The Bipolar Support Thread

[tierraJ]

Started a new thread as the other one reached 1k!

Hello 4dogs, sorry to hear you feel so depressed.

I understand about the Epilim as I actually used to take it for Epilepsy & stopped due to the horrible side effects.
But one thing it did do, as well as control my Epilepsy was to control my moods. It was soon after I came off the Epilim that I had a psychotic breakdown.
I wouldn't ever go back on it though.
I take Venlafaxine for the depression & it doesn't send me manic & Aripiprazole for the Psychosis, & other meds for the epilepsy.

I do have low level depression & really struggle with paranoia at work right now.

Oh found you!

@4dogs I am the same with olanzapine I practically have to stave myself so I don't gain weight

Ah ooops! Haha I just started one, but I’ll tag along on this one

I feel really weird today. Really anxious, I hardly slept, my mind keeps on racing but I'm still depressed. I've just took a diazepam to see if it helps the anxiety

I’m just coming out of a depressive episode. Lasted almost 3 weeks, that was bloody awful. But I’m starting to get butterflies in my stomach, which is always a warning sign, but I’m hoping it’s nothing, and it just the effects of being low for so long.

I wish the drugs didn’t have such dire side effects. @tierraj, having epilepsy as well as bipolar sounds like hard work. epilim seemed to also make me quite depressed. i’m still depressed but it has lightened somewhat since i stopped taking it, it also gave me prickly itchy skin (no rash). my psychiatrist always denies side effects are due to meds, even when i’m experiencing a listed and recognised side effect. really exasperates me. i took aripiprozole years ago, it made me very flat and i did have weight gain on it. psychiatrist won’t give me anti depressants in case i go high.
Bippity, I get butterflies in tummy when i’m getting a bit high, and sweaty hands. Horrible.

Oh I get that too! And I sweat a lot, it’s as if my body temperature has gone up by about 5 degrees. And I get really sensitive to noise, which never bothered me before.

I posted before on the last thread but only once. Nerves I guess. I have bipolar and OCD managed by lamotrigine and lithium. I was OK, bar a few attempts, I got up and went to work every day and seemed fine to the outside world.

2 months ago I quit my job on a high, thinking I could spread my wings and be fucking amazing. As you can feel in those moments. I put myself into a much more high pressured role and last week, after 4 weeks in, and after a week of agonising chest pains caused by stress and panic I handed my notice in. I am fortunate that we can get by on DPs salary alone but I am so used to working. My work ethic is extremely high and now this has been taken away from me. My last piece almost. Its Tuesday and I have nowhere to go. I feel useless now. I feel beaten.

Just signing in. I was discharged two weeks ago after a six month hospital stay which was very traumatic, I was very poorly. On 2:1, in seclusion a lot, a lot of suicide attempts. Thankfully I’m thinking much clearer now, but still getting suicidal thoughts. I see my CPN once a week and a social/support worker four times a week. Distracting by cleaning and eating chocolate, unfortunately.

Hi everyone. I have recently been diagnosed with type 2 bipolar as well as attention deficit disorder and the possible meds I’ve been suggested for the bipolar are Lamotrigine, Aripiprazole and Quetiapine. The latter options apparently have a fairly common side effect of weight gain and I already have issues with overeating and binge eating so I’m wary of those.

Has anyone tried lamotrigine for bipolar? I’d really like to hear more about it. As with most meds, the lists of side effects are pretty daunting 😕 so some first hand reviews would be so appreciated.

Thanks in advance

I’m on lamotrigine and so far I’ve had very little side effects. I think it’s supposed to be quite good for bipolar depression.

I’ve been in a hole for the best part of 3 weeks now and I can’t see a way out. It seems to be getting worse. My lithium has been increased to 400mg. I just feel so low.

I know it’s a stupid idea, but sometimes I’m tempted to stop all my meds and stick to my antidepressant. I’d rather be hypomanic than feel like this.

I think it’s the antipsychotic. Aripiprazole made me feel like this, and now I’m starting to feel the same with risperidone. I know if I stop it, I’ll shoot right back up again.

Hi - may I join?

I have BPD and I'm taking:

• 800mg Quetiapine
• 200mg Sertraline
• 300mg Lamotrigine

-75mg Promethazine

All daily. And if I skip even one dose I shoot straight up high and do crazy things. Recently I bought a Land Rover, a horse and a puppy in one week.

Anyway, I'm feeling really down because I don't think that I will ever be off these meds. I'm always going to be under their control.

Does anyone else feel like this??

I’m on Lamotrigine. The only side effect I experienced was confusion, but that settled down after a couple of months.
It’s worked wonders for me. I still get low but it’s nothing like before and I can bring myself out of it pretty easily.

I tried Lamotrigine for my Epilepsy but it didn't work for that & at the same time did nothing for my mental health either.

I was off work yesterday after feeling so low & paranoid. The support worker says it may be that feeling unwell on alternative weeks due to the increases in Epilepsy meds has affected my mental health.
I'm just concerned that the new Epilepsy meds are affecting how my mental health meds work. I'm seeing the psychiatrist next week.

Hi all hope you are hanging in there.

I havnt been too well at all in the midst of a depressive episode and it's not getting better. I'm being referred back to the psychiatrist and I think they will change the anti depressant to venlafaxine as after seven years sertraline has lost its effectiveness and change dose of quetiapine. Worst thing for me at moment is my moods are up and down throughout the day I'm on a yo yo it feels and I feel no emotion other then sadness :(. X

Just seen the crisis team and my CPN and they’re sending me back into hospital

Sounds like you need a meds review @littlenit Hioefully the change will make you feel better.

Oh no! @FFSOMG Are you ok? Always here if you need a chat

So I’ve decided I’m going to come off my antipsychotic as it’s for lack of a better word, shite. I hate them. Tried two now and they have both dampened my mood massively to the point that I just feel flat and emotionless. I’m hoping though because I’m on lamotrigine and lithium, I won’t spiral into a manic episode like the last time.

Hope everyone is well.

Been referred back to my Mental health nurse and psych I feel relieved. I can't stick this for much longer hugs to all. X

@FFSOMG sorry you're going back into hospital I hope they can get you a med combination that works!

@littlenit I've been feeling much the same. I've not got psychiatrists until July though so don't know whether to wait it out. I hope you too can get a med combo that works.

@BippityBoppity87 have you spoke to your CPN or psychiatrist about stopping your antipsychotic? When I was on lithium the plan was to get me off antipsychotics altogether so you might be okay if your lithium is at therapeutic dose and working away there. Good luck

I came back in today. It’s also my birthday, so feeling especially rubbish.

Oh no @FFSOMG I can imagine. What a horrible time you’ve been through!

Yeah I’m going to speak to my psychiatrist on the 27th and ask to be taken off it.

Right I don’t know if this is my impulsivity creeping back in again. If I’m hypo or it’s just me I general. I’ve been speaking to a guy since January who lives in England (I live in Scotland) and I impulsively brought plane tickets last night and booked a hotel to go down and see him on Thursday. This is a bad idea isn’t it

Bought not brought!

@FFSOMG I hope you are feeling a bit better and I send you hugs.
@BippityBoppity87 I think actually by booking a hotel you have been sensible you could have agreed to stay with him. Meet him in a public place and don't tell him where you are staying, you can keep safe. I think it was spontaneous but not necessarily a bad idea x