What's a little chest pain when I can at least pay attention to the ER doc when he tells me I've had my first heart attack!

This one made me a bit worried . . .

I am a 30 year old male, and I’ve been taking stimulant ADD meds for about 15 years. The last 5 years I’ve been on Metadate CD 60mg every AM. Worked pretty good, and insurance covered most of it.My doctor switched me to Focalin . . . → Read More: What's a little chest pain when I can at least pay attention to the ER doc when he tells me I've had my first heart attack!

Rash from Lamictal . . . do you have to stop it?

This letter brings up an important question about Lamictal . . .

I’m a 45 y/o female properly diagnosed and treated as bipolar for 1 & 1/2 years. Prior to this diagnosis, I was treated soley for depression for 10 years (the last 5 as refractory.) I am presently doing GREAT on Lamictal 200mg daily . . . → Read More: Rash from Lamictal . . . do you have to stop it?

Neurontin as a first line agent . . . I Don't Think So!

I received this question from a concerned consumer last week . . .

A week ago I was prescribed gabapentin, an anti-epileptic drug, for the off-label use of social anxiety and “affective mood disorder.” I have been concerned about this ever since I began my research on it a few days ago. Most of what . . . → Read More: Neurontin as a first line agent . . . I Don't Think So!

My Vacation Book Report . . . What I've Learned

Vacation is always about relaxing and getting away. Right???? Finding the time to renew your soul and making yourself ready to get back in the trenches and fight anew. The trick, of course, is holding on to some of that sense of self . . . your relaxed self . . . so that the . . . → Read More: My Vacation Book Report . . . What I've Learned

Tapering quickly off Klonopin . . . or . . . how to drive yourself crazy and feel like crap

Dawn writes in . . . actually . . . shouts in . . .

HI I WAS ON KLONOPIN FOR ABOUT 15 YEARS NOW AND I AM TRYIGN TO WEAN MYSELF OFF. I AM NOTICING I HAVE THE SHAKES, I CANNOT THINK STRAIGHT AT ALL, I CANNOT RETAIN MUCH OF ANYTHING, MY FACE . . . → Read More: Tapering quickly off Klonopin . . . or . . . how to drive yourself crazy and feel like crap

Chronic suicidal thoughts . . . to be or not to be . . .

The presence of chronic suicidal thoughts is one of the more difficult issues to deal with in psychiatry. It is one of the issues that separates psychiatry from all other branches of medicine. When patients see my colleagues, they want to get better. Sometimes, when patients see me . . . they just want to . . . → Read More: Chronic suicidal thoughts . . . to be or not to be . . .

Physically sick from the meds . . . what to do . . . what to do

Leslie writes in with a question . . .

I have been taking Lamictal for a short period of time. My doctor added Abilify 10 days ago and I have had a low grade fever ever since. She says it’s flu but I now am certain it is the medication. The fever has also made . . . → Read More: Physically sick from the meds . . . what to do . . . what to do

Lamictal and acne

Red writes in with a common complaint about Lamictal . . .

I’m a 29 y/o female. I started Lamictal July of 07 (150mgs) and since then I have developed horrible acne along my jawline that takes weeks to clear up and new pimples develop every other day. They are painful. I also have pimples . . . → Read More: Lamictal and acne

Does every kid on stimulants need an EKG?

Oh boy, oh, BOY!!! When my wife showed me this issue on the internet last night I gave a big sigh and an eye roll. I knew the phone calls would start early and heavy. For those of you who have not heard, the American Heart Association issued a recommendation that all children who are . . . → Read More: Does every kid on stimulants need an EKG?

Is common sense really in that short supply?

Shelly writes in with the following disturbing comment:

Thank you for intelligent, medical, heartfelt, honest mental health information. Information I can really use and makes sense, a lot of common sense. The most successful of all of my treatment for bi-polar has been a result of applying recommended coping skills, eating good and healthy . . . → Read More: Is common sense really in that short supply?