any others living with bipolar disorder?

[metalhead1]

i am getting fed up with the SSRIS. i have been on 5 -6 different ones in over a year and none of them are helping me with my depressive episodes. I was put on lithium about a month ago and i have feeling alot better, and ready to change things in my life. Not only do the ssris give me brain fog(things just seem slow, dull, hard to concertrate). I have also been on seroquel xr, and abilify but alias nothing. Im going to be talking to my doc about possibly getting off the luvox. I HATE the side effects, and also hate not being able to get the most out of my shroom trips. Idk i might just stay away from psychedllics for a couple year now after my last shroom trip.

anyways, anyone with bipolar feel the ssri nessessary

 

[Matt58]

Hey man, I've had the diagnosis of Bipolar 1 (more manic then depressed though) since I was 14 and have been on and off (mostly off) of meds since then. (I'm currently 17) You have to talk to your psychiatrist and try different combos. if the ones you're on aren't working, I've been on a ton of different anti-depressants, mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics and as of now seroquel is what's working for me (when I take it).

The side effects do suck and there is no doubting that, I tend to feel 'zoned out' and I feel like I'm not in my body but I go for a run every day and it takes that feeling away, try different things because what works for me you might hate... and if it doesn't work right away, don't stop.


But back on the topic of medicine, the same stuff doesn't work for everyone so it may take a while for you to find that right combo... the trial&error period will suck but when you get it right, you'll feel a lot better... also they won't be the quick fix to your symptoms, you will have to change some things too.

And drugs while diagnosed with a disorder like bipolar are a bad idea all in all so it would be best to avoid them. 8)

We can't really say if they are necessary or not because everyone has different issues even if we have the same diagnosis but you can definitely reduce your symptoms with the right treatment... sorry for the long post.

 

[marissaaaaaa]

i have bipolar 2 and i was on wellbutrin for a few months. that helped a lot with my depression. made me more prone to hypomanic episodes though, which wasn't necessarily a baddd thing haha. i only was on it from march 2009-july i believe? i just stopped taking it because..i didn't want to be on medication. with this one it's not an MAOI or an SSRI so you can just stop taking it without those crazy things happening. my mother isn't a total med-believer and i was seeing a really good therapist at the time. i'm more of a "i'd rather have the tools to cope than rely on meds" type of person, unless it's necessary. i'd be open to take that again if i ever felt i could not tolerate my depression again.

i couldn't really focus in school (i was in high school at the time). it was a challenge sometimes to sit through classes after i had just taken it. i wasn't on the XR either. personally made me a bit "manic-y" at times.*

i do suggest it for anyone with depression. there's little side-effects, and it worked really great for my depression. even as a temporary thing it was enough to like pull me out of it and i was okay for a while after. def talk to your doctor about it.

my therapist suggested i get on seroquel way back when, but i didn't want to. 2 of my friends were on it and attempted suicide so...

 

[godlovesugly]

yup. havent found anything thats worked yet....ive been on it all. on seroquel now. hate it. my friend is the most manic person ive ever met. hes on wellbutrin and abilify i believe...he seems to agree with it.

 

[swmo]

I don't have bipolar, but if you do, please take your meds as prescribed.

 

[paranoid android]

Talk to your doctor about it as there are lotsa other meds out there for the depressive side of bipolar then SSRI's. Does the lithium help the depression much because if you could get by on that that would be good.

I have bipolar and i take lamictal which helps my moods a fuckload both the depression, mixed states and mania. Though sometimes i do need a anti-psychotic such as risperdal, zyprexa or seroquel for the mania. I take wellbutrin for the depression and it helps alot and does not give me much in the way of side effects.

So yeah talk it out with your doctor and maybe come up with a better solution then what you are on.

 

[SirTophamHat]

I have not been professionally diagnosed however BP runs in my family and we all think I've got it. I tried a couple classic ADs but took myself off them within months. What works best [for me] is a consistent diet, lots of time outside, regular strenuous exercise (even better if it is cardio), high doses of fish oil, and regular interaction with my peer circle, even if I don't necessarily feel like it. HTH

 

[bluemickeys4life]

Yes. Currently taking seroquel xr and wellbutrin sr. Seems to be working...

 

[embers_fading]

i am getting fed up with the SSRIS. i have been on 5 -6 different ones in over a year and none of them are helping me with my depressive episodes. I was put on lithium about a month ago and i have feeling alot better, and ready to change things in my life. Not only do the ssris give me brain fog(things just seem slow, dull, hard to concertrate). I have also been on seroquel xr, and abilify but alias nothing. Im going to be talking to my doc about possibly getting off the luvox. I HATE the side effects, and also hate not being able to get the most out of my shroom trips. Idk i might just stay away from psychedllics for a couple year now after my last shroom trip.

anyways, anyone with bipolar feel the ssri nessessary

First of all, I don't understand why you are being prescribed any SSRI medications because they tend to trigger severe mania in people who have bipolar disorder. A mood stabilizer would seem more appropriate for you, perhaps prescribed with an antipsychotic. I would speak to your psychiatrist about this, or perhaps consult another psychiatrist, but everything I have learned from books on bipolar disorder and from my past psychiatrists and treatment programs says SSRI+bipolar disorder = bad things usually.

