I just took my bedtime dose an hour ago (I take it a little early so I can get it in with some food) and I don't notice any sleepiness. Maybe I'm adjusting! All in all, it is really tolorable. I realize how much I disliked the Gabitril!! One weird thing, though: When my last dose started to "kick in" I began to have the physical sensations of a panic attack but it never got too bad...just dissipated
> > >
> > > I would hazard a guess that it will probably be a little while and at somewhat higher doses of Trileptal before you are going to see what it is going to be like taking longer-term. I believe the dose "target" for seizures (as monotheraphy) is 1200mg/day (600mg/bid). Usually when you get into the range used for epilepsy you are more likely to see a lot of unwanted side effects (I am thinking here of cognitive sfx). Maybe your pdoc will be "nice" and you will get a good response before you get "there". Trileptal is related to Tegretol. I knew someone in college that had been on lithium for about 20 years for bipolar (he was a Navy vet)and he complained about the cognitive sfx of his lithium and they switched him to Tegretol. He definitely liked it a lot better. It would be nice to hear about a Trileptal success since Tegretol can cause nasty blood disorders (rare, but dangerous).
> >
> >
> > So, what is the target dose of Trileptal in treating "rage attacks"? I haven't been diagnosed as bipolar, but I assume the dose to treat hypomania would be about the same needed to treat bad anger outbursts?? I'm at 450mg a day (150 tid). At this point, I don't think I would be willing to go any higher. I'm just starting to feel "icky". Not really sick, but a general malaise. I haven't really felt like leaving the house for about three days, and I feel like my depression is getting worse. Kinda depressed and chilled and headachy...I've come close to falling over in the shower a few times. That's OK when you're drunk because you feel so good, but when you feel shitty and you keep falling over, is it worth it? Also, I'm feeling a discomfort in my right side that I think is my liver. I've felt it a few times after I've had alcohol poisoning. I don't think I'm really happy with this stuff. But, then again, I've never been happy with medications: no benifit, all side effects. That's why I got the spect scan...figured that on the "right" med, I'd be willing to put up with the side effects, because I'd be feeling better in my mind. The AE merry-go-round is turning out to be very similar to the AD merry-go-round. How long do you give one of these meds (AE) before you know if the side effects are going to go away?
> >
> > ...starting to get discouraged,
>
>
> Well, I *doubt* if the Trileptal would be messing with your liver much (it is mostly excreted by your kidneys), but the "ickiness" and "malaise" could be mild hyponatremia (low blood sodium) which the Trileptal can provoke. If you are dizzy that could be lowered blood pressure or orthostatic hypotension-have you checked your BP? I would call the doc and see if you can get a serum sodium done (perhaps a liver panel would be smart here, too). If it is ok, then the sfx might fade over a few days if you hold your dosage steady. You did mention that you haven't had any rage attacks on the Trileptal-right?
> FWIW, the meds that helped me the most with hostility were low-dose SSRI, lithium, and Neurontin.


Hey Mitch,
Just talked the the doc and he gave me the go ahead to drop back down to 300 mg/day from 450 mg/day. Also, he wants me to work up to 20 mg Prozac instead of the 40 mg of Prozac...then start the adderall. He said that might as well get started on lower doses of all three so I begin to feel better, then increase the doses later on. My liver function tests came back and they were actually low. I figure that is a *good* thing, but I don't know.

School starts soon, I hope I can handle it. this is a tough time. I've decided to take only two classes instead of the three I had planned on because I feel so bad. Also, I've been beating myself up for not going to the gym to work out...just feel too flu-like. Maybe I should just give myself permission to be a little lazy until I stabilize. The combination of the original problem and the new side effects is rough. Would you say that with these things, one always has to feel a lot worse before they feel better?

