October 8, 2007 – Wayne C. Jones MD

Bipolar Disorder Medication: Best Meds Q&A

My 15 year old daughter has been put on Risperdal to "glue" her thoughts. She is severely depressed and worries constantly. Her doctor added Lexapro to the Risperdal. How do we know if the Lexapro is working or just helping the side-effects of Risperdal?

I don’t use Risperdal because of the increased risk of neurological side-effects, and increased prolactin interfering with hormones, including estrogen. Lexapro is good for anxiety, obsessiveness, and depression, especially sadness, but if your daughter is manic depressed/bipolar the Lexapro can make her more emotionally unstable. Effexor XR is a broader […]

Panic Disorder Q&A

I have been taking 3mg of Xanax daily for anxiety for 2 years. I have been diagnosed with agoraphobia. Are there any options for medication besides SSRI’s and SNRI’s? They seem to make my anxiety worse. I’ve also had cognitive behavioral treatment with little success. Please help me with any options for overcoming my fears.

Recovery from agoraphobia requires a good understanding of what it is, proper breathing test.askdrjones.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/06/Anxiety_Handout.pdf and complete desensitization. SSRI’s/SNRI’s are not required unless you are unable to progress with CBT, breathing correctly, and benzodiazepines – including as needed extra doses. Some patients do better on Clonazepam, or Xanax XR, or Niravam. If […]

Bipolar Disorder Q&A

I need information on Geodon. Is it anti-anxiety or mostly an antidepressant? My doctor wants to put me on it but I am worried about side-effects.

Geodon is a medication with a lot of issues so that it is not one of my first choices. It is a good antimanic mood stabilizer if taken in higher doses (120-160mg). At lower doses it can destabilize mood. It is not an anti-anxiety medication. It usually requires twice daily […]

ADHD Q&A

I have Mitral Valve Prolapse and also have ADD. I have just been prescribed Vyvanse. In the afternoon I have experienced difficulty getting a deep breath and also tiredness in my left arm. I have also had pain in my lower abdomen. I take Toprol for the MVP. I have been taking Vyvanse for 2 weeks. Could the Vyvanse be causing these side-effects?

Vyvanse has less effect on the cardiovascular system than Adderall but all stimulants have possible cardiovascular side-effects. You should stop taking it and see if the symptoms go away. If not you need to see your cardiologist or internist. If the side-effects do go away you may want to discuss options […]