Podcasts about lamictal

Private class action lawsuits play a significant role in the vindication and development of U.S. antitrust law. But what are attorneys and courts to do when they know there's an injured class, but are not quite sure who's in it and who's not? Tram Nguyen, Ph.D., an economist and Managing Principal at Edgeworth Economics, joins Alicia Downey and Matt Reynolds to discuss how economic analysis can help overcome issues with ascertaining class membership, particularly in the context of the pharmaceutical industry. Listen to this episode to learn more about not only the "ascertainability" requirement in class action litigation but also Tram's favorite beach destinations. With special guest: Tram Nguyen, Ph.D., Managing Principal, Edgeworth Economics Related Links: George Korenko & Tram Nguyen, Finding Uninjured Consumers In Drug Antitrust Class Actions  George Korenko & Tram Nguyen, Lamictal and the Myth of “Generic” “Pay-for-Delay” Cases  George Korenko & Tram Nguyen, Don't Count Out Numerosity  Hosted by: Matthew Reynolds, Huth Reynolds LLP and Alicia Downey, Downey Law LLC

Send us a textExplore the mysterious changes that depression triggers in the brain, as we unravel the complexities of neurotransmitters and their crucial roles in mental health. Join us as we break down how dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin shape our emotions and mental states, and discover how SSRIs can help manage depression by influencing these chemical messengers. We'll discuss the challenges of diagnosing mood disorders, given their subjective nature and the lack of definitive tests. Our 'Winner of the Week' segment brings a heartwarming story from Cape Verde, where a couple's compassionate rescue of a dying donkey leads to unexpected joy and miracles.Next, we turn our attention to psychiatric medication, focusing on the intricacies of finding the right dosage with insight into the use of Lamictal. Understand the importance of regular consultations with your psychiatrist to track medication effectiveness and side effects, and hear about the role blood tests can play in managing side effects. From there, we lighten the mood with a fun chat about fantasy football, highlighting our league standings, followed by the heartwarming tale of Chip, a lovable cockapoo from the Detroit Dog Rescue in search of a forever home. We wrap up with a powerful reminder that changing your mindset can transform your life, and the simple yet profound impact of kindness and laughter in our daily interactions.FIND ME:My Website: https://motorcityhypnotist.com/podcastMy social media links: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/motorcityhypnotist/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCjjLNcNvSYzfeX0uHqe3gATwitter: https://twitter.com/motorcityhypnoInstagram: motorcityhypnoFREE HYPNOSIS GUIDEhttps://detroithypnotist.convertri.com/podcast-free-hypnosis-guidePlease also subscribe to the show and leave a review.(Stay with me as later in the podcast, I'll be giving away a free gift to all listeners!)Change your thinking, change your life!Laugh hard, run fast, be kind. David R. Wright MA, LPC, CHTThe Motor City Hypnotist

Poet of the Week, November 11–17, 2024. Full text of the poem & interview: brooklynpoets.org/community/poet/marlee-alcina-miller

Welcome to today's episode where we discuss another mood stabilizer, Lamotrigine (Lamictal). --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/psychrounds/support

This is the 27th podcast episode for the Psychiatric Medication Podcast Series. Series Description: Current literature indicates that podcasts can be an effective educational format to reach health professionals across the continuum of medical education, addressing a myriad of topics pertinent to providers. This episode serves as an overview of Lamotrigine/Lamictal. This podcast season is the second released by East Carolina University's Office of Continuing Medical Education and may be beneficial for physicians, residents, fellows, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses. This podcast season is comprised of approximately 30 episodes, each focusing on different psychiatric medications for the non-psychiatric provider. Those tuning into the podcast's second season will receive a primer on the "bread and butter" behavioral health medications for primary care: antidepressants, antipsychotics, and mood stabilizers. Episodes will be released weekly on Wednesdays.Irene Pastis, MD & Daniel Majarwitz, MD

Just the other day I received a text from one of our wonderful FM attendings in our group concerned about refilling a patient's Lamictal in early pregnancy. When asked if that was acceptable to do, I quickly answered ABSOLUTELY. We've come a long way in understanding bipolar disorder and a long way since lithium was first described for its use. While its use in psychiatry dates to the mid-19th century, the widespread discovery of lithium is usually credited to Australian psychiatrist John Cade who introduced it for mania in 1949. The first randomized trial was published in 1954 showing efficacy for this mental health condition. The drug was not US FDA approved for treatment of bipolar disorder until 21 years later in 1970. Thankfully, now- safer options of medical therapy are available for reproductive age women. In this episode we will summarize the data on medical therapy for bipolar disorder. Which medications are preferred? Are serum drug levels recommended? Does lithium really cause Epstein's Anomaly? And what drastic move did the UK perform to reduce fetal exposure to some medications commonly used for bipolar disorder in reproductive age women? We'll explain it all in this episode.

In the episode, "Tapering Off Antipsychotics: Avoiding Withdrawal, Practicing Self-Care(S5, E4)," I share my journey I started 2 years ago when I decided to officially remove psychiatry from my life and get off their forced meds for good. Most psychiatrists have no interest in helping a bipolar get off their meds, so I went out on my own, assembled a support group around me, did the research, and invested in my healing. Now after putting my goal front and center for the last 2 years, I have committed to a long and slow taper from Seroquel and Lamictal, and luckily, I've suffered no withdrawal symptoms yet. So check in to see if any of my advice can help anyone taking on the process. Those mentioned in this podcast:Dr. Mark Horowitzhttps://markhorowitz.orgDr. Lynn Parodneck, MDMedical Marijuana Practictionerhttps://www.drlynnparodneck.comRobin Queen, psychosocial spiritual counselorhttps://slowmedicine.org/about-robinWarren Falcon, dream therapisthttps://falconwarren.blogspot.comChaya Grossberg, holistic healerhttps://chayagrossberg.comLyle Murphywww.alternativetomeds.com#psychmedswithdrawal #bipolardisorder #antipsychotics #bigpharma #forceddrugging #chayagrossberg #mania #depression #psychiatryisnotscience #markhorowitz #medicalmarijuanaPlease visit my website at: http://www.notascrazyasyouthink.com/​Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJenConnect:Instagram: @ jengaita LinkedIn: @ jensicilianoTwitter: @ jsiciliano

Download the cheat: https://bit.ly/50-meds  View the lesson: https://bit.ly/LamotrigineLamictalNursingConsiderations      Generic Name lamotrigine Trade Name Lamictal Indication seizures r/t epilepsy, bipolar Action Inhibits sodium transport in neurons Therapeutic Class anticonvulsant Nursing Considerations • may cause suicidal thoughts, dizziness, behavior changes, nausea, vomiting, photosensitivity, rash, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome • use caution with oral contraceptive use • assess mental status • assess for seizures • do not discontinue use abruptly

Lamictal was a drug prescribed to me to stabilize my mood. Did that happen? Was it a good thing?