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 4, 2002, at 13:20:17

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 4, 2002, at 11:33:47

> > > So, what is the target dose of Trileptal in treating "rage attacks"? I haven't been diagnosed as bipolar, but I assume the dose to treat hypomania would be about the same needed to treat bad anger outbursts?? I'm at 450mg a day (150 tid). At this point, I don't think I would be willing to go any higher. I'm just starting to feel "icky". Not really sick, but a general malaise. I haven't really felt like leaving the house for about three days, and I feel like my depression is getting worse. Kinda depressed and chilled and headachy...I've come close to falling over in the shower a few times. That's OK when you're drunk because you feel so good, but when you feel shitty and you keep falling over, is it worth it? Also, I'm feeling a discomfort in my right side that I think is my liver. I've felt it a few times after I've had alcohol poisoning. I don't think I'm really happy with this stuff. But, then again, I've never been happy with medications: no benifit, all side effects. That's why I got the spect scan...figured that on the "right" med, I'd be willing to put up with the side effects, because I'd be feeling better in my mind. The AE merry-go-round is turning out to be very similar to the AD merry-go-round. How long do you give one of these meds (AE) before you know if the side effects are going to go away?
> > >
> > > ...starting to get discouraged,
> >
> >
> > Well, I *doubt* if the Trileptal would be messing with your liver much (it is mostly excreted by your kidneys), but the "ickiness" and "malaise" could be mild hyponatremia (low blood sodium) which the Trileptal can provoke. If you are dizzy that could be lowered blood pressure or orthostatic hypotension-have you checked your BP? I would call the doc and see if you can get a serum sodium done (perhaps a liver panel would be smart here, too). If it is ok, then the sfx might fade over a few days if you hold your dosage steady. You did mention that you haven't had any rage attacks on the Trileptal-right?
> > FWIW, the meds that helped me the most with hostility were low-dose SSRI, lithium, and Neurontin.
>
>
> Hey Mitch,
> Just talked the the doc and he gave me the go ahead to drop back down to 300 mg/day from 450 mg/day. Also, he wants me to work up to 20 mg Prozac instead of the 40 mg of Prozac...then start the adderall. He said that might as well get started on lower doses of all three so I begin to feel better, then increase the doses later on. My liver function tests came back and they were actually low. I figure that is a *good* thing, but I don't know.
>
> School starts soon, I hope I can handle it. this is a tough time. I've decided to take only two classes instead of the three I had planned on because I feel so bad. Also, I've been beating myself up for not going to the gym to work out...just feel too flu-like. Maybe I should just give myself permission to be a little lazy until I stabilize. The combination of the original problem and the new side effects is rough. Would you say that with these things, one always has to feel a lot worse before they feel better?
>
> MB


I think you have a decent doctor. I think he sees that you need the other meds to feel better and that instead of risking switching mood stabilizers again (and further delaying the process of introducing the other meds), he is just going to go ahead and bring them in at lower doses so you can start feeling better sooner rather than later. Patients are not the only ones who get obsessive about meds! Docs sometimes get so obsessive about being as objective as possible (by introducing everything one at a time-wait a long time, add the next, etc.), that the patient's well-being gets put on the back-burner and their own methods, theories, and curiosities are front stage instead.
I would give yourself some permission to be lazy-hey school starts soon-you won't have the luxury then! I had to work full time and go to school 3/4 time and slept an average of 4 hrs a nite and then hypersnoozed on Saturday mornings to catch up-don't miss it.
I don't really think you have to feel *worse* to feel better. Usually meds that made me feel *worse* usually just stayed that way! If I have a sfx from a med I either find a way to tolerate it or I get it switched. That's probably why he backed off your Trileptal dose. That stuff is a little odd-I definitely felt energized on it at lower doses. Neurontin is the same way. If I take 100-200mg doses I feel energized and attentive, if I take 300mg doses I get some sedation (although I still have good cognitive function), if I take 400mg or larger doses I am dulled out.

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 4, 2002, at 15:33:14

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 4, 2002, at 13:20:17

> > Hey Mitch,
> > Just talked the the doc and he gave me the go ahead to drop back down to 300 mg/day from 450 mg/day. Also, he wants me to work up to 20 mg Prozac instead of the 40 mg of Prozac...then start the adderall. He said that might as well get started on lower doses of all three so I begin to feel better, then increase the doses later on. My liver function tests came back and they were actually low. I figure that is a *good* thing, but I don't know.
> >
> > School starts soon, I hope I can handle it. this is a tough time. I've decided to take only two classes instead of the three I had planned on because I feel so bad. Also, I've been beating myself up for not going to the gym to work out...just feel too flu-like. Maybe I should just give myself permission to be a little lazy until I stabilize. The combination of the original problem and the new side effects is rough. Would you say that with these things, one always has to feel a lot worse before they feel better?
> >
> > MB
>
>
> I think you have a decent doctor. I think he sees that you need the other meds to feel better and that instead of risking switching mood stabilizers again (and further delaying the process of introducing the other meds), he is just going to go ahead and bring them in at lower doses so you can start feeling better sooner rather than later. Patients are not the only ones who get obsessive about meds! Docs sometimes get so obsessive about being as objective as possible (by introducing everything one at a time-wait a long time, add the next, etc.), that the patient's well-being gets put on the back-burner and their own methods, theories, and curiosities are front stage instead.


