erin1715
04-18-2007, 02:47 PM
Hi everyone, my husband is currently in the hospital for the depression side of bipolar disorder. This is about his 3rd or 4th visit in the past year and he has so far been resistant to medications. In the past year, he has had two different rounds of ECT treatments. The first round brought him right out of his depression, but only lasted about 3-4 months. The second maybe lasted a month and now the doctor is talking about doing another round. My husband has been on 1800mg of lithium for a couple days, he started at 900mg and worked his way up. He's also on lexapro and risperdal and so far hes been in the hospital for a week with no change at all. He feels the exact same way. My concern is that we're jumping the gun going to ECT again, does it seem like we should be waiting the meds out a little longer to see if they will kick in? But he has never been brought out of his depression with meds before, does that mean we will never find the right mix of meds? I'm just not sure what's the right decision...
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tsohl
04-18-2007, 08:36 PM
Hi Erin,
Would you mind telling us how old your husband is and how long he has had bipolar disorder?
Would you mind telling us how old your husband is and how long he has had bipolar disorder?
erin1715
04-18-2007, 10:58 PM
He's 26 and was diagnosed with depression at 18 years old, but only recently did the pdoc hes with now diagnose him as being bipolar. I don't think I've ever seen the manic side but I believe he's had some hypomania...
tsohl
04-19-2007, 01:06 AM
I guess no one on the board at the moment knows much about treatment-resistant bipolar depression. Lithium is a very good medication for those that can take it. It can take up to 4 weeks for it to "work." My son (age 25) has had good results with lithium, and he takes two additional mood stabilizers: tegretol and Lamictal.
I'm afraid I can't offer any suggestions about the ECT. I have no experience with it.
I'm sorry your husband is having such a hard time finding meds that work for him. Hopefully someone else will have some experience with ECT and will see your post.
take care,
Tsohl
I'm afraid I can't offer any suggestions about the ECT. I have no experience with it.
I'm sorry your husband is having such a hard time finding meds that work for him. Hopefully someone else will have some experience with ECT and will see your post.
take care,
Tsohl
erin1715
04-19-2007, 10:00 AM
Thank you for your response and I appreciate the information about your son and lithium. I do know that lithium is a very good drug for bipolar and my husband has only been in the therapeutic range (according to blood tests) for maybe 5-6 days, so I'm hoping this will help. For now, we have decided to wait on another round of ECT treatments and hope the meds work for him. Thanks again for your response.
tsohl
04-19-2007, 10:19 AM
Hi Erin,
I'm glad to hear you're going to wait a bit to see if the lithium kicks in and works for him. You can always try the ECT in a month if need be. I wanted to mention that if your husband has some side effects from the lithium, they usually lessen or go away after a period of time. Be sure he drinks lots of water, especially while first getting used to it.
Good luck to both of you.
:wave: Tsohl
I'm glad to hear you're going to wait a bit to see if the lithium kicks in and works for him. You can always try the ECT in a month if need be. I wanted to mention that if your husband has some side effects from the lithium, they usually lessen or go away after a period of time. Be sure he drinks lots of water, especially while first getting used to it.
Good luck to both of you.
:wave: Tsohl
greenidme
04-19-2007, 10:29 PM
I'm also bipolar 1 but have more episodes of depression than mania. My manias come out as agitation and irritablility. I must be on a mood stablizer but also need an antidepressant to keep me from getting depressed anyway. Doctors are very leary with ad's for bipolar but some of us just need them!
I think you are right to delay additional ect till the meds have time to work. Are they putting him on an ad? If not, why not? He obviously has more trouble with the depression.
You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers!
I think you are right to delay additional ect till the meds have time to work. Are they putting him on an ad? If not, why not? He obviously has more trouble with the depression.
