Mental Health Does anyone know what this Bipolar treatment is? Should I bother?

[Kittycat5]

I dont believe it can actually lower your IQ but surely can cause some mental fog when starting. And it is quite wonderful for bipolar individuals as it not only can prevent the swings from mania to depression but also decrease the amount of time in a depressive state alone which is quite unique.

 

[CSM25]

Hmm... Got a prescription. I just wanted to see my doctor about more ADHD meds and a medical note, but the subject came up again.

Its for 25mg something 2 weeks. Cannot read the latin... Supposedly 5-6 weeks worth. Frik.. Maybe I'll try it.
They say that my medication is not working by itself as much as it should.

The doctors and I would "like to see me do better." Indeed. I guess I'll try.

Let me post something:
"[h=1][Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis and phenytoin. Factors linked to a higher risk].[/h][Article in Spanish]
Gómez-Criado MS1, Ayani I, León-Colombo T, Ramos ML, Reneses MJ.
[h=3]Author information[/h]

• 1Departamento de Farmacovigilancia, Pfizer-España, Madrid, Spain. [email protected]

[h=3]Abstract[/h][h=4]INTRODUCTION:[/h]Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe, although not very common, clinical skin pictures that are usually related to the use of medication. Several antiepileptic drugs, including phenytoin, have been linked to SJS/TEN. Some authors have described an increased risk for SJS/TEN when phenytoin is associated to radiotherapy, while others report the possibility of an increased risk when it is associated to corticoids.
[h=4]DEVELOPMENT:[/h]This work includes a review of the spontaneous reports of suspected cases of phenytoin-linked SJS/TEN recorded in the database of the Pharmacovigilance Department at Pfizer-España between October 2000 and December 2003. Nine cases compatible with SJS/TEN were found; four occurred in cancer patients that had received radiotherapy, three of whom were also treated with corticoids.
[h=4]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS:[/h]After reviewing the spontaneously reported cases in the database of the Pharmacovigilance Department at Pfizer-España as well as the cases in the literature, it can be concluded that when it comes to indicating a prophylactic antiepileptic treatment for cancer patients with cerebral metastasis, the clinician must take into account the existence of a greater risk of SJS/TEN if the patient is going to receive radiotherapy. If the patient already presents a history of skin rashes following administration of an antiepileptic drug, care must be taken in choosing another because phenytoin together with carbamazepine, phenobarbital and lamotrigine have all been linked to SJS/TEN. Cross-sensitivity of carbamazepine and barbiturates with phenytoin has been observed. Gabapentin and valproic acid could be considered as therapeutic options in such cases."


I worry about my asthma inhalers... Apo-salvent, Flovent as well. The blue inhaler is a "rescue-inhaler" and is apo-salvent. the other one Flovent is to control asthma longer-term...
are these corticosteroids?

Thanks, I just worry a lot.. and I really don't know if I should bother trying this medication or not. I just want to do better and be on my way at school. And I am... but not without having to petition/ redo a couple classes -- and this is after finishing dozens. And being on ADHD meds for around 2 years on and off.

 

[Kittycat5]

Flovent is a corticosteroid. The apo-salvent is albuterol, a beta agonist.

 

[Chatative]

I worry about my asthma inhalers... Apo-salvent, Flovent as well. The blue inhaler is a "rescue-inhaler" and is apo-salvent. the other one Flovent is to control asthma longer-term...
are these corticosteroids?

Kittycat5 is bang on the money. Flovent is the corticosteroid inhaler.

I myself also use a steroid inhaler, although a different one. Generally speaking they are quite safe as only miniscule amounts of the medication go into the bloodstream. As I'm sure you may be aware if you've used your inhaler for a while, the main problem is usually oral thrush. Using a spacer & rinsing your mouth / brushing your teeth after can help make that less likely though.

They can very rarely affect your mental health, although that is more common with an oral course of steroids but even then they only tend to prescribe a very short course to avoid complications like that with tablets. I did actually once get mania/depression after using high doses of my steroid inhaler over a few days but neither my doctor, nor much later my psychiatrist, paid much heed to it since it was a one off. 8)

I don't specifically believe there is any greater risk for those with mental health problems though, so I think I just got very unlucky. I wasn't using a spacer then so that probably played a role.

As far as my reliever inhaler goes, I sometimes get jittery after using it but I don't have to use it often at all, so it's not a big deal. I generally find when it is really needed, I won't notice the side effects at all.

In the end of the day, you'd probably have more to worry about if you weren't using your steroid inhaler! I hope that helps ease some of your worries you have over your inhalers...