Is it possible to safely come off psychiatric medications associated with the consequences of a brain tumor? 29 y.o. Tina and her mom, Janine, share their experiences as Tina heals from a cerebellar tumor at 17 y.o. and then a mental health crisis ten years later. Diagnosed with bipolar disorder and medicated with Lamictal and Olanzapine, Tina felt flat, tired, and stressed. How did she overcome her life challenges? What important insights does she have for those who also want to taper off their psychiatric medications? This podcast will inspire hope as Tina and Janine share their miraculous healing journey.For more about Dr. Lee, please visit:Website: www.holisticpsychiatrist.comYouTube: The Holistic PsychiatristClick on the Holistic Updates Sign up for weekly stories and insights: Holistic UpdatesTo schedule consultations or appointments, call her office at 240-437-7600The content provided by this podcast is for informational purposes only and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA. This podcast is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional.

What does a holistic psychiatrist use to help resolve bipolar disorder and Lamictal/Lamotrigine withdrawal? Dr. Lee explains the core issue in bipolar illness from a holistic psychiatric perspective and goes over her favorite supplements for treating bipolar disorder and Lamictal/Lamotrigine withdrawal. Listen as she goes over each supplement and provides reasons why they are important for healing this difficult condition.For more about Dr. Lee, please visit:Website: www.holisticpsychiatrist.comYouTube: The Holistic PsychiatristClick on the Holistic Updates Sign up for weekly stories and insights: Holistic UpdatesTo schedule consultations or appointments, call her office at 240-437-7600The content provided by this podcast is for informational purposes only and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA. This podcast is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional.

Although Jane never believed she had bipolar disorder, she was prescribed Lamotrigine/Lamictal for bipolar disorder in 1982. In 2018, after taking Lamictal for over 36 years, she wanted to get off of it safely. Is it possible to come off a medication after taking it for over three decades? What needed to happen in order for her to have a safe withdrawal? Jane and I revisit her healing journey: what needed to heal and how it was accomplished. What has life been like for Jane without a psychiatric diagnosis, chronic mental health symptoms, or a need for a prescription medication? Listen as Jane and I catch up on her ongoing adventures.For more about Dr. Lee, please visit: Website: www.holisticpsychiatrist.comYouTube: The Holistic PsychiatristClick on the Holistic Updates Sign up for weekly stories and insights: Holistic UpdatesTo schedule consultations or appointments, call her office at 240-437-7600 The content provided by this podcast is for informational purposes only and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA. This podcast is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional.

In this episode, we hear from Heather McCarthy, mother of O'Shea McCarthy, known as Shea, who was born in December of 1988. His love of art and music was apparent from an early age, and by the time he reached adolescence, he had become proficient in a variety of instruments and was the recipient of numerous art awards. Shea excelled in his studies throughout his K through 12 education, especially in his love of nature and science. Upon graduation from high school, he was admitted to Purdue University where he was accepted in the Earth and Atmospheric Science Program. Prior to undergoing corrective surgery for a deviated septum the summer before his sophomore year, Shea was prescribed an extremely large dose of the antibiotic Levaquin. After a three-week course of this veritable atomic bomb of antibiotics, Shea's life would never be the same. Heather remembers that her son became a shadow of the “intelligent, curious, beautiful young man” he was as he was suddenly struggling with anxiety, cardiac issues, insomnia, and a host of other adverse effects caused by Levaquin. Despite telling his treatment providers that he believed his condition was the result of an adverse effect of Levaquin, they chose a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and subsequently prescribed a host of psychotropic drugs that included Risperdal, Lamictal and Ativan. [Heather McCarthy] I think these drugs are so insidious on how they affect your spirit and your mind and, my belief, your soul, because it's such a slow walk. It's such a slow chipping away at who he was. And his anxiety was all the time. He, you know, was twitching a lot and he had so much anxiety. And I think he just got tired. And how degrading it is to not be listened to and to not be believed. I mean, we have medical records that says, “I'm afraid,” he's telling his therapist, “I'm afraid I'm going to crash my car." In hindsight, it's just this ridiculous, to me, belief that he was — you know, he's going, he's getting the treatment, he's going to get better. Like, this is going to pass. This is a brilliant young man. You know? Like, this is going to pass.” Heather McCarthy is an attorney from Northwest Indiana who holds advanced degrees in public administration and English lit. Prior to establishing a private law practice, she was an executive in the mental health industry. She served in the role of vice president at the administrative services organization for Regional Mental Health Center, the facility that treated her son, O'Shea. After his death, Heather pursued an eight-year legal case alleging medical malpractice of the mental health treatment providers in the wrongful death of her son. She also testified, with numerous other victims, at the 2015 FDA hearings that resulted in additional black box warnings for the antibiotic Levaquin and the acknowledgment of a disability, Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability, of which symptoms include cardiac issues, insomnia, restlessness, and psychosis, some of which can be permanent. Heather also supports the efforts of MISSD in creating awareness about akathisia, a condition that was fatal for Shea after receiving mental health treatment.In this episode we hear two interviews with Heather, the first of which was recorded in late 2019, following the MISSD organization's silent auction in Chicago. At that time Heather's lawsuit was in progress and she was not permitted to make mention of it. Later, we hear an interview recorded just last month, following resolution of that litigation.

Welcome to another episode of The PO3 Podcast (Episode 40). In this episode of the PO3 Podcast Marcus Marx talks about the nasty side effects that are occurring from the bipolar medication "lamictal" and the struggles that follow. We also discuss religion and where each of us stand on that topic. Follow the PO3 Podcast On Instagram @PO3_Podcast --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/po3podcast/support

Welcome to another episode of The PO3 Podcast (Episode 38). In this episode of the PO3 Podcast , Jonathan Tovar opens up about some of his personal adversities he has faced over the years and what tools he used to overcome them.He also takes a moment to self reflect and answer a few difficult questions. Marcus Marx describes his experience with Bi-Polar medication Lamictal and the effects that are taking place. Follow the PO3 Podcast On Instagram @PO3_Podcast --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/po3podcast/support

Welcome to another episode of The PO3 Podcast (Episode 36). In this episode of the PO3 Podcast , Marcus Marx and Jonathan Tovar discuss Marcus's first week on his bipolar medication" lamictal" or "lamotrigine" and the anxiety's leading up to the first dose. We also discuss the book "The end of Mental Illness " By Dr. Amen, a Clinical Psychologist . This is part 1 of episode 36. Part 2 will be uploaded Thursday morning at 9 am. Living with mental illness, the struggles, the stigma and everyday life. Marcus Marx will discuss his everyday struggles living with his Mental Health issues. For AUDIO version of this podcast follow us on Anchor! https://anchor.fm/po3podcast Follow the PO3 Podcast On Instagram @PO3_Podcast --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/po3podcast/support

This week, Peter Simons covers the first peer-reviewed scientific article with specific guidance for discontinuing antipsychotic drugs, a study that found transcranial magnetic stimulation no better than sham treatment for bipolar disorder, and an FDA drug safety communication about the risk of heart arrhythmias with anticonvulsant drug lamotrigine (Lamictal). Major Publication on Tapering Antipsychotics Released Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) Ineffective for People with Bipolar Disorder FDA Drug Safety Communication for lamotrigine Visit madinamerica.com for more news, articles and research updates.

