Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 268498

Shown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.

Question for Larry Hoover

Posted by sarita0001 on October 11, 2003, at 22:08:39

Hi Larry,

You are so helpful to others on this site, Thanks.
I have a question that psychiatrists and dermatologists seem to have difficulty figuring out.

From January 2003-May 2003, I was on 675 Lithium and at the most 100mg Topamax. For a month and a half I was on birth control too. Around March when I was at 100mg Topamax/lithium, no birth control, I started growing more hair on my body everywhere, even eyelashes,ears. It got worse when I went off the Topamax and is still happening but slowing down. I continued on 675 lithium until last week. No doctors have an explanation. My new psychiatrist says that when you add another drug it can bring out the side effects of the other, in this case lithium, maybe explaining why the hair growth didn't stop. Now I am not on anything so we'll see what happens.

Any thoughts? thanks so much.

Sara

Re: Question for Larry Hoover » sarita0001

Posted by Larry Hoover on October 12, 2003, at 10:10:43

In reply to Question for Larry Hoover, posted by sarita0001 on October 11, 2003, at 22:08:39

> Hi Larry,
>
> You are so helpful to others on this site, Thanks.

Thanks for the acknowledgement.

> I have a question that psychiatrists and dermatologists seem to have difficulty figuring out.

Maybe you're seeing the wrong kind of doctor?

> From January 2003-May 2003, I was on 675 Lithium and at the most 100mg Topamax. For a month and a half I was on birth control too. Around March when I was at 100mg Topamax/lithium, no birth control, I started growing more hair on my body everywhere, even eyelashes,ears.

That's called hirsutism. I'd connect that to going off birth control, not the psych meds. Hirsutism is a hormonal disturbance. Have you been assessed for PCOS? That's polycystic ovarian syndrome. It's associated with multiple disturbances in hormones. See:
http://centerforpcos.bsd.uchicago.edu/Defining_PCOS/body_defining_pcos.html

It may be nothing more than a coincidence that you were on psych meds at the time of its first manifestations.

> It got worse when I went off the Topamax and is still happening but slowing down. I continued on 675 lithium until last week. No doctors have an explanation. My new psychiatrist says that when you add another drug it can bring out the side effects of the other, in this case lithium, maybe explaining why the hair growth didn't stop. Now I am not on anything so we'll see what happens.

Please get a referral to an ob/gyn. You should get an ultrasound and blood work done. If that's normal, then we should look at other ideas.

> Any thoughts? thanks so much.
>
> Sara

Good luck,
Lar

went to the new doctor and...

Posted by sarita0001 on October 12, 2003, at 10:56:16

In reply to Re: Question for Larry Hoover » sarita0001, posted by Larry Hoover on October 12, 2003, at 10:10:43

Hi,

Starting in Feb when the Topamax went to 100mg, I started getting irregular periods. I have been to the ob/gyn but since I went off the Topamax my periods are normal. The ob/gyn said I don't have PCOS. The psychiatrist did a free T4, Cbc, tsh and all were normal. Maybe I should go to an endocrinologist. I was on birth control before for a long time and nothing happened. Topamax can cause PCOS and so can lithium after a long time.

Thanks again.
Sara

Re: went to the new doctor and...

Posted by Larry Hoover on October 12, 2003, at 11:12:12

In reply to went to the new doctor and..., posted by sarita0001 on October 12, 2003, at 10:56:16

> Hi,
>
> Starting in Feb when the Topamax went to 100mg, I started getting irregular periods. I have been to the ob/gyn but since I went off the Topamax my periods are normal. The ob/gyn said I don't have PCOS. The psychiatrist did a free T4, Cbc, tsh and all were normal. Maybe I should go to an endocrinologist. I was on birth control before for a long time and nothing happened. Topamax can cause PCOS and so can lithium after a long time.

If it's definitely not PCOS, I'd expect it to resolve over time. I've never heard of either Topomax or lithium associated with PCOS (valproate clearly is), but you could be dealing with an interaction of some kind, too.

> Thanks again.
> Sara

You're welcome. Best of luck,
Lar

Hello Larry, How

Posted by johnj on October 12, 2003, at 21:19:28

In reply to Re: went to the new doctor and..., posted by Larry Hoover on October 12, 2003, at 11:12:12

the heck are you? I have been away for awhile. How are your meds/supplements holding for you? Hope you have been safe on the road :)

johnj

Re: Hello Larry, How » johnj

Posted by Larry Hoover on October 13, 2003, at 16:38:43

In reply to Hello Larry, How , posted by johnj on October 12, 2003, at 21:19:28

> the heck are you? I have been away for awhile. How are your meds/supplements holding for you? Hope you have been safe on the road :)
>
> johnj

The trend is towards being stronger and stronger. :-)

How you doin'?

Lar

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