![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 14 to 38 of 38. Go back in thread:
Posted by oldschool305 on December 20, 2007, at 10:01:04
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference? » oldschool305, posted by Emme on December 20, 2007, at 5:49:19
oh wow, thanks so much Emme. That was very helpful. Do you take both of them together, at the same time? I may give it a go, if the Lamictal doesn't work alone.
> > I would love to hear of others experiences with these meds, both negative and positive.
>
> I take the two together, with good results.
>
> > I have TONS of free samples of 5mg Abilify. I do NOT have Lamictal so I would have to pay $300 for a one month supply, money I don't have =(.
> >
> > I am reading so much about akastasia with the
> > Abilify. Has anyone NOT experienced akastasia
> > with it?
>
> I do not have akathisia with this drug. I take 2.5 mg.
>
> > Has anyone had any success with it as a mood
> > stabilizer.
>
> I use it for depression and lack of motivation.
>
> >I really want to give it a try since I have it > already, but I am scared. Is it going to put me > in a full blown immediate panic attack from
> > hell? =O
>
> I am prone towards anxiety and it does not give me additional anxiety. Do you have a benzo on hand just in case it does?
>
>
> > I start a job soon and I have no energy, I sleep all day/night. I have no energy to get out of bed and do anything. It's hard for me to get up and brush my teeth, to clean (ha, i haven't cleaned in months). So I am wondering which would work best for me.... Abilify or Lamictal?
>
> Sounds like you're a good candidate for Abilify.
>
> I am absurdly sensitive to side effects and I tolerate Abilify well. You might even be able to get away with 2.5 mg every other day since it has a long half life. Good luck.
>
> emme
>
>
>
Posted by Racer on December 20, 2007, at 15:22:14
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference?, posted by oldschool305 on December 20, 2007, at 10:01:04
I know you're in a bad situation financially, but I strongly urge you not to "prescribe" for yourself using samples provided to another person. There are interactions between medications which might create problems for you, and your own medical history can include issues that contraindicate certain medications. That's the sort of thing doctors have to take into account when prescribing treatments.
What's more, although you believe that a diagnosis of bipolar fits you, a doctor can offer a more reliable diagnosis, which will also affect which medication is most appropriate for you.
The fact that you're asking here whether anyone has escaped akathesia with Abilify, and that you're considering a medication with potentially lethal side effects, makes me quite nervous on your behalf. No matter how much research we do here, it's still not enough to form a context for prescribing to ourselves. Even doctors are prohibited from prescribing medication for themselves -- for some very good reasons, including some good reasons having nothing to do with addiction.
I hope you're safe, whatever you choose to do.
Posted by Emme on December 20, 2007, at 18:16:58
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference?, posted by oldschool305 on December 20, 2007, at 10:01:04
> oh wow, thanks so much Emme. That was very helpful. Do you take both of them together, at the same time? I may give it a go, if the Lamictal doesn't work alone.
I take them both at night. I have to agree with Racer, though, that this should be done under supervision. I have a friend who does not have health insurance and he sees a very good psychiatric nurse practitioner arranged through the local Catholic Charities. A doctor or nurse practitioner might have some different ideas for you. And as I'm sure you know, Lamictal requires a slow titration and can have a bunch of startup side effects, so you need someone to oversee things. Good luck.
emme
>
>
> > > I would love to hear of others experiences with these meds, both negative and positive.
> >
> > I take the two together, with good results.
> >
> > > I have TONS of free samples of 5mg Abilify. I do NOT have Lamictal so I would have to pay $300 for a one month supply, money I don't have =(.
> > >
> > > I am reading so much about akastasia with the
> > > Abilify. Has anyone NOT experienced akastasia
> > > with it?
> >
> > I do not have akathisia with this drug. I take 2.5 mg.
> >
> > > Has anyone had any success with it as a mood
> > > stabilizer.
> >
> > I use it for depression and lack of motivation.
