Intermittent explosive disorder & degratol ?

[Pitbull]

I've been diagnosed with Intermittent explosive disorder (IED).

The DR prescribed me degranol (Epilepsy) meds

Any body here can explain this to me? I feel as if the DR describes the IED perfectly to what I experience from time to time. Sudden mood change and then the smallest thing would launch you into an extreme rage you can't control. Hitting things, breaking things And that breaks the rage. And afterwards you feel remorse. But the rage response is disproportionate to the perceived threat. It happens once in a blue moon and there is no warning apart from the mood change prior to such a rage

I just don't understand the epilepsy pills...

Would a DR please explain?

 

[blunomore]

I must say, that is how I summed you up

Maybe RiaX can explain the physical workings of the medicine you have been prescribed. It must be suppressing something in the brain. You should have asked the doctor more questions, Pitbull.

 

[Polly101]

they're also used as a mood stabiliser (I'm a pharmacist)

 

[Pooky]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_explosive_disorder

 

[Pitbull]

I must say, that is how I summed you up

Maybe RiaX can explain the physical workings of the medicine you have been prescribed. It must be suppressing something in the brain. You should have asked the doctor more questions, Pitbull.

Very true? But didn't know what the meds are for until I arrived at the pharmacy and the pharmacist told me. DR just explained to my wife that I can't help or control these rage outburst (of which I can't) happened twice in the last six months and previously it was far apart. Years in between these outbursts. That's why the wife had me at the DR yesterday. Just glad I'm not bipolar as the DR says IDE is miss diagnosed as bipolar often.

Just curious as to the meds though. Are these type of rage episodes linked to some kind of small seizure in the brain?

Lots of research to do blah...

 

[Pitbull]

they're also used as a mood stabiliser (I'm a pharmacist)

Does the degratol double as a mood stabilizer?

 

[HvRooyen]

they're also used as a mood stabiliser (I'm a pharmacist)

This.
(Note: I am not a psychiatrist or a neurologist)
The anticonvulsants are often used in mood disturbances. Although certainly an oversimplification when considering the brain's complexity, the following quote sort of sums it up (sodium channels are central to the firing of brain cells):

"Carbamazepine stabilizes the inactivated state of Voltage-gated sodium channels, making fewer of these channels available to subsequently open. This leaves the affected cells less excitable until the drug dissociates."
(Wikipedia)

This does not mean that IED is an epileptic disorder, it merely means that some drugs have more than one use.

 

[HvRooyen]

Does the degratol double as a mood stabilizer?

Maybe. Is certainly used for that effect in other conditions. If you experience severe mood swings you may notice an improvement there. Sounds like that is not your problem however.


Oversimplifying again: Think shock absorbers for your brain.

 

[Pitbull]

Maybe. Is certainly used for that effect in other conditions. If you experience severe mood swing you may notice an improvement there. Sounds like that is not your problem however.


Oversimplifying again: Think shock absorbers for your brain.

That I don't get. So I should drink these meds daily to be able to prevent such an outburst from occurring once every couple of months?
I don't have mood swings. It does however change just prior to the outburst. I recall being in a very happy mood throughout the day. My mood changed and my wife asked what's a matter? Told her I'm fine. About 10 minutes after the mood change my laaitjie came into the house and we noticed one of the twins had a cut in their hair. Nothing serious, but when I found out the laaitjie did it I flipped and lost complete control. My body went into a type of over drive! Short shallow breathing, heart beating in my chest so load I could hear it in my head. I got up and pushed the wall right above my laaitjie's head. Afterwards I realized that I could have hurt him extremely bad and that is why we went to get help.

I'm getting scared that I might do something stupid as I seem to be losing more and more of a handle on it every time it happens.
That is why I'm very concerned about the meds. I want the correct meds that is why I'm confused on the epilepsy meds. But seems to be the right prescription if I read your responses. DR said half a tablet every night before bed.

 

[Sinbad]

SOrry, but when I read this I just thought... HULK SMASH

 

[HvRooyen]

...So I should drink these meds daily to be able to prevent such an outburst from occurring once every couple of months? ... DR said half a tablet every night before bed.

Yup.

 

[Pitbull]

SOrry, but when I read this I just thought... HULK SMASH

Funny though, my wife said the same thing "maybe the person that wrote the hulk comics also suffered from IED, that's where the story line comes from" LOL

 

[blunomore]

That I don't get. So I should drink these meds daily to be able to prevent such an outburst from occurring once every couple of months?
I don't have mood swings. It does however change just prior to the outburst. I recall being in a very happy mood throughout the day. My mood changed and my wife asked what's a matter? Told her I'm fine. About 10 minutes after the mood change my laaitjie came into the house and we noticed one of the twins had a cut in their hair. Nothing serious, but when I found out the laaitjie did it I flipped and lost complete control. My body went into a type of over drive! Short shallow breathing, heart beating in my chest so load I could hear it in my head. I got up and pushed the wall right above my laaitjie's head. Afterwards I realized that I could have hurt him extremely bad and that is why we went to get help.

I'm getting scared that I might do something stupid as I seem to be losing more and more of a handle on it every time it happens.
That is why I'm very concerned about the meds. I want the correct meds that is why I'm confused on the epilepsy meds. But seems to be the right prescription if I read your responses. DR said half a tablet every night before bed.

It's great that you got help. You don't want your children to be afraid of you or grow up having these terrible memories or even suffering some trauma because of what you did.

I commend you.

 

[Singal]

I know that epilim (epilipsy meds) is also used to stabilise bipolar disorder. So I suppose some anticonvulsants are also mood stabilisers.

 

[Pitbull]

It's great that you got help. You don't want your children to be afraid of you or grow up having these terrible memories or even suffering some trauma because of what you did.

I commend you.

Exactly the reason I went to get help. Thanks Blu

 

[Humberto]

Pitbull, did you go to a general practitioner or to a psychiatrist?

Is this condition generally known amongst doctors in South Africa?

 

[azbob]

Very apt username then. Coincidental?

 

[spiderz]

Funny though, my wife said the same thing "maybe the person that wrote the hulk comics also suffered from IED, that's where the story line comes from" LOL

So ... you gotten the green body paint yet?

 

[RiaX]

they're also used as a mood stabiliser (I'm a pharmacist)

:erm: we growing in numbers !

 

[Pitbull]

Pitbull, did you go to a general practitioner or to a psychiatrist?

Is this condition generally known amongst doctors in South Africa?

Was at a GP. He put me on these meds for 3 months and requested a follow up in 3 months. No idea how well know it is. First time I heard about it