![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
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 holymama on May 20, 2004, at 11:04:51
I have never been a rapid cycler before starting antidepressants. I have tried:
Lexapro -- made me manic and also breakthrough depression
Lexapro and Trileptal -- rapid cycling
Lamictal -- I just got the rash and had to stop.
Wellbutrin was recently added to my lexapro and trileptal combo, and now I am just a mess. Having vicious swings day to day. I feel disabled.
Any guesses as to what my doctor might try next with me? I need to function and care for my three young children. Right now my husband is afraid to leave me. :(
Posted by griswald on May 20, 2004, at 19:35:18
In reply to What works well for rapid cycling?, posted by holymama on May 20, 2004, at 11:04:51
All antidepressants I have tried cause rapid cycling. It took a little longer with Wellbutrin, but it made me feel like I was cycling once or twice a day - really weird. When things get really destabilized, Zyprexa really helps. I don't know if I could use it every day, but it stops the cycling for me.
Posted by holymama on May 20, 2004, at 19:59:03
In reply to Re: What works well for rapid cycling?, posted by griswald on May 20, 2004, at 19:35:18
Griswald,
Would you tell me a little bit about zyprexa? Is it an antipsychotic? Does it stabilize you -- as in get rid of a tendency towards depression and mania? Why wouldn't you use it for long?
My pdoc today just asked me to try Geodon (in addition to lexapro, wellbutrin, and weaning off trileptal). I am going on and off so many meds at once I don't know what is working, what isn't, but I do know that the past two weeks of transitioning have been hell, I've made 3 emergency calls to my pdoc, and been up and down very violently.
Posted by sooshi on May 21, 2004, at 1:28:02
In reply to What works well for rapid cycling?, posted by holymama on May 20, 2004, at 11:04:51
Zonegran has stabilized me for the first time in years. And I've tried everything. It doesn't aggrivate my depression (I actually feel HAPPY sometimes - wow, did I just say that???) and the hypomania/irritation/anger i was experiencing is GONE. I take it with Effexor XR.
Just a suggestion...Good luck to you!
Posted by nmk on May 21, 2004, at 11:08:29
In reply to Re: What works well for rapid cycling? » griswald, posted by holymama on May 20, 2004, at 19:59:03
Your situation sounds very similar to my own. I first tried trileptal with zoloft and effexor which made me cycle like crazy. This was coupled with depression and intense anxiety. My doc then tried Lamicatal and zoloft, increasing my Lamictal dose up to 300 mg. I became agitated, anxious, depression, you name it.
I am now off the mood stabilizers and AD's and am only taking 5 mg of zyprexa at night for sleep. I have not cycled once since discontinuing most of my meds. AD's can definately cause rapid cycling and I would talk to your doc about weaning off one or the other. I would also do ONE thing at a time. I have learned that this is the only way to figure out what med is causing the problems. It takes patience but is well worth it.
Regarding the zyprexa, it does have a calming effect and AD properties but the downside is the weight gain. My pdoc has prescribed glucophage to counteract this effect and thus far, I have only gained a few pounds. It is a small price to pay for my sanity.
Please keep us posted and hang in there....you will find what works for you.
Nicole
Posted by ravenstorm on May 25, 2004, at 9:18:14
In reply to Re: What works well for rapid cycling? » holymama, posted by nmk on May 21, 2004, at 11:08:29
nmk--
Does glucophage work on blood sugar? I am taking remeron and having horrible blood sugar problems (sometimes I have to eat every two hours!!)
Any info would be appreciated!
Posted by nmk on May 25, 2004, at 12:15:24
In reply to Re: NMK, what is glucophage/weight gain stopped?, posted by ravenstorm on May 25, 2004, at 9:18:14
> nmk--
>
> Does glucophage work on blood sugar? I am taking remeron and having horrible blood sugar problems (sometimes I have to eat every two hours!!)
>
> Any info would be appreciated!From what I know, Glucophage (also known as Metformin) is prescribed for type II diabetes and it lowers blood insulin levels. Zyprexa is known to raise insulin levels so the Glucophage works to counteract the effects of the zyprexa. Since starting the Glucophage, I haven't gained more than five pounds so it does seem to help with curbing the appetite. I was also on Remeron a few years back and had to stop because of the horrible munchies I would get after 1/2 hour of taking it. You may want to talk to your doctor about Glucophage for med-induced weight gain.
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.