Bipolar Anxiety

[WinterFelinePurring]

I’m on lithium for bipolar. I have been struggling. A change in consultant has been amazing - they suggested melatonin for my sleep cycle & I can already feel the benefit. I had a benzodiazepine (starts with a c) for a couple of weeks and now that’s stopped the familiar anxiety is back.

I’ve alway had this anxiety. It hits me as soon as I wake up, hangs around all day and makes it hard to get to sleep even if I am shattered.

I used to deal with it, before diagnosis a couple of years ago, by having enough real stress in my life (usually work) that I had something real to “hook” the anxiety onto.

Since diagnosis, I have had to really quieten down my life and actually take early retirement, as I just couldn’t get back to work without triggering an episode (I go high and have hypomania. I have rarely gone low and not very by medical terms).

I will ask my consultant when I see them next but I wondered if anyone else had experience of this issue and successfully reduced their anxiety. Lithium is doing a really good job for me so I would rather not go onto an antipsychotic but the anxiety (it’s in my chest and not linked to any particular thought) is draining and makes it hard to crack on and live my life, with bipolar just being one of my many conditions that I take pills for.

Have you tried propropnal
It massively helps me with my anxiety

Thanks for your suggestion. Reading up on it o don’t think they woul consider it whilst I’m on lithium. I suspect my anxiety is low enough they’ll probably suggest I live with it and make good lifestyle choices. It’s just exhausting. I’ll ask my new consultant when I next see them. I hadn’t heard of melatonin as a sleep support and that’s been really effective. It may be that I need that change to bed in a little more.

hope your anxiety is feeling under control.

No mine is not under control unfortunately..but the propropnal does keep the wolf from door ,just about ..
I have a diagnosis of autism,and Im waiting for ADHD asessment..but they wrote on my autism report I met the criteria for ADHD
So I just get told it's my autism by my doctor,and that it's normal to experience this level of anxiety with autism

That sounds tough. Really tough,

my consultant’s letter has just come though and it says I’m having a depressive episode not a manic one - which I hadn’t actually realised. Explains why no one that concerned to do anything till I got GP to intercede on my behalf. If they thought I was going manic that would be a risk but I never go low enough to be a risk to myself or others so no risk if I’m depressed - just really really unpleasant for me. So not the same as your situation but some similarities. Just have to live with it. I’m not as frightened of depression as I am of mania.

Thanks for talking, It feels a lonely road.

Yes. this kind of constant, physical anxiety is common in bipolar, even when lithium is working well. Lithium stabilises mood but doesn’t treat anxiety, and stopping a benzodiazepine can make it flare again. Many people need a separate anxiety treatment (without antipsychotics), and it’s very reasonable to ask your consultant about that.

Ok thank you. I will ask. I have had such different advice and approaches from different consultants and there is no online NICE crib sheet for a condition that has to be medicated so individually - so I can’t research and I’ve lost a little trust. Melatonin has worked so well for me and it was never tabled as an option for the last couple of years that I’ve struggled.

If melatonin works for you, that’s a win. Trust your lived response and keep checking in with your clinician.

I hope you get some help op
It's a miserable way to live 😭

I have bipolar anxiety and it's horrible to live with. I have diazepam for when it's really bad. I find that if I can calm it a bit I can do self care which also helps.

I'm on an antipsychotic and mood stabiliser alongside the lithium which help but I still struggle alot.

On a side note be careful if they suggest an anti-depressant as these have always sent me high.

Thanks. Useful to know.

I had a paradoxical reaction to diazapam but the recent clorazapam (so.!) helped. It’s now I’ve come back off it, I’m struggling again. I haven’t been able to go to the gym for the last couple of months after a gynae op so I’m hoping starting back next week will help.

I was sectioned with hypomania so I don’t think they’d risk antidepressants. I think they’ll go antipsychotics next but that’s a big step u p from just taking lithium.

I agree. My DP suffers with bipolar and had lithium which worked to balance his highs and lows. He needs separate meds for anxiety e.g. Prozac in his case.

Yes, you’re absolutely right. In my DP’s case, lithium helped with bipolar.
Thank you.

They sometimes use propranolol to stop lithium tremors, so it can be prescribed at the same time and might help with anxiety. Maybe don't rule it out?

Thanks. Useful to know. I think I’m trying to anticipate what will happen and I just can’t do that. Waiting and uncertainty are my Achilles heel. It’s just been such a shock that seeing a different consultant has resulted in such different medical options been suggested.