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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Nardil on February 5, 2006, at 9:12:46
I have been on 90 mg of Nardil for about six months. I started out at 30 mg per day for one year, 45 mg for nine months, then rapidly moved from 60, 75 to 90. I am gaining weight at the rate of 6 pounds per month and I have not been able to influence that rate by exercise or diet. In addition, I have been anorgasmic since 60 mg. Finally, my mood started to decline about two months ago (poop out at 90).
At that time, my pdoc added Lamictal. I am now at 125 mg per day and my mood is excellent. I have also just started Zonegran at 100 mg, with the intention of ramping up to 300 mg. This is to bring my weight down. I am at 180 pounds and should weigh normally 130.
My question is, with Lamictal working well, would it be possible to get the Nardil down to 45 mg per day or perhaps even eliminate it? I would like not to battle weight and sexual dysfunction my entire life. My pdoc is concerned that Parnate may be too activating for me.
Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks.
Posted by babydancer62 on February 5, 2006, at 10:54:25
In reply to Lamictal as stand alone AD, posted by Nardil on February 5, 2006, at 9:12:46
Hi, I'm not familiar with Nardil, but I can relate to your weight gain woes since I take Zyprexa, a notorious Fat Drug - an antipsychotic for my Bipolar - and have ballooned up from 140 to 164 lbs and climbing. I'm desperate to find an antidote and was very interested to hear of your use of Zonegran. I have a list of 'antidotes' that I've pitched to my PDOC who is going to talk to me about them on Monday so I'm going to add Zonegan to this list! Anymore info on this med would be helpful.
Now as far as Lamictal goes, I've had some experience there. I take 100 mg of Lamictal, which I tried to go off of because my PDOC was concerned about it's use since I am trying to get pregnant. What a mistake. I have been extremely depressed, so I have titrated back up to 100 mg again and I am now just starting to feel better. I used it as a stand alone when I was first diagnosed with Bipolar because I presented with more depression than mania at the time, so I know that it works wonders as an antidepressant but it shot me up too high so I had to augment with Zyprexa.
IMHO Lamictal it is a great antidepressant. No sexual side-effects and I've had my share of those with numerous SSRI's. I have no sexual side-effects from Lamictal.
Posted by Nardil on February 5, 2006, at 11:01:33
In reply to Re: Lamictal as stand alone AD, posted by babydancer62 on February 5, 2006, at 10:54:25
> Hi, I'm not familiar with Nardil, but I can relate to your weight gain woes since I take Zyprexa, a notorious Fat Drug - an antipsychotic for my Bipolar - and have ballooned up from 140 to 164 lbs and climbing. I'm desperate to find an antidote and was very interested to hear of your use of Zonegran. I have a list of 'antidotes' that I've pitched to my PDOC who is going to talk to me about them on Monday so I'm going to add Zonegan to this list! Anymore info on this med would be helpful.
>
> Now as far as Lamictal goes, I've had some experience there. I take 100 mg of Lamictal, which I tried to go off of because my PDOC was concerned about it's use since I am trying to get pregnant. What a mistake. I have been extremely depressed, so I have titrated back up to 100 mg again and I am now just starting to feel better. I used it as a stand alone when I was first diagnosed with Bipolar because I presented with more depression than mania at the time, so I know that it works wonders as an antidepressant but it shot me up too high so I had to augment with Zyprexa.
>
> IMHO Lamictal it is a great antidepressant. No sexual side-effects and I've had my share of those with numerous SSRI's. I have no sexual side-effects from Lamictal.Just google for Zonegran for lots of info!
Posted by babydancer62 on February 5, 2006, at 11:58:05
In reply to Re: Lamictal as stand alone AD, posted by Nardil on February 5, 2006, at 11:01:33
Posted by Phillipa on February 5, 2006, at 21:01:45
In reply to Re: Lamictal as stand alone AD, posted by babydancer62 on February 5, 2006, at 10:54:25
You mean you use lamictal as the only source of an antidepressant. And it eliminated depression. How does it effect anxiety, insomnia. thanks, Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by babydancer62 on February 6, 2006, at 12:11:32
In reply to Re: Lamictal as stand alone AD » babydancer62, posted by Phillipa on February 5, 2006, at 21:01:45
I used it once as a stand alone when I first was diagnosed with Bipolar because I presented with more depression than mania - at the time. Once I started on Lamictal (titrated slowly to avoid rash up to 100 mg) I was able to focus, started writing songs again, very creative...but then I started to climb too high on it and hit mania BIGTIME - insomnia, anxiety came on hard.
So that's when my PDOC augmented with Zyprexa. That brought the balance I needed. For awhile...then I added Zoloft because I was dipping low again. Then I decided I wanted to try to get pregnant so my PDOC told me to get off of Lamictal. That was when I really noticed how well it worked as an antidepressant. I relapsed TERRIBLY into a blue funk. So I'm back up to 100 mg. Helping immensely. Don't think it's helpful for anxiety or insomnia, my Zyprexa and Rivotril help with that.
Now the problem is horrid weight gain from Zyprexa so I see my PDOC this afternoon to switch medications. Likely to Geodon which scares me a bit with the reported QT interval thing. But I can't hack this weight gain and Geodon is reported to be weight neutral. Crossing fingers,toes, and nose that it works.
Posted by theo on February 6, 2006, at 17:09:41
In reply to Re: Lamictal as stand alone AD, posted by babydancer62 on February 5, 2006, at 10:54:25
When do you take your 100mg Lamictal, morning or bedtime?
Posted by deniseuk on February 8, 2006, at 10:58:14
In reply to Lamictal as stand alone AD, posted by Nardil on February 5, 2006, at 9:12:46
Hi,
I suffer from chronic dysthimic depression with a lot of anxiety, I tried Lamictal on it's own for months and I don't remember it doing anything at all. Although Zyprexa helps me an awful lot for anxiety and irrational thoughts but I'm not bipolar.
Kind Regards....Denise
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