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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by fluffy on October 8, 2003, at 11:41:29
Hey Barb-cat--
I need to ask you some questions.
1) When I went on Lithium, I developed a rash on my wrist, similar to hives (also on my bum). This was something similar to when I was first put on Lamictal, but it soon went away. From time to time, I have had little flare-ups, but they disappear quickly. The rash on my wrist hasn't really gotten better or worse, but my bum rash is better. It's something like psoriasis. I wonder if this is something more serious???
2) I'm doing better on Trileptal with Lamictal, and feeling smoothed out w/ little side effects. This is good!! However, I am having a case of the itchies--esp. the bottom of my feet. Did you find that the itchiness went away over time, or did you have to go down on your dose?? ( just went up to 450mg Trileptal)
3) My benzo prescription ran out (I was on 15mg of Temazepam for sleep). It worked really well. But I want to taper off eventually. A couple of nights I've gotten to sleep w/o it, but I felt like I was sleeping and awake at the same time. I wake up a lot during the night. Then the next day, I have a lot of anxiety. I'm sure this is withdrawal. I need to taper, but doc is out of town, and I have to go through this other lady who doesn't call me back!! argh!! Did you experience this when you withdrew from Valium?
All in all, I feel better aside from the rash, itchiness and benzo BS.
However, I broke up with my boyfriend, and I'm feeling sad, but not depressed. *sniff* I feel like it was the thing to do, though.
How are you?? Update, please!!
Katy
Posted by katia on October 8, 2003, at 15:30:43
In reply to barb-cat--question re: Lamictal itchies and benzo, posted by fluffy on October 8, 2003, at 11:41:29
Hi Katy!
Good to hear from you. I was wondering what became of you. So it looks like you started the Trileptal? I'm tapering down on the Dep. and upping the Lam. We may add Triletpal or Li. depending on the need for it.
Glad to hear it's working for you.Wow! You broke up with your boyfriend? You'd been talking about it for a while - and you seem to be in a stable place now - which probably means it wasn't a reactive breakup. How do you feel about it?
good to hear from you.
Katia
Posted by fluffy on October 8, 2003, at 16:30:37
In reply to Trileptal » fluffy, posted by katia on October 8, 2003, at 15:30:43
Hey Katia--
Glad to hear from you as well! I guess I hadn't posted in awhile b/c I've been feeling better. You know, the Trileptal seems to be doing the trick (fingers crossed). I feel like myself again.
I think it's a good choice, as the side effects profile is LOW. I've had almost no side effects besides the tingly itchy feet. I do remember Lamictal doing that in the beginning, now.
The only thing that concerns me is the patchy rash on my wrist. Hmmm. And I really need to taper the benzo soon. I feel like I have re-bound anxiety in the A.M.
Yeah...hmm...the boyfriend thing was NOT fun. I did not enjoy hurting him ONE BIT. There had been some issues with him since the get-go that I was worried would get in the way of forming a more adult relationship (that I want!!). I want to settle down soon, but my BF was still living with his mom (who is also Bipolar--weird, huh??, but maybe she's a bit borderline). She has threatened to kill herself if he moves out. And he hadn't done much to get himself OUT of the house (as in JOBS). So there were some things that i had no control over that I wished to change. It felt more torturous to be IN the relationship at times than it does to be out. I do really miss him, though. The most kind, funny, and snuggly boyfriend I've ever had (god--I'm crying now!). But just not meant to be until some things were resolved.Why can't we just be monkeys--swinging from trees and sniffing other monkeys' butts again??
Sorry if it was too much information. I needed to write that stuff out.
Take care, Katia!
Katy
Posted by katia on October 8, 2003, at 16:38:09
In reply to Re: Trileptal, posted by fluffy on October 8, 2003, at 16:30:37
Hi Katy,
That's great about the Trileptal. We'll see how I do once I'm off Depakote.
I understand about adult relationships and the desire for them!
It's good you're taking care of yourself in that dept. no matter how painful it is now. I for one, have gotten really burned more than once by ignoring my intuition and staying in the relationship because he needed me too.
Shouldn't you tell your doctor about the rash? How long have you had it?
Katia
Posted by fluffy on October 8, 2003, at 16:56:20
In reply to Re: Trileptal » fluffy, posted by katia on October 8, 2003, at 16:38:09
Hi Katia--
I told my doctor about the rash when I was about to start the trileptal (and showed it to him). He said that Lithium can cause a rash, too. Since it came about during that Li trial, he and I thought it might be Li induced psoriasis. But it's not going away. And it's not getting better either. So I guess I should call him about it. I really hope it's not a serious rash. Dag-nabbit!! I'm feeling better, and I hope it doesn't mean I have to stop this combo.
Thanks for your words about relationships. You summed it up. I have to take care of myself, and not worry about taking care of a boyfriend, too. *sniff*
Katy
Posted by fluffy on October 10, 2003, at 13:02:59
In reply to Re: Trileptal » fluffy, posted by katia on October 8, 2003, at 16:38:09
Hello Katia (I guess you are the only one following now)
The weirdest thing happened last night. I took my night dose of meds (what I thought was 300mg of Trileptal and 100mg Lamictal). In about 30 minutes, my face felt really flushed, I felt dizzy, and my tongue went numb. I was really alarmed, and first I thought the flushed face was a panic attack coming on. But the numbed tongue just didn't fit the equation. I thought I might be swelling up, so my friend and I waited to see if maybe i was having a bad reaction to the Trileptal.