Listen to an audio podcast of the March 31, 2021 FDA Drug Safety Communication that FDA review of studies show a potential increased risk of heart rhythm problems, in patients with heart disease taking lamotrigine (Lamictal). FDA requiring studies to evaluate heart risk across the drug class.

Purpose: Learn how a holistic and integrative approach can help a person withdraw from Geodon (Ziprasidone), Lamictal (Lamotrigine), and Wellbutrin (Bupropion) easily and successfully!Allyson is a beautiful, vivacious businesswoman who had taken three psychiatric medications for 11 years when she began working with me to help her withdraw safely. We talk about her healing process: her motivations for doing so, the preparation required, and what she learned along the way. We also discuss how things are different for her now that she is off her medications and thriving. For more about Dr. Lee, please visit:Website: www.holisticpsychiatrist.comYouTube: The Holistic PsychiatristClick on the Holistic Updates Sign up for weekly stories and insights: Holistic UpdatesTo schedule consultations or appointments, call her office at 240-437-7600The content provided by this podcast is for informational purposes only and has not been approved by the U.S. FDA. This podcast is not intended to provide personal medical advice, which should be obtained from a medical professional.

In this episode Nick talks about meeting his new psychiatrist and the process that led up to that first appointment.Feel free to join our Facebook group, "Regular People Talking About Mental Health".nickandtriciapodcast@gmail.comwww.NickandTricia.com

This episode tells the story of me leaving one psychiatrist, and finding a new one.  This involves topics related to medication, psychiatry, therapy, support networks, growth, and hard work.  Primary medications touched on are Depakote, with references to Lamictal and Lithium.

Radical Treatments for your McMental HealthSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/degeneratenation?fan_landing=true)

Topics include sexy penguins, the magic of lasers, outrage porn, and saying no. Plus, an important potato chip update. And we F**k/Marry/Kill the pop stars of our youth. Not (yet) sponsored by Lamictal.

In Episode 3, Christina will tell us all about Lamictal, bad times at the University of Wiscomptin, hypochondriasis and share her thoughts on male proportionality. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/liza-chapa/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/liza-chapa/support

Just a quick podcast on how I love Lamictal and a warning about benzodiazepines and Ambien. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bipolar-mixed/support

In this mini-episode Dr. H opens himself up for major audiophile shaming as he (reluctantly) reveals his three desert island albums. With this revelation complete, he then moves on to the challenge at hand-- which three psychiatric medications are at the top of the heap, combining efficacy, safety, and breadth of symptom coverage?A hint-- they all start with the same letter. And they are all generic. And psychiatry would be greatly hamstrung without them. Guesses?? Dr. Hhttps://www.craigheacockmd.com

La lamotrigina è un farmaco usato in psichiatria come stabilizzatore dell'umore con la funzione anche di prevenire gli episodi depressivi.Qual'è la posologia della lamotrigina? Quali effetti collaterali ha la lamotrigina? Vi spiego tutto in questo breve video...Vi interessano la Psichiatria e le Neuroscienze? Bene, allora iscrivetevi a questo podcast ed al mio canale YouTube e seguitemi sul web tramite il mio blog https://www.valeriorosso.comInoltre andate su Amazon a dare un’occhiata ai miei libri:“Psicobiotica” - Un nuovo modo di intendere il rapporto tra la Mente ed il Corpo….andate su: https://amzn.to/2IZwjhm“Psichiatria Rock” - 50 pensieri off line dal mio blog….andate su: https://amzn.to/2IVKKmJ

La lamotrigina è un farmaco usato in psichiatria come stabilizzatore dell'umore con la funzione anche di prevenire gli episodi depressivi.Qual'è la posologia della lamotrigina? Quali effetti collaterali ha la lamotrigina? Vi spiego tutto in questo breve video...Vi interessano la Psichiatria e le Neuroscienze? Bene, allora iscrivetevi a questo podcast ed al mio canale YouTube e seguitemi sul web tramite il mio blog https://www.valeriorosso.comInoltre andate su Amazon a dare un’occhiata ai miei libri:“Psicobiotica” - Un nuovo modo di intendere il rapporto tra la Mente ed il Corpo….andate su: https://amzn.to/2IZwjhm“Psichiatria Rock” - 50 pensieri off line dal mio blog….andate su: https://amzn.to/2IVKKmJ