> >
> > >I really want to give it a try since I have it > already, but I am scared. Is it going to put me > in a full blown immediate panic attack from
> > > hell? =O
> >
> > I am prone towards anxiety and it does not give me additional anxiety. Do you have a benzo on hand just in case it does?
> >
> >
> > > I start a job soon and I have no energy, I sleep all day/night. I have no energy to get out of bed and do anything. It's hard for me to get up and brush my teeth, to clean (ha, i haven't cleaned in months). So I am wondering which would work best for me.... Abilify or Lamictal?
> >
> > Sounds like you're a good candidate for Abilify.
> >
> > I am absurdly sensitive to side effects and I tolerate Abilify well. You might even be able to get away with 2.5 mg every other day since it has a long half life. Good luck.
> >
> > emme
> >
> >
> >
>
>
Posted by bleauberry on December 20, 2007, at 22:33:18
In reply to I strongly urge you to see a doctor » oldschool305, posted by Racer on December 20, 2007, at 15:22:14
I wish I had as much faith in doctors as Racer does. I've had a couple good GPs, a couple nurse practitioners, an integrative doctor, a naturopath, and at last count about 8 psychiatrists. Guess what, they all had a different diagnosis. They all knew very little about drug interactions. It was usually me that made safer more effective decisions for myself. I used to think of doctors as Gods. Except maybe for a few special ones, or ones located at research universities, I do not trust doctors. That is not just a whimsy opinion, it is based on a couple decades of observing how they operate and perform. It is also observed by the number of people at babble.
For those with good doctors, I am pleased. The people I have really seen get excellent healing, whether it be from candida, depression, anxiety, allergies, diabetes, whatever...they all had something in common...it wasn't a good doctor, but rather their own ownership and decision making in their own health backed by lots of research and learning.
Posted by clipper40 on December 21, 2007, at 0:58:22
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference?, posted by oldschool305 on December 20, 2007, at 10:01:04
Just one word of advice. If you do decide to try the Lamictal, please educate yourself about Stevens Johnson Syndrome (SJS). It is a somewhat rare occurrence but it can be VERY serious. A lot of people get rashes from this medication but there is a certain type of rash that indicates SJS. You would need to see a dermatologist immediately to get diagnosed as to what kind of rash you had. If it's spreading quickly, you'd have to get yourself to the emergency room and get on steriods ASAP.
Posted by clipper40 on December 21, 2007, at 1:06:52
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference?, posted by bleauberry on December 19, 2007, at 20:24:28
I agree about anti-psychotics. They scare me to death. I wonder, though, why do you consider Zyprexa and Seroquel safer than Abilify?
(I'm asking because I haven't completely ruled out taking a small amount of Abilify, even though I'm terrified of it. I need something to give me motivation without noradrenergic effect (because that would stress the adrenals). Not easy to find that combination and Abilify is one of the rare ones that I think fits the bill.)
Posted by bleauberry on December 21, 2007, at 18:42:09
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference? » bleauberry, posted by clipper40 on December 21, 2007, at 1:06:52
> I agree about anti-psychotics. They scare me to death. I wonder, though, why do you consider Zyprexa and Seroquel safer than Abilify?
I'm not sure, nothing objective. I guess maybe zyprexa and seroquel are very commonly used but for some reason abilify hasn't taken on the same popularity. Maybe just my imagination. I was on zyprexa a long time and I have also been on seroquel. But I have not tried abilify. So there is some built-in obvious bias there.
In general I shy away from dopamine blockers, despite that I was on zyprexa a long time. Just an unexplainable gut feeling. I think the risks and complications of longterm usage are more varied, more widespread, and more profound than with serotonergic or noradrenergic meds.
Posted by oldschool305 on December 22, 2007, at 0:58:38
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference? » clipper40, posted by bleauberry on December 21, 2007, at 18:42:09
thanks all. i highly agree with bleauberry for many reasons. i do not have insurance so i went to the hospital's crisis unit a few days ago. i spent about 20 minutes with the doc, and let me tell you... i told her EVERYTHING!!! all my symptoms, how horrible my life is right now, lexapro stopped working, i have mood instability from hell, blha blah blha! she was a great listener, but she walked out and had the nurse write me a prescription for Wellbutrin time-released.
