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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by amylead on December 26, 2003, at 16:47:33
Just diagnosed with bipolar and borderline personality disorder so my pdoc is going slow with meds. I just had a gastric bypass op too, so I have to be careful with meds, but so far I've tried Topamax and Depakote with no results. Just started Lamictal this week at 5mg first week, 10 mg second, and 15 third (when I arrive at my next appointment). If all goes well she will up it from there, but I feel hopeless. Obviously I won't feel anything yet, but I am SO irritable all the time, especially at night w/family and work (I could just rip everyones head off) + the anxiety and mood swings are so unbearable, though no depression or sadness. For a long while till I got insurance, I self-medicated with Xanax and it was my wonder drug but I knew I was becoming addicted and my pdoc won't prescribe now (which is probably for the best. I did OK w/40 mg of Paxil (prior to my diagnosis)with my regular doc, but weaned off before my surgery (horrible withrawal)and my pdoc doesn't think I should go that route again especially at that dose.
Anyway, after all my bable, anyone in a similar situation try something that worked for them so I may suggest it to my doc?
Posted by Maxime on December 26, 2003, at 17:19:32
In reply to Irritable, Anxiety, Mood Swings - Help!, posted by amylead on December 26, 2003, at 16:47:33
Tegretol is known to help with the irritability, anger and rage that can come with bipolar. The side effects can be hard to take sometimes so you might want to try Trileptal which has the same chemical composition as Tegretol but with an oxygen atom attached that seems to lessen side effects.
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) helps as well. I take 300 mg of B3 a day (divided in 3 100 mg doses). It helps to lessen the irritability.
Maxime
> Just diagnosed with bipolar and borderline personality disorder so my pdoc is going slow with meds. I just had a gastric bypass op too, so I have to be careful with meds, but so far I've tried Topamax and Depakote with no results. Just started Lamictal this week at 5mg first week, 10 mg second, and 15 third (when I arrive at my next appointment). If all goes well she will up it from there, but I feel hopeless. Obviously I won't feel anything yet, but I am SO irritable all the time, especially at night w/family and work (I could just rip everyones head off) + the anxiety and mood swings are so unbearable, though no depression or sadness. For a long while till I got insurance, I self-medicated with Xanax and it was my wonder drug but I knew I was becoming addicted and my pdoc won't prescribe now (which is probably for the best. I did OK w/40 mg of Paxil (prior to my diagnosis)with my regular doc, but weaned off before my surgery (horrible withrawal)and my pdoc doesn't think I should go that route again especially at that dose.
>
> Anyway, after all my bable, anyone in a similar situation try something that worked for them so I may suggest it to my doc?
Posted by Maxime on December 26, 2003, at 17:22:12
In reply to Irritable, Anxiety, Mood Swings - Help!, posted by amylead on December 26, 2003, at 16:47:33
Forgot to mention one more thing. If you are on the birth control pill you might want to consider using an alternative birth control method. I came off the pill and I found it really helped with my bipolar moods.
Also, if you do go on Trileptal, please note that it lessens the effect of the birth control pill so use a back up method if you do decide to stay on the pill.
Maxime
Posted by HappyGirl on December 26, 2003, at 19:01:58
In reply to Irritable, Anxiety, Mood Swings - Help!, posted by amylead on December 26, 2003, at 16:47:33
Hi:
It sounds to me like you need some stronger med., such as Seroquel, Zyprexa and other atypical med, because there is no positive result from Depakote, Topamax and Lamical. However, Lamictal may start to kick in once the dosage increase.
In Bipolar, normally in my knowledge, the night-time is to be 'fairly good moods' because there is med. build-up from the morning and afternoon med. regimen. Then, it makes me feel 'odd' on your nightly moods - irritable/anger spell at night.
Seroquel, one of the weakest/mildest atypical meds. has a positive effect on Anxiety along with anger/rage aspects. However, everybody reacts differely on this med., then I can not be sure, ... but in general, if other mood-stabilizers fail, then atypical med. might be a good choice. Also, it seems you have 'rapid cycler,' as reading your moods cycles quite often.
H.G.
Posted by leopard on December 28, 2003, at 3:10:51
In reply to Irritable, Anxiety, Mood Swings - Help!, posted by amylead on December 26, 2003, at 16:47:33
I too have recently been diagnosed with BP. I am taking Geodon and a small dose of Effexor. This works for me in controlling the rage and the high low swings. Good luck.
Just diagnosed with bipolar and borderline personality disorder so my pdoc is going slow with meds. I just had a gastric bypass op too, so I have to be careful with meds, but so far I've tried Topamax and Depakote with no results. Just started Lamictal this week at 5mg first week, 10 mg second, and 15 third (when I arrive at my next appointment). If all goes well she will up it from there, but I feel hopeless. Obviously I won't feel anything yet, but I am SO irritable all the time, especially at night w/family and work (I could just rip everyones head off) + the anxiety and mood swings are so unbearable, though no depression or sadness. For a long while till I got insurance, I self-medicated with Xanax and it was my wonder drug but I knew I was becoming addicted and my pdoc won't prescribe now (which is probably for the best. I did OK w/40 mg of Paxil (prior to my diagnosis)with my regular doc, but weaned off before my surgery (horrible withrawal)and my pdoc doesn't think I should go that route again especially at that dose.
>
> Anyway, after all my bable, anyone in a similar situation try something that worked for them so I may suggest it to my doc?
Posted by blondemomints on December 30, 2003, at 14:38:58
In reply to Re: Irritable, Anxiety, Mood Swings - Help!, posted by leopard on December 28, 2003, at 3:10:51
Amy,
Just to let you know in case you aren't aware...
I had gastric bypass surgery in Sept. 2002 and none of my medications work the same way they did prior to my surgery due to the absorption factor.
I have major episodes of depression as well as issues of irritability and agression. (However no docs have ever dx'd me with anything other than depression, odd isn't it? I would think I've GOT something else wrong as well). Anyhow, long story short, I seem to have to take nearly double of any medication now in order for it to "work".Just my personal experience though, may not be the same for everyone post gastric bypass!
Posted by leopard on December 30, 2003, at 19:15:55
In reply to Re: Irritable, Anxiety, Mood Swings - Help!, posted by blondemomints on December 30, 2003, at 14:38:58
I feel like a broken record...I betchya you are not unipolar...talk to a pdoc who specializes in BP...also, chronicle as best you can, how you have responded to meds in the past and what your symptoms were like on them...a very telling tale as to whether or not you are uni or bipolar.
Best of luck to you.
~Shannon
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