how do these meds work and what are the side efffects

[tdc5]

WITHIN THE LAST FEW WEEKS MY HUSBAND AND MY 15 YEAR OLD SON HAVE BOTH BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH BI POLAR.   MY HUSBAND IS AN PREVIOUS SUBSTANCE ABUSER AND WITH HELP GOT OFF THE DRUGS, DISCOVERED HE HAS BP AND WAS PUT ON MEDS. MY HUSBAND WAS INTIALLY ON LITHIUM, BUT BECAUSE OF THE SIDE EFFECTS HE WAS SWITCHED TO KEPPRA.  I CAN'T FIND ANY INFO ON THAT.  IS IT GOOD, WHAT ARE THE SIDE EFFECTS AND WILL IT MAKE HIM NOT SO "BI POLAR"  WHEN IT STARTS TO WORK.  I REALLY LIKED WHAT THE LITHIUM DID, BUT IT WAS POISONING HIM.  BUT HE WAS REALLY HIMSELF FOR THE FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME.   HE HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE KEPPRA FOR ABOUT ONE WEEK.  ITS LIKE HE HAS GONE BACKWARDS AND IS REALLY BIPOLAR NOW.  HYPER, TALKS EXCESSIVELY, SPENDS, IRRITABLE AND GROUCHY.  HE IS REALLY HARD TO LIVE WITH RIGHT NOW. MY SON HAS BEEN T AKING ZOLOFT FOR YEARS, STARTING HAVING PANIC ATTACKS, SWITCHED TO CELEXA, THEN TO PROZAC AND NOW BACK ON 200 MG OF ZOLOFT, WAS DOING GREAT UNTIL THE AGGRESION STARTED TO COME OUT  AMONG  OTHER SIGNS SUCH AS HYPER, ARGUING WITH HIS FATHER, BUYING, OBSESSING OVER THINGS AND REALLY, REALLY MEAN AND WE REALLY GOT SCARED FOR HIM AND THE REST OF THE FAMILY.  HIS DR FINALLY SAID IT WAS BP.  HE WAS PUT ON TRILEPTAL, HE IS NOW UP TO 1200MG PER DAY, 200 MG ZOLOFT, AND TAKES 50MG OF TRAZODONE AT NIGHT TO SLEEP.  WITH THE NEW INCREASES IN THE TRILEPTAL HIS AGGRESIONS WENT AWAY AGAIN.  WILL HE HAVE TO ALWAYS GET AN INCREASE TO CURB HIS SYMPTOMS.  WILL HE EVER LEVEL OUT?  ARE THESE GOOD MEDS FOR HIM?

[peanut7]

I have been diagnosed as bi-polar for many years, I am 54 and have 2 serious heart problems, & have had several TIA's.  Along with my Coumadin and Rythmol for my heart I take Depakote for the bi-polar.  It works great and I take a very small dosage of Elavil to sleep.  I also work full time which is tough, but the Depakote allows me to cope quite well -  it took a looong time to get the right combination.

[tdc5]

TODAY MY SON WENT BACK TO THE DR AND NOW HE IS ON DEPAKOTE.  HOPEFULLY, THIS ONE WILL WORK.  HE HAD ANOTHER RAGING EPISODE SUNDAY NIGHT.  THE TRILEPTAL APPARENTLY WASN'T WORKING ANY LONGER.  MY HUSBAND IS STILL ON KEPPRA, HE STILL DOESN'T ACT RIGHT FOR ME.  STILL IRRITABLE AND ANGERS EASILY.  HE DOESN'T SEE IT, BUT OTHERS DO.  STILL CAN'T CONCENTRATE EITHER.

[SmilerSS]

heyheyhey,,,,there is a very interesting website called prozactruth.com.....that was my beginning of SSRI's ,,,,,but, again ,I emphasize we all have different reactions....

A very good tool I found was by going to the internet, look up a "drug" like an SSRI in your case,,find the "message boards" like this one is and read the "personal" on hands account of people that have taken the drug....loads of info....then you can decide, be informed, educated, etc...

For Effexor which was a nightmare for me,,unfortunately, I didn't find anything positive about this med there, but however, for those who are experiencing positive results they will less likely post to a message board(I am not saying this one), but the ones I discovered....it was those seeking help from adverse side effects or whatever....but, I paid attention...

In my efforts to find evidence for my doctor that Effexor CAN cause blackouts,,,I was able to find another personal account of someelse's experience with blackouts on Effexor on a personal acct. in my internet search on that drug..it had been posted to a message board previously,,then a website was created for this lady's nightmare(story) which was mine, too. Look, look, look at everything,,,some you skip on,,others you read...
My doctor did not know Effexor can cause blackouts.

Now, a different story is my sister takes Effexor with no problems,,,so, different strokes for different folks,,,

I have taken all the SSRI's and they are history,,however, too I would like to mention I am very drug sensitive,,,but, I share alot of people's stories I read on the internet, too.

I do not take an anti-depressant anymore..at all. If not,one could always go back to the tricyclics,,they are still around,,I have read success stories on those..Unfortunately, I can't take those either..A doctor of mine had tremendous success with a difficult patient's depression and by adding a small dose of the tricyclic with an MAO inhibitor..success,,,
Another patient she chose a tricyclic for with success, too,,on & on.

