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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Kingfish on August 18, 2001, at 9:22:38
I have a question about futzing with doses of meds yourself.
This last week I fell into a bad, bad, bad depressive cycle again. The cycles between depression and mania seem to be getting shorter and shorter.
I was at the point Friday morning where I wanted to be hospitalized - I can't recall being at that point before.
Friday @noon, I decided to take 10 extra mg of Prozac. Within a couple of hours, I felt better. My head did that "breathing a sigh of relief" thing.
I know it takes a while for your body to get adjusted to AD's, but once it does, can you then add a certain amount for an immediate effect? If so, does this mean when I'm going into a depressive cycle, I can take more Prozac, and when I'm getting manic, I can take less? Or, I can take more of a mood stabilizer to counter-act the AD effect?
I'm going to see my pdoc in a few days so this is not something I'm going to do on my own indefinitely, just was curious for some feedback.
Thanks!
- K.
Posted by pellmell on August 18, 2001, at 10:17:11
In reply to Futzing with Doses of AD's Yourself, posted by Kingfish on August 18, 2001, at 9:22:38
>
> I'm going to see my pdoc in a few days so this is not something I'm going to do on my own indefinitely, just was curious for some feedback.
>It's not dangerous to futz with your Prozac dose (within reason), so do what keeps you stable until you see your pdoc in a few days. I don't know much about mood stabilizers, though. If I were you I'd tell him when you see him what you'd been doing in the mean time.
-pm
Posted by Mitch on August 18, 2001, at 15:41:42
In reply to Futzing with Doses of AD's Yourself, posted by Kingfish on August 18, 2001, at 9:22:38
> I have a question about futzing with doses of meds yourself.
>
> This last week I fell into a bad, bad, bad depressive cycle again. The cycles between depression and mania seem to be getting shorter and shorter.
>
> I was at the point Friday morning where I wanted to be hospitalized - I can't recall being at that point before.
>
> Friday @noon, I decided to take 10 extra mg of Prozac. Within a couple of hours, I felt better. My head did that "breathing a sigh of relief" thing.
>
> I know it takes a while for your body to get adjusted to AD's, but once it does, can you then add a certain amount for an immediate effect? If so, does this mean when I'm going into a depressive cycle, I can take more Prozac, and when I'm getting manic, I can take less? Or, I can take more of a mood stabilizer to counter-act the AD effect?
>
> I'm going to see my pdoc in a few days so this is not something I'm going to do on my own indefinitely, just was curious for some feedback.
>
> Thanks!
>
>K.Hey, if it keeps you from going to the hospital then by all means! I used to keep Effexor 37.5mgXR caps stashed whenever I would "spiral down" really bad and it would usually pop me out of it in a few hours. You might want to approach this subject somehow with your pdoc, though.
Mitch
Posted by Janelle on August 19, 2001, at 0:43:14
In reply to Re: Futzing with Doses of AD's Yourself » Kingfish, posted by Mitch on August 18, 2001, at 15:41:42
I agree with the points already made below here. It seems "okay" to futz, within reason, with a-d's. In fact, my pdoc "trusts" me enough that she had told me back when I was on Paxil that if I felt a downswing, to up the dose by 10mg for a few days and go back to my regular dose when I felt better. This worked for me for quite some time, plus I could tell (side effects would start) when I no longer needed the extra boost.
@noon, I decided to take 10 extra mg of Prozac. Within a couple of hours, I felt better. My head did that "breathing a sigh of relief" thing.
I've just started a mood-stabilizer and don't know if one can futz with them or not.
The whole subject is one to discuss with your pdoc. Good luck!
Posted by Janelle on August 19, 2001, at 0:45:08
In reply to Re: Futzing with Doses of AD's Yourself » Mitch, posted by Janelle on August 19, 2001, at 0:43:14
EOM.
Posted by thrasher on August 19, 2001, at 11:11:59
In reply to Futzing with Doses of AD's Yourself, posted by Kingfish on August 18, 2001, at 9:22:38
> I have a question about futzing with doses of meds yourself.
> I know it takes a while for your body to get adjusted to AD's, but once it does, can you then add a certain amount for an immediate effect? If so, does this mean when I'm going into a depressive cycle, I can take more Prozac, and when I'm getting manic, I can take less? Or, I can take more of a mood stabilizer to counter-act the AD effect?
hey. as with all, ymmv.
I think psychological illness is as potentially fatal as many forms of cancer. So what do the cancer sufferers get? Toxic chemicals in order to assault every cell in the body, hoping the abnormal ones die first.
What do sufferers of psych illness get?
Suspicion. Reluctance. Ultra-conservative treatment.
Am I missing something here???Anyway. I've been evaluating most of the common a/d's etc over the past year in order to learn more about my response to certain types. I didn't have much to lose and random testing had lead nowhere.
With regard to your fluoxetine, I started on 20mg.
Two months later I was on 200mg.
I concluded that while part of its' effect was beneficial, it wasn't a good enough solution.
Along with 1500mg lithium 150mg wellbutrin.So it's your life, and you have the right to make the same judgements the doc's do.
If the potential benefits outweigh the risks, and you're ready to take responsibility for your own decisions (esp. no "oh the darn drug companies sell this pill that makes me crazy, i'm gunna sue!"... you make the decision to swallow).Plasma levels of drugs take day(s) week(s) to go to steady state. Especially those with longer t1/2. So remember, even though the dose might make you feel better, the plasma levels will eventually rise to a peak level and stay there - and what if the constant exposure to a higher concentration triggers a bad response?
dunno. my mind is wandering here (ehe wass' different..).
WRT anticipatory dosages, this guy I know charted his cycles out.
He stat analyzed his figures and could roughly predict when the swing was coming and how long for.... and pre-medicated accordingly. So yes, it has been done. Worked for him.
cheers.
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