Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1098499

Shown: posts 1 to 16 of 16. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 3, 2018, at 10:53:34

Yay or nay?

 

Re: Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr

Posted by rjlockhart37 on May 3, 2018, at 13:49:32

In reply to Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr, posted by Lamdage22 on May 3, 2018, at 10:53:34

memantine is mild stimulant, but it improves some mental functions such as deteriorated mental capacity, im not so sure it would treat OCD symptoms, with schizophrenia, but memantine improves deteriorated mental functions, like memory or coherency. It could yes improve OCD, maybe but it's main indication is improving mental functions
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memantine

 

Re: Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr

Posted by Christ_empowered on May 3, 2018, at 17:28:27

In reply to Re: Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr, posted by rjlockhart37 on May 3, 2018, at 13:49:32

if possible, i'd try to see about a very slow, very gradual, very cautious neuroleptic dosage reduction as step 1.

 

Re: Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr » Lamdage22

Posted by bleauberry on May 4, 2018, at 7:23:30

In reply to Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr, posted by Lamdage22 on May 3, 2018, at 10:53:34

> Yay or nay?


My experience is that armchair quarterbacking of psych meds doesn't work very well.

That said, memantine does not seem like a good fit for this scenario. But crazier things have happened.

There are already plenty of meds on board and my guess is that several of them are standing in the way of healing, not helping the healing. But I don't know. Only the patient knows. Just commenting from the outside looking in.

If it were me, I would instead add 2-3 herbals to the cocktail. Herbals which are specific for calming the nervous system. And herbals for reducing systemic inflammation and brain inflammation. I'm thinking things such as Lemon Balm, Passion flower, Chinese Skullcap (Baical Skullcap), American Skullcap (totally different substance than Chinese Skullcap, Japanese Knotweed (usually sold as Resvertrtol but make sure it is made from Knotweed and not made from grapes), Houttuynia, and a really good all-around herb is Andrographis.

And there are plenty of other choices. Those are just the better ones I have had experience with.

And I think you would do well to have 1, 2 or 3 adaptogens in your cocktail. Rhodiola rosea, Eleuthero, Ashwaganda, or others.

The current cocktail is actually just a collection of narrow focus targeted strategies - except for the vitamin D which is wide spectrum. I think we patients have entirely better outcomes when we employ comprehensive wide spectrum tactics rather than narrow focus pinpoint tactics.

One thing I have noticed over the years is that parasites play a much bigger role in mood and health than most of us realize. It would be worth doing a de-worming to rid your body of parasites which cause psychiatric symptoms. It's pretty easy with about a month of a product - capsules or tincture - that has in it green black walnut hulls, cloves and wormwood. Raw garlic is good too but the smell is problematic at the doses required. I mentioned this parasite angle because your symptoms are consistent with that.

I do not see how memantine might help but it is an easy enough test to find out if you want to. A few weeks should rule it in or rule it out. I think there are way better options, however.

imo

 

I am thinking Mirtazapine now

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 4, 2018, at 7:53:57

In reply to Re: Memantine for OCD Symptoms with comorbid Schizophr » Lamdage22, posted by bleauberry on May 4, 2018, at 7:23:30

It did work in the past although it made me irritable. Maybe that will subside after a few weeks!

 

Re: I am thinking Mirtazapine now » Lamdage22

Posted by bleauberry on May 4, 2018, at 8:53:46

In reply to I am thinking Mirtazapine now, posted by Lamdage22 on May 4, 2018, at 7:53:57

> It did work in the past although it made me irritable. Maybe that will subside after a few weeks!

I don't know why anyone would want to revisit the past unless it was wildly successful. I think it makes a lot more common sense to find new ground and to expand one's options.

Remeron is basically the world's second strongest antihistamine and an over-glorified antidepressant. It's a great sleep aid at low doses until it poops out. Its other mechanisms - for example release of NE - are very weak compared to its antihistamine action. If someone thinks a powerful antihistamine is going to help, then ok. I don't see that but someone might. It would not have even made it past FDA as an antidepressant without the significant political and economic influence behind it.

I have a hypothesis on this med. Because it does work sometimes. It really helps some people a lot. Not often. But when it does it really does.

As an antihistamine it is going to reduce all kinds of inflammation in the body. And if anyone is in the lyme/psychiatry camp like I am, then it makes perfect sense that a strong anti-inflammatory would help someone's mood.

But it is all much too complex to state it that simply. Just thinking out loud...

I think there is a medication that could help you a lot and it is probably the opposite of anything you thought of. It will give you energy with peace and focus, not energy with anxiety and nervousness, it will give you renewed engagement in life and hobbies and social activities. It will stabilize whatever is wrong in the NE/DA circuits, regardless if they are too low or too high. This med has to be started at very low doses and increased slowly as to avoid over-stimulation in the beginning. That goes away in a couple weeks at higher doses. It is the med that my doctor said she prescribes more often than any other med because it helps so many different people with different problems, everything from depression to anxiety to fatigue to schizophrenia to ADHD and ADD.

Ritalin. Start 2.5mg bid with a goal of 20mg tid in 3 months.

Really! :-).

 

Re: I am thinking Mirtazapine now

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 5, 2018, at 3:11:55

In reply to Re: I am thinking Mirtazapine now » Lamdage22, posted by bleauberry on May 4, 2018, at 8:53:46

Well an antihistamine might not be the worst thing because i have a ton of allergies.

