I can see why you are confused.
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Originally Posted by BAlive
Ok This combination worked ok at its dosage: 300mg twice per day (oxcarbazepine) and clonazepam.. as needed.
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If this combo worked why did the new guy take you off?
Yes, the new doc should have helped you taper off the oxcarbazepine because stopping it suddenly can risk seizures.
ADD can coexist with bipolar.
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This is the confusing part. I exhibit most of the classic symptoms of mania not depression: Irritability, Talkativeness, Racing Thoughts, Distractibility and this is on a continuous basis and is not something that comes and goes which actually could be Adult ADHD. *I was diagnosed with add when I was kid*
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This web site makes
some sense to me in describing the differences between ADD and bipolar:
http://www.bipolar-lives.com/bipolar-vs-adhd.html
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A person is more likely to have ADHD than be bipolar if:
1. No matter how chronic or chaotic their behavior is, it is a constant pattern. Bipolar people CYCLE - it is the episodic nature of the disorder that distinguishes it.
2. ADHD people may have trouble getting to sleep, but do eventually go to bed at night. Bipolar people in a manic episode may skip sleep completely, sleep very little or sleep at odd hours.
3. ADHD people tend not to experience the "highs" of bipolar people such as extremely happy moods that are often described as "expansive" or "euphoric".
4. They are consistently putting themselves down and tend to have low self esteem or a sense of impending failure or doom.
Bipolar people may feel this when depressed but, unlike ADHD people, they also experience feelings of grandiosity - a belief they can accomplish anything and everything. With ADHD it is possible to have peroids of "hyperfocus" and be ultra-productive, but this is different to the manic certainty of the bipolar person believing they can acheive whatever pops into their head.
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ADD is always present whereas bipolar can come and go (perhaps? I'm not an expert.)
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You describe well what can happen with Lexapro.
I had that same reaction to it as well. After three days I had to stop it and that was with a mood stabilizer on board.
Dr. Phelps' web site is one on the best of the web I think.
He explains anxiety and bipolar:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/Anxiety.htm
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In my opinion, when a diagnosis of GAD is made, the patient should be informed about the extent of overlap with bipolar disorder and an effort made to determine if the patient might have bipolar disorder (at minimum, use the screening questionnaire called the Mood disorder questionnaire and ask about prior mood episodes if any; if possible, review family history looking for possible bipolar disorder).
If after that the patient prefers to start with an antidepressant (versus psychotherapy, if available; or a mood stabilizer trial), then she/he should be cautioned to look for antidepressant-induced hypomania or cycling of mood and energy.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BAlive
Now, I've read that giving someone that has hypomanic tendencies, Lexapro increases the chances of a manic episode and is counterproductive.
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You are exactly right and I think that your doc should consider the downside to take Lexapro like that.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BAlive
Could he be right? Anxiety disorder and not Bi-Polar Mania or even Adult ADD? There is also documentation that shows correlation between a vitamin B12 deficiency and mood disorders which is another possibility I am exploring.
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Do you have any bipolar in your family?
You can get blood work for B12. While you are there, get blood work for Vit D. Some of us have benefited from Vit D3 supplements.
Mari