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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by JohnX2 on March 21, 2002, at 4:19:48
I ran out of Serzone ahead of the script refill and skipped 3 days dosing. To make a long story short I was hypomanic for about a week, sleeping about 5 hours a night and on/off agitated, and when I quit the Serzone I calmed down (actually felt normal for an hour) and today I crashed (feeling on/off quite depressed).I got the script refilled, but I can't deal with the hypomania. But without the med I get depressed (back to where I was pre Serzone).
So I still need to talk to my doc about the Lithium add on or something. Should I hold off till the Serzone jump starts me again, or should I just plop on the Li? I don't want the Li to drag me into the dumps. I'm probably not thinking about this rationally. Probably the pdoc will get a bit agitated when he finds out I bailed on Zyprexa and have me add the Li right away if I bring it up as an option I would guess..
PS. I am cycling quite rapidly. I can go take my car for a ride now, chug some caffeine, and turn the music on and I maybe get a manic rush.
Depression sucks. Hang in there folks.
Thanks
John
Posted by beardedlady on March 21, 2002, at 6:37:25
In reply to serzone craps lithium question, posted by JohnX2 on March 21, 2002, at 4:19:48
But you weren't hypomanic on Serzone--just when you stopped it for three days? If so, then keep taking the Serzone, and don't add anything. You said you felt great.
My pdoc said that if I miss two doses in a row, I'll go through a bad withdrawal and will not sleep and will be very sick--flu symptoms--for many days. That's just missing two doses! So....
beardy : )>
Posted by JohnX2 on March 21, 2002, at 6:51:56
In reply to Re: serzone craps lithium question, posted by beardedlady on March 21, 2002, at 6:37:25
Hi Beardy,No, I was hypomanic on the Serzone. But this was better than the mild depression off the Serzone.
When I was on the Serzone and it kicked in it was pretty much straight mild hypomania for a large number of days. Hypomania looks like fun on paper, but I have to tell you that it gets really old after a while. It reminds me of going on spring break trip to South Padre Island, Tx and after 4 or 5 days of feeling obliged to wake up at 7 AM in the morning and drink a beer and keep partying....you get worn down.
When I dropped it for a few days I have been cycling between normal-hypomania-depression. My mood stablizers aren't good enough to hold in the AD. My pdoc doesn't like ADs for my treatment. But he was in favor of my taking Serzone over Klonopin. So the Lithium is a good medicine to reign in the hypomania.
Restarting the Serzone is giving me start up nausea again so I don't want to toss on more medicine until I settle back into it. Argh.
Thanks
John
> But you weren't hypomanic on Serzone--just when you stopped it for three days? If so, then keep taking the Serzone, and don't add anything. You said you felt great.
>
> My pdoc said that if I miss two doses in a row, I'll go through a bad withdrawal and will not sleep and will be very sick--flu symptoms--for many days. That's just missing two doses! So....
>
> beardy : )>
Posted by beardedlady on March 21, 2002, at 7:39:38
In reply to Re: serzone craps lithium question » beardedlady, posted by JohnX2 on March 21, 2002, at 6:51:56
It's amazing how different meds affect different people. And then again, it isn't. We're all completely different sets of cells. It's the one thing people on this board must keep in mind when determining meds. Others' experiences are so helpful (especially if they are basically the same, i.e. weight gain et.al.), but they are unlikely to be the same as yours. (Should be good news to most, since that leaves a vast array of meds available.)
I forgot that Serzone is one of those meds that does double duty: at low doses, it's an anti-anxiety; at high doeses, it's an AD. Strange how one med can be used to calm you down or rile you up!
I was also told there was no poop out on this drug, though sometimes the anxiety can poke through if it's stronger than the med. But life always gets back to normal in a few days or a week.
I do wish you luck. I struggled when I had to be on two and three different meds for one ridiculous problem of chronic insomnia. Cocktail configurations are no fun.
My pdoc said the day I stop caring so much about my sleep will be the day I am cured.
A mind is a terrible thing to taste.
beardy : )>
Posted by Ritch on March 21, 2002, at 11:13:36
In reply to serzone craps lithium question, posted by JohnX2 on March 21, 2002, at 4:19:48
>
> I ran out of Serzone ahead of the script refill and skipped 3 days dosing. To make a long story short I was hypomanic for about a week, sleeping about 5 hours a night and on/off agitated, and when I quit the Serzone I calmed down (actually felt normal for an hour) and today I crashed (feeling on/off quite depressed).
>
> I got the script refilled, but I can't deal with the hypomania. But without the med I get depressed (back to where I was pre Serzone).
>
> So I still need to talk to my doc about the Lithium add on or something. Should I hold off till the Serzone jump starts me again, or should I just plop on the Li? I don't want the Li to drag me into the dumps. I'm probably not thinking about this rationally. Probably the pdoc will get a bit agitated when he finds out I bailed on Zyprexa and have me add the Li right away if I bring it up as an option I would guess..