You and your husband are in my thoughts and prayers!
erin1715
04-20-2007, 10:52 AM
Thank you Tsohl and Greenidme for your support and prayers. Yesterday it appeared that my husband was making a shift for the better, but I'm leary of that because I've seen his good days only to come right back to the bad ones. He's currently on 1800mg lithium, 4mg risperdal, 20mg lexapro, and the doctor is going to add provigil and pamelor to the mix today. So far, he has had no major side effects from the lithium, which is a great sign to me. I notice a little tremor but nothing too bothersome. I guess pamelor is an older AD and I haven't researched it yet so I don't know too much about it...thanks again for your thoughts! You are all in my thoughts and prayers as well!
tsohl
04-20-2007, 11:34 AM
Hi Erin,
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will work. Your husband may have some side effects from the lithium, but unless they are truly unbearable, try to put up with them for now. Once it's been in his system for awhile, those side effects usually lessen. My son still has that hand tremor from time to time. There is always a trade off when one has to take powerful medications. In my son's case, he gladly puts up with this because he feels SOOOOOOOOOO much better and has his life back.
I imagine the provigil is being added to help with the memory problems that can be caused by lithium. It seems to be well-tolerated in most people, and is used by college students...kind of like "No-Doze" was used in my day (a long time ago!!). My son was prescribed provigil by one of his pdocs and he took it for awhile. His current pdoc took him off it -- just a different "philosophy" I guess. He didn't have any trouble with it.
You are a wonderful wife to fight so hard for your husband. It's great that you are researching all these meds and reaching out for help and support. Please keep posting so we know how things are going. I wish you the best of luck -- sometimes I think that's what it comes down to!! Sometimes you just have to be VERY patient while you search for the "magic" combination of meds that will help your husband.
You are in my thoughts.
Take good care,
Tsohl:wave:
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this will work. Your husband may have some side effects from the lithium, but unless they are truly unbearable, try to put up with them for now. Once it's been in his system for awhile, those side effects usually lessen. My son still has that hand tremor from time to time. There is always a trade off when one has to take powerful medications. In my son's case, he gladly puts up with this because he feels SOOOOOOOOOO much better and has his life back.
I imagine the provigil is being added to help with the memory problems that can be caused by lithium. It seems to be well-tolerated in most people, and is used by college students...kind of like "No-Doze" was used in my day (a long time ago!!). My son was prescribed provigil by one of his pdocs and he took it for awhile. His current pdoc took him off it -- just a different "philosophy" I guess. He didn't have any trouble with it.
You are a wonderful wife to fight so hard for your husband. It's great that you are researching all these meds and reaching out for help and support. Please keep posting so we know how things are going. I wish you the best of luck -- sometimes I think that's what it comes down to!! Sometimes you just have to be VERY patient while you search for the "magic" combination of meds that will help your husband.
You are in my thoughts.
Take good care,
Tsohl:wave:
jules3
04-20-2007, 12:31 PM
Pamelor is an old anti-depressant, different than the ssri's that are most used today? Isnt electric shock therapy a little much? im not judging and dont mean to insult. i just rarely hear of that anymore...im curious to know if it really works and can it cause any permanent damage?
tsohl
04-20-2007, 01:26 PM
Hi Jules,
I'm jumping in here. ECT is used in cases of depression that do not respond to medications -- in treatment-resistant depression and bipolar depression. It isn't like what you used to see depicted in the old movies. I recently saw a program on TV that included the use of ECT -- showed it being administered and interviewed the person afterwards. One of my son's friends has had several courses of it, during at least two different years.
You can find more about it on the NIMH website.
:wave: Tsohl
I'm jumping in here. ECT is used in cases of depression that do not respond to medications -- in treatment-resistant depression and bipolar depression. It isn't like what you used to see depicted in the old movies. I recently saw a program on TV that included the use of ECT -- showed it being administered and interviewed the person afterwards. One of my son's friends has had several courses of it, during at least two different years.
You can find more about it on the NIMH website.
