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Mental Health Bipolar Disorder Mega Thread

i really really want to try low dose amitripyline for my chronic pain, but most likely it will make me manic
any bipolars have experience with this? (without mood stablisers)
 
brighton said:
i really really want to try low dose amitripyline for my chronic pain, but most likely it will make me manic
any bipolars have experience with this? (without mood stablisers)
Click to expand...

I was on amitriptyline for years before i was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder instead of unipolar depression. I took it for neuropathic pain at first but ended up using it as a anti-depressant as well as a awesome sleep aid as well. I started out on 25mg's a night and ended up on 150mg's a day which is the max outpatient dose i think.

it's hard for me to tell how bad it was for triggering mania since i was not on any mood stabilizer with it until i was put on seroquel along with the amitriptyline for bipolar disorder. I wouldn't say it was anywhere near as bad for me in triggering mania as say venlafaxine which was a manic horror show.

Trying a low dose under the care of a doctor might be worth it if it helps your pain. If you are on a mood stabilizer that would reduce the risk of mania. One good thing about amitriptyline is that i never experienced any withdrawal symptoms even after being on 100-150mg's a day for a few years so that's a plus. If you don't want to risk mania it may not be worth trying this med but it could help your chronic pain so unless your doctor says no trying this med while monitoring closely for any manic symptoms wouldn't be such a bad idea.

After they found out i had bipolar disorder i was only on amitriptyline maybe 2 months along with seroquel before they took me off the med and put me on gabapentin as they where worried about the amitriptyline triggering mania in me. It had already crapped out as something to help my nerve pain and it wasn't helping my depression anymore either so i wasn't that unhappy with the switch. That is one shitty thing about tricyclics is that they often crap out on people and just stop working. Granted this can happen with any medication.
 
Hello, I have chronic back pain from scoliosis that leads to alot of other problems like my mood. Doctor prescribed me Cymbalta to maybe help the pain and depressive issues. I went to a neuropsychologist and told him exactly what i told the dr, pretty much exactly how i feel. Extremely down and hate everything in life, no energy for 5-7 days. But then for 1-2 or 3 days im extremely happy, productive and energized. He pretty much diagnosed me with cyclothymia. Took along time to get help because when i was happy id always convince myself i was fine. But anyways now im kind of worried about taking the Cymbalta?
 
So, my bipolar loved one (he's not my S/O anymore, as I think I mentioned) had a horrendous episode that totally screwed up Thanksgiving. He picked a fight with me, went out and guess what? Gambled! Once again, I had to loan him money until payday (tomorrow) This hindered me from doing some of my early holiday shopping. It sounds petty but so is gambling away your paycheck and needing to borrow $$$ from your ex.

He is now back on lithium and his new shrink is reducing his Adderall dosage. I am hoping he will stabilize. I think the Adderall has been one of the problems all along. Problem is, he's also ADHD and he doesn't respond to anything else - can't concentrate, can't focus at work, etc. His ADHD seems to respond to cannabis but

GordanMilky, you raise a good point about Cymbalta/other SNRIs/SSRIs. Are you presently taking it? I took for granted that SSRIs are contraindicated in bipolar disorder because they can trigger manic or hypomanic episodes, but not being a doctor, I can't give a formal opinion. It would be great to read the experiences of others as the information just seems so conflicting.
 
im 20 years old. diagnosed as bipolar when i was 14. put on symbyax.. which was a miracle drug for me. have been a benzo addict since 16, so NO ONE will prescribe me benzos, not that i want them, i know where that will lead. ive used my nine lives. i started shooting boy last august. and for some reason this caused me to experience terrible anxiety. i started using just to stop the anxiety.. i overdosed and ended up in the hospital in december. im currently taking prozac, zyprexa, inderal and vistaril. i cannot get over this anxiety. i see my pysc on the 20th. what to do...
 
bipolar drug user?

hi. i am moderately bipolar age 19 i have been told. well a bunch of people in my family are too so its probable true. i dont know to what extent its been talked to since my search doesnt work but i absolutely love drugs i think they are amazing im 19 and i have done most drugs under the sun e shrooms oxy coke dillies opana weed speed vics xannies dxm and most in massive quantities like 150 mg of oxy 7g of shrooms in all types of ways snorted, smoked, eaten, sucked on, bloody nosed, etc...

plus also drink and smoke of course in massive amounts :) plus literally almost fifty other drugs all types from amphetamines to pipes to deliriants etc...

its honestly the only way i scrape through life family doctors fuck psychiatrists fuck counselors psychologists are cool though. ive tried a few anti depressantsand mood stabilizers and they suck compared to hard drugs which are awesome for people like me who dont abuse them, i always know my shit even if im doing 6 drugs at a time.

fuck the police and fuck courts too they are completely useles in helping people by perhaps taking the shit and counseling they screw them over instead and throw them in jail or at the very least cost the court system a lot of time and money.


