Posted by Zooey on March 3, 2001, at 1:12:14
Multiple times this year I have been given the provisional diagnosis of bipolar II, but there is a signifigant amount of disagreement amongst doctors as to weather it is bipolar or psychotic depression w/anxiety, and have only been on a mood stabilizer (depakote) since october. I've never been prescribed anything specifically for anxiety. About 6 weeks ago, my doctor took me off the depakote and i've been doing just horribly the past month. I am currently on a low dose of celexa (20mg), but it seems to have very little effect. I am seeing a new psychiatrist next week and hope to have the medication reassessed. I expect to end up back on the depakote. One of my biggest concerns about meds used to treat manic depression is the associated weight gain. When i was on zyprexa i gained about 40 pounds in a month. I am already signifigantly overweight, and have been gaining inordinate ammounts in college. I'm going to see an excersise specialist and nutritional counselor, partly to help get some order back into my life, but mostly because I know there's no way i can afford to gain any more weight. After researching some of the weight loss drugs avaliable, phenterimine seems to be the most likely to fit my needs, but i've also read it should not be used with people who have a history of emotional disorders. Why is this? I've never been on an MAOI. Are there any mood stabilizing agents it can be used with? Can exceptions ever be made under close doctor supervision?
poster:Zooey
thread:55420
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010302/msgs/55420.html