:wave: Tsohl
erin1715
04-20-2007, 04:20 PM
I think everyone has a different opinion on ECT and when you are in a deep depression that doesn't budge from meds, what are the other options? I was scared initially to see my husband go through it but the hospital that administers it is very confident that it helps many people and the doctors that do it have been doing it for a loooong time. As I said, the first round of his treatments he was almost back to his old self after only 3 treatments, the problem with some that have ECT is that it doesn't always hold, which is why they recommend staying on the meds even after. But for my husband, even the meds didnt' work after and so we chose to do a second round. I agree that for some people ECT is not the right avenue. It is for severe cases of depressed people and my husband was told by more than one pdoc in the hospital that it was one of the worst cases of depression they'd ever seen. Believe me, I would rather have a medication that worked for my husband but when nothing is working...it's a desperate time.
jules3
04-20-2007, 04:38 PM
ok thanks for the answers..
hergy
04-21-2007, 05:23 AM
First of all, Erin, I'd like to say that I admire your loyalty to your husband. It takes a special person to stick by someone with a mood disorder. People with bipolar disorder usually have a terrible track record with relationships.
I have bipolar I. I was diagnosed at 19. I'm now 35. I've been hospitalized 4 times during the past year. In fact, I was recently discharged from a hospital this week.
You're right, anti-depressants and bipolar disorder can be like playing on a track in front of a moving train. But those anti-depressants can mean the difference between function and lethargy.
Both of you should keep an eye on changes in mood, even on the medication. Sounds like your husband is hard to treat. I'm a rapid cycler, so I'm constantly having my meds adjusted, as well.
His doctors want him safe, so hospitalization and sometimes sedating drugs are their response to that issue. Safety's vitally important, though. Depression can change to mania in minutes. And a manic person uses very poor judgement and is very impulsive.
Keep the doctor informed. Quality of life is important for your husband to maintain optimism. He needs that. A bipolar mind is chaotic, confusing and disturbing. But he's got a right to contentment. So do you.
Do your own research. Stay informed. You may not be a doctor, but knowledge will give both of you more peace and possibly better treatment.
I wish you both the best in your search for the right treatment. :)
Nikki
I have bipolar I. I was diagnosed at 19. I'm now 35. I've been hospitalized 4 times during the past year. In fact, I was recently discharged from a hospital this week.
You're right, anti-depressants and bipolar disorder can be like playing on a track in front of a moving train. But those anti-depressants can mean the difference between function and lethargy.
Both of you should keep an eye on changes in mood, even on the medication. Sounds like your husband is hard to treat. I'm a rapid cycler, so I'm constantly having my meds adjusted, as well.
His doctors want him safe, so hospitalization and sometimes sedating drugs are their response to that issue. Safety's vitally important, though. Depression can change to mania in minutes. And a manic person uses very poor judgement and is very impulsive.
Keep the doctor informed. Quality of life is important for your husband to maintain optimism. He needs that. A bipolar mind is chaotic, confusing and disturbing. But he's got a right to contentment. So do you.
Do your own research. Stay informed. You may not be a doctor, but knowledge will give both of you more peace and possibly better treatment.
I wish you both the best in your search for the right treatment. :)
Nikki
kidd123
04-21-2007, 07:03 AM
Hi, Sorry to hear about your husband. Hope that he will get better on this new med plan. Just a suggestion, though--from my own family's experience, it might help to try getting him on a good quality Omega-3. My mother tried ALL the meds for her bipolar, but it wasn't until we bought her some fish oil that she really started improving and the depression lifted. Granted she still has some bad days, but she seemed so much better on a high dose of Omega-3.
It has a few minor side effects,(my mom would occasionally burp!) so it might be worth a try! God bless you both.
It has a few minor side effects,(my mom would occasionally burp!) so it might be worth a try! God bless you both.
tsohl
04-22-2007, 02:37 AM
Hello kidd,
I wondered if your mom is still taking meds for BP in addition to the Omega 3, or did she stop with the pharmaceuticals?
I wondered if your mom is still taking meds for BP in addition to the Omega 3, or did she stop with the pharmaceuticals?
kidd123
04-23-2007, 06:15 AM
Well, right now she is on Neuronitin & Zyprexa--for about the last year or so. My dad found her a new psychiatrist and that is what this dr has decided to prescribe for her. I think she might be on a very low dose of Lexapro right now also. She has started and stopped meds so many times, I think she should get some kind of recognition in the medical journals!!