Are you KIDDING ME!!! i spent 5 minutes of the convo discussing the meds i've tried in the past and that did not work (including Wellbutrin). I told her, that I feel, due to lots of research, and my instable mood swings from hell, that I need to be on a mood stabilizer.... such as Lamictal. She smiled and shook her head like yes.... yet she gave me Wellbutrin and something called Vistoril for sleep.
I raised a bit of a scene in there... okay, you want to see my mood swings? Just because I am not acting like a psycho this very moment, trust me woman, i have serious instability issues and i lose it way to often and quick. I WANT LAMICTAL!!!!
I walked out of there with a prescription of Lamictal. Got it filled today, starting it tomorrow morning. I will start at 12.5mg, then 25mg, then 50, then 75.... then I will see go back to the crisis center if i see no improvement at only 75mg, and ask them to raise my dosage.
I know that you can't believe everything that you read on the internet but believe you me..... i spend countless hours reading on stuff, everybodies reactions to the med, info on dosaging and when/how to increase, etc. i know i need a doctor, but until i get insurance i am kind of stuck self medicating =\ i've done it for many years, have been fine until recently, everything just stopped working.
so here is what i have decided to do. continue taking my Lexapro 5mg at night, along with the Vistoril for sleep (if it works). . . . . and Lamictal in the morning time. I will let ya'll know how it goes =P
Posted by oldschool305 on December 22, 2007, at 1:03:46
In reply to I strongly urge you to see a doctor » oldschool305, posted by Racer on December 20, 2007, at 15:22:14
> I know you're in a bad situation financially, but I strongly urge you not to "prescribe" for yourself using samples provided to another person. There are interactions between medications which might create problems for you, and your own medical history can include issues that contraindicate certain medications. That's the sort of thing doctors have to take into account when prescribing treatments.
>
> What's more, although you believe that a diagnosis of bipolar fits you, a doctor can offer a more reliable diagnosis, which will also affect which medication is most appropriate for you.
>
> The fact that you're asking here whether anyone has escaped akathesia with Abilify, and that you're considering a medication with potentially lethal side effects, makes me quite nervous on your behalf. No matter how much research we do here, it's still not enough to form a context for prescribing to ourselves. Even doctors are prohibited from prescribing medication for themselves -- for some very good reasons, including some good reasons having nothing to do with addiction.
>
> I hope you're safe, whatever you choose to do.Thank you Racer. I should have insurance within 2 months, and first thing I am doing is finding me a good psych doc =O I am not going to try that abilify. I was presribed Lamictal, and I am a bit worried about the rash associated with it so I am starting slow..
The only thing I am upset about right now, is that I still don't know what I have. If I am bipolar, if I have BPD, or if it's just plain old panic/anxiety disorder that they diagnosed me with years ago. I highly doubt it's PAD because I have not had a panic attack in years. Constant anxiety, yes... but no more panic attacks. I went to the local crisis unit, why couldn't the doc diagnose me right then and there? =( I mean, I told her everything. She didn't speak very well english, so she possibly didn't understand a lot of things I was saying. Oh well, someday soon i hope i find out whats really going on inside of my head.
Posted by nfc on December 22, 2007, at 19:00:12
In reply to Re: I strongly urge you to see a doctor, posted by oldschool305 on December 22, 2007, at 1:03:46
ooooooooh tons of abilify samples! I'll take them!
nah jk. I've been diagnosed w/ skits. i take 2.5 abilify, 5mg lexapro. low doses really. u mentioned u don't sleep well. some docs prescribe seroquel which is an anti-psychotic for sleep. I had a friend who had anxiety was prescribed xanax and seroquel for sleep. side effects intensify as dose is raised.
another friend was prescribed trazadone for sleep. he was on abilify and zoloft.
u might wanna talk to ur pdoc about a benzo for anxiety/panic attacks.