 

[paranoid android]

Ok, so to be to the point.
The specialist at the hospital sent notes to my doctor (ADHD).

And its unclear whether I have BP2, but there's a strong indication. The more "new" technique... still need my doctor to follow up --its unclear, what I'm supposed to do there (probably not do anything at all).

-Perhaps a short trial of Lamictal (anti-convulsant, lamotrigine by GSK)
OR Latuda (riskier, antipsychotic -weight gain, dyskanesia --- "No thank you.")

Taking lamictal for a few weeks - any major risk?

I have been on Lamictal since 2007 i think and i have never gotten any side effects from it besides dry mouth and sun sensitivity. It works quicker on depression then Mania and better for depression. You may notice it's mood lighting properties at even 25mg's where as the anti-Manic properties usually don't kick in until you hit about 150-200mg's. I take Quetiapine with it and i find this combo to work great. The only thing i found to work as good or better then Lamictal is Olanzapine which is not covered for me sadly. Besides Lithium Lamotrigine is the only other true mood stabilizer on the market as it controls both the Manic and Depressive episodes

Stevens-Johnson syndrome is a risk with Lamictal, Carbamazepine, Valproates like Depakote and alot of other anti-convulsants. I never had a problem with it and if you slowly up the dose i doubt you will.

 

[weekend addiction]

A lot or all of the symptoms of ADHD are similar to a manic episode. Fidgeting, impulsivity, doing a bunch of things at once (I will literally have every light in the house on and move from room to room constantly doing one thing in one then boom off to the next), I mean the list goes on. If that's how you are all the time its more likely ADHD but if that comes and goes...well you get the idea. I have no idea about any of that shit though.

I'm bipolar (also falsely diagnosed ADHD and those meds never helped but I made some money haha...). I tried this and that and now just self-medicate but gabapentin and MMJ where the two biggest helps for me especially MMJ. But YMMV drugs I've got sitting in my room right now I've heard great reviews about from friends but never worked for me... So it goes back and forth.

 

[Mmp85]

I'm bipolar and ADD and for me treating the bipolar is my number one priority because when I'm more level I can better control my ADD.
However I take several medications with no qualms.

 

[CSM25]

Hey everyone, sorry if I'm supposed to start a new thread...

I tried this lamotrigine (GSK generic). I may try the brand name Lamictal later. Honestly, it was subtle - but I feel mostly calmer, less angry, more stable or "together" than probably in a long time. I have mired issues at school (with transferring, mismanagement of accommodations, and such). I completed 40/40 courses - so after dealing with some issues there - I'll have a 4-year degree at long last.

Anyways, I think this at night - and Dexedrine in the day makes me calm, focused, and able. I don't feel like I'm "on a drug". And definitely felt really screwed up on other meds (Zoloft, Seroquel, Effexor -- not exactly sure when each was, but when I was 19-21).

The thing is, I see that I'm bloated in my stomach. I am mostly in shape and thin, with okay muscle. I need to workout more. Now, however in the last 3 weeks (I am on 50mg for one more week, then soon 100mg if I continue)... even with losing some weight or staying the same, many times a day my stomach sticks out quite distended.

I want to be 178lb, and then bulk a bit, then cut. I am 188lb now. I maintained 175-190lb most of the last decade. I use intermittent fasting and lift most the time but I just completed 11 courses, and am in the midst of doing 3 petitions at school (or avoiding them ideally). My life feels more on track.

Dizziness, some headaches, and belatedness. Otherwise - I actually feel more "sane"/calm. Is this drug making me more insulin-resistant? Is it possible a higher dose will make my body more used to it, and my distended stomach will return to normal. It seems strange.... I'm mostly cutting out gluten. Anyways let me know if there's some solution besides quitting.
I cannot afford weight gain, nor medicine-caused weight gain. I've lost 100lb or so in my life, and may be getting an abdominoplasty. I want to be 12% body fat and look it (eventually). Something is doing something to my stomach, that with some excess skin and digestive issues - makes me look fatter in my stomach. I have had medicine weight gain before -- and it took years to fix. So I'm apprehensive.

Edit: My life feels more on track, mostly because I am done with my nightmare at school (except some conversations with admin), and I can apply to professional school, work, and possibly move. Making money and being in control will help. Nevertheless, the med does make me less prone to flying off the handle...
but focus, ADHD - wise is a bit worse. Meds there help less. And being fat is not worth being "calmer" to me.

 

[littlesky]

The treatment --- is something to do with enzymes in the brain and has brain imaging to see improvements in connections of certain areas of the brain.
.

