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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Rowan on January 2, 2003, at 19:54:25
I am desperatly seeking insight into any info I can find about the combination of meds that my husband is currently taking...he is a recovering heroin addict who is also been diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder. His Doctor that he sees has him on completly different meds than he was on last year and he seems to be worse off on these meds than he was on dope (sorry to say) the side effects seem way out of line. He has been taking these meds now for 8 weeks, they are
Depakote 1500 mg
Naltrexone 50mg
baclofen ?mg but taken 3x day
Escitalopram ?mg
Im not sure of the dosage on the last 2, but the MD has raised his depakote as of last week because my husband has been sleepwalking and has split his head open as a result. His side effects seem very severe, he has been so bloated that his clothes no longer fit, he falls asleep while doing EVERYTHING, including IN his dinner, he has hives on his face and neck,constant blurry eyevision, his mania has seem to have worsened, severe paranoia, still sleepwalking at night.Has seemed to develope a serious case of obcessive compulsive disorder, like hes constantly lining things up, which he never did this before. Im very worried for him and I know that these meds take time, but he dosnt seem to be reacting well at all. He has also burned every carpet in my house falling asleep with cigarettes, that I had to ban him from smoking in our home. Should he see another MD and are these meds ok together????
I am so very worried for him that he will just become so fed up with all of this that he will go back to using again.Any advice will be so greatly appreciated.
Posted by jay on January 2, 2003, at 23:49:45
In reply to trying to stay patient, posted by Rowan on January 2, 2003, at 19:54:25
Hi:I am so sorry to hear about you and your husband's situation. It doesn't sound like the doctor treating your husband is much of an expert in 'addiction medicine'. That is a very exclusive, special trained title.
Do some searches in your area for doctors who are trained in addiction medicine, even if it takes some time. To begin with, I don't understand why your husband wasn't started on Methadone treatment asap, but if you are in the U.S., they are still very conservative and anal about treating with medications such as Methadone that work and are powerful.
Also to note, I had major problems with sleep disturbances on Depakote, including nightmares, lucid dreaming, sleep-walking, etc.
Your husband needs a specially trained doctor who is not afraid to use quality powerful medications to help him carry on with life. Once he get's feeling a bit better, and you hopefully have a new doctor, also consider good outpatient hospital-affiliated treatment programs, where he can go for social support. Right now, though, the physical symptoms *must* be looked after.
Best wishes..please come back for support..
Jay
Posted by Rowan on January 3, 2003, at 11:05:34
In reply to Re: trying to stay patient » Rowan, posted by jay on January 2, 2003, at 23:49:45
Thank you Jay, for your response. I agree with you about the doctor, that he should be a specific type for him, although my husband dosnt agree, and also too, he was on methadone for 30 days while in a drug rehab, when he got out he relapsed and now has gone to this MD and is now on these meds. It is all so very hard on him and everyone involved because everyone really feels like we have lost him completly to these meds. He can no longer work or play music, he is a very talented musician also and has completly lost the drive for that.I will try to suggest finding a different MD to him and maybe he will agree.When the MD raised his Depakote from 750mg to 1500 mg because of his mania at night I didnt understand, it dosnt seem to be subsiding, but getting worse. I feel like if he wasnt so medicated that he might agree to doing this, right now he just dosnt seem to be "in there". Thanks again Jay.
This is the end of the thread.
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