Welcome to the Optimal CEO Podcast. This is Dr. Brian Brown. Join me on today's episode where we'll be discussing how I went from depressed and suicidal to naturally restored and ended a 16 year relationship with psychiatric medications. Thanks for joining me today. Last week, I explained how I discovered at age 45 that I'd been dying every single night since age 5… and how that journey gave me a profound appreciation for functional & integrative medicine. I also discussed why a blended approach is the best approach to wellness and why many wellness gurus are off-base when they tell you that their way is the only way because it's the availability of blended options that bring about wellness success in this complex system we call the human body. Today, I'm gonna to continue my story and tell you how I found a way to get off of psychiatric medications after 16 years. Let's jump right in… I've been practicing psychiatry since 1998. I've treated children as young as age 5… adolescents… young adults… middle-age adults… and senior adults. In that time, I've treated thousands of patients who were not content with life. If “happy” is defined as “feeling or showing contentment,” then I've met a lot of people who were not content (not happy) with life in their present situation. Depression and anxiety are rampant in the Western world, yet the only answer that traditional medicine seems to have is in the form of developing the next “latest and greatest” magic pill. I've actually been one of those “discontent . . . unhappy” people myself. All my life, I had longed to become a doctor. I had felt this calling since I was a young boy. It's all I'd ever dreamed of and all I ever talked about. It's what I had my sights set on. I wanted to help others and was hardwired from birth to be an empathic, caring individual. Also, in my mind, it was a way for me to find some happiness. I developed a hardworking nature right from the start: I started mowing yards when I was nine years old and started flipping burgers when I was fifteen years old. I've done everything from changing oil and pumping gas, to patching flat tires, to driving a gas truck, to unloading trucks at UPS. I'm thankful for those experiences because they have gifted me with the work ethic and people skills I have today. Because of my hardworking nature, the academic rigors of my training were second nature to me as evidenced by being a straight “A” student through my high school, undergraduate, and graduate studies. My story actually begins in the spring of 1997 when I was in my next-to-last year of professional training. One of our lectures had just dismissed for a fifteen minute break in the middle of a four-hour stretch. It was an unusually beautiful spring day, so I went outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the tulips that were in full bloom. I went to the third floor balcony that overlooked a park, the closest thing to nature near my lecture hall. I was right in the middle of my lifelong dream on that third floor balcony. . . but I wasn't happy; somehow, happiness had eluded me. I would later realize that by this point, I had been struggling with depression for about two years and that health professionals had the highest rates of suicide among all other professions. As I stood there on the balcony, propped against the balcony railing and facing the street below, I saw a dump truck speeding down the road in front of me. As the truck approached, I had a flood of emotion as all of the blood rushed from my head. I became dizzy andthe whole world around me spun out of control in a maze of vertigo. My heart was racing, and I was overwhelmed by a nauseated feeling in the pit of my stomach . . . Yet, at the same time, I had a sense of immediate relief and heard a small voice whisper, “It's over now.” It wasn't a horrific voice. It was a peaceful voice. You see as that dump truck sped by, I experienced all the sensations of being thrown over the railing into the path of the oncoming truck below—I had actually envisioned throwing myself over the rail. All of this happened in a matter of seconds. I still remember that feeling to this day. I also remember, in that split second, not knowing whether it was actually happening or all a dream. Sadly, part of me hoped that it was real. When I came to my senses and realized that it was all a vision, I was scared. It rocked me to the core. I immediately had flashes of my beautiful wife and my two beautiful daughters who were three and six at the time. Guilt and shame immediately set it. How could I have such a vision? How could I even feel hope that it was actually happening? What was wrong with me? I left the balcony that day and never stepped foot out there again. I was so ashamed. I didn't tell anyone what happened until about twenty years later. And it wasn't until a year after that incident on the balcony that I confided in a colleague that I'd been struggling with depression and anxiety. She never asked about suicidal thoughts, and I never told her… And I sure as heck didn't tell her about the dozens of other times I had avoided the impulse to swerve my car into the path of oncoming traffic while driving. She put me on Prozac, and it was at that time that I began a sixteen-year journey into the world of “chemical happiness.” I've often reflected why I went on the that first medication. The only conclusion I can draw is that I was new in my profession… in the field of psychiatry… and it just made sense. It was the way I was trained. I told myself, “Brian, why wouldn't I do this? It's what I'd do for one of my patients. Some people get their “chemical happiness” fix through drugs or alcohol, and others, like me, get their fix through antidepressants.” This is how I rationalized it. Isn't it funny how we as humans will find a rationalization for most anything that we want… or anything that we are doing… just to make sense of it all. But… I don't beat myself up too much over this journey, because my knowledge was limited when I made the decision. I guess you can say I wasn't as enlightened as I am now. And… I would even add that it was this journey that has allowed me to help so many others. So… in a strange way… it had to happen… and again, here's the rationalization of it all. Now, let's get back to the rest of the story. In the course of sixteen years, I tried nine different psychiatric medications in the pursuit of happiness… medications like Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Buspar, Lamictal, Strattera, and Provigil. None of these gave me the happiness I wanted. In fact, they made me feel numb. I couldn't feel anything. I had no emotion. And on top of that, I gained 170 pounds… At 390 pounds, I guess you can say I was “fat and chemically happy,” but I would use the word “happy” very loosely. Over time, I grew to hate the very pills that were supposed to make me feel normal. And yes, I use the word “normal” very loosely also. More than anything, I wanted off these medications. I tried a number of times to stop taking them, but I failed every time. The withdrawal side effects were not fun. Did you know that the drug companies that make these medications will tell you that they are not addictive? In the purest sense of the definition, maybe not, but in reality definitely so. When you try to stop these medication and have symptoms like rebound depression… rebound anxiety… nausea… headaches… and irritability… just to name a few… there's no doubt that these drugs are causing addictive problems. Unable to effectively get off these meds, I repeated the vicious cycle of finding the next pill that would hopefully work and not have major side effects. Oh! And speaking of side effects. They are horrible! Depending on the drug, you can be excessively sleepy and want to sleep all the time OR not be able to sleep hardly at all. You can have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, increased appetite, loss of appetite, anger, rage, irritability, no libido, erectile dysfunction… and these are just some of the most common ones. Oh… and the yawning can be terrible… yawning all the time… and there's nothing you can do about it. During my personal sixteen-year journey into “chemical happiness,” I was treating patients with these same medications that I tried… They were dealing with the same side effects… and dealing with the same withdrawal issues. I followed the mantra of my professional training and just accepted that this was the way things were supposed to be. Again, I rationalized it with another professional mantra that we were offering the very best treatments available… after all, what other options were there. How naïve that was to say that… but it's where I was at the time. During that time, I mostly treated patients who were in their mid- to late thirties and older. They would tell me that they were feeling unhappy . . . but many of them would follow it with, “But I know it's not depression . . . it's got to be something else . . . some kind of imbalance.” Most of the time, they would follow it