Yeah, I like this guy. I've had other doctors that wouldn't really listen to me when I said that a med was making me sick. Then I'd have to decrease the dose without telling them, and all the honesty went out the window. I get the feeling he's not going to pressure me into anything that makes me feel really bad. He's willing to "tinker" with stuff over time which is a softer approach than just pulling me all the way off of stuff. I'm really starting to get my hope back. :-)


> I would give yourself some permission to be lazy-hey school starts soon-you won't have the luxury then! I had to work full time and go to school 3/4 time and slept an average of 4 hrs a nite and then hypersnoozed on Saturday mornings to catch up-don't miss it.


Wow--was this the cause of your bipolar disorder or did the mania allow you to do this. I hear stories like this and I feel like such a wimp.


> I don't really think you have to feel *worse* to feel better. Usually meds that made me feel *worse* usually just stayed that way! If I have a sfx from a med I either find a way to tolerate it or I get it switched. That's probably why he backed off your Trileptal dose. That stuff is a little odd-I definitely felt energized on it at lower doses. Neurontin is the same way. If I take 100-200mg doses I feel energized and attentive, if I take 300mg doses I get some sedation (although I still have good cognitive function), if I take 400mg or larger doses I am dulled out.
>
> Mitch


I don't feel energized and attentive on Trileptal, but I sometimes feel agitated and I can't sleep (other times I can't get enough sleep). My temper is much better. I start to get mad, then I pause and think, "Oh, whatever..." In the past I threw things and screamed a few times a day. He asked me how I felt on the low dose (150 mg) and I told him that I tolorated it pretty well. I think that's when he decided to keep me on it and taper more slowly. I have to admit, I haven't had any *serious* side effects from it...just an overall "icky" feeling. I wouldn't want to feel like this for ever, but I can wait and see if it goes away.

Are you pretty much sticking with your combo? Hows the seasonal affected depression?

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 4, 2002, at 16:41:43

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 4, 2002, at 15:33:14

> > I would give yourself some permission to be lazy-hey school starts soon-you won't have the luxury then! I had to work full time and go to school 3/4 time and slept an average of 4 hrs a nite and then hypersnoozed on Saturday mornings to catch up-don't miss it.
>
>
> Wow--was this the cause of your bipolar disorder or did the mania allow you to do this. I hear stories like this and I feel like such a wimp.

Just before I was diagnosed BP I went to college the first time and made it through the first fall semester, but when Spring semester started I was in the middle of a very bad depression (late Fall-early Winter episodes I had been having since I was a little kid). I only made it to class half the time, then dropped out. I tried to go back a few years later and made it another two years (on Lithium+diazepam), then sank into another depressive episode in late November and dropped out again shortly into the begining of the next Spring semester (back in '88). I had a job offer from a high school friend to start working construction jobs and travel around a lot. It was so different from the life I was leading at the time (always broke-studying-depressed), I jumped at it and left school for several more years. I pretty much was off meds altogether for quite awhile-but construction work slows a LOT during the wintertime and coincided with my depressions and it fit well for me. Well, I got into a fight with my boss, lost my job, had a bad wreck, got very depressed, went back on lithium, and finally got leveled out again. This time Prozac had been around for a little while and my doc suggested I try some with my lithium. WOW, what a difference! I was back in school within a few months and stayed in there until I finished. I don't think I could have done it without the Prozac. As far as being able to juggle working/school, etc., it isn't as difficult as you might imagine, it is just very tiring. Semesters would end-I would just collapse and sleep 10+hrs/day for a week or two after finals. Once you get into the regimen of doing all that it becomes easier (especially when you are not severely depressed anymore!).


> > I don't really think you have to feel *worse* to feel better. Usually meds that made me feel *worse* usually just stayed that way! If I have a sfx from a med I either find a way to tolerate it or I get it switched. That's probably why he backed off your Trileptal dose. That stuff is a little odd-I definitely felt energized on it at lower doses. Neurontin is the same way. If I take 100-200mg doses I feel energized and attentive, if I take 300mg doses I get some sedation (although I still have good cognitive function), if I take 400mg or larger doses I am dulled out.


