[LMB] OT re: medications/health

[Mark Allums]

Terra wrote:
> Trialia Xua wrote:
>> ADs... just don't really work for me. They try to keep me up when I'd
>> normally be down, but when I'm up, they drive me crazy and make it so I get
>> no sleep for days on end, 
> 
> Put this in your "for what it's worth" hat:  That reaction is a pretty 
> classic reaction of bipolar people to anti-depressants.  Bipolars can't 
> take ADs by themselves *ever* - they are too likely to cause episodes of 
> mania, often extreme ones.  It's very common for someone with bipolar-II 
> to discover their bipolar illness in just this way - get put on ADs and 
> go NUTS.  Being put on SSRIs (Prozac and the like) was what made my 
> bipolar swings bad enough to make me suicidal and get into a psych who 
> made the diagnosis.
> 
> Once a bipolar person is stable on mood stabilizers (anti-convulsants 
> largely) then ADs might be added to the drug cocktail with some safely, 
> if needed :)

This is very true.

My story, abridged version:

I was depressed, and was put on Vivactil, a tetracyclic "tricyclic" 
antidepressant, back in the day.  Did not do much, except make me 
miserable.  More miserable.

Later, tried Prozac, back when it was the New Thing(tm).  Oops!

Much water under the bridge later, I have been doing well on an 
antipsychotic med, Risperdal.  It turns out that a lot of antipsychotics 
are also mood stabilizers.  The new school of antipsychotics (atypical 
antipsychotics, generally), not the old school (e.g. thorazine).

I also take Paxil, as well as Risperdal.  I am very careful not to miss 
a dose.  The combination is very effective for me, along with Strattera, 
Ativan, and Provigil.  Obviously, this is a combination that is very 
individually tailored.

I have not been on Lamactil, only on Depakote, so I can't speak with 
authority about its effectiveness, only that personally, I would resist 
being put on lithium or Depakote, so Lamactil is certainly to be 
preferred, and may well be the bees knees.  I will say, don't be afraid 
to try an antipsychotic med, many of them work well alone, or in 
combination.  Don't be afraid of the stigma of taking an 
"anti-psychotic".  What is important is control of the symptoms, and you 
may find that the Zyprexa, Risperdal, Seroquel, Abilify or whatever, is 
a godsend.

Good luck!

--Mark Allums