EDIT: by the way I don't endorse drugs.

Be smart kids!
 
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curioushat said:
hi. i am moderately bipolar age 19 i have been told. well a bunch of people in my family are too so its probable true. i dont know to what extent its been talked to since my search doesnt work but i absolutely love drugs i think they are amazing im 19 and i have done most drugs under the sun e shrooms oxy coke dillies opana weed speed vics xannies dxm and most in massive quantities like 150 mg of oxy 7g of shrooms in all types of ways snorted, smoked, eaten, sucked on, bloody nosed, etc...

plus also drink and smoke of course in massive amounts :) plus literally almost fifty other drugs all types from amphetamines to pipes to deliriants etc...

its honestly the only way i scrape through life family doctors fuck psychiatrists fuck counselors psychologists are cool though. ive tried a few anti depressantsand mood stabilizers and they suck compared to hard drugs which are awesome for people like me who dont abuse them, i always know my shit even if im doing 6 drugs at a time.

fuck the police and fuck courts too they are completely useles in helping people by perhaps taking the shit and counseling they screw them over instead and throw them in jail or at the very least cost the court system a lot of time and money.


EDIT: by the way I don't endorse drugs.

Be smart kids!
Click to expand...

So your taking all those drugs and you don't abuse them? Right :| . Drugs like coke, DXM, alcohol, amphetamines, deleriants (especially these), etc are absolutely horrible for someone who has bipolar disorder and i speak from experience here. Have you ever been properly diagnosed? If you haven't i would suggest going to see a psychiatrist and get a proper diagnoses. Unfortunately all those massive quantities of drugs that you take can cloud any diagnoses so you should not only lay off them to give your brain time to recuperate but also so you can get the right diagnoses.

What mood stabilizers or other psych meds have you tried? Why do you say they suck is it because they don't get you high? They aren't meant to get you high they are meant to help you lead as normal life as possible without the horrible mood swings that come with bipolar. If they work then they have done their job. The only drugs i really get high off these days are the opiates i am prescribed for pain and cannabis which i smoke alot of because it helps me. I rarely actually get high off the opiates i am prescribed due to my tolerance and the fact that running out is not fun.

From one who has suffered from some type of mood disorder for most of their lives and have suffered from bipolar disorder since my early twenties if not my teens you can take it from me that life is alot easier when you get your illness under control. I was a fucking emotional wreck before i finally got my bipolar under control and i would not go off my mood stabilizer especially if you paid me. I still have my bad days don't get me wrong but i very rarely get anything like the horrible mood swings i used to get. I don't miss rapid cycling between mania, mixed state mania and major depression all in a few days that's for sure :\ . So take it from one who has been through the ringer on this the sooner you get a diagnoses and can get it treated the better off you will be. The longer you leave it the harder it is to treat.
 
Don't downsize your issues. I don't know everything about your experience with bipolar disorder, or how it affects you completely, but I have tried to be in denial about having it... so I am on no medications for it whatsoever. Granted, mine probably isn't nearly as bad as most others, but I've somehow managed. I miraculously made it through all four years of college, with minimal help from medications. (Effexor XR my first semester. Seroquel my first two semesters. 5 semesters of nothing...until my last semester where I was put on Nortriptyline, Gabapentin, and Zolpidem for fibromylagia.)

So, it does seem to be possible. But it could also be due to my ridiculous amount of stubbornness and denial of my disorder in the first place... It certainly wasn't easy, but I never felt that the medications helped much, anyway. There were still countless nights where I was on the verge of suicide, in the darkest depths, and then other nights where I was on top of the world. Manic episodes always made it easier to finish projects, though I never necessarily recognized them as such until long after they had passed...it was indeed a rollercoaster. But it also gives a certain sense of accomplishment to feel that I was able to largely succeed on my own. Just know your own limits, and have a back-up plan if you do try such a venture. Remember you have a support network like Bluelight to back you up, too. :)
 
hey tmdoca

I'm bipolar 1, most likely officially with psychotic elements. It's not important but I know where you're coming from in some ways.