>
> PS. I am cycling quite rapidly. I can go take my car for a ride now, chug some caffeine, and turn the music on and I maybe get a manic rush.
>
> Depression sucks. Hang in there folks.
>
> Thanks
> John
John, From what you have said, the Serzone helps your myofacial pain. Maybe there is a way you could restart the Serzone at a lower dose and add-on the lithium and see if everything straightens out-and just keep the Serzone.Mitch
Posted by JohnX2 on March 21, 2002, at 11:19:10
In reply to Re: serzone craps lithium question » JohnX2, posted by beardedlady on March 21, 2002, at 7:39:38
Hi Beardy,I haven't really pushed this medicine to a high dose. 300 mg max. I just took 150 mg the past 9 hrs. I only slept 5 hrs last night but I was having weird dreams (which kicked in about 5 days after starting Serzone). Last time I took Serzone it wiped me out bad (1.5 years ago without other meds), these episodes no wipe out. Mainly agitation, lift of depression (but not the fantabulous kind I have felt for brief momements in the past), and boughts of hypomania (racing thoughts, bits of euphoria). The euphoria is nice, but it isn't accompanied by feelings of "inner comfort" and that I have felt before on ADs. I still have this "go-go-go" agitated feeling. Kinda hard to explain.
Anyways, I'm not depressed. ;0
Maybe if I raise the Serzone dose to therapeutic range?? This could relieve anxiety or make me even more hypomanic? Tough call. I want to stay away from lithium because you have to monitor all your organs and may get some side effects.
Thanks for your thoughtful replys.
John
> It's amazing how different meds affect different people. And then again, it isn't. We're all completely different sets of cells. It's the one thing people on this board must keep in mind when determining meds. Others' experiences are so helpful (especially if they are basically the same, i.e. weight gain et.al.), but they are unlikely to be the same as yours. (Should be good news to most, since that leaves a vast array of meds available.)
>
> I forgot that Serzone is one of those meds that does double duty: at low doses, it's an anti-anxiety; at high doeses, it's an AD. Strange how one med can be used to calm you down or rile you up!
>
> I was also told there was no poop out on this drug, though sometimes the anxiety can poke through if it's stronger than the med. But life always gets back to normal in a few days or a week.
>
> I do wish you luck. I struggled when I had to be on two and three different meds for one ridiculous problem of chronic insomnia. Cocktail configurations are no fun.
>
> My pdoc said the day I stop caring so much about my sleep will be the day I am cured.
>
> A mind is a terrible thing to taste.
>
> beardy : )>
Posted by katia on June 2, 2003, at 1:13:21
In reply to Re: serzone craps lithium question » beardedlady, posted by JohnX2 on March 21, 2002, at 11:19:10
Hi John,
Are you still around? I've some questions to ask you re: Serzone and hypomania. I'm experiencing some of the same things you did-even tho' this is a year later.
respond and then I'll elaborate.
thanks.
Katia> Hi Beardy,
>
> I haven't really pushed this medicine to a high dose. 300 mg max. I just took 150 mg the past 9 hrs. I only slept 5 hrs last night but I was having weird dreams (which kicked in about 5 days after starting Serzone). Last time I took Serzone it wiped me out bad (1.5 years ago without other meds), these episodes no wipe out. Mainly agitation, lift of depression (but not the fantabulous kind I have felt for brief momements in the past), and boughts of hypomania (racing thoughts, bits of euphoria). The euphoria is nice, but it isn't accompanied by feelings of "inner comfort" and that I have felt before on ADs. I still have this "go-go-go" agitated feeling. Kinda hard to explain.
>
> Anyways, I'm not depressed. ;0
>
> Maybe if I raise the Serzone dose to therapeutic range?? This could relieve anxiety or make me even more hypomanic? Tough call. I want to stay away from lithium because you have to monitor all your organs and may get some side effects.
>
> Thanks for your thoughtful replys.
>
> John
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > It's amazing how different meds affect different people. And then again, it isn't. We're all completely different sets of cells. It's the one thing people on this board must keep in mind when determining meds. Others' experiences are so helpful (especially if they are basically the same, i.e. weight gain et.al.), but they are unlikely to be the same as yours. (Should be good news to most, since that leaves a vast array of meds available.)
> >
> > I forgot that Serzone is one of those meds that does double duty: at low doses, it's an anti-anxiety; at high doeses, it's an AD. Strange how one med can be used to calm you down or rile you up!
> >
> > I was also told there was no poop out on this drug, though sometimes the anxiety can poke through if it's stronger than the med. But life always gets back to normal in a few days or a week.
> >
> > I do wish you luck. I struggled when I had to be on two and three different meds for one ridiculous problem of chronic insomnia. Cocktail configurations are no fun.
> >
> > My pdoc said the day I stop caring so much about my sleep will be the day I am cured.
> >
> > A mind is a terrible thing to taste.
> >
> > beardy : )>
>
>
This is the end of the thread.
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