Posted by JahL on August 11, 2004, at 23:32:55
In reply to Re: have i got social phobia? » JahL, posted by carriejane on August 10, 2004, at 5:51:03
> Can you tell me what the other 2 medicines are and what they do please?
Hi CJ.
As promised, explanations of the two drugs I mentioned.
Put simply, Lamotrigene is an anti-convulsant, originally approved as an adjunctive treatment for epilepsy. However, in common with a number of anti-convulsants, Lamotrigene seems to be helpful with affective disorders, particularly Bipolar.
What distinguishes Lamotrigene from the others is that it seems to have particular effectiveness for BP depression, whereas the likes of Depakote are better known for their anti-manic properties. BP depression is notoriously difficult to treat. Technically speaking, Lamotrigene reduces glutamatergic neurotransmission.
Sulpiride is an old European anti-psychotic used originally for schizophrenia. Whilst these old style antipsychotics with their very unpleasant (sometimes longterm) side effects have been superceded by the apparently superior Atypicals, Sulpiride remains in use because it appears to help with dysthymia and social phobia where other agents might've already failed. It also seems to be, relatively speaking, remarkably side-effect free (at least in my case and with others I've spoken to).
Getting technical, it is a dopamine antagonist which blocks selected dopamine receptors (specifically D3 I think. Could be D2 though). It appears to work presynaptically at low doses, giving it (& Amisulpride) a unique mode of action.
Is that OK?
Hope 2day went OK.
J.
(P.S. bear in mind I'm stoned, cognitively retarded and haven't read anything for a couple of years. Not everything I say can be totally relied upon, as is the case here generally I suppose. YMMV and all that. Ta)
poster:JahL
thread:375033
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040811/msgs/376687.html