The only thing I can kind of come close with this "enzymes in the brain" thing is that it was thought maybe lithium ion concentrations in the brain of bipolar patients could be different than those without bipolar and that it might be involved in the etiology of the disorder, but when they studied the Li-inhibitable enzymes they really weren't any different. I think the ultimate conclusion was that the PAP (or was it ATP?) protein levels were decreased, but the enzymatic activity was largely the same.

Do you know how the treatment is carried out? Any more specifics or anything else you kind of remember?

 

[Sobrietysucks]

Hey everyone, sorry if I'm supposed to start a new thread...

I tried this lamotrigine (GSK generic). I may try the brand name Lamictal later. Honestly, it was subtle - but I feel mostly calmer, less angry, more stable or "together" than probably in a long time. I have mired issues at school (with transferring, mismanagement of accommodations, and such). I completed 40/40 courses - so after dealing with some issues there - I'll have a 4-year degree at long last.

Anyways, I think this at night - and Dexedrine in the day makes me calm, focused, and able. I don't feel like I'm "on a drug". And definitely felt really screwed up on other meds (Zoloft, Seroquel, Effexor -- not exactly sure when each was, but when I was 19-21).

The thing is, I see that I'm bloated in my stomach. I am mostly in shape and thin, with okay muscle. I need to workout more. Now, however in the last 3 weeks (I am on 50mg for one more week, then soon 100mg if I continue)... even with losing some weight or staying the same, many times a day my stomach sticks out quite distended.

I want to be 178lb, and then bulk a bit, then cut. I am 188lb now. I maintained 175-190lb most of the last decade. I use intermittent fasting and lift most the time but I just completed 11 courses, and am in the midst of doing 3 petitions at school (or avoiding them ideally). My life feels more on track.

Dizziness, some headaches, and belatedness. Otherwise - I actually feel more "sane"/calm. Is this drug making me more insulin-resistant? Is it possible a higher dose will make my body more used to it, and my distended stomach will return to normal. It seems strange.... I'm mostly cutting out gluten. Anyways let me know if there's some solution besides quitting.
I cannot afford weight gain, nor medicine-caused weight gain. I've lost 100lb or so in my life, and may be getting an abdominoplasty. I want to be 12% body fat and look it (eventually). Something is doing something to my stomach, that with some excess skin and digestive issues - makes me look fatter in my stomach. I have had medicine weight gain before -- and it took years to fix. So I'm apprehensive.

Edit: My life feels more on track, mostly because I am done with my nightmare at school (except some conversations with admin), and I can apply to professional school, work, and possibly move. Making money and being in control will help. Nevertheless, the med does make me less prone to flying off the handle...
but focus, ADHD - wise is a bit worse. Meds there help less. And being fat is not worth being "calmer" to me.

How long have you been on dexedrine?

 

[CSM25]

Lets say - 2.5 years? On and off, because I hate meds in general. My situation with school, work, etc... seems to improve (some x a lot) on ADHD meds.
-but I'm still playing catch up.

Lamotrigine seems to help -- I was super depressed at the end of 19-21 or so, and some other ages. But, Dex helped me get some things done.
Maybe combining both helps. Which is why I started a trial around 28 days ago. It does help - I don't feel as anxious.

I am trying to do some very difficult things right now. And without lamotrigine maybe it'd be harder to handle.
But, back pain, sometimes very hoarse throat (almost feels like laryngitis), and what looks like fat/weight gain in my midsection. I don't workout as much as I want to... I am trying to fix up\ my knees etc... Back pain lasting a week or two hasn't happened to me in 4 or 5 years.


I feel more positive about capability on Dex. Possibly need more of some other med. Maybe need nothing.
With both I feel more in control. But I will definitely quit lamo (generic GSK) if it is making me gain weight. I've lost 100lb or so throughout life.
Lamo seems to affect: Less speedy thoughts, less depressed at times, less anxiety, but maybe its because I'm doing better anyways. I finished school before I started.
Negatively: seeming random fat gain, dizziness, ADHD meds and in general isn't as under control (seem less focused). Memory and word confusion sometimes. Kind of like: I say "b" instead of "v" or similar. More than I used to (verbally). And I forget what I would be focusing on with dex alone, until a bit later. Its almost like when I was on ADD meds that didn't work. But I feel less likely to go crazy about negative things, less angry, less "unstable". I could just meditate and workout... or try what I like more and avoid bp meds myb.

I think maybe lamp and dex would help when I do things I hate - like interviews, school etc... but weight gain with the former is not something I wanna risk.
I've been 250lb in my life and 175lb. I am 188 now... and I prefer that... I'm trying to lean up. I'll take "crazier" over fatter, if need be.