I can't keep up....
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| Thu, 10-06-2005 - 6:16pm |
Wow 218 messages since I've been here. I've been busy and struggling. I had three good days, but have been crying for the last three, so I guess it evens out.
I was wondering why I can't start the lamictal now while I'm coming off the epival (depakote) to keep me from flying into the atmosphere and now I know. They react with each other. I don't need to create any worse odds for myself. We did increase my perphenazine and that seems to have helped a bit. Also, my pdoc wrote the rx, which my GP usually writes and she made it for valproic acid and not divalproex sodium. Divalproex sodium is metabolized into valproic acid in the body, but I don't know if there would be any difference having it already i that form.
Don't ask me what's new, I don't know.
I had week two of the SA group, it was okay, but I was crying and couldn't talk for the whole thing. I also started the DBT group at school. It looks like it's going to be very good. The topic for this module is emotional regulation. I was saying the day before to my friend *cue melodrama* I can't handle emotions!!!
School is busy as usual. As soon as I get off the computer i have to do a last minute lab assignment. I hate this last minute stuff, but as the quote says, "I'm just catching up with yesterday, so by tomorrow I should be ready for today".
Well, that's all for now.
Hugs to all,


hi amanda!
how's the dbt group?
Amanda,
There is a starter pack of Lamictal that is SPECIALLY MADE FOR DEPAKOTE USERS!!!
I am using that one now...I'm not on Depakote, but my pdoc wanted me to use it anyway, so I could go up really really slowly on the Lamictal, as if I was on Depakote. It takes a REALLY long time to get up to dose on Lamictal, so you really need to be starting it now, or you're gonna be off everything for a while.
Call your pdoc and ask about this starter pack. Its BLUE and not orange.
If you have questions, let me know.
Keli
Amanda
I have nothing more to say...sorry...just wanted to say HI and send you big ((((HUGS)))))
hope the weekend brings you peace
love ya
God could not be everywhere, so
Thanks for your post (((Beth))). It's always good to hear from you.
The DBT group is good. I've only had one session so far but I think it will be good. I hope it will be very helpful. I REALLY need to work on emotions.
The SA group is also good but much harder to deal with. I was crying all through last week's session, but I've continued to be teary ever since then so I don't think it's entirely because of group. A little bit of that and PMS and stress and maybe meds and cycling all wrapped into one. Yay.
It wasn't my tdoc who got me to go to the SA group. She didn't even know about the SA until after the group started and I told her about it. That was tough. For some reason I was totally against her knowing. I felt that she would look at me different, plus I just didn't want to deal with it with her. I wanted to see someone at the SAC so they would know what I'm going through.
How goes the quest to get off Depakote? I am still decreasing, we didn't last month. I hope she finally will this month. She wanted me to be more stable before we moved on. I don't know how stable she expects me to be when I'm coming off my mood stabilizer. I don't have others there to be back up. I found out that lamictal interacts with depakote, so that's likely the reason I haven't started it yet. I'm sure she'll even want me off depakote for a couple weeks (a month, knowing her) before starting the lamictal. Ah well I'm pretty much resigned to the fact that she's slow and I can't do anything about it.
Well that's it for now. Hope you are doing okay.
Thanks for the info Keli. I'll have to ask her. Although, that takes more guts than I have. I hate asking for something like that. We did up the perphenazine so that seems to be making a difference. But I am still far from stable. When am I ever stable?! I don't care how out of control I am, I'm not telling her because I want to decrease again this month. I am not as crazy as I was last month so the perphenazine may be making a difference. Plus I don't know if there is a difference in the divalproex sodium versus valproic acid. I know that I will be below a therapuetic level of any mood stabilizer for probably 6 months. That's crazy. I'll be crazy. At the same time it is interesting to note that I am still at a therapeutic level of valproic acid even though I'm only at 500mg a day now. My body must be even more sensitive to meds than I thought. The highest I was at was 1500mg and I was toxic at that level.
Lamictal seems to be a popular drug right now. I've heard it's wonderful if it works. A lot less side effects, just the big rare ones that you have to watch out for. Then again my doctor (GP) also said the same about lithium
Thanks Donna, hugs are always appreciated!
Hugs back,
Amanda
co-cl of the Self-Injury
((((((((((amanda)))))))))) i really hope things work out for you real soon! i've not been in the best of places lately so i'm a bit behind in what's going on with you, but i know you're still trying to get your meds worked out. i know how miserable that can be. but you will get there! i know you will!
i wish i had more to offer, but know that i am thinking of you and sending you lots of (((((((((hugs))))))).
hugs,
traci
(((Traci)))
Thank you, your thoughts and hugs are enough!
Yes I'm still working on the meds. I'm still decreasing the epival (depakote) and have increased the perphenazine (anti-psychotic). We may be trying lamictal next so it will be a long time before I'm up to dose on that. I don't know if I want to. I was really psyched about it before. I've heard great things if you don't get the rash.
Also I've been having a hard time because of PMS and SA issues that are on the surface. I'm in a SA group and a DBT group right now.
Well that's all for now.
Amanda
co-cl of the Self-Injury