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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Emme on October 6, 2004, at 12:03:13
Hi Folks,
I’m doing a little bit of obsessive retrospective analysis of my meds. With the realization that this is purely anecdotal and highly individual, I’m curious as to who’s found the following meds to worsen depression, induce sluggishness/lack of motivation, or, on the other hand, worsen anxiety.
Here goes:
Memantine: Anyone besides Scott try it? Sorry Scott – I can’t recall if you find it activating and/or tension-inducing.
Lamictal: Many find it activating. Does anyone actually find it to induce sluggishness, tiredness, or lack of motivation? Has anyone actually thought it worsened their depression?
Neurontin: I know it’s soothing. I found it helpful in that regard. Anyone think it made them more depressed?
Emme
Posted by SLS on October 6, 2004, at 13:40:42
In reply to Survey - Lamictal, memantine, neurontin, posted by Emme on October 6, 2004, at 12:03:13
> Hi Folks,
>
> I’m doing a little bit of obsessive retrospective analysis of my meds. With the realization that this is purely anecdotal and highly individual, I’m curious as to who’s found the following meds to worsen depression, induce sluggishness/lack of motivation, or, on the other hand, worsen anxiety.
>
> Here goes:
>
> Memantine: Anyone besides Scott try it? Sorry Scott – I can’t recall if you find it activating and/or tension-inducing.Memantine had a pronounced antidepressant effect for me that lasted for about a week. Other than that, I found it neither activating nor tension-inducing. Nor did it make me feel sleepy or unmotivated.
> Neurontin: I know it’s soothing. I found it helpful in that regard. Anyone think it made them more depressed?
I asked a similar question a few weeks ago, and no one responded that it made them feel worse. However, I found that it destabilized my mood and worsened my depression.
Keep an eye on the folks using Keppra. There might be an antidepressant effect to be found there sccording to some descriptions.
- Scott
Posted by Emme on October 6, 2004, at 14:48:17
In reply to Re: Survey - Lamictal, memantine, neurontin, posted by SLS on October 6, 2004, at 13:40:42
Hi Scott,
> Memantine had a pronounced antidepressant effect for me that lasted for about a week. Other than that, I found it neither activating nor tension-inducing. Nor did it make me feel sleepy or unmotivated.
Okay, so that's perhaps neutral as far as affecting one's energy.
> > Neurontin: I know it’s soothing. I found it helpful in that regard. Anyone think it made them more depressed?
>
> I asked a similar question a few weeks ago, and no one responded that it made them feel worse. However, I found that it destabilized my mood and worsened my depression.
> Keep an eye on the folks using Keppra. There might be an antidepressant effect to be found there sccording to some descriptions.Thanks for your input.
I actually used Keppra sporadically. I didn't notice a specific AD effect. More of an "I don't care" effect, which is better than miserable. I've found in calming.
At the moment, I'm actually tossing around the idea of terminating treatment and stopping all medication except for maybe using a benzo as needed. I find myself wondering if even the drugs that I don't think are hurting (like Lamictal) are actually making me worse and if my ups and downs are the result of trying to correct for some negative effects of something I'm on.
For example, at one point I took neurontin for quite a while and although I thought it was helpful, perhaps it was making me more depressed and I didn't realize it.
Em
Posted by theo on October 7, 2004, at 7:09:24
In reply to Re: Survey - Lamictal, memantine, neurontin, posted by SLS on October 6, 2004, at 13:40:42
I thought Lamictal was helping you some?
Posted by theo on October 7, 2004, at 7:36:26
In reply to Re: Survey - Lamictal, memantine, neurontin » SLS, posted by Emme on October 6, 2004, at 14:48:17
I'm obssessing about this this topic. Right now, I'm on 750mg Keppra and 125mg of Lamictal.
The Keppra seems to have it's place but is also easy to start and stop which is good. Since I started Lamictal, my sleep has been light and full of negative anxiety. I don't know why but a lot of people have this with Lamictal.
Anyway, I've never been prescribed a med, meaning in 1991 I asked my doctor if I could try one, and Zoloft was new so he gave me that. Ever since, I've been on this magic pill search and been all over the board with meds.
