New pdoc great, ...hope I don't get infatuated... Options

[meem]

Just kidding. but I like him a lot. I don't feel intimidated and I do feel reassured when he says that it'll take time to hear about all the complex stuff I have going on, and he's in no hurry to hurry it up.

He is highly respectful of my tdoc and the DBT course I'm taking, led by her. he sees the therapy part of the work as very important. Good for him for not being territorial!!

He had increased my Epival to 1000 mg and now wants me to go to 1500. he said my blood levels showed that it was in the effective range as an anti-epileptic but not much for the mood stabilizing aspect. He wants to give this med a fair trial before moving on to something else. I tolerate it well- even at 1000. The weight gain issue with this is, in his opinion, not the drug itself, but the cravings it stimulates (like so many of the AP's), and urges excercise and healthful eating habits. Impossible when feeling down, anxious, distracted etc etc, but I get the point and I want to want to excercise and get something out of it besides it just being a bloody chore!

He concurred with my last pdoc about my dx of BP II, and knows very well my fear that I somehow made it up to fool them or something....no, it's irrational obsessive thinking, and I can understand that forever, but have to be able to FEEL it. He says we'll tackle those obsessive thoughts down the road. If I'm still stuck after all the therapy, we'll try a medication approach.

so today I felt blah and unmotivated with spikes of excitement, and I think the excitement may have to do with this new doc. I'll see him again on Dec. 3.

[Randy]

Wow, I'm so glad you've got a pdoc you can respect. I hope you can keep your weight gain under control. I know what you mean about it being hard when you're still down. I've put on 5 lbs since getting to my massive dose of Seroquel.

Maybe we can both use Debbie and Victoria as roll models!!

[meem]

No kidding. I've gained 5 lbs since August, and that's the point where I feel uncomfortable and bloated. I KNOW that working 10 min/day on our orbital trainer will do the cardio work to burn fat. It would also help if I can stop the urge to eat straight butter and peanut butter late at night. Double-dipping, y'know.

But I also have to say that I was close to this weight (180) several yrs ago when I was not taking any psych drugs, and have been hovering around here for the past few yrs, despite the changes in my meds. One yr ago I had dropped from 185 to 170 over a few months and I have no clue why, except that I WAS using the Orbital.

Shit, the motivation is soooo illusive!