hi. quick question. I have bipolar and banged my head against a cupboard door last Friday (a week today). I went to ER and they said concussion. Headache still here, and bad at times. I went to dr again on Weds, and he said maybe no concussion, but maybe a hematoma at the site of the contusion. He gave me Voltaren (NSAID) to take three times per day, alternating with tylenol (2x/day). My headache is still bad, and I have pressure around my eyes. Seeing dr again today. I think they may put me on narcotic pain meds. Is there anything I should make sure the dr avoids?

Bipolar meds:
lamictal
abilify
cymbalta
trazodone
ativan

other:
voltaren (diclofenac)
singulair
tylenol

Seeing dr in 1/2 hour. Thanks.

Hi,

Cymbalta and Trazadone taken with Voltaren might increase the risk of bleeding.
http://arthritis.emedtv.com/voltaren...ctions-p3.html
http://mental-health.emedtv.com/traz...zodone-er.html

If you cannot get hold of your dr now, call any pharmacist to make sure that the meds are OK.

Do not take Aspirin while you are on the Voltaren.

Mari

hi there,
sorry for the accident and your poor head. Doesn't it feel awful when we do things to ourselves?????
Are your moods stabilized on these meds? how are you right now?
what is your dose of lamictal? I take that along with geodon to keep me stable, it works most of the time.
I think you should continue taking the anti inflamatories to decrease the swelling. when do you see the doctor again?
bizi

Hi,

This web site lets you check for interactions.

http://www.drugs.com/drug_interactions.php


M

Hi mommy

This is Donna from the welcome room. I'm so glad you found
your way into here.

The ladies and our one or two gentlemen are really nice.
I think you will find they are great with help too.

I hope your appt went well. The meds you are on I don't know
a lot about many of them. I do know cymbalta, and I can tell
you it will help with pain issues. So keep taking it.

Keep us posted.

Donna

Thanks. I went to dr yesterday afternoon. He said to take my migraine med (maxalt) because he thinks the "scalp hematoma" triggered a migraine. I should take this in addition to the Volatren and tylenol.
(thanks to whomever mentioned the aspirin and voltaren ~ I had been taking excedrin migraine for migraines once in a while, with aspirin)

He also gave me a shot of novacaine in the head (weird) and it helped somewhat. I took my maxalt and I still had a bad headache all evening, but after I slept I feel better this morning. I hope it continues.

He also gave me an Rx for Vicodin, if it gets really bad, but I really don't want to take that. My dad had it and it gave him all sorts of psychotic symtpoms.

My mood is "Ok." I feel a little depressed, since I can't do much and the house is a mess, and school's coming and there's so much to do. I have three kids and husband is working most of the time.

Thanks. Glad to be here.

Hi, You might be fine on the Vicodin. Your father was probably not on the Abilify that you are.

Pain relief is important for overall well being.

Can you hire someone or get a friend to come over to help with house work? Alternatively, you could let the house work go. We can relax our cleaning standards while we need to focus on health and children.


M

Yes, cleaning standards have been relaxed. I do have some help. My son's both have PCA hours, and the one girl I have for a PCA has been able to come over a few times this week. I just don't have very many hours. My parents came yesterday and that helped, and another friend has brought supper twice (and paper plates). I'm probably only doing one load of dishes per day vs two like usual, so that's good.

I will try the vicodin if need be. You are right about the abilify. Also, dr says I can only take the maxalt (migraine med) 4-5 x per week, so I don't want to use that up.

I still feel pressure around my eyes today, but not as badly as yesterday.

Thanks.

any ideas from the doc how long it would take for the hematoma to go away? be absorbed?
sorry that you are still hurting, glad that the pressure is a bit better today.
Glad that you have some help and yes let the standards lax at this time.
((((HUGS)))))
bizi
what is your dose of lamictal, I don't think that should be lowered.
bizi

Dr said possibly another week to 10 days of headache.

Dose of Lamictal is 250 two times a day (500 total). Pdoc wanted me to go down to 200 two times a day (400 total). There is a bit of history to this. I had gone up to 500 maybe 6 months ago because of mood. Then, I lost 25 pounds, which changed my metabolism. I had flat affect, and an overall fuzzy head. Low energy and fatigued. Pdoc said lamictal dose maybe was too high since I had lost the weight. Went back to 400. That was probably 2 months ago. Then, after another month, mood was labile again (still), and he put me back up to 500. So, this past Weds, I called pdoc to make sure that the lamictal (or any other drug) wasn't interfering with my head pain and dizziness. Pdoc said that lowering lamictal again could help with the dizziness. I do remember missing the extra 50 for a few days a few weeks ago (before head trauma), and feeling extremely agitated and irritable. So, after I agreed to lower the lamictal this past Weds, I called the pdoc back (spoke with the nurse) and told her I didn't want to lower the lamictal. She (nurse whom isn't my favorite person in the world) said, "Remember you specifically asked for pdoc's recommendation and this was his specific recommendation." Pdoc was not in the office. so, that was the end of that. I am dizzy today, and I did take the extra 50 today. Maybe I should try a few days without the extra 50's and see if the dizziness goes away.

I am feeling quite bored, and a little nervous that depression will set in.

Thanks, again, new friends.