I've taken Keppra alone before but not Lamictal. I'm thinking about stopping the Keppra just to get a true read on Lamictal. If it's not overwhelming, I'm going to cross taper off the Lamictal with a low dose of Keppra and then stop the Keppra and see where I am.
I think most of my problems were alcohol related in the past and since I've been sober now for 1 1/2 years, I would like to know where I really am, and if I need to, go back on something.
I've had my general doc who's known me for 20 years think it's a great idea to stop and see where I am, then there's my pdoc who I've only seen for 6 months that thinks it's a horrible idea to stop. Now I doubt myself instead of going with my gut feeling. You hear about people feeling good and stopping their meds which could be a mistake, but I want to stop because I DON'T feel that great.
It's really plain old addictive, dependent behavior getting the best of me.
Posted by Emme on October 7, 2004, at 8:33:28
In reply to Re: Survey - Lamictal, memantine, neurontin » SLS, posted by theo on October 7, 2004, at 7:09:24
> I thought Lamictal was helping you some?
I thought so too. But then I always thought that clonazepam was helping me. Until I gave xanax a whirl instead and decided that that was better. I've always been taking Lamictal with other things. And I tend to have a lot of side effects.
I'm wrestling with whether I think the apparent improvement on Lamictal is actually due to finding combinations that partially cancel each other out. Maybe what I thought was improvement from Lamictal was actually improvement from losing the clonazepam. I no longer trust my instincts - or maybe I just don't have instincts anymore.
Posted by Emme on October 7, 2004, at 13:31:25
In reply to Re: Survey - Lamictal, memantine, neurontin » theo, posted by Emme on October 7, 2004, at 8:33:28
Okay, I'm done railing and raving. Staying with Lamictal and going to try to put non-productive obsessing out of my mind. Thanks guys.
Posted by SLS on October 7, 2004, at 15:46:44
In reply to Emme has settled down, posted by Emme on October 7, 2004, at 13:31:25
> Okay, I'm done railing and raving. Staying with Lamictal and going to try to put non-productive obsessing out of my mind. Thanks guys.
Don't confuse obsession with desperation.
Decisions are difficult to make without the aid of a crystal ball.
- Scott
Posted by Emme on October 7, 2004, at 15:54:48
In reply to Re: Emme has settled down, posted by SLS on October 7, 2004, at 15:46:44
> > Okay, I'm done railing and raving. Staying with Lamictal and going to try to put non-productive obsessing out of my mind. Thanks guys.
>
> Don't confuse obsession with desperation.
>
> Decisions are difficult to make without the aid of a crystal ball.Apparently mine is not operational. I keep rubbing it and nothing happens. Or is that supposed to be the lamp?
Anyway, mirapex is out. At the moment, I'm not sitting in a depressive abyss (knock on wood). It's not perfect, but it's been much worse. I think that because another drug seemed to end up giving me negative effects, I'm finding myself questioning all of them. And because I'm not in dire straights, it gets me to thinking "Gee, could I be even better without *anything*? In other words, feeling slightly better is enabling me to think retrospectively, take stock of life, and get steamed at what's lost. Does that make sense?
So, I'm going to sit tight for the moment and then if I backslide, start thinking about what the next step would be.
Emme
Posted by Dave001 on October 9, 2004, at 1:08:34
In reply to Re: Emme has settled down » SLS, posted by Emme on October 7, 2004, at 15:54:48
> > > Okay, I'm done railing and raving. Staying with Lamictal and going to try to put non-productive obsessing out of my mind. Thanks guys.
> >
> > Don't confuse obsession with desperation.
> >
> > Decisions are difficult to make without the aid of a crystal ball.
>
> Apparently mine is not operational. I keep rubbing it and nothing happens. Or is that supposed to be the lamp?
>
> Anyway, mirapex is out. At the moment, I'm not sitting in a depressive abyss (knock on wood). It's not perfect, but it's been much worse. I think that because another drug seemed to end up giving me negative effects, I'm finding myself questioning all of them. And because I'm not in dire straights, it gets me to thinking "Gee, could I be even better without *anything*? In other words, feeling slightly better is enabling me to think retrospectively, take stock of life, and get steamed at what's lost. Does that make sense?Although your post was directed toward someone else, I couldn't help but to add that your last comment seems hauntingly familiar to my own thinking.
This is the end of the thread.
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