A lot of people who initially seem to be suffering from unipolar depression get prescribed SSRIs, go manic/psychotic, and then that's how they find out that they actually were suffering from bipolar depression.

As for drugs, since you have a very serious mental illness, don't you think that you should quit psychedelics and everything else for, well, forever? What's more important to you? Being able to have all of your freedoms and live your life as you want it or being shuffled in and out of mental hospitals? No one knows how you are going to respond to drugs since every person with bipolar disorder has a unique case; the severity of symptoms and the rate of cycling varies from person to person. Psychedelics could be the worst possible thing for you to put into your body. It could be weed (weed tends to trigger manic episodes, too). Sure, there are bipolar people who still use, but just because they can get away with something doesn't mean you will. Also, you could be fine for a few months and then BAM suffer the consequences of regular use of your DOC. It's up to you to do what you want, make your own choices, but be aware that very bad things could happen to you if you keep using.

As for side effects, give the medications a month or two. Usually side effects will go away after this amount of time. If they don't, talk to your psychiatrist about altering your dose or safely switching to a different medication. It can take a month or so before the medications you are on even begin to work and have a chance at treating you. You're going to have to get used to staying on your meds and taking them, even if you feel "fine" for a long period of time. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition. Exercise, proper sleep cycles, and a good diet go a long, long way, but they aren't enough on their own to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

It could very well take you years before you find meds/combinations that actually work for you. It took me a damned long time, but I've been totally stable for going on three years now. You have to go through a lot of bullshit to get to a good place, but in the end it's worth it. Believe me, I'd love to trip and get high on pot again, but I know that's only going to send me back into the hospital so I don't do it.

 

[michael]

i am not bipolar, but my younger brother is. it is a lot of pressure on me as i have had to move home to help my mother deal with it.

he has severe anxiety and has a lot of trouble being left alone or being in public. my mother is in long-term denial about what is going on and i suspect she thinks he may just snap out of it at any moment. she has suffered a lot of loss in the past couple years and is not dealing with it particularly well.

her retard of a doctor has prescribed her zoloft but my mother refuses to go to therapy or any kind of support group. she has stuck her head in the sand and the zoloft just enables her to do this to a greater degree. i have outlined my feelings about this to her MANY MANY times but she doesn't really value my opinion on the matter.

First of all, I don't understand why you are being prescribed any SSRI medications because they tend to trigger severe mania in people who have bipolar disorder.

this bears repeating. what triggered a psychotic break for my brother was his dose of paxil being raised, by a pill-pusher of a doctor unwilling to follow up care by trying to get him into therapy or referring him to a psychiatrist. the only benefit to what ended up happening is that it finally got my brother into the treatment he needed, although by a long convoluted path that includes abuse by police and now a criminal record.

 

[metalhead1]

First of all, I don't understand why you are being prescribed any SSRI medications because they tend to trigger severe mania in people who have bipolar disorder. A mood stabilizer would seem more appropriate for you, perhaps prescribed with an antipsychotic. I would speak to your psychiatrist about this, or perhaps consult another psychiatrist, but everything I have learned from books on bipolar disorder and from my past psychiatrists and treatment programs says SSRI+bipolar disorder = bad things usually.

A lot of people who initially seem to be suffering from unipolar depression get prescribed SSRIs, go manic/psychotic, and then that's how they find out that they actually were suffering from bipolar depression.

As for drugs, since you have a very serious mental illness, don't you think that you should quit psychedelics and everything else for, well, forever? What's more important to you? Being able to have all of your freedoms and live your life as you want it or being shuffled in and out of mental hospitals? No one knows how you are going to respond to drugs since every person with bipolar disorder has a unique case; the severity of symptoms and the rate of cycling varies from person to person. Psychedelics could be the worst possible thing for you to put into your body. It could be weed (weed tends to trigger manic episodes, too). Sure, there are bipolar people who still use, but just because they can get away with something doesn't mean you will. Also, you could be fine for a few months and then BAM suffer the consequences of regular use of your DOC. It's up to you to do what you want, make your own choices, but be aware that very bad things could happen to you if you keep using.

As for side effects, give the medications a month or two. Usually side effects will go away after this amount of time. If they don't, talk to your psychiatrist about altering your dose or safely switching to a different medication. It can take a month or so before the medications you are on even begin to work and have a chance at treating you. You're going to have to get used to staying on your meds and taking them, even if you feel "fine" for a long period of time. Bipolar disorder is a lifelong condition. Exercise, proper sleep cycles, and a good diet go a long, long way, but they aren't enough on their own to treat the symptoms of bipolar disorder.