take care
nfc
Posted by bleauberry on December 22, 2007, at 19:11:27
In reply to Re: I strongly urge you to see a doctor, posted by oldschool305 on December 22, 2007, at 1:03:46
You might hate lamictal. You might love it. But one thing is for sure, you overcame some serious hurdles to take care of your health. Many people would have just succumbed to the couch and misery. You did research, you were creative, you were purposeful, you set out to take a positive step and you did it. Nice job! Hey in a perfect world we could all afford doctors. And in a perfect world the doctors would not just be experts, but would actually prove it (don't see much of that around here). But it isn't a perfect world. Who is ultimately the one and only person responsible for your healing? You. For me? Me. A doctor's guidance or partnership can be helpful, but can also be hurtful. We see both scenarios here all the time. You just gotta do what you feel is right. The important thing is to take steps. Take a bad situation and make it better. Take roadblocks and go around them. Put a new battery in a clock that has stopped working. Not just sit and wait. You did that. That's positive. I think you did an amazing job.
Posted by nfc on December 22, 2007, at 19:50:52
In reply to ooooooooh tons of abilify samples! I'll take them!, posted by nfc on December 22, 2007, at 19:00:12
Sorry for my previous post. I saw the word abilify and was like hey I know that. As you already know its good for some, presents horrible side effects for others. You should only take it as prescribed by a doc should psychotic symptoms be present w/ you. Abilify is a drug for treating schizophrenia which is what I have. The website sez its for bipolar 1 disorder also.
As far as getting a pdoc, insurance. I assume you'll be getting your insurance from your job but in the meantime till then I would recommend trying to find out through your local hospital or through a local social worker about any special programs, insurances for those who have a mental illness. In my state, fortunately they do and they have provided me w/ a case manager, pdoc and therapist paid for by the state. So hopefully they have something in your area. Try and have a family member help you in the search as well. Its hard to be totally focused on doing something like this when you have your symptoms to deal w/.
take care and sorry again for my previous post,
nfc
Posted by florence on December 24, 2007, at 2:58:15
In reply to Re: I strongly urge you to see a doctor, posted by bleauberry on December 20, 2007, at 22:33:18
Amen to that, bleu!!! I have spent decades trying to get migraine relief-- I was a good little patient who took what the dr said....
Now 60 pills later; countless drs..etc ad nauseum.. It sickens me to realize what a bad guy I have become, (make that bad GIRL)
I used to be honest,nice, even-tempered,-now I cannot remember what it feels like to be happy.
And I know ALL about adrenal fatigue and thyroid disease cuz I searched for answers and finally found them....only now i barely care- i am over 53 yrs old...exhausted from trying to make it thru another day of depression, bed-ridden fatigue - all from undiagnosed thyroid disease AND god knows what 6 yrs of Provigil and benzos did to me.
Provigil is really scaring me. Need more info on its effect on NE and dopamine. I mean, it says that "modafinal causes an increase in extracellular dopamine but not an increase in its release......." Does it just vanish?????? sorry. maybe i better take a hiatus from PB...all i do is complain.......florence
Posted by oldschool305 on December 26, 2007, at 0:19:27
In reply to to oldschool305 - sorry for my previous post, posted by nfc on December 22, 2007, at 19:50:52
Thanks again bleauberry and everybody else =O
nfc, no worries... i decided to just stick with the lamictal & lexapro combo and see what happens(which means i have all this abilify going to waste). i am also on a very small dosage, 5mg of lex at nighttime. i remember taking 10mg and i was a zombie for days, my bed was my best friend. hehe.
doc prescribed Vistoril for sleep, 50mg. took it about 15 minutes ago so i am hoping this stuff helps. i tried trazodone and it didn't make me sleepy at all!!!! same thing with restoril. i stay up until 4-5am every night and i can't do that any longer. i start a job soon which requires me to be up and out of the house by 8am.
without sleep, i am the most miserable piece of life walking the earth. i feel like sh*t, can't think, feel depressed, blah. if i get at least 7 hours of sleep, i feel wonderful!!!!! some ppl can function with 3-4 hours sleep, not meeeeeeeeeeee....
anyways, thanks everybody for writing. happy holidays to all. i am going to lay down and FORCE myself to ZzZZzZZzZZzz....--Cyn
Posted by Racer on December 26, 2007, at 0:52:03
In reply to Re: to oldschool305 - sorry for my previous post, posted by oldschool305 on December 26, 2007, at 0:19:27
>
> without sleep, i am the most miserable piece of life walking the earth. i feel like sh*t, can't think, feel depressed, blah. if i get at least 7 hours of sleep, i feel wonderful!!!!! some ppl can function with 3-4 hours sleep, not meeeeeeeeeeee....
