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        New Message Board Archives >> 2004 Posts >> Is this familiar to anyone?  Help!
        
(Message started by: Gator on Jul 15^th, 2004, 8:55pm)

Title: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by Gator on Jul 15^th, 2004, 8:55pm

I'm tapering off Lithium was up to 1200mg and it did not work. Am down to 300mg once a day for 3 days. At the same time am ramping up on Depakote ER. Am up to 1500mg once a day.

Twice today, once this morning and again right now, I have been struck with a severe pain in my bones. Feels almost like my bones are on fire, especially around my joints. Both arms and legs. Pain is bad enough to make me roll around crying in pain. Wife tried rubbing my legs - doesn't help. It doesn't seem like a muscle pain.

That and I'm coming down off my 6th hard hit from the beast today.

I'm calling the doc in the morning, but I was just curious if anyone has had anything like this and if so what was it? What did you do to get over it, if anything? Was it medication related? Any info would be good. Having a hard time concentrating or thinking straight right now.

Gator

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by E-Double on Jul 15^th, 2004, 9:17pm

on 07/15/04 at 20:55:04, Gator wrote:

I had some joint pain when I first got put on meds (it was depakote) and the neuro said that it wasn't from the depakote. Anyway came off that and went on verapamil and no more joint pain and for that matter "fuzziness"

Check out this link I found. Might be a couple of years ago but had a person post with the same question. Atleast that's 3. sorry; maybe you can do a better search than I but I will keep on trying for ya.
http://www.rxlist.com/rxboard/depakote.pl?read=678

Best to ya my friend,
Eric

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by alleyoop on Jul 15^th, 2004, 10:10pm

Damn Gator, I'm sure sorry to hear about the joint pain. I've never experienced it myself, so not much help there. Of course I've never been on depakote either, whether or not it's related to the pain. That was a pretty big drop in the lithium, but I've gone from 1500mg to 0 without joint pain. I stopped my meds(lithium and verap) altogether once just to see what would happen. I got hit HARD! Doesn't mean the same thing will happen to you, but I'll tell you what has worked for me. I alternate days with my lithium- 1200 one day, 900 the next. Neuro had me on 480mg verap(slow release) a day. I went up to 720 a day, every day. Within a couple of days of doing this, I stopped getting hit. In a couple of hours I can say I've gone 26 days PF! I suppose at this point I'm no longer considered chronic. Breaks my heart! Just so I don't leave anything out, the time that I went off meds completely was a couple of weeks b4 I went to the new dosing. When I got hit hard, I went back on the meds at my prescibed dosage & then after about two weeks, I changed my dosing. I don't know if this makes any sense or not. Hell, I don't know if it has anything to do with me being PF or not! Just thought I'd pass it along.

Sure hope you get relief soon. Hell, it's bad enough dealing with the Beast, much less joint pain too.

Hoping you'll be PF soon...............................

............................................................alley

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by purpleydog on Jul 15^th, 2004, 11:06pm

I'm not sure that the meds are causing it. But you should definetly get it checked out. It could be nothing, but it could be something.

When I was on verapamil and lithium, and all the other drugs I have taken for this, I was able to come off of them ok. I never had joint pain or bone pain.
Go see the doc.

purpleydog

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by Donna H. on Jul 16^th, 2004, 5:53am

I've been here for about 5 years and I've never heard of this before.

Sounds like a medical emergency to me. If you don't get in to the doc right away, get to an ER if it hits again.

Extensive pain that bad doesn't just happen for nothing.

Hope you find an answer right away. We don't need more pain.

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by Redd715 on Jul 16^th, 2004, 8:10am

I have no idea what it could be Bro...but do seek out a good doc.

Man... like any of us need any MORE pain to deal with. You are in my thoughts, and your wife is such a great person for trying to help in whatever way she can. You both are in my thoughts and major vibeage headed to you.

Redd

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by floridian on Jul 16^th, 2004, 8:39am

Hang in there, Gator. Here are a few web quotes on depakote and joint pain - that's one possibility, although you and the doc should keep an open mind on this.

