Posted by cache-monkey on October 10, 2004, at 9:58:05
In reply to Re: Lamictal for bipolar depression experiences pl, posted by henryO on October 8, 2004, at 3:55:12
Hey,
I'm not entirely sure, but is BuSpar one of the meds that you take "as needed?" If so, this might explain why it's not seeming to do very much. It really needs to build up in your system for it to be effective in the same way as an SSRI.
I think that you were looking for BuSpar experiences in a seperate thread, but I might as well give mine here. I've found BuSpar actually to be most of what I needed to deal with my chronic anxiety and dysthymia. BuSpar is currently the only med I take daily.
It isn't a "magic bullet," in the sense that I feel great all the time. I definitely have break-through anxiety once in a while and some days I still have trouble getting going. But for the most part it seems to level me out and allows me to focus on other things than my anxiety. Xanax as needed helps the rest of the time.
Also, for me there wasn't a sudden, or even very quick, "I feel better feeling." I just woke up one day, looked over the last week, and realized that I'd just had a lot less anxiety. This was like after 5 or 6 weeks at my current dose, which is acutally relatively low dose -- 10 mg/day. I'm thinking about raising it to see if I can't smooth over the occasional rough patch. I'm also thinking about selegiline (the rough patches have tend to be characterized by social phobia and low drive).
Anyway, reactions and benefits vary from person to person, but you might want to consider taking the BuSpar regularly for a while and seeing what it does for you.
Hope this helps,
cache-monkey
<< Sometimes Klonipin at night, but I'm very weary of Benzos. Very rarely a small amount of Ritalin for concentration. It helps with ADD, but I find it less and less comfortable. It helps me clean up at poker games. I am just starting to try Buspar for anxiety. I am not too impressed. If that sounds like a lot or even a three med cocktail, it's not. I only take those others when I feel the need. I'm always sort of casting about for a magic bullet. The Lamictal is my steady staple. I have tried various other things like these others all along. Mostly I give up on them for different reasons. But Lamictal is here to stay. >>
poster:cache-monkey
thread:399623
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20041007/msgs/401143.html