> I don't feel energized and attentive on Trileptal, but I sometimes feel agitated and I can't sleep (other times I can't get enough sleep). My temper is much better. I start to get mad, then I pause and think, "Oh, whatever..." In the past I threw things and screamed a few times a day. He asked me how I felt on the low dose (150 mg) and I told him that I tolorated it pretty well. I think that's when he decided to keep me on it and taper more slowly. I have to admit, I haven't had any *serious* side effects from it...just an overall "icky" feeling. I wouldn't want to feel like this for ever, but I can wait and see if it goes away.
>
> Are you pretty much sticking with your combo? Hows the seasonal affected depression?
>
> MB


Yeah, I am still on low-dose Neurontin+Klonopin+Celexa+Wellbutrin. Anything that is like a stimulant works for the seasonal depression-it's real weird. I have even backed off the WB to just 37.5mg/day and I am still feeling OK. The seasonal depression usually starts lifting by mid-January anyhow. But it takes until late March before it is entirely gone.

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 4, 2002, at 23:37:26

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 4, 2002, at 16:41:43


> Just before I was diagnosed BP I went to college the first time and made it through the first fall semester, but when Spring semester started I was in the middle of a very bad depression (late Fall-early Winter episodes I had been having since I was a little kid). I only made it to class half the time, then dropped out. I tried to go back a few years later and made it another two years (on Lithium+diazepam), then sank into another depressive episode in late November and dropped out again shortly into the begining of the next Spring semester (back in '88). I had a job offer from a high school friend to start working construction jobs and travel around a lot. It was so different from the life I was leading at the time (always broke-studying-depressed), I jumped at it and left school for several more years. I pretty much was off meds altogether for quite awhile-but construction work slows a LOT during the wintertime and coincided with my depressions and it fit well for me. Well, I got into a fight with my boss, lost my job, had a bad wreck, got very depressed, went back on lithium, and finally got leveled out again. This time Prozac had been around for a little while and my doc suggested I try some with my lithium. WOW, what a difference! I was back in school within a few months and stayed in there until I finished. I don't think I could have done it without the Prozac. As far as being able to juggle working/school, etc., it isn't as difficult as you might imagine, it is just very tiring. Semesters would end-I would just collapse and sleep 10+hrs/day for a week or two after finals. Once you get into the regimen of doing all that it becomes easier (especially when you are not severely depressed anymore!).


I also dropped out of college a number of times. I got great grades (most of the time) but I would always start self-medicating with the ol' recreationals and drop out. I got on medication, but it never really worked with the drugs (also, I probably had the wrong med combo). It wasn't until I had been "sober" for six months that I was able to go back to school, but at that point I had quit my meds cold turkey. I had been on Paxil for two years when I went to rehab. Once I got the booze out of the old system, the side effects of Paxil really kicked in (funny that they didn't kick in before that...) and I was sleeping 14 hrs a day and gaining weight like crazy. I'd go to work at 3:00 pm (sushi chef), work until 11:00 pm, get in bed by 12:00 am, and crawl out of bed at 2:00 pm. I got off the Paxil and it was like I finally "got my soul back". It was like part of the movie Pleasantville where the black and white town is infused with color. I had energy, finally, and I could eat a meal and feel *full* afterwards (what a concept). It wasn't long, though, before I was an anxious, depressed, raging freak again. Without the meds, I need about three hours a day where I can just sit, do nothing, and focus on calming down and not killing myself. This need for ~20 extra hours a week to just sit pretty much precludes the course load I would like to take. Plus, with the OCD, I spend too much time on projects (e.g., turning in 20 pages when the assignment only called for eight--this might be manic, too). Well, I hope that with the right combo and some good therapy I can have the stamina you did and FINALLY GET THROUGH SCHOOL!!! Lord knows it's been 10 years since I started out on getting a degree. Yikes.