with a laundry list of psychiatric medications they had tried—none of which worked well. Then one day, around the age of forty, it dawned on me: maybe my patients had been right all along! Maybe my medical training had failed me. Maybe the pharmaceutical industry had lied to me. Maybe there were answers outside of traditional medical approaches. I had to find a different way of doing things. From that point forward, I made it my mission to become a student of the best alternative therapies that a person could use to physically and emotionally regain happiness from the inside out. Now, believe me, I knew that walking down this road could mean committing professional suicide. You see, I had been practicing psychiatry for years now. I was a company man. I spoke for numerous pharmaceutical companies. I talked the talk and walked the walk. I believed the lockstep answers fed to me in my medical training, and, not ironically, these same answers were fed to me by the drug reps that made sales calls on me at my office. For those of you who may not know, here's a bit of insider information… a peak behind the curtain, if you will. As a prescriber, you don't get asked to be a speaker for a pharmaceutical company unless you're a high volume prescriber… that's the first thing you need to know. And secondly, Big Pharma has pockets deep enough to be very persuasive. They provide prescribers with the most recent studies… all of which happen to prove their point and sway prescribing in their direction. They are fully aware that prescribers are busy and have little time to do in-depth clinical reading of professional journals. But the proverbial rabbit hole goes deeper. All you have to do is follow the money. Open up most any professional journal, and you will find TWO to SIX page advertising spreads for this drug or that with a cost-per-ad that will rival advertising costs in major secular publications. These same Big Pharma companies are the ones that will pay $100,000 or more for a booth at a professional conference. I give you these tidbits to let you know that the information medical professionals have at their disposal is tainted… and the professional organizations are tainted… they have been corrupted by Big Pharma. I've lived it. I've seen it first hand. And, as you may recall from podcast episode one, the numbers show it. The U.S. is almost last in health outcomes and almost first in healthcare spending. When are we going to wake up and recognize the disconnect here? But, I digress. Until this point, I had been 100 percent sold on the fact that pharmaceutical drugs were the answer, but that day I had my epiphany, something inside of me snapped. I was repulsed by all the lies propagated by Big Pharma . . . lies fed to me during my education; lies that led me down a path of unrest; and lies that certainly didn't reverse my depression. I couldn't live like this anymore, and I couldn't keep poking pills down my own throat and down the throats of my patients either. You might say I had a professional mid-life crisis. I refer to it as an awakening. I remember resolving in my mind that I couldn't do this anymore. Either I was getting out of health care altogether or I was going to reinvent myself. I set out on a journey to find answers, and it came in the strangest of ways. While away at a cardiovascular conference, the keynote speaker, who was the world's foremost authority on cholesterol, said something that lit a spark in me. Here was a guy being paid big bucks by some Big Pharma brand to speak about cholesterol. Instead, what he did surprised the audience. His entire lecture was on the natural treatment of elevated cholesterol. I have to admit, I was in awe. As a former speaker for Big Pharma brands, I knew what it meant to do what he was doing. He was committing professional suicide, but he didn't care… something that I later confirmed in a conversation with him. During that conversation, he also shared some insights that changed the course of my professional career. He pointed me in the right direction, telling me who I needed to study under to gain the knowledge and expertise that I needed. I immediately started seeking that education. After studying under the guru that he recommended for less than three months, I closed down my office practice. I had never been so sure of something in all of my life. I kept doing inpatient work to pay the bills, but I didn't darken the door of an office for nearly a year and a half. I went on to train under this guru for a total of three years. During that first year of training, I began implementing the techniques on myself… and guess what? I began to feel better. I began to lose weight and keep it off. My energy came up. My mood improved. I had stumbled onto something big. I eventually stopped my antidepressants completely in the spring of 2013. Finally, I was free. I had become an escape artist! I had escaped the confining boxes that Big Pharma and traditional medicine had me trapped in. It was a beautiful thing. But something still wasn't quite right. Sure, I was off antidepressants and happy for the first time in nearly two decades. But something was off. Then, it dawned on me. I had to share this with others and help them become escape artists too. In my second year of functional & integrative medicine training, I re-opened the doors of my office. This time, I wasn't practicing psychiatry. I was so turned off by traditional psychiatry that I didn't even want to be associated with it, and I was proud that I had escaped that box and was now beginning my journey to help others escape that box too. I laugh about it today, but it took me two years to realize that I never left psychiatry. I recall coming home one day and saying to my wife, “Guess what? I realized today that I never quit practicing psychiatry, I'm simply doing it differently. I'm doing it holistically.” Always the voice of patient wisdom, my wife said to me, “I was wondering how long it was going to take you to figure that out.” You see, it wasn't enough for me to transform myself. I had to pay it forward. I had to share other people… a way to get out of the confining boxes that traditional medicine, Big Pharma, and others try to put us into. And, that's exactly what I do today. Sure, my repertoire has far surpassed natural mood management. In my office, we manage auto-immune disorders, obesity, nutritional deficits, PCOS, menopause, andropause, gut issues, and thyroid dysfunction… just to name a few. But… since this episode is focused on the natural recovery from depression, I'll leave you with this. Throughout my years of traditional psychiatry and functional psychiatry, a few things have remained consistent… Research shows that women and men in their early thirties begin to experience a decline in hormone activity by as much as one to two1 to 2 percent per year… and this decline continues through the rest of their life. I don't think it's a coincidence that according to the National Center for Health statistics, women age 40 to 59forty to –fifty-nine have the highest rates of depression over any other age group (12.3 percent in fact%)… suicide rates among men are highest in their fifties, and, regardless of gender, those age 40 to 59forty to –fifty-nine are the least happy when compared to every other age group.? Sadly, with hormone disruptors in our diet and environment, we are seeing the ages for these statistics drop. So.. is hormone decline the cause of this depression epidemic in adults age 30 and over? I certainly think it's one of the main causes. In fact, since I've been practicing functional medicine, I've developed a very good track record at helping people avoid antidepressants and helping them come off of antidepressants… all by natural means. And… now that I have a functional medicine background, when we look at those in their late teens and twenties, I often find nutrition, diet, gut disturbances, PCOS, and/or thyroid as the cause. Many of you listening to this podcast may have been struggling silently for years… Or perhaps this is a new struggle… Either way, you need the help of a functional & integrative-medicine provider because most likely your regular medical provider doesn't have the necessary information to help you take back control of your life. Don't be forced into boxes of an antiquated system that you have no business being put into… boxes that follow old, unchallenged treatment modalities. You can easily find yourself in a cycle of being bounced around from doctor to specialist to new specialist with different results and no clear answers. Sadly, when traditional medicine can't find the answer to what ails you, it will typically use depression and anxiety as the default diagnosis box to put you in. If you don't take away anything else from this episode, I want you to leave with this… Be informed… know your options… stand up for better alternatives… and find your voice!!! Join us next time where I'll be talking about the last segment in my personal story. From 390 lbs. To A Fit Without Diet Pills