>
>
That's one sign that what you're experiencing may not be bipolar, since one significant feature of the bipolar spectrum is being able to get along without a lot of sleep. The cycle of mood swings you describe also sound like something other than bipolar, since bipolar swings are generally longer-lasting. Swings every couple of weeks sound like bipolar -- swings in a day, though, sound like something else is going on.Good luck.
Posted by oldschool305 on December 26, 2007, at 0:55:41
In reply to Re: to oldschool305 - sorry for my previous post » oldschool305, posted by Racer on December 26, 2007, at 0:52:03
you're so right Racer! I've also told people the same thing, that I don't know if I am biploar or not since I REQUIRE tons of sleep.
What could it be then, I am just plain out psycho? lol.
Well, as soon as I get insurance I will get to a doc and ask for a diagnoses...............
=O
> >
> > without sleep, i am the most miserable piece of life walking the earth. i feel like sh*t, can't think, feel depressed, blah. if i get at least 7 hours of sleep, i feel wonderful!!!!! some ppl can function with 3-4 hours sleep, not meeeeeeeeeeee....
> >
> >
>
>
> That's one sign that what you're experiencing may not be bipolar, since one significant feature of the bipolar spectrum is being able to get along without a lot of sleep. The cycle of mood swings you describe also sound like something other than bipolar, since bipolar swings are generally longer-lasting. Swings every couple of weeks sound like bipolar -- swings in a day, though, sound like something else is going on.
>
> Good luck.
>
Posted by Racer on December 26, 2007, at 1:02:14
In reply to Re: I strongly urge you to see a doctor, posted by bleauberry on December 22, 2007, at 19:11:27
> You might hate lamictal. You might love it. But one thing is for sure, you overcame some serious hurdles to take care of your health. Many people would have just succumbed to the couch and misery. You did research, you were creative, you were purposeful, you set out to take a positive step and you did it. Nice job! Hey in a perfect world we could all afford doctors. And in a perfect world the doctors would not just be experts, but would actually prove it (don't see much of that around here). But it isn't a perfect world. Who is ultimately the one and only person responsible for your healing? You. For me? Me. A doctor's guidance or partnership can be helpful, but can also be hurtful. We see both scenarios here all the time. You just gotta do what you feel is right. The important thing is to take steps. Take a bad situation and make it better. Take roadblocks and go around them. Put a new battery in a clock that has stopped working. Not just sit and wait. You did that. That's positive. I think you did an amazing job.
See, I get the feeling that OldSchool is much younger than we are, and she's stated that she's never been diagnosed with much of anything, besides depressive symptoms. You and most of the rest of us here have seen doctors, been diagnosed with something out of the DSM, had experience with doctors good and bad -- so if we can say, for instance, that Drug A might be a good choice, since Drug A-1+2.3 worked and they're related, or that Drug B is a bad choice, since every other B-related drug has caused us to grow horns on our foreheads, at least we're basing that on our own experience. For someone who is mostly psychotropic naive, and who has never received any official diagnosis -- and is apparently quite young -- self-prescribing just doesn't sound like a good idea to me.
Then again, unlike you, I do tend to figure that my doctor has a context for these medications that I don't have. He went to medical school, so he has a more formally structured understanding of these medications -- that's why I pay him the big bucks, after all. I also figure that, because I suffer from what the government describes as a Serious Mental Illness -- Major Depressive Disorder -- I might not have the clearest picture of what's good for me. I pay my doctor to be more objective regarding my treatment than I can be.