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 5, 2002, at 10:15:14

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 4, 2002, at 23:37:26

> I also dropped out of college a number of times. I got great grades (most of the time) but I would always start self-medicating with the ol' recreationals and drop out. I got on medication, but it never really worked with the drugs (also, I probably had the wrong med combo). It wasn't until I had been "sober" for six months that I was able to go back to school, but at that point I had quit my meds cold turkey. I had been on Paxil for two years when I went to rehab. Once I got the booze out of the old system, the side effects of Paxil really kicked in (funny that they didn't kick in before that...) and I was sleeping 14 hrs a day and gaining weight like crazy. I'd go to work at 3:00 pm (sushi chef), work until 11:00 pm, get in bed by 12:00 am, and crawl out of bed at 2:00 pm. I got off the Paxil and it was like I finally "got my soul back". It was like part of the movie Pleasantville where the black and white town is infused with color. I had energy, finally, and I could eat a meal and feel *full* afterwards (what a concept). It wasn't long, though, before I was an anxious, depressed, raging freak again. Without the meds, I need about three hours a day where I can just sit, do nothing, and focus on calming down and not killing myself. This need for ~20 extra hours a week to just sit pretty much precludes the course load I would like to take. Plus, with the OCD, I spend too much time on projects (e.g., turning in 20 pages when the assignment only called for eight--this might be manic, too). Well, I hope that with the right combo and some good therapy I can have the stamina you did and FINALLY GET THROUGH SCHOOL!!! Lord knows it's been 10 years since I started out on getting a degree. Yikes.
>
> MB


Booze can really disrupt your sleep architecture and make you sleep-deprived even though it seems you have slept enough. I think sleep-deprivation (no matter what the reason) tends to self-perpetuate itself (and hypersomnia-likewise). That may explain why I didn't have a lot of trouble with a few hours sleep every nite (once I got used to it). When you get bogged down with a lot of courseload and work in school you will begin to "self-schedule" and assign yourself appropriate amounts of time to do projects (it took me about four or five semesters to get that down). It was like boot-camp with my ADHD! I have to makeup sticky notes with color-coding all sorts of crap to stay on track, otherwise I will procrastinate all the way down to the deadlines and get more and more agitated.
FWIW, Prozac is like night/day compared to Paxil as far as energy goes. You might even experience some agitation on it if you start out on a big dose. I started out on 20mg capsules and I was ok....for a few days. When it started to build-up in my body it got to where I would barely sleep at all. Whew! I was wired for sound. My pupils were dilated and I was all sweaty. I had to start reducing the dose after about ten days on 20mg. I cut it in half to 10mg/day for several more days, and I was still too wired! I settled on 5mg/day for about another month or so and then finally reached a point where I spread a 20mg capsule (in juice) out over an entire week. That was my maintenance dose for several years. I just needed to push it up during the winter. I took my lithium at bedtime. Prozac is probably a really good choice-just watch out on the dosage.

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 5, 2002, at 13:08:54

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 5, 2002, at 10:15:14

> > I also dropped out of college a number of times. I got great grades (most of the time) but I would always start self-medicating with the ol' recreationals and drop out. I got on medication, but it never really worked with the drugs (also, I probably had the wrong med combo). It wasn't until I had been "sober" for six months that I was able to go back to school, but at that point I had quit my meds cold turkey. I had been on Paxil for two years when I went to rehab. Once I got the booze out of the old system, the side effects of Paxil really kicked in (funny that they didn't kick in before that...) and I was sleeping 14 hrs a day and gaining weight like crazy. I'd go to work at 3:00 pm (sushi chef), work until 11:00 pm, get in bed by 12:00 am, and crawl out of bed at 2:00 pm. I got off the Paxil and it was like I finally "got my soul back". It was like part of the movie Pleasantville where the black and white town is infused with color. I had energy, finally, and I could eat a meal and feel *full* afterwards (what a concept). It wasn't long, though, before I was an anxious, depressed, raging freak again. Without the meds, I need about three hours a day where I can just sit, do nothing, and focus on calming down and not killing myself. This need for ~20 extra hours a week to just sit pretty much precludes the course load I would like to take. Plus, with the OCD, I spend too much time on projects (e.g., turning in 20 pages when the assignment only called for eight--this might be manic, too). Well, I hope that with the right combo and some good therapy I can have the stamina you did and FINALLY GET THROUGH SCHOOL!!! Lord knows it's been 10 years since I started out on getting a degree. Yikes.
> >
> > MB
>
>
> Booze can really disrupt your sleep architecture and make you sleep-deprived even though it seems you have slept enough. I think sleep-deprivation (no matter what the reason) tends to self-perpetuate itself (and hypersomnia-likewise). That may explain why I didn't have a lot of trouble with a few hours sleep every nite (once I got used to it). When you get bogged down with a lot of courseload and work in school you will begin to "self-schedule" and assign yourself appropriate amounts of time to do projects (it took me about four or five semesters to get that down). It was like boot-camp with my ADHD! I have to makeup sticky notes with color-coding all sorts of crap to stay on track, otherwise I will procrastinate all the way down to the deadlines and get more and more agitated.
> FWIW, Prozac is like night/day compared to Paxil as far as energy goes. You might even experience some agitation on it if you start out on a big dose. I started out on 20mg capsules and I was ok....for a few days. When it started to build-up in my body it got to where I would barely sleep at all. Whew! I was wired for sound. My pupils were dilated and I was all sweaty. I had to start reducing the dose after about ten days on 20mg. I cut it in half to 10mg/day for several more days, and I was still too wired! I settled on 5mg/day for about another month or so and then finally reached a point where I spread a 20mg capsule (in juice) out over an entire week. That was my maintenance dose for several years. I just needed to push it up during the winter. I took my lithium at bedtime. Prozac is probably a really good choice-just watch out on the dosage.
>
> Mitch