I've been practicing psychiatry since 1998. I've treated children as young as age 5… adolescents… young adults… middle-age adults… and senior adults. In that time, I've treated thousands of patients who were not content with life. If “happy” is defined as “feeling or showing contentment,” then I've met a lot of people who were not content (not happy) with life in their present situation. Depression and anxiety are rampant in the Western world, yet the only answer that traditional medicine seems to have is in the form of developing the next “latest and greatest” magic pill. I've actually been one of those “discontent . . . unhappy” people myself. All my life, I had longed to become a doctor. I had felt this calling since I was a young boy. It's all I'd ever dreamed of and all I ever talked about. It's what I had my sights set on. I wanted to help others and was hardwired from birth to be an empathic, caring individual. Also, in my mind, it was a way for me to find some happiness. I developed a hardworking nature right from the start: I started mowing yards when I was nine years old and started flipping burgers when I was fifteen years old. I've done everything from changing oil and pumping gas, to patching flat tires, to driving a gas truck, to unloading trucks at UPS. I'm thankful for those experiences because they have gifted me with the work ethic and people skills I have today. Because of my hardworking nature, the academic rigors of my training were second nature to me as evidenced by being a straight “A” student through my high school, undergraduate, and graduate studies. My story actually begins in the spring of 1997 when I was in my next-to-last year of professional training. One of our lectures had just dismissed for a fifteen minute break in the middle of a four-hour stretch. It was an unusually beautiful spring day, so I went outside to get some fresh air and enjoy the tulips that were in full bloom. I went to the third floor balcony that overlooked a park, the closest thing to nature near my lecture hall. I was right in the middle of my lifelong dream on that third floor balcony. . . but I wasn't happy; somehow, happiness had eluded me. I would later realize that by this point, I had been struggling with depression for about two years and that health professionals had the highest rates of suicide among all other professions. As I stood there on the balcony, propped against the balcony railing and facing the street below, I saw a dump truck speeding down the road in front of me. As the truck approached, I had a flood of emotion as all of the blood rushed from my head. I became dizzy andthe whole world around me spun out of control in a maze of vertigo. My heart was racing, and I was overwhelmed by a nauseated feeling in the pit of my stomach . . . Yet, at the same time, I had a sense of immediate relief and heard a small voice whisper, “It's over now.” It wasn't a horrific voice. It was a peaceful voice. You see as that dump truck sped by, I experienced all the sensations of being thrown over the railing into the path of the oncoming truck below—I had actually envisioned throwing myself over the rail. All of this happened in a matter of seconds. I still remember that feeling to this day. I also remember, in that split second, not knowing whether it was actually happening or all a dream. Sadly, part of me hoped that it was real. When I came to my senses and realized that it was all a vision, I was scared. It rocked me to the core. I immediately had flashes of my beautiful wife and my two beautiful daughters who were three and six at the time. Guilt and shame immediately set it. How could I have such a vision? How could I even feel hope that it was actually happening? What was wrong with me? I left the balcony that day and never stepped foot out there again. I was so ashamed. I didn't tell anyone what happened until about twenty years later. And it wasn't until a year after that incident on the balcony that I confided in a colleague that I'd been struggling with depression and anxiety. She never asked about suicidal thoughts, and I never told her… And I sure as heck didn't tell her about the dozens of other times I had avoided the impulse to swerve my car into the path of oncoming traffic while driving. She put me on Prozac, and it was at that time that I began a sixteen-year journey into the world of “chemical happiness.” I've often reflected why I went on the that first medication. The only conclusion I can draw is that I was new in my profession… in the field of psychiatry… and it just made sense. It was the way I was trained. I told myself, “Brian, why wouldn't I do this? It's what I'd do for one of my patients. Some people get their “chemical happiness” fix through drugs or alcohol, and others, like me, get their fix through antidepressants.” This is how I rationalized it. Isn't it funny how we as humans will find a rationalization for most anything that we want… or anything that we are doing… just to make sense of it all. But… I don't beat myself up too much over this journey, because my knowledge was limited when I made the decision. I guess you can say I wasn't as enlightened as I am now. And… I would even add that it was this journey that has allowed me to help so many others. So… in a strange way… it had to happen… and again, here's the rationalization of it all. Now, let's get back to the rest of the story. In the course of sixteen years, I tried nine different psychiatric medications in the pursuit of happiness… medications like Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Buspar, Lamictal, Strattera, and Provigil. None of these gave me the happiness I wanted. In fact, they made me feel numb. I couldn't feel anything. I had no emotion. And on top of that, I gained 170 pounds… At 390 pounds, I guess you can say I was “fat and chemically happy,” but I would use the word “happy” very loosely. Over time, I grew to hate the very pills that were supposed to make me feel normal. And yes, I use the word “normal” very loosely also. More than anything, I wanted off these medications. I tried a number of times to stop taking them, but I failed every time. The withdrawal side effects were not fun. Did you know that the drug companies that make these medications will tell you that they are not addictive? In the purest sense of the definition, maybe not, but in reality definitely so. When you try to stop these medication and have symptoms like rebound depression… rebound anxiety… nausea… headaches… and irritability… just to name a few… there's no doubt that these drugs are causing addictive problems. Unable to effectively get off these meds, I repeated the vicious cycle of finding the next pill that would hopefully work and not have major side effects. Oh! And speaking of side effects. They are horrible! Depending on the drug, you can be excessively sleepy and want to sleep all the time OR not be able to sleep hardly at all. You can have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, increased appetite, loss of appetite, anger, rage, irritability, no libido, erectile dysfunction… and these are just some of the most common ones. Oh… and the yawning can be terrible… yawning all the time… and there's nothing you can do about it. During my personal sixteen-year journey into “chemical happiness,” I was treating patients with these same medications that I tried… They were dealing with the same side effects… and dealing with the same withdrawal issues. I followed the mantra of my professional training and just accepted that this was the way things were supposed to be. Again, I rationalized it with another professional mantra that we were offering the very best treatments available… after all, what other options were there. How naïve that was to say that… but it's where I was at the time. During that time, I mostly treated patients who were in their mid- to late thirties and older. They would tell me that they were feeling unhappy . . . but many of them would follow it with, “But I know it's not depression . . . it's got to be something else . . . some kind of imbalance.” Most of the time, they would follow it with a laundry list of psychiatric medications they had tried—none of which worked well. Then one day, around the age of forty, it dawned on me: maybe my patients had been right all along! Maybe my medical training had failed me. Maybe the pharmaceutical industry had lied to me. Maybe there were answers outside of traditional medical approaches. I had to find a different way of doing things. From that point forward, I made it my mission to become a student of the best alternative therapies that a person could use to physically and emotionally regain happiness from the inside out. Now, believe me, I knew that walking down this road could mean committing professional suicide. You see, I had been practicing psychiatry for years now. I was a company man. I spoke for numerous pharmaceutical companies. I talked the talk and walked the walk. I believed the lockstep answers fed to me in my medical training, and, not ironically, these same answers were fed to me by the drug reps that made sales calls on me at my office. For those of you who may not know, here's a bit of insider information… a peak behind the curtain, if you will. As a prescriber, you don't get asked to be a speaker for a pharmaceutical company unless you're a high volume prescriber… that's the first thing you need to know. And secondly, Big Pharma has pockets deep enough to be very persuasive. They provide prescribers with the most recent studies… all of which happen to prove their point and sway prescribing in their direction. They are fully aware that prescribers are busy and have little time to do in-depth clinical reading of professional journals. But the proverbial rabbit hole goes deeper. All you have to do is follow the money. Open up most any professional journal, and you will find TWO to SIX page advertising spreads for this drug or that with a cost-per-ad that will rival advertising costs in major secular publications. These same Big Pharma companies are the ones that will pay $100,000 or more for a booth at a professional conference. I give you these tidbits to let you know that the information medical professionals have at their disposal is tainted… and the professional organizations are tainted… they have been corrupted by Big Pharma. I've lived it. I've seen it first hand. And, as you may recall from podcast episode one, the numbers show it. The U.S. is almost last in health outcomes and almost first in healthcare spending. When are we going to wake up and recognize the disconnect here? But, I digress. Until this point, I had been 100 percent sold on the fact that pharmaceutical drugs were the answer, but that day I had my epiphany, something inside of me snapped. I was repulsed by all the lies propagated by Big Pharma . . . lies fed to me during my education; lies that led me down a path of unrest; and lies that certainly didn't reverse my depression. I couldn't live like this anymore, and I couldn't keep poking pills down my own throat and down the throats of my patients either. You might say I had a professional mid-life crisis. I refer to it as an awakening. I remember resolving in my mind that I couldn't do this anymore. Either I was getting out of health care altogether or I was going to reinvent myself. I set out on a journey to find answers, and it came in the strangest of ways. While away at a cardiovascular conference, the keynote speaker, who was the world's foremost authority on cholesterol, said something that lit a spark in me. Here was a guy being paid big bucks by some Big Pharma brand to speak about cholesterol. Instead, what he did surprised the audience. His entire lecture was on the natural treatment of elevated cholesterol. I have to admit, I was in awe. As a former speaker for Big Pharma brands, I knew what it meant to do what he was doing. He was committing professional suicide, but he didn't care… something that I later confirmed in a conversation with him. During that conversation, he also shared some insights that changed the course of my professional career. He pointed me in the right direction, telling me who I needed to study under to gain the knowledge and expertise that I needed. I immediately started seeking that education. After studying under the guru that he recommended for less than three months, I closed down my office practice. I had never been so sure of something in all of my life. I kept doing inpatient work to pay the bills, but I didn't darken the door of an office for nearly a year and a half. I went on to train under this guru for a total of three years. During that first year of training, I began implementing the techniques on myself… and guess what? I began to feel better. I began to lose weight and keep it off. My energy came up. My mood improved. I had stumbled onto something big. I eventually stopped my antidepressants completely in the spring of 2013. Finally, I was free. I had become an escape artist! I had escaped the confining boxes that Big Pharma and traditional medicine had me trapped in. It was a beautiful thing. But something still wasn't quite right. Sure, I was off antidepressants and happy for the first time in nearly two decades. But something was off. Then, it dawned on me. I had to share this with others and help them become escape artists too. In my second year of functional & integrative medicine training, I re-opened the doors of my office. This time, I wasn't practicing psychiatry. I was so turned off by traditional psychiatry that I didn't even want to be associated with it, and I was proud that I had escaped that box and was now beginning my journey to help others escape that box too. I laugh about it today, but it took me two years to realize that I never left psychiatry. I recall coming home one day and saying to my wife, “Guess what? I realized today that I never quit practicing psychiatry, I'm simply doing it differently. I'm doing it holistically.” Always the voice of patient wisdom, my wife said to me, “I was wondering how long it was going to take you to figure that out.” You see, it wasn't enough for me to transform myself. I had to pay it forward. I had to share this gift to help transform other people. And, that's exactly what I do today. Sure, my repertoire has far surpassed natural mood management. In my office, we manage auto-immune disorders, obesity, nutritional deficits, PCOS, menopause, andropause, gut issues, and thyroid dysfunction. But… since this episode is focused on the natural recovery from depression, I'll leave you with this. Throughout my years of traditional psychiatry and functional psychiatry, a few things have remained consistent… Research shows that women and men in their early thirties begin to experience a decline in hormone activity by as much as one to two1 to 2 percent per year… and this decline continues through the rest of their life. I don't think it's a coincidence that according to the National Center for Health statistics, women age 40 to 59forty to –fifty-nine have the highest rates of depression over any other age group (12.3 percent in fact%)… suicide rates among men are highest in their fifties, and, regardless of gender, those age 40 to 59forty to –fifty-nine are the least happy when compared to every other age group.? Sadly, with hormone disruptors in our diet and environment, we are seeing the ages for these statistics drop. So.. is hormone decline the cause of this depression epidemic in adults age 30 and over? I certainly think it's one of the main causes. In fact, since I've been practicing functional medicine, I've developed a very good track record at helping people avoid antidepressants and helping them come off of antidepressants… all by natural means. And… now that I have a functional medicine background, when we look at those in their late teens and twenties, I often find nutrition, diet, gut disturbances, PCOS, and/or thyroid as the cause. Many of you listening to this podcast may have been struggling silently for years… Or perhaps this is a new struggle… Either way, you need the help of a functional & integrative-medicine provider because most likely your regular medical provider does not have the necessary information to help you take back control of your life. Don't be forced into boxes of an antiquated system that you have no business being put into… boxes that follow old, unchallenged treatment modalities. You can easily find yourself in a cycle of being bounced around from doctor to specialist to new specialist with different results and no clear answers. Sadly, when traditional medicine can't find the answer to what ails you, it will typically use depression and anxiety as the default diagnosis box to put you in. Be informed… know your options… stand up for better alternatives. Alright, that concludes today's episode. Next time, I'll be talking about the last segment in my personal story. From 390 lbs. To A Fitness-Work-In-Progress