I guess I'm feeling as though it's important to consider the context, including the audience for what we post, when we offer opinions here. I'd hate to offer an opinion to someone who would take it in lieu of a doctor's more educated opinion. That would frighten me, in case it led to someone getting hurt.
Posted by oldschool305 on December 26, 2007, at 12:47:42
In reply to Some reasons I disagree » bleauberry, posted by Racer on December 26, 2007, at 1:02:14
I am 27 years old, had my first "episode" in 2001 and have been taking meds since then. Not a very long time... I don't like self medicating, but it just seems that I know what works for me and what doesn't. I've tried all types of junk that made me feel worse. Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Buspar, Serzone, Risperdal, Nuerontin, Zoloft, Trazodone, Remeron, and now Lexapro with Lamictal. What I loved the most was Remeron and Serzone. Those 2 worked wonders but because of the weight gain, and the black box label warning they took me off Serzone. Remeron immediately zaps the anxiety away and gives me a great night of sleep. Too bad I gained all that weight =O
Last week, after seeing a doc and telling her over and over that Wellbultrin did absolutely nothing but induce panic attacks, she decides to write me a script for it. I was like oh lord, I give up. I walked out of there very disaapointed, as I wasted 6 hours of my life.
Ofcourse, when I get insurance the first thing I will do, even though I have a bad taste in my mouth for doctors these days, is see a psych and ask for an official diagnoses!!!! I do not believe I have panic disorder, haven't had a panic attack in years!!!! Possbily bipolar, but again... I cannot function on little sleep so that might be incorrect. I MUST HAVE 7-8 HRS OF SLEEP OR I FEEL LIKE DEATH. Literally!!!!!! BPD sounds about right but who knows. I doubt i am schizto, since I do not hear or see things (yet). what else is there, geez... i'm scared to even think of what i will be diagnosed with.
but i also look forward to being "diagnosed" so i can get the right treatment! as soon as i find out what's going on, i'll definately post on this board. i start my new job on the 7th, supposedly i have insurance on day one, but cannot miss any work for 90 days, so i dont know how i will be able to see a doc. ugh. one day at a time...............
Posted by nfc on December 26, 2007, at 19:50:18
In reply to Re: Some reasons I disagree, posted by oldschool305 on December 26, 2007, at 12:47:42
hey oldschool,
i posted this in the psych board but here it is anyway.
This might be useful for some. Not sure but I was on google.com and typing:
mental health (state you live in)
where state you live in is your state of course.
anyway I found alot of states provide some kind of assistance(i didn't experiment w/ typing in all 50 states lol) and thought that this would be good for those who are seeking psychiatric treatment and not sure where to start. Perhaps you can get referrels especially when you don't have insurance, maybe get a case manager who can assist you etc.
try and see for a local program in your area and if you can get some assistance from them some how
till you get insurance.I've been diagnosed w/ skitsophrenia(yeah i misspelled it) and part of my problem was my thoughts. I thought people could read my mind and vice versa, a bit paranoid, accusational.
I read you wanted to see psych for diagnosis but keep in mind that its also ideal to get a pdocs diagnosis too. maybe just get another pdoc. chk for one through the web link above after you research a local mental health program in your state.
I hated risperdal. it helped me get over delusions but made me depressed! for me abilify is king!
wishing you a speedy recovery!
nfc
Posted by oldschool305 on December 27, 2007, at 2:03:33
In reply to Re: Some reasons I disagree, posted by nfc on December 26, 2007, at 19:50:18
thanks for the info nfc. i also believe my mom is schiztophrenic, but ofcourse she is in complete denial. for the past 20 years (or so), she has believed that the "underground gay mafia" has been following her. she also thinks that a group of bikers followed us from Virginia to Florida when we moved. she also believes that the people she works with reads her mind. she says that they always know what she is thinking, or what she is about to say. my father, grandparents, school counselors, etc... have always told me that she was schiztophrenic, but she has always.... 100% denied it! why can't she just admit it? i love when ppl admit to their problems and try to seek help. she refuses, she thinks everyone else is crazy and out to get her. ugh!!! she has severe sleeping problems so she takes mellaril, trazodone, and restoril. luckily... i think these meds help her tremendously. although she only takes them for "sleep", riiiiiiight =O
i am happy to hear that the abilify is working so well for you. if you ever run out................