Quote:

Less common or rare side effects may include:
Abnormal dreams, abnormal milk secretion, abnormal walk, aggression, anemia, anxiety, back pain, behavior problems, belching, bleeding, blood disorders, bone pain, breast enlargement, chest pain, chills, coma, confusion, coughing up blood, dental abscess, drowsiness, dry skin, ear inflammation, excessive urination (mainly children) or other urination problems, eye problems, feeling of illness, gas, growth failure in children, hallucinations, hearing problems, heart palpitations, high blood pressure, hostility, increased appetite, increased cough, involuntary rapid movement of eyeball, irregular or painful menstruation, itching, jerky movements, joint pain, lack of muscular coordination, leg cramps, liver problems, loss of bladder or bowel control, muscle or joint pain, muscle weakness, muscle pain, neck pain, nosebleed, overactivity, pneumonia, rapid heartbeat, rickets (mainly children), sedation, seeing "spots before your eyes", sensitivity to light, sinus inflammation, skin eruptions or peeling, skin rash, speech difficulties, stomach and intestinal disorders, swelling of arms and legs due to fluid retention, swollen glands, taste changes, tingling or pins and needles, twitching, urinary problems, vertigo, vision problems.
http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/dep1125.htm

Quote:

Less common or rare

Absence of or decrease in body movement; absent, missed, or irregular menstrual periods; stopping of menstrual bleeding; anxiety; nervousness; restlessness; bloated full feeling; bloody or cloudy urine; bloody nose; bruising; burning, crawling, itching, numbness, prickling, "pins and needles" , or tingling feelings; burning, dry or itching eyes; change in taste; chills; clumsiness or unsteadiness; coin-shaped lesions on skin; cold sweats; confusion; constipation; cramps; decreased awareness or responsiveness; degenerative disease of the joint; difficult, burning, or painful urination; difficulty in moving; discharge; excessive tearing of eye; discouragement; dizziness; drowsiness; dry mouth; excess air or gas in stomach or intestines; excessive muscle tone; muscle tension or tightness; muscle stiffness; feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings; feeling sad or empty; feeling of warmth or heat; ; flushing or redness of skin, especially on face and neck; frequent urge to urinate; headache; heavy bleeding; irregular heartbeats; irritability; joint pain; swollen joints; lack of appetite; lip smacking ; uncontrolled chewing movements; loss of hair; loss of interest or pleasure; loss of memory; problems with memory; mimicry of speech or movements; muscle aching or cramping; muscle pains or stiffness; mutism; negativism; normal menstrual bleeding occurring earlier, possibly lasting longer than expected; pain; passing gas; peculiar postures or movements, mannerisms or grimacing; puffing of cheeks; rapid or worm-like movements of tongue; redness, swelling, or soreness of tongue; severe sleepiness; shortness of breath; difficult or labored breathing; small red or purple spots on skin; stuffy nose; runny nose; sneezing; redness, pain, swelling of eye, eyelid, or inner lining of eyelid; seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there; sensation of spinning; shaking; shortness of breath; hyperventilation; skin rash; sweating; tightness in chest; tiredness; trouble concentrating; trouble in speaking; slurred speech; trouble sleeping; uncontrolled chewing movements; uncontrolled movements of arms and legs; unusual excitement, restlessness, or irritability; wheezing

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your doctor.

http://www.drugs.com/cons/Depakote.html

Quote:

I HAVE BEEN ON DEPAKOTE FOR APPROX. 2MO TO COMBAT DAILY MIGRAINES. IT HELPED FOR A VERY SHORT PERIOD BUT NOW I AM HAVING SEVERE PAIN IN MY KNEES. MY DOC. THINKS THIS IS A SIDE EFFECT AND HAS TAKEN ME OFF OF IT. HAS ANYONE HAD ONSET OF SEVERE JOINT PAIN WITH DEPAKOTE?

http://www.rxlist.com/rxboard/depakote.pl?read=678

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by Jonny on Jul 16^th, 2004, 8:48am

No joint pain here in the 13 yrs Ive been taking Lith, not even when I tried to taper off.

Good luck, Gator

..............................jonny

Title: Re: Is this familiar to anyone? Help!
Post by Samantha_Smith on Jul 16^th, 2004, 11:01am

Please see a doc. Things just don't sounds right. Hang in there buddy. Samantha