My alternative is herbal medicine which I will be getting a consult the end of July or 1st of August,,,I haven't tried that and have been around for 1,000's of years,,that is my path for me for now....

My journey of anti-depressants began in 1983 and has ended in 2003 with Western medicine..

But, you must chose your own path,,but, being informed is very important about something you are going to ingest..whether medical or pyche meds..I follow up on anything prescribed.

I wish you the best,
Sincerely,
SS

[tdc5]

I ASKED MY SONS DR THAT QUESTION ONLY BECAUSE OF HIS YOUNG AGE THAT HE STARTED TAKING ALL OF THIS AND AT SUCH HIGH DOSES.  HE ASSURED ME THAT NOTHING PHYSICALLY WOULD HARM HIM SUCH AS GROWTH OR MATURING.  HE MADE THE COMMENT THAT HE WOULD BE SO MUCH WORSE AS HIMSELF GOING THROUGH ALL THE DEPRESSIONS ( HE WOULD CRY UNCONTROLLABLY FOR NO REASON), ANXIETIES SO BAD THAT HE COULD'NT LEAVE THE HOUSE OR MY SIGHT, HE BASICALLY BECAME A SHELL OF A PERSON AT 11 AND THEN AGAIN AT 14.  HE IS NOW 15 AND FOR WHAT I THINK IS TAKING A LOT OF MEDS FOR HIS AGE.  BUT HE CAN LIVE AND IS DOING WELL RIGHT NOW,  I AM ASSURED THAT HE STILL CAN GO UP ON THE DOSAGE IF NEEDED.  I'M ALL FOR THE RIGHT MEDS IF THEY WORK.

[frecklesag29]

SS,

It seems you have some experience with meds.  I was curious if you have found any comments on the long term effects of SSRI's.  I have been told by several I need to take meds.  If I really don't need them, what will it do to the nuerotransmitters in my brain?  Will I kill brain cells ect? :)

heyheyhey

[tdc5]

I HAVE  TWO MEDICATION BOOK, NEITHER OF THEM HAVE KEPPRA IN THEM.  I KNOW THAT IT WAS USED FOR SEISURES AND IS NOW USED FOR BP.  HE GOES BACK TO THE DOC TOMORROW, HOPEFULLY HE WILL INCREASE DOSE OR CHANGE HIM.  IV'E SEEN NO CHANGES IN HIME BUT WORSENINGS SINCE HE STARTED TAKING IT. AS FAR AS MY SON, HE IS DOING FINE ON THE ZOLOFT AGAIN, SINCE THEY INCREASED THE DOSE.  ITS DOUBLE WHAT HE WAS TAKING, THEY SHOULD HAVE TRIED THAT BEFORE SWITCHING HIM.

[SmilerSS]

I forgot to mention,,a good, resourceful book you can buy sometimes at your local drug store or any book store carries it.
is, the "The Pill Book." My bible when it comes to side effects, information about the med I am taking, etc. Very useful. I have used it for years........

ss

[SmilerSS]

Keppra--that must be was very new. I have never heard of it. I have bipolar disorder and take lithium successfully. I had trouble with at the beginning, but stuck it out until the side-effects went away. That was only my case. They went away.
However, caution must be taken when giving a anti-depressant to someone with bipolar. I am not saying you don't and your son's doc knows that, too. I just got off Effexor which turned me into someone I did not know..mean, angry, etc. Eventually, blackouts, hallucinations,,,it was a nightmare.....and to make it worse, my doc, therapist did not know I was in a blackout with my behavior and I didn't know either!! At that time.....It's HISTORY,,never again....oh,,Keppra--are you referring to Zyprexa?? It's an anti-pychotic,,mood stablizer.  I have seen it work well for others & not for some. Everyone is different. It didn't work for me.  

I have gone manic when given certain anti-depressants, and my doc yanked them off and no more of that one/others.

When I research meds I go to the internet..a good search engine is www.dogpile.com plus thousands of questions to the doctor.

It is a process of finding the right combo or just one med for a given diagnosis.  Just takes time, but ever so important to report any adverse reactions, behaviors to the doctor immediately.

My experience is I will never repeat a med I had trouble with the first time then I get on it a 2nd time..it has failed everytime with me.  The new trend is do that, but did not work for me--->worse the 2nd time. Maybe not for everyone tho. Everybody is different.

I suggest also if you can find a support group..you need support, too. Believe it or not,,you will find people with your same story and can offer suggestions, support, guidance, information..get phone numbers,,,go out for coffee afterwards, whatever,,get to know the people,,especially when you feel afraid to pick up the phone and call one of them for assistance you will feel comfortable & "not bothering them."

As well, your husband & son need a support group. I have one.
Contact the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill(NAMI) to see if they can get a group in your area,,,,look in local phone book..,too...they are out there.  Hospitals are a good source of info., groups, etc.

I sense your despair, it is so hard at times. But, there is hope given the time that it needs for meds to start working and trial & error of meds....don't give up>>>>>>>GET SOME SUPPORT!!! You have don't do this alone....neither does your husband or son.

Wishing you the best,
SS

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

Keppra is an anticonvulsant medication, and if it is now being used for bipolar, it is a new and as yet unproven method of treating that disorder, or there is good reason to believe it might work.  ON the otherhand, Trileptal is proven and safer than its predecessor, Tegretol.

Both your son and your husband should be treated by an experienced psychopharmacologist so if that is not happening, you should ask for a consultation.