[babs92]

I have bipolar II and am on Depakote 1000mg a day and Zoloft 100mg daily. I am also on valium for anxiety as and when needed at 2mg up to 6 times a day. I have taken up to 4 of these per day over the last few weeks or so to get me over bad anxiety of late.

What is worrying me is that I have been taking Nurofen 200mg up to 4 times a day for several years, it kind of takes away my chest pain (doc says chest pain is due to long term stress - my lungs are clear and am a smoker). I haven't told my psychiatrist or my own GP about Nurofen, but feel I may be addicted to it.

Anyhow, have tried to come off it in the last 3 days and have been getting tremours, shaking hands and head and feel very depressed. I don't know what the withdrawal would be from taking nurofen for so long, or could it be that I have had a hard time of late and that depression has hit me anyway?

Thanks

[Jkeyz]

I looked Nurofen up on Wikipedia. Are you taking the one that has the pseudofed in it or just the ibuprofen? Either way, I would tell your doctor. Those kind of side effects are not something to be taken lightly. Hope all goes well for you!

[darkeyes]

When I used products with pseudoephedrine, I felt it can be addictive, for it helped clear my sinuses but also gave me a "lift", even dulled appetite, which was good for being on a diet. I noticed there was some relation to possible addiction, when not using it, I wouldn't feel that little energy lift and normal hungry appetite returned. Which I couldn't wait to safely take the next dosage (every 4 to 6 hours) seeming like a sign or warning a form of an addiction was forming. I feel if one has cravings and then goes onto strong cravings for something that is a sign of possible addiction, but just my own opinion, of course. Eventually I couldn't use it, first they discontinued that ingrediant and used a substitute that didn't work, and with my weight gain/thyroid problems it did something it never did to me but can do to people, raised my blood pressure.
Pseudoephedrine, has been taken off the market because of it's use as an ingrediant for making methamphetimines/illegal drugs.

It's ashame when some have to ruin it for others, cause the OTC stuff with it was very effecient in helping me over the years with congested sinuses.
If it is still being sold where you live, I'd personally try to not use it, I also found depression creeped in, sort of like coming off amphetamines, not helpful to Bipolars.

I was addicted to neurofen plus, contains codiene..part of the opiate family...I'd talk to your doctor about coming of them slowly..