Bipolar disorder

[KiraKiraHikaru]

Can I ask what medication you take or how you manage it in general?

Every doctor and nurse are trying to talk me out of going back on lithium as it can shorten my life by up to 20 years. However I will probably kill myself before then if I don’t take something.

Ive tried anti depressants (I think pretty much all of them!) they don’t work. I have also tried Quetiapine and that just knocks me unconscious.

I don’t want to feel like this anymore but am not quite ready to accept yet that I’m going to die in my 60’s.

I am on lamotrigine, lithium, sertraline and lurasidone. I am rather stable but feel sedated. Not sure what answer would be.

I am on 600mg of quetiapine and 40mg of fluoxetine but I am in the bigger depression at the moment.

I'm on lamotrigine, risperidone, sertraline, venlafaxine and aripiprazole.

How do you end up on so many different meds? Is that quite a long process.

Lamotrigine & promazine.
I can't take antidepressants as they trigger mania & can't function on quetiapine (was on 500mg at one point!!!)

I tried 25 mg of quetiaine and it made me unconscious!

Surprisingly I don't get any type of sedative effect from the quetiapine

That’s really amazing! My husband couldn’t wake me at all and I slept for 17 hours!

I take lamotrigine and aripiprazole. They seem to keep me stable and although I’ve had the odd dip in mood and a few highs it’s nothing like it was before I started this combination. Like pp I can’t take SSRI’s as they trigger a manic episode for me.

I've heard this quite a bit recently about ssris causing manic episodes and its making me think. I was put on fluoxetine before my bipolar diagnosis and they just keep upping my quetiapine as I keep having so many manic episodes but haven't said anything about the fluoxetine.

I'm wondering if I'm broken 🤣 it would be great to have something that actually helps me sleep

Aripiprazole & escitapram(spelling?)

@KiraKiraHikaru I was like you the first time I took quetiapine. I didn't know how I would function, but I now take 200mg a day, and function fine. I have built up a tolerance to the sedative effect and whilst it still helps with sleep, I am not a zombie all day. It's been a game changer for me, it might be the same for you if your body can get used to it?

Lithium, sertraline and quetiapine. It seems to a be a good mix for me and I've been mostly stable the past 3 years

Sertraline did send me manic initially (before I was diagnosed and taking it on its own, which I know now is a no no) but paired with a mood stabiliser, I've been fine. Quetiapine is only a low dose to help me sleep