 

I really dont know what to do

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 5, 2018, at 10:19:58

In reply to Re: I am thinking Mirtazapine now, posted by Lamdage22 on May 5, 2018, at 3:11:55

I suffer from anxiety, anhedonia and amotivation. I dont want a limp d*ck. I have thought about ditching Seroquel and adding Opipramol. Ditching Seroquel because of the cardiac risk. However i dont want to have a higher TD risk from a higher Zyprexa dosage. What you think?

I just need some help. Help that doesnt seem to exist these days.

 

Re: I really dont know what to do

Posted by Christ_empowered on May 5, 2018, at 14:54:31

In reply to I really dont know what to do, posted by Lamdage22 on May 5, 2018, at 10:19:58

from a safety stand point, my understanding is that one is better off on -1- tranquilizer, even at a high dose, than on 2+ tranqs. also...getting rid of seroquel would probably decrease sedation a good bit, even if the doctor increased the zyprexa a bit.

-all- tranqs can cause TD, even clozapine. the 'atypicals' are a tricksy bunch of drugs, in large part because the data on them is mostly paid for by the drug makers. now that zyprexa and seroquel are generic, it seems that shrinks are more open about problems from their use...

and their solution is latuda, rexulti, etc. lol. its...ridiculous. zyprexa is supposed to have a lower TD risk than risperidone or the older/"typical" tranqs, so...that's a good thing, of course.

have you tried abilify or the new d2 partial agonists? i don't know that they're "ground breaking" or whatever, but if you could tolerate one of those and if it kept your problems under control, that might help reduce sedation, help you lose weight, etc. on the downside...one of the new d2 partial agonists (i forget which one...) sometimes causes prolactin elevation, just like risperidone. ugh.

wish i could be of more help, but...that's pretty much all i've got for you.

 

Re: I really dont know what to do

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 6, 2018, at 5:40:15

In reply to Re: I really dont know what to do, posted by Christ_empowered on May 5, 2018, at 14:54:31

> have you tried abilify or the new d2 partial agonists?

I cant tolerate Abilify because of the akathisia. I have not tried the new partial agonists. Maybe i should?

Thanks for the response. It just hurts me that my family has to see me like this. I wanna get better ASAP

 

Re: I really dont know what to do

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 6, 2018, at 6:12:28

In reply to Re: I really dont know what to do, posted by Lamdage22 on May 6, 2018, at 5:40:15

I will see what my doctor says about Rexulti. It is to be released onto the european market this year so i only would have to pay for it for a couple of months. My father would help with paying.

 

I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris (nm)

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 7, 2018, at 2:33:29

In reply to Re: I really dont know what to do, posted by Lamdage22 on May 6, 2018, at 6:12:28

 

Re: I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris

Posted by SLS on May 7, 2018, at 6:57:24

In reply to I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris (nm), posted by Lamdage22 on May 7, 2018, at 2:33:29

How would you discontinue Seroquel?

I like Saphris. Rexulti is like a milder Abilify. It is milder with respect to dopamine D3 receptor partial agonism. It has less akathisia as far as I can tell. I think you should first switch from Seroquel to Saphris before making any other changes. Saphris definitely has antidepressant and anti-anxiety properties. I don't really know the mechanisms behind this. It does act as a partial agonist of 5-HT1a receptors and a full agonist at D2 and 5-HT2 receptors. It is also a 5-HT7 receptor antagonst. This is currently being studied for depression.

I'm not a doctor, but I don't like Seroquel because, like Zyprexa, it causes weight gain and diabetes. If all you are using it for is sleep, 1000 mg/day doesn't make sense to me. The metabolite of Seroquel, norquetiapine, is a NE reuptake inhibitor (like desipramine). This might not be too good for sleep and anxiety when it is taken at dosages over 200 mg/day. Perphenazine might make a good substitute for Seroquel. You could then d/c Zyprexa and bring Saphris on board. With perphenazine and Saphris, I doubt you would need metformin. If you go with Rexulti, you may have to continue with it. Rexulti is not a bad drug, but I think Abilify is more potent as an antidepressant.


- Scott

 

Re: I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 7, 2018, at 8:03:15

In reply to Re: I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris, posted by SLS on May 7, 2018, at 6:57:24

Hi Scott,

my doctor did not seem to want to do any changes right now. My next experiment would be boswellia serrata. I never heard anyone try this here. I will try it on vacation next week when i am not driving. I took two driving lessons recently to make sure i am not a threat with my car.

I seem to be very resilient to APs sedating properties. Other people would be a mess!

 

Re: I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris » Lamdage22

Posted by sigismund on May 8, 2018, at 10:12:03

In reply to Re: I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris, posted by Lamdage22 on May 7, 2018, at 8:03:15

What's the idea with the boswellia?

Good for arthritis, for which I take it. It may even slow down cancer or reduce the risk.

 

Re: I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris

Posted by Lamdage22 on May 8, 2018, at 13:10:15

In reply to Re: I am thinking about combinationRexulti and Saphris » Lamdage22, posted by sigismund on May 8, 2018, at 10:12:03

it supposedly has anti anxiety and antidepressant properties


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