It could very well take you years before you find meds/combinations that actually work for you. It took me a damned long time, but I've been totally stable for going on three years now. You have to go through a lot of bullshit to get to a good place, but in the end it's worth it. Believe me, I'd love to trip and get high on pot again, but I know that's only going to send me back into the hospital so I don't do it.

you said to try an anti-psychotic, i said earlier that i was already on seroquel, abilify, and another one i didnt mention, risperdol, which gave me Tardive dyskinesia.

I was just taken off lamicital last week and now im on lithium.



"As for drugs, since you have a very serious mental illness, don't you think that you should quit psychedelics and everything else for, well, forever? What's more important to you? Being able to have all of your freedoms and live your life as you want it or being shuffled in and out of mental hospitals?"

No. im not a slave to any disorder. just because im manic depressive doesnt mean i cant live the life i want to. And who the fuck says im going to the hospital? Ignorant ass, you think every with a mental disorder is hospital bound? please. When irresponsible kids with mental disorders take substances they might not be able to pick up the bits and pieces afterwards. But i have, 3 times actually. Im very well read/researched. Of course theres an increased risk, its called being a responsable drug user. Go ahead and say " oh using psycedellics isnt responsable for a bipolar patient"
no shit it isnt, im not here claiming its a smart idea, its something i wish to do in the future when im more stable . And i did say i was staying away from the shrooms for atleast a year....if im lucky. You dont know me yet are just putting that mental illness stigma label on me. well fuck you, ignorant insignificant trash.

" What's more important to you? Being able to have all of your freedoms and live your life as you want it"

I want to live a life where i can use psycedellics maybe 2 -3 times a year. Again, you are ignorant judging someone elses idea of freedom.

shrooms are the definition of freedom, it sounds like you need to try them some time, novice.


Basically you have no idea what your talking about. You think you do, but you really dont, at all. You have no actual pharmaceutical or brain chemistry knowledge.
You are pretty much the opposite of what this site needs.

 

[deez_nuggs]

I don't have bipolar, but if you do, please take your meds as prescribed.

you say that like youre either, 1) a psychiatrist, or 2) one of those people who think anyone with a mental illness is a menace to society.

 

[purple_cloud]

I didn't read through this whole thread like I normally would, but I don't have bipolar disorder, I have Borderline Personality Disorder which is pretty similar. I had previously taken citalopram (SSRI), effexor (SNRI), and wellbutrin (I don't even know but it's fucking evil) and none of them helped. Then I was given Lamictal with Seroquel...well the seroquel was a total nightmare and I only took it once, but I'm finding the Lamictal to be a pretty damn good mood stabilizer. I've only been on it for about a month and still titrating up my dose, but it seems to have worked by FAR better than any of that SSRI/SNRI/etc crap. It sucks though, because the disorder I have is so stigmatized, I can't really talk about it irl. Bipolar seems MUCH MUCH more common and no one thinks any differently of you if you have it, and I always assumed I had it until a psychiatric evaluation I had discovered I wasn't bipolar but in fact Borderline. I'm also scripted xanax, but not for daily use, and I find that alprazolam as needed + Lamictal is a pretty good combination. Plus my serotonin isn't being screwed with either.

 

[paranoid android]

you say that like youre either, 1) a psychiatrist, or 2) one of those people who think anyone with a mental illness is a menace to society.

Well i suffer from bipolar and i take lamictal, wellbutrin. clonazepam and anti-psychotics such as risperdal, zyprexa and sometimes seroquel and the meds work a hell of alot better most of the time if i take them as prescribed. If i miss too many doses of say my mood stabilizer lamictal my moods can get fucked up again.

So yeah it's best to take them like your supposed to.

 

[deez_nuggs]

I was merely pointing out the way his post made him sound, in my opinion. obviously i have no grounds for telling someone what the should or should not take.

 

[ShroomieGirl]

yup... been living with bipolar for a good 7+ years now and have been off n on a few different meds. right now im doing okay with just abilify and lithium and clonazepam. i tried respiridone/respiridol for a while but all it did was make me spacy and dull and tired. hated it. things seem like theyve leveled out recently and i havent had any bad episodes so those 3 have been working real well for me.

my only advice is to not get discouraged and keep trying different things. my moms friend is also bipolar and it took her years to find a good combo of meds as well as a half decent doc.

good luck with everything... if you ever need someone to talk to, feel free to pm me

 

[shahab6]

I used to know this person who was bipolar, and they didn't take their medication, let's just say some of the things they would do was very wrong, not normal.
For example they used to lie all the time, She would accuse people of stealing, she would make plans and then canceled it last minute like 80 % of the time, and they would do this with everyone. She would think that she was famous and rich.And once in while she would snap, like screams and go crazy. I used to wonder what was wrong with her, until one day someone told me.

my point is take your medication.. trust me if you don't you're action are not normal.

 

[n3ophy7e]

I was merely pointing out the way his post made him sound, in my opinion. obviously i have no grounds for telling someone what the should or should not take.

I see your point but I think that it's pretty common knowledge that anyone who is prescribed psychiatric meds should take them as prescribed. This is probably even more important for psych meds than many other type of medications around. I don't think there was any ill-intent in swmo's comment.