lachesis Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 An SOS of sortz. What else could work? I need an adjustment. Yes I'll tell my psychiatrist before making needed changes. Here it: Seoquel 900mg Lithium 900mg Valporic Acid 750mg Effexor 375mg You'd think this would save an elephant. I'm maxed out on Seroquel and can't go any higher or I won't be able to lift my head. Effexor keeps me from falling The lithium and valporic acid are mood stablizers, right? Not so clear what they are doing. Pristiq? One doctor mentioned that to replace Effexor. I've been on Risperdal already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Umm.. what exactly are the improvements you're looking for? What's your diagnosis and how are your current meds lacking? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lachesis Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'm in a funk and can't get it together. I'm dx'd Bipolar. I'd like to keep from going psychotic. Help improve my mood. Nothing interests me anymore. I can't be bothered to see my friends and I can't do daily living activities. i run the bath, but don't go in. Yes it's that bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Does this mean your Hypo/Mania is under control, but not your depressive symptoms? What have you been on before and in what combinations? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lachesis Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Does this mean your Hypo/Mania is under control, but not your depressive symptoms? I guess. It's a debate if I have 'mania' What have you been on before and in what combinations? Risperdal + Effexor Seroquel + Effexor..... + V.A. + Lithium Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Does this mean your Hypo/Mania is under control, but not your depressive symptoms? I guess. It's a debate if I have 'mania' What have you been on before and in what combinations? Risperdal + Effexor Seroquel + Effexor..... + V.A. + Lithium So you went from two, to everything you're on now without an in-between? What was the reason for adding the others, did your dx change from MDD to BP or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 An SOS of sortz. What else could work? I need an adjustment. Yes I'll tell my psychiatrist before making needed changes. Here it: Seoquel 900mg Lithium 900mg Valporic Acid 750mg Effexor 375mg You'd think this would save an elephant. I'm maxed out on Seroquel and can't go any higher or I won't be able to lift my head. Effexor keeps me from falling The lithium and valporic acid are mood stablizers, right? Not so clear what they are doing. Pristiq? One doctor mentioned that to replace Effexor. I've been on Risperdal already. Raise the lithium and valproic acid! An antipsychotic would be ideal for psychosis. However, raising the lithium and valproic acid can control that very well in it's own way.. I would also consider lowering the effexor a tad, like down to 225mg. 50mg of pristiq would not be nearly as manic inducing as Effexor 375mg would. You said you were on risperdal...why did you go off it? I you can't take Risperdal, Zyprexa or Serqouel have similar efficacy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Raise the lithium and valproic acid! An antipsychotic would be ideal for psychosis. However, raising the lithium and valproic acid can control that very well in it's own way.. I would also consider lowering the effexor a tad, like down to 225mg. 50mg of pristiq would not be nearly as manic inducing as Effexor 375mg would. You said you were on risperdal...why did you go off it? I you can't take Risperdal, Zyprexa or Serqouel have similar efficacy. I would like to know what you're basing this on. Especially the difference between the Pristiq and Effexor's ability to induce mania at those dosages. Also just because AAP's share a similar function does not make them interchangeable. You should also remember that we are not doctors here. Suggestions are fine, but outright statements of how a member should manage their medication is not appropriate. Neither you nor I am qualified to tell lachesis what to do medication wise. That is purely the pdoc's domain. There is a difference between offering an opinion and a treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahalo Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Maybe increasing the lithium.. Im on 1200. Also im on a more activating antipsychotic abilify which helps me. I couldnt function on zyprexa or seroquel. Just those suggestions good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gil Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Raise the lithium and valproic acid! An antipsychotic would be ideal for psychosis. However, raising the lithium and valproic acid can control that very well in it's own way.. I would also consider lowering the effexor a tad, like down to 225mg. 50mg of pristiq would not be nearly as manic inducing as Effexor 375mg would. You said you were on risperdal...why did you go off it? I you can't take Risperdal, Zyprexa or Serqouel have similar efficacy. I would like to know what you're basing this on. Especially the difference between the Pristiq and Effexor's ability to induce mania at those dosages. Also just because AAP's share a similar function does not make them interchangeable. You should also remember that we are not doctors here. Suggestions are fine, but outright statements of how a member should manage their medication is not appropriate. Neither you nor I am qualified to tell lachesis what to do medication wise. That is purely the pdoc's domain. There is a difference between offering an opinion and a treatment. I am merely offering MY OWN experiences with these meds and the similarities of what I experienced with what hes going through on a similar cocktail. I am not offering to be his doctor or to change/adjust his meds, I am just offering my opinions. It's just common sense to be wary of ANY opinions given over the internet. I will give it the benefit of the doubt that the poster knows this already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domovoi Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 um, i don't think any of us are in a position to recommend med changes. we don't know the history of your illness, we don't know your symptoms, we don't know the background or details of your diagnosis and oh, yes, we're not doctors. every single med works differently for different people. what you need to do is work with your doctor