=P
Posted by nfc on December 27, 2007, at 6:46:13
In reply to Re: Some reasons I disagree, posted by oldschool305 on December 27, 2007, at 2:03:33
hey oldschool305,
hehe, thanks for the offer on the abilify. not to be sarcastic or anything but maybe your mom might benefit from it. Abilify treats skits and bipolar 1 disorder. I assume she's seen a pdoc before, has he/she been aware of the symptoms you just told me? After reading your post I was like, whoa rings a bell, brings back memories of what I was like. Not only was I in denial but the way your mind thinks, it doesn't believe or even fathom that what your thinking is bizarre. Only after medication for a duration of time you slowly realize what you've been thinking was just delusions. I've heard for some w/ skits their delusions never really go away even w/ medication. The longer you've gone w/o treatment the more ingrained these delusions become. Thats not to say there's no hope though. I hope your mom can see a pdoc because from your post, those are clearly delusional, paranoia symptoms. I looked up those meds she takes and the only one that would treat psychotic symptoms would be the mellaril but in medium to high doses. the others is for sleep. trazadone is kinda like an antidepressant also. plus some others stuff.
I'm definitely not a doc but if your mom was to take abilify, start at 5mg to be safe take that for 2 weeks then up it to 10mg. Monitor the side effects at 5mg and gauge it to see if tolerable then up to 10mg. stay there for at least another 2 weeks. some pdocs would just up the dose until symptoms start to improve. the abilify PI sheet sez 10mg is like the ideal dose. max is 30mg. some pdocs in extreme cases probably go over that. or throw in another antipsychotic like risperdal maybe. don't use this to self medicate though. u should follow the pdocs advice although I've adjusted dosages on my own at times. very bad. but I'm feeling ok though. this is pretty much an example how my pdoc handled my meds although he upped it much faster. he did it on a weekly basis. hope this helps and hope your mom can get treatment. It is a mental burden really to live w/ all those delusions. For me they just preoccupied my mind the whole time until I was hospitalized and for months after as well.take care and hope u find a pdoc soon.
nfc
> thanks for the info nfc. i also believe my mom is schiztophrenic, but ofcourse she is in complete denial. for the past 20 years (or so), she has believed that the "underground gay mafia" has been following her. she also thinks that a group of bikers followed us from Virginia to Florida when we moved. she also believes that the people she works with reads her mind. she says that they always know what she is thinking, or what she is about to say. my father, grandparents, school counselors, etc... have always told me that she was schiztophrenic, but she has always.... 100% denied it! why can't she just admit it? i love when ppl admit to their problems and try to seek help. she refuses, she thinks everyone else is crazy and out to get her. ugh!!! she has severe sleeping problems so she takes mellaril, trazodone, and restoril. luckily... i think these meds help her tremendously. although she only takes them for "sleep", riiiiiiight =O
>
> i am happy to hear that the abilify is working so well for you. if you ever run out................
>
> =P
>
Posted by oldschool305 on March 1, 2008, at 12:58:23
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference? » oldschool305, posted by Emme on December 20, 2007, at 5:49:19
Hey guys!!!!!!! I'm back with an update. I finally got to see a doctor. I was FINALLY diagnozed with Bipolar II (which I totally knew that I had). Whew!! After all these years of misery and torture, not knowing what was going on in my mind. Anxiety attacks were no longer the main issue, it was the constant mood swings, the instability, unable to keep a job for more than one month, the anger outbursts, the highs, the lowwwwwws, the rollercoaster of a life.
I went inpatient last Saturday, said I was suicidal (I really wanted/needed help). I was hospitalized for 6 days, and I told the doc everything. She said I sound Bipolar II.