The post lamotrigine (Lamictal) Nursing Pharmacology Considerations appeared first on NURSING.com.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that the medicine lamotrigine (Lamictal) for seizures and bipolar disorder can cause a rare but very serious reaction that excessively activates the body's infection-fighting immune system. This can cause severe inflammation throughout the body and lead to hospitalization and death, especially if the reaction is not diagnosed and treated quickly. A link to the full communication detailing specific information for health care professionals and a list of FDA-approved GBCAs can be found at www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety Released 4/25/2018

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that the medicine lamotrigine (Lamictal) for seizures and bipolar disorder can cause a rare but very serious reaction that excessively activates the body’s infection-fighting immune system. This can cause severe inflammation throughout the body and lead to hospitalization and death, especially if the reaction is not diagnosed and treated quickly. A link to the full communication detailing specific information for health care professionals and a list of FDA-approved GBCAs can be found at www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety Released 4/25/2018

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning that the medicine lamotrigine (Lamictal) for seizures and bipolar disorder can cause a rare but very serious reaction that excessively activates the body’s infection-fighting immune system. This can cause severe inflammation throughout the body and lead to hospitalization and death, especially if the reaction is not diagnosed and treated quickly. A link to the full communication detailing specific information for health care professionals and a list of FDA-approved GBCAs can be found at www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety Released 4/25/2018

This week, we interview Laura Delano. Laura is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Inner Compass Initiative and The Withdrawal Project, which aim to create safe spaces for people to connect and the opportunity to learn about and be guided through the process of getting beyond the mental health system and off psychiatric drugs.  The passion she feels for the mission and vision of ICI arises from the fourteen years she spent lost in the mental health system and the journey that she’s been on since 2010, when she chose to leave behind a “mentally ill” identity and the various treatments that came with it, and gradually began to rediscover and reconnect with who she really was and what it means to suffer, struggle, and be human in this world.  Since becoming an “ex-patient”, Laura has been writing and speaking about her personal experiences and about the broader social and political issues sitting at the heart of “mental illness” and “mental health”. Since 2011, she has worked both within and beyond the mental health system. In the Boston area, she worked for nearly two years for a large community mental health organization, providing support to and advocating for the rights of individuals in emergency rooms, psychiatric hospitals, and institutional “group home” settings. After leaving the “inside” of the mental health system, she began consulting with individuals and families seeking help during the psychiatric drug withdrawal process. Laura has also given talks and workshops in Europe and across North America, facilitated mutual-aid groups for people in withdrawal, and organized various conferences and public events such as the Mad in America International Film Festival.  In this interview, we got time to talk about Laura’s personal experiences of the mental health system and what led her to co-found the Inner Compass Initiative and The Withdrawal Project. In this episode we discuss: Laura’s experiences as a patient in the mental health system, starting treatment aged thirteen and leaving the system behind aged 27. How she spent much of that time as a compliant patient, taking the medications and following the advice of her doctors. That, by 2010, she was on 5 medications (Lithium, Abilify, Lamictal, Effexor and Ativan) and had spent the last decade becoming worse and unable to properly engage with life. How she came to read Anatomy of an Epidemic by Robert Whitaker and that it was a profound moment of realisation. That Laura decided to take control of her life and became determined to get off the drugs as quickly as possible. How traumatic it was to come to the realisation that almost everything she had been told during treatment was overly simplistic or incorrect. That Laura did experience feelings of being a victim of psychiatry, but realised that this increased her emotional dependency on psychiatry and that it was necessary to move beyond that to feel free. That these experiences made Laura passionate about her own process of healing and rediscovering herself and helping others to find their way back to themselves after being psychiatrized. That as she healed she moved into a space of acceptance and gratitude and felt that the period around three years off the drugs was when she came to feel really alive and motivated again. That Laura feels that if we are going to move beyond the mental health system, it is about helping people to realise they don't need the mainstream system and point them to alternatives at a local level and creating physical spaces where people can come together. How Laura came to co-found The Inner Compass Initiative and The Withdrawal Project which aim to create safe spaces for people to connect and the opportunity to learn about and be guided through the process of getting beyond the mental health system and off psychiatric drugs. That The Withdrawal Project was highlighted in a recent New York Times article discussing antidepressant withdrawal. How ICI and TWP present information on many aspects of psychiatric drugs and withdrawal to help guide and inform people who do want to start the journey off their psychiatric drugs and away from the mental health system. That TWP connect is a free peer to peer networking platform that allows people to connect one on one with others who have similar experiences. How a similar peer to peer system is available on ICI to enable conversations about moving beyond the mental health system. That Laura wants to encourage people not to give up because we do heal from psychiatric drugs and that we need to spread that message far and wide. The need to both learn and unlearn when approaching how we take back our power and control of our lives after psychiatric treatment. How important it is to properly prepare before starting to taper from psychiatric drugs and how the Withdrawal Project can enable that preparation. The ‘speed paradox’ when coming off psychiatric drugs. How people can find out more about The Inner Compass Initiative and The Withdrawal Project. That Laura is keen to support local community initiatives to get underway. Relevant links: The Inner Compass Initiative The Withdrawal Project TWP Connect Learn about psychiatric drug withdrawal Inner Compass Initiative’s The Withdrawal Project Gets Mention in The New York Times—Is the Tide Finally Turning? The New York Times - Many People Taking Antidepressants Discover They Cannot Quit Read more about Laura’s journey into and out of the mental health system Laura’s presentation in Alaska, 2015 Anatomy of an epidemic by Robert Whitaker