She is so sensitive to chemicals and meds and so she is unable to tolerate almost every bipolar drug. She is also allergic to penicillin, iodine and all sulfa antibiotics. My dad is trying to get her off of one of her high blood pressure meds & she is also on glucophage for diabetes. She sleeps about 17 hrs a day during the winter time, but now that the sun is stronger she is having more manic symptoms. She was diagnosed bipolar in 1992, and has been on the rollar coaster of the various meds all those past 15 years. It has not been easy for her, or my family. We have had to hospitalize her 4 times at 4 different hospitals for her bipolar condition, mainly for the side effects of the drugs!!
She is 73 and still she tries hard to lead a normal life. I admire her for her strength--she has battled bladder cancer for about 20 yrs, as it recurred a couple of years ago. Best wishes to you.
She is so sensitive to chemicals and meds and so she is unable to tolerate almost every bipolar drug. She is also allergic to penicillin, iodine and all sulfa antibiotics. My dad is trying to get her off of one of her high blood pressure meds & she is also on glucophage for diabetes. She sleeps about 17 hrs a day during the winter time, but now that the sun is stronger she is having more manic symptoms. She was diagnosed bipolar in 1992, and has been on the rollar coaster of the various meds all those past 15 years. It has not been easy for her, or my family. We have had to hospitalize her 4 times at 4 different hospitals for her bipolar condition, mainly for the side effects of the drugs!!
She is 73 and still she tries hard to lead a normal life. I admire her for her strength--she has battled bladder cancer for about 20 yrs, as it recurred a couple of years ago. Best wishes to you.
tsohl
04-23-2007, 09:43 AM
Hello kidd,
Since your family seems open to alternate ways of dealing with issues of BP, I would like to suggest that you look at an article in the May 2005 issue of "Discover" magazine. It is about research that is being conducted in Canada and it is quite an interesting story, particularly for those of us that believe nutritional deficiencies are the root cause of many health issues. I believe you can still find this article online.
I am so glad you have find something that is working well for your mom.
take care,
:wave: Tsohl
Since your family seems open to alternate ways of dealing with issues of BP, I would like to suggest that you look at an article in the May 2005 issue of "Discover" magazine. It is about research that is being conducted in Canada and it is quite an interesting story, particularly for those of us that believe nutritional deficiencies are the root cause of many health issues. I believe you can still find this article online.
I am so glad you have find something that is working well for your mom.
take care,
:wave: Tsohl
tsohl
04-23-2007, 09:45 AM
Hello erin,
Just wanted to stop by to see how things are going with your husband. Please give us an update when you have time.
:wave: Tsohl
Just wanted to stop by to see how things are going with your husband. Please give us an update when you have time.
:wave: Tsohl
erin1715
04-23-2007, 02:22 PM
Hello again, well my husband was released from the hospital on Saturday, and he wasn't having a great day. Yesterday started rough but by the end of the day he was feeling better. Today he's having a tough time. I'm at work and he's home and I'm trying to encourage him to do some things around the house to stay a little busy, but I know it's hard for him to be motivated. I'm not sure if I should just say ok when he wants to lay around all day or if I should be telling him to try and do things. What do you all think? I'm not sure it makes a difference if he goes out or stays in until the meds have a chance to work fully...
kidd123
04-24-2007, 06:46 PM
May God bless you for your patience!! My opinion is YES--encourage him, smile, hug him & then live your life as happily as you can. When I was being treated for depression I would be so negative towards my husband that no matter what he said or did, I would find fault with him!! If he sang, it made me mad. If he appeared concerned, I would sarcastically tell him to stop pitying me. So, wise man that he is, he just let me be. He continued to hug me, support me and help when he saw ways to help me, but when I look back I found that the best thing he did was to live his own life. It might sound trite, but my husband loves God & I know he prayed for me faithfully every day. Eventually, with several bouts of meds, and several different counselors I have overcome the severe depression. So, I would share with you that it is of utmost importance that you take care of you first, & look with expectant hopefulness of the day that your husband will be better. Maybe not ALL better. But better enough. Have faith that it can happen. Best wishes to you both!