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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 21 of 21. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by SaraL on April 26, 2008, at 15:52:24
I started Stablon, 12.5 mg, 2 - 3x/day, 4 days ago. It is *very* energizing for me and although i feel a bit "brighter mood", I am extremely *irritable*, head achy and in a fog (BTW~ all symptoms of my GAD/ADD).
I started with three tabs/day and yesterday lowered the dose to two. Have experience with Zoloft and Lexapro ramp ups so know to stay the course. Their ramp up side affects were rough and it took a full month to kick in. So, I'm likely having similar experience with Stablon.
I'm willing to give this trial a full month to make a final decision and I *welcome* any encouragement and feedback from everyone!!! I'm also happy to answer questions too.
:)
Posted by Sigismund on April 26, 2008, at 16:43:49
In reply to Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in, posted by SaraL on April 26, 2008, at 15:52:24
I have taken Stablon but not SSRIs.
My impression is that the start up thing is quite different.
I think you will do best to find *some* dose of Stablon that is helpful and stick with it.
So I think you are right to lower your dose to maybe 2 per day.
Then of course it can be increased later.I ended up on 4 a day for quite a while.
Posted by SaraL on April 26, 2008, at 17:42:47
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » SaraL, posted by Sigismund on April 26, 2008, at 16:43:49
Thanks Sigismund!
I read that others have cut the pills. Think I'll stick with 2 tabs/day -- cut in half and taken four times/day. That may do it for me.
So appreciate your support and comradary!
Posted by X-ray on April 27, 2008, at 11:27:23
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » Sigismund, posted by SaraL on April 26, 2008, at 17:42:47
Hello SaraL,
I have been reading about Stablon.
This medicine might be an alternative for me.Elavil and Buspar is my current combo, but I'm not happy with this medication.
So if I'm going to try Stablon in the daytime, I shall need another medicine as a sleeping aid.
Do you take a drug in the evening for sleep?
Best of Luck,
X-ray
Posted by SaraL on April 27, 2008, at 12:06:35
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in, posted by X-ray on April 27, 2008, at 11:27:23
hi there!
yes, the stablon is *very* energizing for me and i'm playing with the dosage and timing of it. i find that a benedryl puts me out an hour later.
i'm hoping that what i've read about stablon is true for me... that after a ramp up it is calming and stimulating simultaneously. for now, i get the stimulation FULL FORCE!
yesterday i lowered my dose from 3 tabs to 2 tabs/day. this morning i cut my first dose in half and i don't feel near the edginess. i'll take the second half around 11 am.
enjoy your day!
:)
Posted by Maria3667 on April 28, 2008, at 13:01:50
In reply to Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in, posted by SaraL on April 26, 2008, at 15:52:24
Dear Sara,
From my own experience, I'd be very carefull with that! I got extreme anxiety after about 3 weeks on Stablon ONLY taking 1 tablet a day!
Take care,
Maria
Posted by SaraL on April 28, 2008, at 13:25:58
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in, posted by Maria3667 on April 28, 2008, at 13:01:50
thank you, maria. i am grateful for your feedback. sorry to hear you had a poor experience. extreme anxiety would not be fun... i know a bit about that ;).
am watching this very closely. i trust that i can manage the effects of this and adjust the doses as need. excellent eating, exercise and mindfulness are also a part of this. and although ADD/GAD and dysthymia are present in my life, i have enormous trust in myself and God to see me through.
support from you and this board is a *huge* help too!
halving the tablets (2/day) is working well thus far... today is day 6 on stablon and i'm having trouble concentrating yet am enjoying the added energy and am highly productive. 3 tabs/day were *way* too much for me. even with 2/day (halved, taken 3 hours apart) i believe i'll no longer need caffeine! bonus!
*really* hoping stablon works for me as it has zero affect on my sex drive and with this added stimulation i doubt it will cause any weight gain... :) will keep you posted...
much happiness to you,
sara
Posted by Sigismund on April 28, 2008, at 15:25:25
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » Maria3667, posted by SaraL on April 28, 2008, at 13:25:58
Some people who find it too stimulating start on a half three times a day.