FDA Drug Safety Podcast: FDA warns of serious immune system reaction with seizure and mental health medicine lamotrigine (Lamictal)

Mr. Joe discusses a "new" feeling that has emerged due to stress. He discusses some recent side effects from an increased dosage of Lamictal. Mr. Joe then goes on to define obsessions and complusions, along with descriptive examples of each disorder. 

Mr. Joe updates us on his Bipolar medication regiman, and speaks on mental health in the work place. In addition, Mr. Joe speaks on some of the side effects from Lamictal. Finally, Mr. Joe questions whether we should offer sympathy towards family members, namely those who struggle with addiction & mental illness.

Mr. Joe updates us on his children and discusses his recent hypomanic episode. He addresses topics such as rage, irritability, Lamictal dosages and mixed states. Mr. Joe defines Bipolar I in great detail, along with psychotic symptoms, as well as his recent explosion towards his wife.

Homocysteine & The Depression ImperativeThere is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow men. True nobility lies in being superior to your former self.~ Ernest HemingwayDr. Andrew Farah is a forensic psychiatrist, a psychopharmacologist, the author of a remarkable new book, http://geni.us/farah (Hemingway's Brain), - and an all-around deeply interesting guy on many levels. In this interview, our second after our first delightful http://corebrainjournal.com/114 (Hemingway's Brain CBJ/114) discussion, is again most entertaining, and prescient regarding the brain awareness changes today taking place in both our society and our neuroscience community. Here Dr. Farah dives from the commanding precipice of brain injury, art, and history into the deep caverns of neuroscience: brain molecular physiology. This Depression Imperative encourages more precise thinking with more predictable outcomes for treatment failure on many levels. Here we start with depression. Brief BioDr. Farah is a native of Charleston SC and now serves as Chief of Psychiatry at the High Point Division of UNC Healthcare. This report addresses fresh details regarding the homocysteine theory of depression [1], and the use of reduced B vitamins for depression and neuroprotection, particularly the prevention of dementias. Yes, he's a neuroscience expert as well. The standard of care for depression in those distant Hemingway years dramatically differs from today. Today we know more about multiple causes of depression and, as Dr. Farah so articulately reports, the biology of brain deterioration for a complexity of biologically relevant nutritional contributions that mushroom into depression over time. Homocysteine presents a fresh marker, a depression imperative for all of us working with mind science. Farah's 2 CBJ Episodes: A Mix of History, Art, Metaphor, and RealityDr. Farah's depression imperative lessons go beyond just memorable - to transcendent. Mark down this interview as also unforgettable. - Thanks, Andy. And, if this is your first meeting with Dr. Farah, fasten your seatbelts for a curious journey with a commonplace blood test with standard, insurance supported, testing protocols. ----------- Dr. Farah Reports On The Homocysteine Depression ImperativeMy curiosity started in residency around the subject of Treatment Failure [spp-timestamp time="4:17"] Our depression treatment protocols haven't changed since 1957 [spp-timestamp time="5:05"] Why consider homocysteine in the first place [spp-timestamp time="7:50"] What happens when we lower homocysteine [spp-timestamp time="11:13"] The Prozac paradox and the alpha-2 receptor [spp-timestamp time="13:30"] What happens to the building blocks for https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoamine_neurotransmitter (monoamines) [spp-timestamp time="15:50"] Reduced B Vitamins and the specific pathways [spp-timestamp time="18:53"] The specific nutrient supplements involved [spp-timestamp time="23:30"] Why 5-MTHF didn't work so well [spp-timestamp time="23:54"] The problem with Lamictal for Bipolar II [spp-timestamp time="30:15"] My thoughts on homocysteine measurement/values [spp-timestamp time="35:01"] Why brain cells die in the first place [spp-timestamp time="41:12"] Closing on the epigenetic contributions as well [spp-timestamp time="50:38"] ---------- Previous CBJ Interviews on Trauma, Stress, TBI, CTE, and DepressionCBJ Veterans Page - http://corebrainjournal.com/vets (http://corebrainjournal.com/vets) - Updated regularly CBJ/Dr. Bill Walsh on Methylation Details - http://corbrainjournal.com/025 (http://corbrainjournal.com/025) Our most frequently downloaded Episode.  ----------- Dr. Farah's Helpful Bonus DownloadTheory Into Practice -Addressing the Homocysteine Basis of Depressionhttps://corebrain.lpages.co/cbj-download-126-farah/ (At this Link) ------------ Website, Book & ReferencesCorrelation of Clinical...

When we hear the term “mental illness” we dismiss it as rare, someone else's problem, or a criminal issue. It isn't: it's more common and afflicts more of us than you might believe.  One out of every five adults or around 43.8 million Americans are diagnosed with some form of mental illness every year. This means anyone who isn't suffering directly from mental illness is most likely living with or knows someone who is.  So why is it still being marginalized? This week I share my experience living with my brother who suffered from schizophrenia. My guest Tiffany discusses having bipolar disorder and tackling her personal demons.   

Two topics: A Northampton, Massachusetts woman talks about her near-fatal drug reaction to an off label prescription of Lamictal, and Brooklynne Michelle discusses the Mosh Knit podcast -- about knitting and bipolar.   [Read more...]