10 replies to this topic

[Miss Jens]

I'm bipolar as well as N....

I am currently on Lamictal and Wellbutrin..has anyone else taken either of these meds at the same time as Provigil or Xyrem? What happened?

[robinbauer]

Miss Jens,

I am very interested in talking to you. My 17 year old son has Narcolepsy and Bipolar II.
He takes lithium and Prozac. I am also Bipolar and I take 150 mg Lamictal and 150 mg Wellbutrin. He has been unable to tolerate stimulants. Provigil does nothing for him and he can't stand the way that amphetamines make him feel.

I think the reason he can't tolerate the stimulants is directly related to his bipolar. I am going to try to get his sleep doctor and his shrink to get their heads together.

I would be very interested in what experiences you have had and what you have learned about this frustrating combination.

Robin Bauer

[Miss Jens]

Your son should NOT be on Prozac if he's bipolar-- it won't work. Prozac and other tricyclic antidepressants are great for teens with depression, but if they are bipolar Prozac can have the opposite effect, even suicidal ideations..no wonder the Prozac isn't helping and he can't stand amphetamines. If he got his meds from a GP or internist or family doctor, he needs to immediately go to a psychiatrist. If he got his meds from a psychiatrist, he needs to get a new one. Very very important. He might also want to try a different mood stabilizer than Lithium since he is so young.

I like the Lamictal/Wellbutrin combo with the Provigil it's doing a pretty good job now that I have adjusted..

[Miss Jens]

Your son should NOT be on Prozac if he's bipolar-- it won't work. Prozac and other tricyclic antidepressants are great for teens with depression, but if they are bipolar Prozac can have the opposite effect, even suicidal ideations..no wonder the Prozac isn't helping and he can't stand amphetamines. If he got his meds from a GP or internist or family doctor, he needs to immediately go to a psychiatrist. If he got his meds from a psychiatrist, he needs to get a new one. Very very important. He might also want to try a different mood stabilizer than Lithium since he is so young.

I like the Lamictal/Wellbutrin combo with the Provigil it's doing a pretty good job now that I have adjusted..

[Sleep Meister]

Tamoxifen is now being studied for use in mania.
It takes up to 5 days instead of 10 days to see the benefits.
It works more directly than lithium.
It is safer than lithium.

Here's a link to Science Daily:

http://www.scienceda...70912090210.htm

Other mania info on this page too.

Re: Acupuncture
It works for mania and/or depression. A relative of mine got off lithium after 15 years. She found an acupuncturist that worked with depression, then one who did mania, and finally she found one that does both.

Not all acupuncturist work with all illnesses. Just call around and ask them.

Lithium is very heavy duty. My relative has huge blocks of time completly erased from her memory, never to return. Then , of course, there is always the liver damage and other side effects to consider.

Sleep Meister

[tjp3964]

I am schzio affective and have N. I take 300 mg lamicatal and 160 of geodon, 75 mg of effexor and 200 provigil. I have a chronic daily headaches that gets worse with more stimulus. I can't think right or concentrate. It seems that I can't process information. My brain seems like its on fire. I have to two doctors..one for N and one for the bipolar and its hard to get them to agree on medication. I uped my effexor to 150 mg and I just felt like I was going insane. Having both disorders can be a real struggle. It is hard to make it through most days.

[Marcianna]

What ever you decide to do about the meds, make sure they are either being taken correctly or not at all. If you decided to go off drugs like this you really should talk to a doctor about weening off them and not just Quit. I know a woman who quit her meds and lost her mind and shot a guy. She doesn't even remember doing it. now she takes her pills in prison. Brain drugs are sooooo crazy nuts and more dangerous than we realize. That is why I wont take them! Please be careful!!!!!!!

[greatbig47]

I second that, Marcianna! It's okay to say no...even if the guy giving you drugs is in a white coat! CAREFULL is the way to go with all meds....ALWAYS!

[Mary]

I'm bipolar as well as N....

I am currently on Lamictal and Wellbutrin..has anyone else taken either of these meds at the same time as Provigil or Xyrem? What happened?

[Mary]

I'm bipolar as well as N....

I am currently on Lamictal and Wellbutrin..has anyone else taken either of these meds at the same time as Provigil or Xyrem? What happened?

I have narcolepsy and BiPolar 1. No one believed I had narcolepsy in addition to the BiPolar until a caring doctor took notice and treated me with xyrem. I take non-sedative meds for BiPolar, except for one in the morning which should not interact with xyrem because of the time of day I take it. Lamitical is one of the meds I take. What happened was nothing short of a miracle in my life. If interested in hearing about the miracle, I would be happy to exchange e-mails with you. By the way, what do you know about the connection between xyrem and BiPolar?

[bunny]

Be extremely careful. Xyrem can certainly cause mental problems to be worse. I was hopitalized after taking xyrem for a week. Near death. Read everything you can about it, not just the positive stuff.