Well it seems like you are as sensitive to meds as I am. I often wonder if mine is a body intolorance (endocrinological?) or a mind thing (brain chemistry?). I seem to have exorbitant tolorances to drugs that feel good, but low low tolorances to drugs that have crappy side effects. There seems to be a corrilation between this phenomenon and the fact that I only react to the negative things in life. Things that usually make people happy have little positive effect on me emotionally, but the bad stuff sure has a negative impact!!

I am going to start on a very low dose of Prozac. The Trileptal is supposed to increase my tolorance to the Prozac, but the fact that I''m often wired, shaky and sweaty on the Trileptal worrys me a lot. I tried to decrease the Trileptal dose and the irritability and anger that ensued was frightening. I just wonder if this is the right treatment algorithm. The AE helps, but the autonomic stimulation and malaise is too much (but then again, I go through periods when I'm very sedated, and the timing is unpredictable). This stuff is so hard to figure out. Also, when I lie down, I cant tell when I'm awake or asleep. It's really trippy: I started to feel weak and sick so I lay down and thought that these pills were muscial acts and that I was a rock star and that if I could perform the right musical act in the right city at the right time I could save the world. Also, I feel last night like my fingers were someone elses. These kind of psychotic breaks scare me and I don't have them when I'm not taking the antiepileptics. This whole thing is lame (but at least I'm not raging...what a trade off, huh?)

MB

 

Sorry about the negativity

Posted by MB on January 5, 2002, at 13:18:28

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 5, 2002, at 13:08:54

I feel bad that I get so negative sometimes. It's just that I feel sicker and crazier than I did before I went to this place and I've bacically spent the entire (month long) Winter break on my back and school starts in two days and I am a wreck and pissed off. I know I'm not the only one with difficulties, and my negativity is probably not helpful. It's hard to be positive all the time, though.

MB

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 5, 2002, at 14:11:21

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 5, 2002, at 13:08:54

> Well it seems like you are as sensitive to meds as I am. I often wonder if mine is a body intolorance (endocrinological?) or a mind thing (brain chemistry?). I seem to have exorbitant tolorances to drugs that feel good, but low low tolorances to drugs that have crappy side effects. There seems to be a corrilation between this phenomenon and the fact that I only react to the negative things in life. Things that usually make people happy have little positive effect on me emotionally, but the bad stuff sure has a negative impact!!

I think it is a little of both (physical and mental intolerance). There was a poster here that mentioned something about a real syndrome and it was called "multiple chemical sensitivity" or something like that. I think this has something to do with how you are "hard-wired" as well. The seizure hypothesis in relation to bipolar and rage attacks, etc., may really be onto something. There are AED's that *increase* seizures in people with epilepsy-so it's not as simple as "take an AED" and seizures will be reduced-it has to be the right one.

> I am going to start on a very low dose of Prozac. The Trileptal is supposed to increase my tolorance to the Prozac, but the fact that I''m often wired, shaky and sweaty on the Trileptal worrys me a lot. I tried to decrease the Trileptal dose and the irritability and anger that ensued was frightening. I just wonder if this is the right treatment algorithm. The AE helps, but the autonomic stimulation and malaise is too much (but then again, I go through periods when I'm very sedated, and the timing is unpredictable). This stuff is so hard to figure out. Also, when I lie down, I cant tell when I'm awake or asleep. It's really trippy: I started to feel weak and sick so I lay down and thought that these pills were muscial acts and that I was a rock star and that if I could perform the right musical act in the right city at the right time I could save the world. Also, I feel last night like my fingers were someone elses. These kind of psychotic breaks scare me and I don't have them when I'm not taking the antiepileptics. This whole thing is lame (but at least I'm not raging...what a trade off, huh?)
>
> MB

I don't think it is really psychotic "breaks". I believe it has more to do with derealization and depersonalization experiences-which may be related to some type of seizure-like activity. Also there are folks that have DR/DP as a distinct disorder (I think JahL here is one).
I would sound off about this stuff to your doctor! He sounds receptive and willing to find something that is going to work.


