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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lyrical13 on October 8, 2004, at 14:16:02
I'm taking Trileptal for BP2 and I'm wondering if it's supposed to help the depression symptoms or just the mania. My doc says it's supposed to help both but I'm not so sure. At my last appt. he reluctantly added Celexa to the mix and I think it's been helping. I really don't want to increase the Trileptal since it makes me tired. I'd rather up the Celexa as long as the Trileptal dose is sufficient to counteract any mania that might be induced by the SSRI. Any thoughts?
Posted by Ritch on October 9, 2004, at 10:54:21
In reply to Trileptal for depression, posted by Lyrical13 on October 8, 2004, at 14:16:02
> I'm taking Trileptal for BP2 and I'm wondering if it's supposed to help the depression symptoms or just the mania. My doc says it's supposed to help both but I'm not so sure. At my last appt. he reluctantly added Celexa to the mix and I think it's been helping. I really don't want to increase the Trileptal since it makes me tired. I'd rather up the Celexa as long as the Trileptal dose is sufficient to counteract any mania that might be induced by the SSRI. Any thoughts?
>
>So, your doctor was wanting to increase the Trileptal rather than add an antidepressant in response to your complaints about residual depression? I can understand his reluctance to add an antidepressant.. if you're a rapid cycler it can really wreak havoc (at "standard" doses, esp.). I'm a little surprised that he didn't want to add some lithium or lamictal instead before adding the Celexa.. If you're not rapid cycling, just watch your moods carefully on the Celexa to see if that starts getting kicked up.
Posted by Lyrical13 on October 11, 2004, at 7:25:49
In reply to Re: Trileptal for depression » Lyrical13, posted by Ritch on October 9, 2004, at 10:54:21
I can't take Lamictal...I got the rash when we tried it. I've also tried Seroquel and Depakote. He doesn't really like Lithium and I've been on it years ago and it turned me into a zombie. He did want to increase the dose of the Trileptal and we did that but I didn't feel that would be enough. I'm not really a rapid cycler. Mine is more seasonal. Depression from August through January. Hypomania March through June with transition times in between where I'm relatively stable.
Posted by Ritch on October 11, 2004, at 10:22:15
In reply to Re: Trileptal for depression » Ritch, posted by Lyrical13 on October 11, 2004, at 7:25:49
> I can't take Lamictal...I got the rash when we tried it. I've also tried Seroquel and Depakote. He doesn't really like Lithium and I've been on it years ago and it turned me into a zombie. He did want to increase the dose of the Trileptal and we did that but I didn't feel that would be enough. I'm not really a rapid cycler. Mine is more seasonal. Depression from August through January. Hypomania March through June with transition times in between where I'm relatively stable.
That's interesting... My 'major' depressions occur most often in July/August and November/December year after year with hypomania most prominent at the same time you do in the Spring. I saw a pdoc once who said that pattern is a fairly common one for bipolars. I have a *second pattern* of rapid cycling of 2-3 weeks that occurs primarily during the hypomanic parts of the seasonal cycle and nearly dissappears during midwinter and midsummer when I'm predominantly depressed. I don't want to mess with Lithium again either. Lamictal I haven't tried yet, but the Depakote settles things down so well, and it doesn't mix well with Lamictal... I would be very worried about combining them. There is one thing that seems to becoming obvious.. the role of NE/DA with the depressions. The noradrenergic/dopaminergic meds can nearly wipe out my bipolar major depressions (the SSRI's DONT work), such as stims, Stratterra, Wellbutrin, etc...., but I've got to bring the dose down quickly or stop them before the manic part of the year starts in or I will get really tweaked out..
This is the end of the thread.
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