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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
[email protected]Shown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 11:51:54
Does Depakote have any mood stabilizing effect below 750 mg/day? I'm presently at that dose (which is fairly low, from what I understand), but I feel somewhat lethargic during times I need to be more alert for work purposes. I was wondering if I dropped it to 500 mg/day whether I would experience any mood stabilizing effect.
Thanks.
Posted by SLS on April 4, 2006, at 12:15:38
In reply to Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/day?, posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 11:51:54
> Does Depakote have any mood stabilizing effect below 750 mg/day? I'm presently at that dose (which is fairly low, from what I understand), but I feel somewhat lethargic during times I need to be more alert for work purposes. I was wondering if I dropped it to 500 mg/day whether I would experience any mood stabilizing effect.
I can't really answer your question. Sorry.
There are people who claim to receive a mood stabilizing effect at 250mg. When evaluating reports like this, I think one must take into account the uncertainty of knowing what illness each person suffers from. For acute drug-induced mania, I need a minimum of 1000mg for Depakote to have any effect. 1500mg is about right for me. Of course, the dosage necessary for prophylaxis (stabilization) might be lower than that needed for acute treatment.
I guess the only way to know is to try it. You might want to get a blood level to use as a reference. You really should get some blood work done periodically to check liver enzymes and platelet count, anyway.
What illness are you treating with Depakote?
How long have you been stable for?
Why do you want to reduce the dosage?
- Scott
Posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 12:57:37
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/, posted by SLS on April 4, 2006, at 12:15:38
I'm treating for BPII with OCD and concurrent anxiety. The OCD's been brutal lately, and my anxiety has increased, so the GP prescribed Depakote while I wait weeks to get into the psydoc.
Posted by SLS on April 4, 2006, at 13:18:43
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/, posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 12:57:37
> I'm treating for BPII with OCD and concurrent anxiety. The OCD's been brutal lately, and my anxiety has increased, so the GP prescribed Depakote while I wait weeks to get into the psydoc.
I don't know how well the Depakote will address the OCD. I've never heard it used for that before. It might help with the anxiety, though.
Keep us posted. I will be very interested to know how your pdoc handles your case.
If you have difficulty looking for something that works, you might want to keep Nardil in mind. You would probably want to use a mood stabilizer along with it to prevent a switch into mania.
Good luck.
- Scott
Posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 13:50:07
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/, posted by SLS on April 4, 2006, at 13:18:43
Yeah, I've been on Nardil before, and it was effective for some time, then diminished.
My gp thinks it's time to go back to lithium in combination with other meds, but he's not interested in managing a treatment plan that's so far outside his expertise. So, I'm biding my time with Depakote and Xanax until I can get in to see the psydoc.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 16:28:04
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/, posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 13:50:07
I think that its mood stabilization effects are dose dependant. Just like its ability to prevent seizures is probably dose dependant.
I am not a believer in a "theraputic" level or dose, since there are so many factors involved.
Its just like how one person needs 75mg of effexor for a major depressive episode while another person needs 450mg.
Linkadge
Posted by SLS on April 4, 2006, at 16:52:02
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/, posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 16:28:04
> I think that its mood stabilization effects are dose dependant. Just like its ability to prevent seizures is probably dose dependant.
>
> I am not a believer in a "theraputic" level or dose, since there are so many factors involved.
>
> Its just like how one person needs 75mg of effexor for a major depressive episode while another person needs 450mg.I agree, but it is still good to know how one metabolizes the drug.
- Scott
Posted by blueberry on April 4, 2006, at 20:05:16
In reply to Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/day?, posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 11:51:54
500mg Depakote Extended Release stabilized my mood which was mixed anxiety or dysphoric mania and depression beginning the first day. I never needed more. Druggedness and fogginess caused me to eventually stop it. I still had some mood swings during the day, but they were much tamer, and I really believe they were (and still are) caused by something else in my body that is not at all psychiatric related. So I doubt any dose of any mood stabilizer would completely work for me. But to really tame things down a lot, yeah, 500mg did it.
Posted by linkadge on April 4, 2006, at 20:15:05
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/, posted by SLS on April 4, 2006, at 16:52:02
I remember when I was taking lithium I started at 600mg, slowly we worked up to 1500mg and I still wasn't at theraputic level!
I was taking so much that my saliva tasted like lithium, but still no theraputic dose!
I think my doctor gave up.
Linkadge
Posted by greywolf on April 4, 2006, at 20:48:01
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/day? » greywolf, posted by blueberry on April 4, 2006, at 20:05:16
> 500mg Depakote Extended Release stabilized my mood which was mixed anxiety or dysphoric mania and depression beginning the first day. I never needed more. Druggedness and fogginess caused me to eventually stop it. I still had some mood swings during the day, but they were much tamer, and I really believe they were (and still are) caused by something else in my body that is not at all psychiatric related. So I doubt any dose of any mood stabilizer would completely work for me. But to really tame things down a lot, yeah, 500mg did it.
I experience some stabilizing effect at 750mg, but not very much. The problem I have is that I'm in a high stress occupation requiring regular exposure to circumstances that can drive anxiety levels sky high. Unfortunately, Xanax is not much help in those situations because I have to have my full faculties or I'm not much use in the job.
I was hoping that reducing Depakote to 500mg/day would allow me to have some stabilization while augmenting it with Xanax at 2mg/day (fairly low from what I've been told here). I'm just not sure it's worth the effort, if you know what I mean.
Posted by naughtypuppy on April 5, 2006, at 10:11:43
In reply to Re: Does Depakote have stabilizing FX below 750mg/, posted by SLS on April 4, 2006, at 13:18:43
I am going to see my pdoc next week, so the combo of Depakote and Nardil is what I will suggest. I am currently taking 1250mg Depakote, while it is helping with the baseline anxiety, I think I have hit the maximum effective dosage for me as the increase from 1000 to 1250mg didn't seem to help. At least I will have something on my side until the Nardil takes effect.
This is the end of the thread.
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