She put me on 10mg of Abilify and starting dose of 25mg of Lamictal.... and Klonopin for sleep. They had me on Vistoril for sleep, what crap. I'm assuming Vistoril is similiar to Restoril except it is not a benzo.
So far, so good. It's only beed 3 days on the stuff but I feel great. No side effects, a little sleepy but what else is new. I feel my mood already elevated. Now lets just hope I can get a job and keep it this time!!!!!!!!!
=O
Posted by nfc on March 1, 2008, at 15:41:42
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference?, posted by oldschool305 on March 1, 2008, at 12:58:23
hey oldschool,
i was like I don't really remember this post and then i read my replies and like dang. But good to hear you got a help and all. How'd you hang in there these 2 months anyway? Funny but now you be making use of your abilify stash. :D no need to give it away. But yeah stick w/ the meds and treatment and be sure to let the doc know right away for side effects and other issues so it doesn't keep you down too long. and better for you when get another job. For now I'd say just get better, enjoy stability and start gettin' on w/ life as they say! take care
btw how was the hospital stay? recently i thought i was gonna have to go back but a higher dose of meds prevented that. did u like the food?
nfc
Posted by oldschool305 on March 1, 2008, at 18:08:41
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference? » oldschool305, posted by nfc on March 1, 2008, at 15:41:42
hehehe, yes the food was AWESOME!!! definately made the hospital stay somewhat less frustrating.
The past few months have been rough. I was progressively getting worse and the mood swings were unreal!! I was drinking more than ever, like everyday. So I finally cracked and drove myself to the crisis unit and said I wanted to hurt myself. I am not suicidal, I just desperately wanted help and knew that would guarantee me a bed.
It was a miserable experience. When I arrived, I waited in the ER for 10 hours. Then I was moved upstairs to the 7th floor in a holding area. When they realized I had no insurance, they just kept me in the holding area for 3 days. They treated me like a prisoner, I couldn't even smoke a cigarette. As a smoker of 15 years, I need my nicotine!!!! That was driving me crazy more than anything. The food kicked butt though.
Then I was transferred to a mental health facitily that accepted me. The staff was extremely rude and treats all the patients like crap. I was surrounded around really really sick patients, it scared me. I wanted to go home so bad. My roommate would scream through the night in her sleep. I got about 2 hours of sleep a night until the doc finally put me on Klonopin for sleep and changed my roommate. The staff rarely let us use the phone, they let us have 3 cigs a day which was cool. Although it was a scary experience, I am happy I got through it. I was finallyyyyyyyyy diagnosed and now got the meds I need. I was taking Lexapro for years and it did diddly squat for me.
And your right, those Abilify samples I have really came in handy now lol. To fill my prescription of Abilify and Lamictal, it's over $500 ! ! ! So, lucky me I have samplpes of both until I figure out how to fill this.
Thanks for writing back =P I am trying very hard now to get stable, then find a job when I think I am ready. I am so tired of getting great jobs and then just quitting them for no damn reason. Stability is all I want in life, is that too much to ask for?? hehe...
=O
Posted by nfc on March 2, 2008, at 2:27:33
In reply to Re: Abilify or Lamictal, what is your preference?, posted by oldschool305 on March 1, 2008, at 18:08:41
hey oldskool,
hehe sorry mispelled ur name, but i commend you on your efforts to get the needed treatment. It's hard enough going through yet being able to do what you did. I waited 6 hours to get a room when i went to the ER so you beat me. yah food was good when I was there too. too bad I was too crazy to enjoy it though. a bunch of days was too mental to eat even half of my meal. they had smoke breaks too and phone breaks. weird, they'd disconnect the phone when not in use. try and see if the hospital you were in provides some kind of out of hospital treatment program or has connections to some since you don't have insurance. in my state they provided me w/ a case manager and pdoc, therapist all free of charge. if i didn't have insurance I think they woulda had some provision for meds coverage. i'm thinking since you couldn't have smoke during that time boy that musta drove u nuts. me i'm a latte junkie, if i don't get it im so lethargic.
but yeah take care man! talks to ya laternfc
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