For the last months I was taking it I did the same.
Posted by SaraL on April 28, 2008, at 19:06:37
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in, posted by Sigismund on April 28, 2008, at 15:25:25
great! thus far, half 4 times a day is working. it's really too soon to tell really. definitely need to wean myself off of coffee. the two combined are too much for me! and, i may need to take a 15 minute sprint after each pill! ha, ha.
may i ask why you went off of it?
Posted by clipper40 on April 28, 2008, at 19:24:59
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » Sigismund, posted by SaraL on April 28, 2008, at 19:06:37
Your issues sound similar to mine but I've been afraid to try Stablon because I couldn't tolerate any more anxiety than I naturally have. Are you taking anything else with the Stablon to help with anxiety or do you just have mild GAD problems?
Posted by Sigismund on April 28, 2008, at 21:16:38
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » SaraL, posted by clipper40 on April 28, 2008, at 19:24:59
I went off Stablon because it was making me feel weird.
It didn't to begin with.
At first it felt great, but after a year or so I began to feel uneasy from time to time.People vary in their response to it, and a given person's response might well change over time.
The good thing was it was easy to stop.
Another thing for me was that I reacted to it a little....sinus mucous, but that happens with lots of things.
Posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 18:24:20
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » SaraL, posted by clipper40 on April 28, 2008, at 19:24:59
hi there,
i'm not taking anything with the stablon accept rodiola rosea which does help with anxiety. the energizing affects of the stablon are marked for me and i'm exercising strong awareness and deep breathing during this ramp up... reminding myself that i may be perceiving things to be much *bigger* than they actually are right now.
something interesting that i'm noticing is that the stablon seems to convert my anxiety into aggravation! its as if i feel the anxiety yet don't care so much that it is anxiety... i feel angrier and easily frustrated.
when i've ramped up on lexapro in the past, i've gone through similar experience, feeling more irritable and in a fog, yet after 4 - 6 weeks that all calms. hoping stablon is similar.
i would say my GAD dx is mild to moderate. i don't get panic attacks yet can experience extreme fear when triggered (e.g. giving a speech, going on a date), leaving me red faced, shaking and feeling confused. nothing like the kind of panic where i think i'm going to die... its just embarrassing.
i also believe that GAD is a secondary dx with ADD being primary. when i've gone off different meds what kicks back in first is a dense brain fog... simply unable to think, concentrate... focus.
then i begin to feel really anxious, fearing i will say things wrong, forget important things, make big mistakes. fear that people will see me as stupid or weird or incompetent. then i get depressed which further debilitates my ability to think clearly.
lexapro (5mg/day)cleared this all up for me and i'll go back to it if stablon doesn't work. the lexapro made me really fatigued, a little irritable, caused weight gain and greatly diminished my sex drive.
hope this helps you!
sara
Posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 18:27:10
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in, posted by Sigismund on April 28, 2008, at 21:16:38
thanks for sharing your experience. its odd how we all respond differently, isn't it?!?!
i'm on day 8 of my ramp up. having mixed results. sometimes i feel okay, sometimes i feel extreme energy... always have a headache and a buzzing in my ears.
i've committed to giving this the full 4 weeks and i know i can hang with it. it typically takes that long (or longer) for me to know how meds will work.
Posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 18:39:37
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » Sigismund, posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 18:27:10
here is my experience thus far:
Wed, day 1: 2 tabs - no problem.
Thu, day 2: 3 tabs - energized! irritable!
Fri, day 3: 3 tabs - energized... intolerable!
Sat, day 4: 2 tabs - better, still energized.Sun, day 5: 2 tabs, halved every 3 hrs - much better, gd energy. headache, ringing.
Mon, day 6: Same, with brain fog.
Tue, day 7: 1.5 tabs, halved (forgot the 4th one) - drank 1/2 cup of coffee (vs a full cup), no rodiola roseo.