I decided that it was ok, since i didn't seem to be swelling or feverish. This morning, my tongue is still numb. I called my doctor (who hasn't yet called back!) to tell him my reaction, as I feared it to be allergic.
I was given sample pills of Trileptal to see if it was a successful drug before I got a prescription. All of them were supposed to be 150mg, and I was to titrate up to 600mg before my next appt. This morning when I poured all of the samples into my pill box, I noticed that they were different sizes. They aren't differnt colors or shapes to differentiate the doses. I realized that my doc (and his resident) had given me mostly 300mg samples, not 150mg ones. The sample bottles look almose EXACTLY the same--the same size, but the 150mg bottle has a white label, and the 300mg bottle has a pale, pale green label.
So I jumped from a 300mg dose to 900mg for the past few days. In fact, I may have been dosing all over the place (maybe 450 on day, 150 another, and 900 the next!!). So I don't really know what's up, but I'm upset with my doctor for not realizing his blunder and not calling me back.
I needed to rant. I'll let you know the outcome of this saga. I really don't want to be taken off of this drug, as it seems to have helped me. I don't want them to freak and fear a lawsuit or an allergic reaction. But I don't want to swell up and die either.
ARRRGHHH!
Katy
Posted by fluffy on October 10, 2003, at 13:53:55
In reply to Re: Trileptal » fluffy, posted by katia on October 8, 2003, at 16:38:09
I just talked to my pdoc, and he said that the numb tongue was probably more dose related--NOT an allergic reaction. So maybe I'm ok. Just overreacting. And I think the tingly numb thing is pretty typical on anti-convulsants.
later,
katy
Posted by katia on October 10, 2003, at 14:49:28
In reply to Re: (okay--maybe not that bad), posted by fluffy on October 10, 2003, at 13:53:55
Hi Katy,
Wow. That's pretty bad of him. I guess we all make mistakes, but that could've been a very dangerous one for you.
If it's working for you, no matter what dose(s) you have been at, I'm sure that it'll work for you when you establish a set dose.
What's been going on with your moods since taking it? How have things improved?
I've been sick with a cold the past three days. It's quite similar to being in a depression, but not exactly; I don't quite go so internal. It's the "waiting game" staring at walls feeling miserable, but with less internal agony and more impatience to get back out into the world! Have you ever compared/noticed this?Katia
Posted by fluffy on October 10, 2003, at 17:11:39
In reply to Re: (okay--maybe not that bad) » fluffy, posted by katia on October 10, 2003, at 14:49:28
Hey Katia--
I'm sorry you have a cold! That really sucks, esp. when you can't "call in". I know you wait tables, and when you don't work, you don't make $. Sometimes, I kinda like being sick, as long as it's not miserable. Then I get to lay around with nobody bothering me, watching made for TV movies. But having mood episodes AND being physically sick--well THAT sucks. Esp. if you are trying to get over BOTH!!
You know, I feel better. I just do. I don't feel all haywire with racing thoughts. But I'm not dragging myself out of bed, crying and thinking about how other people must hate me, and I hate me, etc... I feel like maybe Lamictal and Trileptal were just waiting to be buddies in my brain. I've never really heard anyone else talk about the combo--maybe it's not that common. But it's working so far. I feel like I did 2 years ago before all of the BP crap hit the fan. I hope I'm not writing in two weeks from now in tears, searching for a new combo...(hope! hope!)
I'm giving it at least a month. If at the end of a month I'm feeling stable, then I can somewhat confidently say that I may have found THE combo..TA-DAH!
Are you still titrating on the Lamictal? Does it make you feel jittery or anything? Tell me how you're doing.
take care,
Katy
Posted by fluffy on October 10, 2003, at 17:33:29
In reply to Re: (okay--maybe not that bad), posted by fluffy on October 10, 2003, at 13:53:55
Hey Katia--
i was just thinking--I'm not so sure it was all my doc's fault. Since he's new at this, I think he didn't really stress that he'd given me two different doses of samples. He told me the dosing schedule, but didn't tell me the amounts of the samples he gave me. He handed them to me in a paper bag, so I was just grabbing them out of that. Also, I think the drug company should work at making the pills LOOK different for people. They look almost identical, and the sample bottles did too.
My bad, his bad, and mostly DRUG COMPANY'S BAD!!Oh well. I think I'm going to a 600mg dose now. I think the majority of the time I was on 300mg, and maybe a time of 450mg, but last night was a 900mg reaction.
Katy
Posted by katia on October 10, 2003, at 23:20:55
In reply to Re: (okay--maybe not that bad), posted by fluffy on October 10, 2003, at 17:11:39
Hi,
It's so hard to say how my mood state is because 1. I've quit drinking and 2. I'm sick.
I tried to go to a dinner party tonight but I had to leave early. Feeling sick and exhausted AND I wasn't drinking.
Once I finish up with this cold, I'll be able to assess more what's up for me.
I'm titrating down on the Dep. (now at 500mg) and upping the Lamictal (at 25mg now). It's such a slow schedule and I'm gaining weight. I think it's the Depakote, I'd rather quit quicker than the pdoc has me doing. Two weeks at 500mg and then two weeks at 250mg! No one goes that slowly. he's driving me mad. I think I'll take the situation into my hands and go quicker. I'll be careful with the Lamcital tho' - won't do anything w/o consulting with him. But the depakote, I'm done with.
We'll either try Li. or Tri. with me if the lam. doesn't do it on its own.
good to hear it's all working for you! fingers crossed here!
Katia
This is the end of the thread.
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