Posted by uncouth on August 17, 2009, at 19:09:32
In reply to Re: Not doing so well right now...but pushing, pushing » uncouth, posted by SLS on August 17, 2009, at 15:57:15
> Hi.
>
> It is good that you have discontinued Strattera. I doesn't have a very good track record for treating depression. It really does work for ADD/ADHD, though.
>
> It has been my observation that the majority of people who react to bupropion by exhibiting anxiety and agitation do not do well with it in the long run. However, I would still give it a few days to see if these things begin to abate. Trial-and-error is a methodical exploration of alternatives. I doubt anyone can be certain that you will not respond to this drug. Your best bet is to give the drug just a bit more time.
>
> If you discontinued Strattera abruptly, perhaps some of what you are experiencing is withdrawal.
>
> I hope things turn around for you quickly. At the very least, it would be nice not to be made worse by a drug.
>
> 3) Faith, a very weak faith however,
>
> > that God loves me
> He does.
>
> > knows my sufferings
> He does,
>
> > and wants the best for me
> He wants what he wants. This is often left unknown.
>
> > and that in some unimaginable way, this is part of his plan.
> Of course it is.
>
>Thank you scott for taking the time to write these words, I appreciate it immensely.
>
>
> > Luvox CR 200mg
> Interesting that you will be on an SSRI + bupropion. This is often a good combination. I am just not convinced that Luvox is the best choice unless the depression is secondary to OCD. I think excessive ruminations is depression and not OCD. Tricyclics are usually good for rumination. Luvox is probably the least effective SSRI for depression. If you can tolerate the bupropion, you might want to swap out the Luvox for Lexapro or Effexor.
>I had a mood elevation in June about 3 weeks into starting Luvox...but I was on many other meds at the same time, and two weeks later it went away. But it was a definite hypomania (bought a car and a motorcycle, selling both now). I don't know what to ascribe it to, but I agree that the Luvox may not be effective and could be hurting me, causing some fatigue. However my doctor wants to keep it on for my obsessional/ruminative thinking. Interesting about tricyclics for rumination, I didn't know that. I have had varying response to effexor in the past, and my longest state of stability was on Effexor + Lamictal, years ago.
> > Aplenzin 344mg
> It can work well, but many people react to it with anxiety and agitation.
>
> > Namenda 5mg (tapering off)
> I have never seen it work, but still think that it is potentially helpful. I have tried it twice. Both times, I felt better in the first week, and worse thereafter.
>I asked to be put on it to help out with ECT (22 treatments in the spring) related memory disfunction, but I think i've regained all I'm going to regain at this point, and i can't say it's done anything positive for my mood, and my doctor isn't convinced it's a great med for mood either.
> > Lithium 200mg
> Go to 300mg
>
will do.
> > Rilutek 100mg
> Unless you need to take it for ALS, I don't see how this drug can benefit you. If it is not working - which it is clearly not - dump it.
>
I was about 4 weeks into my riluzole trial when I had that mood elevation, so it could be something. I am guilty of being romanticized by the scientific literature with regards to riluzole, and it looks like a lithium-style neurotrophic agent. but i don't know if i should be experimenting with myself at this point. even still, i have this vision of neurons atrophying in my brain, and riluzole going in and protecting them, bringing them back to life. like i said, romantic attraction to drugs. :-/> > Deplin 7.5mg
> It seems to work early in treatment, than fades. I think 7.5 might actually be too high a dosage. It might be adding to your anxiety / agitation. If it were going to help, you wouldn't be feeling so bad.
>
> > Geodon 120mg
> I would reduce the dosage to 40-80mg if you are using it for depression. One caveat: If you are going to go on an MAOI, you might have to discontinue Geodon so as to prevent serotonin syndrome. Geodon is a serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
>well its supposed to be for depression/mood stabilizer as i'm BP2. but at 120mg it didn't protect me from hypomania, and i'm still deep in the pits, so i dont know what good its doing me. i'd like to reduce it too, but doctor says one thing at a time.
> My doctor likes combining Lamictal with bupropion. If your doctor favors an antiglutamatergic approach, adding Lamictal is a reasonable choice. Riluzole and memantine are both antiglutamatergics. Also, a combination of Lamictal and lithium has shown good results in bipolar disorder to prevent both phases of the illness.
>
> So... Are we having fun yet?
>
> :-)
>
> - ScottThanks for your wisdom scott.
poster:uncouth
thread:912607
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20090810/msgs/912666.html