Depakote and gabapentin

Oddly enough, in my two professional careers, I had both attended MLA conventions and written about gabapentin (Neurontin, Parke-Davis)! I'm glad to see that the initial 3,000 mg dose didn't kill poor Christina: the world NEEDS more English professors like her (unless of course her department is French & Italian). Actually, the story had me thinking of a different class of drugs from anticonvulsants: Facetime reads like a JBEdwards story on steroids. Yet another wild & fun romp--this one even wilder than usual. Thanks yet again, JB.

First, demand that the doctors abide by their Hippocratic oath (first, do no harm). Depakote and lithium are almost worse than the disease. I KNOW! The mood swings can be next to impossible to prevent. For myself, I prefer to control the worst with sedatives as needed. The mood swings are part of who I am. For me, lack of sleep is a definite tell so that I can use some lorazepam to sleep off the worst of the mood swing. You need a cooperative doctor who will help you as a person instead of just another crazy. Sorry.

A very special day in any girl's life: when she experiences her first kiss and her first father-brother threesome! The Ecstasy in the punch seems to have worked even better than the gabapentin they gave to the keynote speaker at the MLA, several stories back (although she had a fun night too).
This story is great fun; it's sexy too. I especially enjoyed the heroine/narrator's personality, including her fairly strong—but decidedly quirky—ethical principles. I do feel sorry for her uncle, though. He got left out of the action entirely. Perhaps there will be a Part 3? Fine with me, if so.

Story progress ~ zip.
Not much good news. Went to my neuropathist on Wednesday for a series of tests. 'Yes', I have nerve damage and 'no', the doctor looking at the results couldn't understand why. Essentially, they ran an escalating electric current from various spots on my lower leg and foot to toes to see how I responded. I highly recommend this as a means of torture.
On the downside, I am becoming resistant to my pain medication, so life sucks coming and going. My psychiatrist upped my Gabapentin from 300 Mg to 400 Mg [3x a day] and it isn't helping. Woot? I'd kill for a decent night's sleep.
Thank you for asking. I really wish I had better news.
James aka FinalStand

Well done in general and kind of scary. The legalese is slightly different in terms of what's happening to Elle than it would normally be in Minnesota, but similar. Here, you would have the arrest, then the police would note her to be a danger to self or others (in this case husband & child), and put her on what's called a transportation hold - meaning she then gets taken somewhere where a qualified psych provider (MD, DO or NP - I am not sure if PA's can do this or not) evaluates her.
That initial evaluation (if 'positive' for danger/problems) would then lead to a 72-hour hold (effectively 3 business days as an inpatient - worst time to get put on a 72-hour hold is the Wednesday before Thanksgiving) and then that doc (if s/he sees a problem) can then petition mental health court for commitment. So from my perspective going to a 30-day stay skips a couple of steps, but not all states work the same way.
In a way, your characters are taking this too well. A husband reacting to the CP report by his daycare provider usually doesn't calm down that fast. Likewise a mother hearing that her daughter had been committed. As a psych nurse I would love to see such acceptance and support for my patients.
And on that note - depakote is a pretty good choice, given the likely diagnosis.

I read the story and, frankly, I enjoyed it. It's a given that anytime a woman cheats in one of these tales and a reconciliation occurs then Katie bar the door! The torch the bitch crowd comes out waving their collective pitchforks and scream for blood, not caring or realizing that life is seldom that cut or dried.
The story touched a special place in my heart because I myself am a sufferer of Bi-Polar Syndrome or Manic- Depressive Syndrome, whichever you prefer. The disease is an absolute bitch to deal with, and in my case is further aggravated by a seizure disorder. Fortunately, my medication (Depakote) does a fairly good job handling the mood swings and stops the seizures outright, albeit with a few side effects. Obviously, I first had to wonder if either you or a loved one or acquaintance had the disease.
As I've stated before in comments on other stories, reconciliation IS an alternative in some cases. If a partner is a serial cheater or the cheating was done in a particularly hurtful way with little or no remorse, then only a fool would reconcile. There are circumstances where it happens, the guilty party admits their guilt, and never does it again. While a marriage that endures this is never the same, the relationship can be salvaged. I regrettably transgressed and my wife saw fit to forgive me and stay with me. We will celebrate our Silver Anniversary soon, and no, I have not reoffended.
A well written story with believable characters. Four stars!

At this time the prognosis is not good. Not only do I have other stories far closer to completion, my latest medicine, Gabapentin is KICKING MY ASS! It is a pain-killer, for those who care, and it is doing its job. I can walk with minimal pain now. Sadly, I can barely walk now because my whole world is spinning (a cautioned side effect is Dizziness). Typing this is 'fun' and not in a good way. I feel like I'm constantly about to tip over out of my chair so creating anything is going to be a chore.
On the beneficial side, I know where I want to take Chapter 5 in this tale. I have much of it mapped out in my mind.
They travel to the mainland in pursuit of the Atlanteans ... which completes the 13th Circle of the Black Witches Coven (whoops!) ~ giving the descendants of the other 7 the power they have been long denied. There is still the government task force on the serial killings to deal with plus the on-going conflict with the White Coven. The main mystery remains ~ what was an Atlantean doing breeding with an Abenaki and teaching at least one half-breed offspring magic over 400 years ago ... and why would a normally amoral Altantean 'noble' be interested in said half-breed today?
God - sometimes I really wish I had a clone ... or two.
James aka FinalStand