to figure out why you are taking the medications you are taking now, which ones of them are helping and which ones are not, and you need to clearly state the symptoms you are experiencing. there are many medications you haven't tired yet and there are an infinite number of combinations of medications, dosages and schedules that you can still try. i would suggest keeping a mood chart to see which medications help what and in what dosages, as well as keeping a written list of your symptoms (sometimes it's easier to bring a list to your appointment so you don't forget a bunch). i see that you are frustrated, but please don't lose hope and work with your doctor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lachesis Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Good morning. All replies are helpful. Thank you. I forget, but I think the Risperdal lost it's helpfulness. I did not go directly from 2-4. Some time was given to see how I responded to each. The blood tests are showing that I'm where I should be with the Lithium. Increase the V.A. and shift to Pristiq? I'll speak to the doctor. I'd like to try Deplin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Raise the lithium and valproic acid! An antipsychotic would be ideal for psychosis. However, raising the lithium and valproic acid can control that very well in it's own way.. I would also consider lowering the effexor a tad, like down to 225mg. 50mg of pristiq would not be nearly as manic inducing as Effexor 375mg would. You said you were on risperdal...why did you go off it? I you can't take Risperdal, Zyprexa or Serqouel have similar efficacy. I would like to know what you're basing this on. Especially the difference between the Pristiq and Effexor's ability to induce mania at those dosages. Also just because AAP's share a similar function does not make them interchangeable. You should also remember that we are not doctors here. Suggestions are fine, but outright statements of how a member should manage their medication is not appropriate. Neither you nor I am qualified to tell lachesis what to do medication wise. That is purely the pdoc's domain. There is a difference between offering an opinion and a treatment. I am merely offering MY OWN experiences with these meds and the similarities of what I experienced with what hes going through on a similar cocktail. I am not offering to be his doctor or to change/adjust his meds, I am just offering my opinions. It's just common sense to be wary of ANY opinions given over the internet. I will give it the benefit of the doubt that the poster knows this already. That's not really how we operate here. Please specify in your posting if it's based on personal experience, academic research, or whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SashaSue Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Good morning. All replies are helpful. Thank you. I forget, but I think the Risperdal lost it's helpfulness. I did not go directly from 2-4. Some time was given to see how I responded to each. The blood tests are showing that I'm where I should be with the Lithium. Increase the V.A. and shift to Pristiq? I'll speak to the doctor. I'd like to try Deplin. Have you tried lamictal? It can work really well to deal with leftover depressive symptoms nothing else is touching, without the risk of hypo/mania. I realized from my recent attempt to taper it that it was doing way more than I'd thought to keep depression at bay. There's not a ton of research supporting the use of depakote in treating depressive symptoms. An increase won't make matters work, but it might not help much. I tried deplin and found absolutely no effect. I really don't think the research is there to support its use in mood disorders. If you aren't having issues with the effexor eliciting hypo/mania, I wouldn't bother to switch. I don't think there's enough difference in efficacy to make it worthwhile, especially when you need other dosage increases or new meds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lachesis Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Ok. I'll keep that in mind. My psychiatrist has said there is nothing more he can do. I trust my doctor probably knows all this, but I need to know there is still something out there for me. Do you think it is possible my GP can help? I'll see if I am in his treatment range of comfort zone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Have you had your depakote levels checked? I would have problems when my depakote level went too low. My pdoc knows a lot more about psych meds than my gp. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'm very surprised that your pdoc has said that there is nothing else he can do.... there are a wide variety of options out there available to you. Did he say WHY there was nothing else he could do? I would be querying him on that..... big time. And not personally, accepting that answer at ALL. Anna Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancesintherain Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'm very surprised that your pdoc has said that there is nothing else he can do.... there are a wide variety of options out there available to you. Did he say WHY there was nothing else he could do? I would be querying him on that..... big time. And not personally, accepting that answer at ALL. Anna That and/or finding a new psychiatrist. There are so many options and so many meds, I am sure you have not tried them all! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cetkat Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I second getting an appt with another pdoc. I highly doubt that you're gone through all options. Also, the deplin will only help you if you your level is already low. If your amount is adequate, you won't gain any benefit from taking extra. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnneMarie Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Lots of options left. Some would include: Lamictal, Abilify, Geodon, Saphris, and with stabilizers there are a ton of antidepressants. That creates a huge number of combinations. If you pdoc says he's out of options, then find a new pdoc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lachesis Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 Can we have our own show? Instead of Hoarders we can be Crazy Boarders You've given me hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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