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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Alvin on August 24, 2007, at 15:10:57
Need help stabilizing moods w/o weight gain or cognitive impairment. What can I add to my present regimen that won't interfere with what I'm taking now. I'm prone to depression (BP II) and due to extreme drug sensitivity take the following daily for mood control: geodon 20 mg, lamictal 100 mg; requip .25 mg 2x daily; prozac 20 mg; ativan as needed.
Posted by rina on August 24, 2007, at 15:48:18
In reply to Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by Alvin on August 24, 2007, at 15:10:57
Have you tried Depakote,lithium or Zyprexa?
Posted by Alvin on August 24, 2007, at 17:13:40
In reply to Re: Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by rina on August 24, 2007, at 15:48:18
Rina,
I've been on depakote and on zyprexa - very serious weight gainers for me and I won't go near them again. Same thing I'm sure would happen to me if I went on lithium - but it's not been prescribed for my type of BP, which is rapid cycling. Thanks for your thoughts.
Posted by Alvin on August 24, 2007, at 17:16:28
In reply to Re: Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by Alvin on August 24, 2007, at 17:13:40
That don't cause weight gain and won't interact with the drugs I'm on? Too good to be true I suppose.
Posted by rina on August 24, 2007, at 17:17:30
In reply to Re: Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by Alvin on August 24, 2007, at 17:13:40
Alvin,
Here's the good thing though. The fact that your on lamictal. Ask your doctor can you add Topamax and Depakote together. I didn't gain an ounce when he included the topamax to the depakote. I actually lost quite a bit of weight. Good luck!
Posted by Phillipa on August 24, 2007, at 18:54:56
In reply to Re: Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by rina on August 24, 2007, at 17:17:30
Alvin is the requip for the depressive part? What dose of it are you on . I know a rapid cycler on it now. Phillipa
Posted by Alvin on August 25, 2007, at 15:33:21
In reply to Re: Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by Phillipa on August 24, 2007, at 18:54:56
I take .25 milligrams 2x daily. It is for depression. I tried to go up .25 3x daily but couldn't take it. I'm now taking trytophan to help with depression.
Posted by Phillipa on August 25, 2007, at 20:59:20
In reply to Re: Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by Alvin on August 25, 2007, at 15:33:21
Think this person takes .25mg once a day not sure. What side effects happen at three times a day? Phillipa
Posted by CareBear04 on August 30, 2007, at 13:29:41
In reply to Advice re: additions to drug cocktail for BP?, posted by Alvin on August 24, 2007, at 15:10:57
Hey Alvin,
I've had a lot of success with lithium for BPI, but not rapid cycling. I think you're right that the anticonvulsants are supposed to be better for that. But lithium sort of set a floor below me so my mood couldn't drop far.
You could think about going up on your Geodon and Lamictal. When I took them together, I took 40mg of Geodon twice a day and 200mg of Lamictal. When I first took Lamictal a few years ago, I found it to be more of an antidepressant than a mood stabilizer. A few years ago, I went for a consultation with a mood disorder specialist, and he was against using Xanax in BP because he thought it causes cycling. I was on Xanax 1mg four times a day, and it worked really well. I like Ativan, too, though. I probably wouldn't take Klonopin all the time during the day because my experience was that it built up and caused some low-grade depression.
Good luck!
CB
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