Back from pdoc

Avatar for kdvaleski
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2004
Back from pdoc
3
Fri, 04-27-2007 - 3:43pm

Well, I didn't really have to do anything to convince my doc that I'm cycling either manic or mixed. She pretty much noticed that as soon as I started to talk! It's odd, I when I am like this I have to slow myself down so much when I'm talking to other people. With her, I just let it go, and she immediately noticed the pressured speech, and the meeting went from there. She doesn't believe that the experiences my last doc labeled "hallucinations" are hallucinations, but that they're alterations in perceptions that are mood/episode-linked, but not hallucinations in the traditional sense. Kind of quasi-hallucinatory. That was good to hear. I always thought that last doc was a ding-dong.

I needed med changes, of course. Lamictal went up to 400 mg daily, and she added Trileptal and Ativan. She said no more Prozac, ever again! I've taken the Ativan before, but not the Trileptal. Does anyone have experience with this one?

Take care,
Kristen

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: kdvaleski
Fri, 04-27-2007 - 4:59pm

Hey Kristen...

I have taken Trileptal and for me, it didn't do much. But, I'm "different", lol. Give it a try and see what happens. Careful with the Ativan, but you already know that.

Antidepressants (all of them) made me waaaaaay more depressed and mixed and I didn't even know it. Prozac made me manic...and cycle like crazy, so I'm glad you're off of it.

Have you taken Lithium? The Lithium/Lamictal combo is what worked for me. But on really low dosages...I was so overmedicated, because of adding/changing meds on me all the time.

Hugs!

Keli

Avatar for kdvaleski
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-10-2004
In reply to: kdvaleski
Fri, 04-27-2007 - 5:23pm

Hi Keli. Yep, I recall your struggles from a few years back. I'm glad you're doing better now!

I haven't tried lithium. She gave me the option of trying that or Zyprexa today, but I wasn't big on either. I know the side effects of both, and prefer to avoid them if I can. So, we'll try the Trileptal with the others. The Ativan is just for a quick rescue from agitated states until we get the mania/mixed state under control. I don't expect to be refilling that one, unless this trial doesn't work and I need another change.

Take care,

Kristen

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-02-2006
In reply to: kdvaleski
Fri, 04-27-2007 - 9:59pm

Hi Kristen,


Glad you had a good visit with your pdoc. I've taken trileptal before and it worked well for me for a while. I've always been med resistant. Meds will work for a while and then stop working. Trileptal was one of those meds. Fortunately the cocktail I'm on now seems to be holding steady, and with all I've got going on, it's a good thing;)


I'm glad to hear that you have a good rapport with your new pdoc. That is so crucial to your management of bipolar. My 17 yo dd is struggling with that right now. Hang in there and keep posting:)


Hugs,
Traci