> I feel bad that I get so negative sometimes. It's just that I feel sicker and crazier than I did before I went to this place and I've bacically spent the entire (month long) Winter break on my back and school starts in two days and I am a wreck and pissed off. I know I'm not the only one with difficulties, and my negativity is probably not helpful. It's hard to be positive all the time, though.
>
> MB


That's OK. You are probably just stressing about going back to school. Also, it does *seem* that your moods are cycling every few days. I would guess that when you start a little Prozac some of this angst will settle down and you will feel calmer and more energetic.

Mitch

 

Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch

Posted by MB on January 6, 2002, at 9:12:08

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 5, 2002, at 14:11:21

> > Well it seems like you are as sensitive to meds as I am. I often wonder if mine is a body intolorance (endocrinological?) or a mind thing (brain chemistry?). I seem to have exorbitant tolorances to drugs that feel good, but low low tolorances to drugs that have crappy side effects. There seems to be a corrilation between this phenomenon and the fact that I only react to the negative things in life. Things that usually make people happy have little positive effect on me emotionally, but the bad stuff sure has a negative impact!!
>
> I think it is a little of both (physical and mental intolerance). There was a poster here that mentioned something about a real syndrome and it was called "multiple chemical sensitivity" or something like that. I think this has something to do with how you are "hard-wired" as well. The seizure hypothesis in relation to bipolar and rage attacks, etc., may really be onto something. There are AED's that *increase* seizures in people with epilepsy-so it's not as simple as "take an AED" and seizures will be reduced-it has to be the right one.


Yeah, finding the right one is probably important. With AEs it seems like it would be more important than with the SSRIs since many AEs work via different mechanisms. With the SSRIs it seems like a person is simply looking for an acceptable side effect profile, while with the AEs, a person is also looking for a med with the correct *primary* action.

> > I am going to start on a very low dose of Prozac. The Trileptal is supposed to increase my tolorance to the Prozac, but the fact that I''m often wired, shaky and sweaty on the Trileptal worrys me a lot. I tried to decrease the Trileptal dose and the irritability and anger that ensued was frightening. I just wonder if this is the right treatment algorithm. The AE helps, but the autonomic stimulation and malaise is too much (but then again, I go through periods when I'm very sedated, and the timing is unpredictable). This stuff is so hard to figure out. Also, when I lie down, I cant tell when I'm awake or asleep. It's really trippy: I started to feel weak and sick so I lay down and thought that these pills were muscial acts and that I was a rock star and that if I could perform the right musical act in the right city at the right time I could save the world. Also, I feel last night like my fingers were someone elses. These kind of psychotic breaks scare me and I don't have them when I'm not taking the antiepileptics. This whole thing is lame (but at least I'm not raging...what a trade off, huh?)
> >
> > MB
>
> I don't think it is really psychotic "breaks". I believe it has more to do with derealization and depersonalization experiences-which may be related to some type of seizure-like activity. Also there are folks that have DR/DP as a distinct disorder (I think JahL here is one).
> I would sound off about this stuff to your doctor! He sounds receptive and willing to find something that is going to work.


Well, the severity of the DP/DR does seem dose dependent, and he did give me permission to drop the dose back until I could "tolorate" it (and we could "tinker later once on all three meds). I put tolorate in quotes because it is such a subjective term, i.e., "tolorate" = "what I am *willing* to put up with". A little DR/DP as I'm falling asleep is kind of neat and makes for some trippy dreams (and is excellent material for psychoanalysis) but I'm *not* willing to put up with it with while I'm up and about (e.g., at school or driving). I've had *severe* derealization on high doses of benzodiazepines and I'm getting scared this might be a latent condition that will emerge if I'm not careful. That's a scary thought. I don't know what the relationship is between DR and psychosis. My Grandmother was paranoid delusional and it was really bad; she suffered so much. I'm scared to death of developing that.