Wed, day 8: 2 tabs, halved every 3 hrs - extreme headache and buzzing, frustrated, overwhelmed. *very* tired, foggy. NO coffee, no rodiola rosea (side note: expecting period in one day... a lot of PMS happening here!)
Bottom line:
* feeling a bunch of ramp up side affects with minimal benefits thus far.
* but! my sex drive/orgasm fully restored!
* going to re-add the rodiola rosea and drink 1/2 cup coffee tomorrow (wean off the coffee vs cold turkey.)
* still optimistic stablon may work for me and committed to my 4 week ramp up before making final decision.All encouragement is welcome!!!!!
Posted by Sigismund on April 30, 2008, at 19:36:29
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in - DAY 8 update, posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 18:39:37
>the stablon seems to convert my anxiety into aggravation
I can remember my irritability being freed up with Stablon.
Keep an eye out for potentiation/whatever between Stablon and rhodiola.
I liked rhodiola and would take it if it did not exacerbate my insomnia.
Posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 21:31:18
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in - DAY 8 update, posted by Sigismund on April 30, 2008, at 19:36:29
yeah, i really like rodiola too. found it was really helpful to counter balance the fatigue with lexapro. and, with lexapro and i developed a coffee habit AND would sometimes take sudafed for an added kick. lex really wiped me out.
i'll watch the difference between taking rodiola and stablon versus w/o. i definitely know coffee has got to go!
thanks so much for your support!
Posted by SaraL on May 1, 2008, at 21:52:06
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in - DAY 8 update, posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 18:39:37
Day 9- 2 tabs, halved. feeling much better today less head achy, less irritable yet still ringing in ears and foggy. Still highly motivated! Drank half cup of coffee and no rodiola.
Posted by SaraL on May 3, 2008, at 2:05:03
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in - DAY 9 update, posted by SaraL on May 1, 2008, at 21:52:06
Day 10 - same - much better today. still a bit foggy yet able to concentrate. a bit irritable. that crazy nervous energy was only slight today. 1/2 cup/coffee no rodiola.
note: will post a new thread for this. just found out i need to undergo "wide area incision" surgery for a small melanoma we discovered on my left thigh. anyone know about contraindication of stablon and general anesthesia?!?!
Posted by clipper40 on May 4, 2008, at 5:09:51
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in » clipper40, posted by SaraL on April 30, 2008, at 18:24:20
Yes, thank you, that did help. I don't think your GAD is anywhere near as bad as mine so that would explain why you're able to be on the Stablon without another anxiolytic. If I were to try Stablon, I'd definitely need to find something else to add to it, at least in the beginnning.
Interesting how your anxiety has become irritability since you started the Stablon. You fix one problem and another one pops up! Hopefully that will recede with time. It would be a shame to have to go back to the Lexapro with all of those negatives that come with it. Or maybe you could find a great add-on supplement or medication to give you more energy on Lexapro if you had to go back to it.
Posted by SaraL on May 13, 2008, at 14:36:59
In reply to Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in, posted by SaraL on April 26, 2008, at 15:52:24
Still taking 2 pills/day, halved. I believe the energizing affects have mellowed out a bit yet I have a really bad headache and difficulty concentrating. If I had my choice I'd get into bed and sleep the rest of the day. My mood is okay and I still feel like Stablon converts my anxiety into irritation. I'm not sure if this medication is helping me.
Perhaps my dosage isn't high enough...? My fear in raising it is that it'll increase it's stimulating effects.
One more week and I will have been on Stablon for a month.
Posted by Sigismund on May 16, 2008, at 2:23:46
In reply to Re: Stablon Ramp Up - 4 days in - DAY 21 update, posted by SaraL on May 13, 2008, at 14:36:59
>I still feel like Stablon converts my anxiety into irritation.
It's interesting, the difference between anxiety, irritation and (since I've been feeling it today) agitation.
Like me, maybe you get all three?
This is the end of the thread.
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