Posted by wendy b. on May 7, 2002, at 17:41:01
In reply to HELP! BiPolar2 with severe depr and mild mania:, posted by Janelle on May 6, 2002, at 21:40:06
Hi Janelle,
Thank you for your message on the PBAdmin Board, I am happy that someone could take some time off to reflect (even if it wasn't chosen by you but chosen FOR you), and come up with some good reasons why the 2000 and 2001 boards might be ok... It WAS a courageous post, and I appreciated it. Everyone should lighten up and enjoy themselves, don't we have enough other stuff to worry about? JIMHO...
As for the other question you had on PBAdmin, I don't think you should refrain from posting messages to Dr B, if they're legitimate questions. Others are trying to protect him and his time, I'm sure, but we don't have to feel guilty about posting to him... after all, it is HIS board, he is the owner, we might need to know something from the horse's mouth, so to speak... I have e-mailed him off the Boards when I wasn't sure that a comment would be taken in the spirit I had intended, and he has been nice enough to answer. But it's not guaranteed there'll be a swift reply... simply because PBabble is only one of Bob's many tasks. So if you've read the FAQ and other info and still have a question, ask away, and the Admin Board IS indeed the place to ask Admin-type questions. The other thing to remember is: Don't be paranoid!! If he doesn't answer, it's not because you, Janelle, are someone he's trying to avoid. You can't take it personally. Either he'll get to you soon, or there's some (probably good) reason that he can't answer right away. I can pretty much guarantee you, he is not avoiding you or shunning you, or whatever.
Getting on to your bipolar question, I, too, have the same symptoms as yourself and the others who have been nice enough to answer. I have had a very good response to Neurontin. The shrink doesn't want me to move to the big guns (depakote or lithium) because of the liver issues. And she probably thinks I am too flakey to remember to go to have the blood levels drawn. Lamictal scares me because of the rash thing (I have incredibly sensitive skin), and people have had some good results from topamax on this board.
Neurontin is relatively easy on the body (though there are exceptions). I agree with Uppendown and Polarbear that a higher dose (above 600 mg) is necessary for the right kick. I would ask your practitioner to start you in the evening, with a relatively easy dose (200-300 mg at bedtime) for about a week, then your body has time to "recognize" it, but possible sedation or dizziness won't affect you as badly if you introduce it this way. Then start taking 300 mg a few times a day, later 600 mg a few times a day, til you find the right dose for you. Be patient with any side effects, because I believe they will go away after a while (did for me), and then the benefit is clearer...
I am now on 600 mg 5 or 6 times a day (so 3000 to 3600 mg per day). Shrink says this is NOT a particularly high level. The only problem I have is remembering to take it that often (about once every 3 1/2 to 4 hrs thru the day), since slight memory loss seems to be one of my "issues," perhaps from the meds, perhaps not... I believe that the company that manufactures it, Parke-Davis, should respond to consumer needs and make an extended- release version for people like me who have to take these horse-pills! Why not orange chewables?? I don't know what the doseage is for epileptics (it is actually an anti-seizure med), probably a lot lower than what somebody like me takes... they didn't bank on the anti-seizures being good for mood-stabilization, but it is...
Anyway, a long-winded reply, but I hope you will give neurontin a try, can't hurt, might well help! And any other questions you may have, we're here for you...
all the best,
Wendyps: almost forgot: also to combat the depressive side of the bipolar 2 thing, I am on Wellbutrin (350 mg/day), seems to work better than the SSRIs like Prozac or Zoloft or Paxil. Gives a little kick, too, so people who have apathy or anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure) can be helped immensely by it. The combination with neurontin has been great...
> I have been diagnosed as BiPolar2, and in my case I have SEVERE depression but only mild mania episodes.
>
> I'm trying to find a mood stabilizer that would be most effective for this particular set of symptoms. Failed miserably on Lamictal (induced intense anxiety) and Depakote (induced more and more depression).
>
> Any ideas? I'd like to find a mood stabilizer that works more on the depression side of BiPolar2 than on the mania side, since I have much more of depression than mania - would Neurontin be a good next one for me to try?
>
> Thanks to whoever can help out!
poster:wendy b.
thread:105355
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020503/msgs/105475.html