> > I feel bad that I get so negative sometimes. It's just that I feel sicker and crazier than I did before I went to this place and I've bacically spent the entire (month long) Winter break on my back and school starts in two days and I am a wreck and pissed off. I know I'm not the only one with difficulties, and my negativity is probably not helpful. It's hard to be positive all the time, though.
> >
> > MB
>
>
> That's OK. You are probably just stressing about going back to school. Also, it does *seem* that your moods are cycling every few days. I would guess that when you start a little Prozac some of this angst will settle down and you will feel calmer and more energetic.
>
> Mitch


I think I am stressing a little about school...I knew I wouldn't be cured during the month break, but I wanted to feel a little better, not worse, when I went back. Yesterday, I did some deep breating and focused on the fact that my fears about school were irrational: that I'm going to flunk out, that I'm going to have a psychotic break in class, that I'm never going to graduate, that I'll end up crazy on the streets, ad infinitum. I passed Calculus 10 years ago on LSD (which certainly didn't help the ol' brain chemistry a bit!! lol)...I think I'll be OK with a little Trileptal wooziness. I have to remember that a lot of my worrying about the meds is part of the original condition that's being treated...and as I get better, I'll obsess less about a side effect here or a side effect there.

thanks for all the support
and positive words,
MB

 

Re: good luck in school tomorrow :-) ! (nm) » MB

Posted by Mitch on January 6, 2002, at 11:40:53

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » Mitch, posted by MB on January 6, 2002, at 9:12:08

 

Gabitril to Replace for Serzone to Treat Insomnia?

Posted by beardedlady on March 1, 2002, at 8:15:13

In reply to Re: GABITRIL (tiagabine) new anti-anxiety drug????? » MB, posted by Mitch on January 4, 2002, at 10:25:25

I don't have anything but insomnia--and panic related to not sleeping. It developed three years ago, when my daughter quit nursing (and I had a few other crises). I've been on Serzone, after tries with Zoloft, Trazadone, Zanax. It has worked great! But now, because of the BLACK BOX (liver failure), I have to go on something different. My doctor prescribed Gabitril. I'm scared to death, of course.

Does anyone know if this is supposed to work? I'm afraid of all the side effects, even though my doc said I'll only be taking 4 to 8 mg. (I'm not depressed or anything else--except about this!) I took 2mg. last night and had a panic attack (just from the anxiety of the whole situation, though; I don't think it was the Gabitril. Or was it?). I finally took a sleeping pill so I could get some sleep.

Serzone had no sexual side effects, no weight gain, nothing. It was the best thing for me. So I am not looking forward to changing meds. Is there another drug out there (not a benzo) that might work? Should I feel safe with Gabitril?

Please help!

 

Re: Gabitril to Replace for Serzone to Treat Insomnia?

Posted by marshall on April 14, 2002, at 20:54:50

In reply to Gabitril to Replace for Serzone to Treat Insomnia?, posted by beardedlady on March 1, 2002, at 8:15:13

> I don't have anything but insomnia--and panic related to not sleeping. It developed three years ago, when my daughter quit nursing (and I had a few other crises). I've been on Serzone, after tries with Zoloft, Trazadone, Zanax. It has worked great! But now, because of the BLACK BOX (liver failure), I have to go on something different. My doctor prescribed Gabitril. I'm scared to death, of course.
>
> Does anyone know if this is supposed to work? I'm afraid of all the side effects, even though my doc said I'll only be taking 4 to 8 mg. (I'm not depressed or anything else--except about this!) I took 2mg. last night and had a panic attack (just from the anxiety of the whole situation, though; I don't think it was the Gabitril. Or was it?). I finally took a sleeping pill so I could get some sleep.
>
> Serzone had no sexual side effects, no weight gain, nothing. It was the best thing for me. So I am not looking forward to changing meds. Is there another drug out there (not a benzo) that might work? Should I feel safe with Gabitril?
>
> Please help!

Listen: The chance of getting liver failure from Serzone is 1 in 250,000 patient-years. Means you have a 1 in 250,000 chance every year you're on it. Consider your chances of dying in a car wreck are 1 in 5,900 in the U.S. and being struck by lightning is about 1 in 11,000. Put that into perspective. I've known several people who got anxious about Serzone, quit it, then returned. Consider trazadone as the most similar drug to Serzone (generic name nefazadone)especially for insomnia.
Gabitril isn't related to Serzone in any way except it's a psychotropic. It's claim to fame as an anxiolytic is interesting: there's only one reference TOTAL, of a German group using 15mg. a day in 4 patients for panic, and one couldn't tolerate it. There's also an "open field" rat study showing Gabitril will inhibit a rat's normal inclination to be furtive and avoid an open field. Tests are underway. Seems to have a lot of side effects.


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