Hypotension
Well I went to see the psychiatrist, or rather his SHO, this morning. I was due there at 10:30 but didn't wake up until 11:00 as I couldn't get to sleep until gone 06:00 this morning; so I wasn't exactly on time, but the secretary fitted me in. As it happened i slotted in the order of patients exactly where I was due to be as they were running extremely late - it was gone midday when I was seen.
They were pleased I had not been suicidal for just over 4 weeks; which is the longest period free of suicidal feelings since 2003, maybe longer. They didn't like the feact my GP had reduced my dose of lamotrigine back down to 25mg per day; and have issued instructions to go back up to 50mg daily from tomorrow.
They think the fainting and general hypotension is caused by being on such a high dosage of propranolol, a beta blocker used to treat hypertension. So they have reduced my dosage by half, from 40mg TDS to 20mg TDS, as of tomorrow; to be reduced by half again, to 10mg TDS, in three weeks time.
This might lead to an increase in general anxiety however. Hopefully not though.
As it happens, once I had my lamotrigine levels stable I was going to ask to come off the propranolol anyway; partly to see if i still need it, and partly because there is increasing evidence that it can accelerate or even trigger diabetes insipidus.
They were pleased I had not been suicidal for just over 4 weeks; which is the longest period free of suicidal feelings since 2003, maybe longer. They didn't like the feact my GP had reduced my dose of lamotrigine back down to 25mg per day; and have issued instructions to go back up to 50mg daily from tomorrow.
They think the fainting and general hypotension is caused by being on such a high dosage of propranolol, a beta blocker used to treat hypertension. So they have reduced my dosage by half, from 40mg TDS to 20mg TDS, as of tomorrow; to be reduced by half again, to 10mg TDS, in three weeks time.
This might lead to an increase in general anxiety however. Hopefully not though.
As it happens, once I had my lamotrigine levels stable I was going to ask to come off the propranolol anyway; partly to see if i still need it, and partly because there is increasing evidence that it can accelerate or even trigger diabetes insipidus.