First off, yeah you don't have a hard drug problem but bipolar is it's own drug that spins your head in all kinds of chaotic and strange ways, I'm sure you know this. Also, please do not stop taking your meds as shitty as you might feel!

I'm not trying to infer that you're mental state is more fragile than it really is, it's just that from experience fucking around with your meds even on a semi-consistent basis will more likely than not have your mind fucking you over even more without you even realizing it's done so.

All I can say that will hopefully have you thinking more positively and managing your situation is to give the medication theme park ride some time to do its thing. Believe me, I know how fucking annoying it is to literally treat your brain like an unsolvable puzzle that comes along with bullshit side effects. I am in the same situation right now.

Anyway, just hang in there. I hope I could offer anything at all.
 
Just wondering if I could get a bit of advice here
First off, I've got a strong hereditary predisposition to bi-polar. My grandma became psychotic after giving birth, and ended up going through ECT the poor thing.
Of her children, I know one has been to a mental hospital after manic episodes, and another was bi-polar, but as far as I know, he didn't spend any time in an asylum (I could be wrong)
One of their sons (the one that didn't go to an asylum) also has what I suspect to be bipolar. A lot of my relatives from that side of the family are pretty fucked in the head, but these are the people who are bi-polar.
I'm definitely depressed, I know that, but when I go out with friends, or. Here, a better example would be high school. When I'd go to school, I'd always make everyone laugh, I'd be loud and social and throughout the day I'd feel as if I had more energy than other times, but it was all sporadic. Anyway, I'd get home and from then on my mood would just plummet, and then fluctuate (always feeling shit, though)
I would have bad days during school, and it's not like I was happy at school, but I definitely acted in a much different manner to how I would at home, as well as feeling better than I would at home.
When I was home though, I wouldn't have any desire to go out. I would rather sit around in my room than go out.
I don't know.
I'm seeing a psychiatrist in a little under 3 weeks, and I'm hoping to get some anti-depressants, but is there a chance I'm bi-polar?
I mean I don't have any manic episodes, (although I may have had a "mixed episode" previously) and I'm not psychotic, so I don't really see a problem with it even if I do have it, it's my depression I have an issue with. I'm sure my psychiatrist will figure shit out if I like him enough to continue seeing him, the last and only one I saw I did not like at all.
 
Unfortunately, since we are not professionals, it is hard to say. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, although I never was as aware of my manic episodes, either. The best bet is just to be as open an honest with the psychiatrist you see in a few weeks. Just tell him all of your symptoms; try not to go in there with an idea in your head of what you have, though, as that may colour your explanation. He will be able to ask questions further about the things that you tell him, and that will allow him to reach a conclusion.

It may take a few sessions for a concrete diagnosis; it could take even longer. But, he should be able to glean some sense of you and your disorders from the information you give. Just be patient with him. I know what it's like to go to therapists/psychiatrists/etc that you don't like. I went through four or five before finding one that I liked who I could truly connect with. He saw past my issues and realized that I was an intelligent person, just desperate to understand what was wrong with me so I could regain control, whereas all of the others had labeled me before I stepped in their doors and refused to listen to what I said. Instead they put words in my mouth and made me feel worse than I actually was. But, I digress (I really have to stop doing that).

My point is, as I'm sure it was not clear in the muddled mess above, that you both have to be patient with each other. Part of my problem was being angry with myself that I even needed a therapist, and I'm sure that translated to a few of them as anger and noncompliance with them. Just try to remember that whoever you're with is there to help you; try not to see the last psychiatrist you were with in this new guy, as it would colour your perception. If he seems hesitant to put a label on things, try to be patient. He's better to do so, as it means he's really trying to figure it out and making sure he gets the full picture before slapping you with a diagnosis. I really wish you the best of luck. Whether or not it turns out to be bipolar disorder, I hope you'll let us know the progress that you make with the sessions. I am hoping for the best for you. :)
 
Hi DeathDomokun,

Your psychiatrist should (hopefully) be able to take a good history and work out of you have had any actual hypomanic or manic episodes in the past. It is true that there is a strong genetic component, but that doesn't mean you will get it and unipolar depression is a lot more common than bipolar.. usually people with bipolar disorder experience a manic episode first, so if you haven't had any clear-cut mania followed by depression it is less likely you will have bipolar disorder and more likely you have unipolar depression. However, as SM said, this isn't something we can tell you over the internet - it is something you and your psychiatrist will work out together and it may take a bit of time, and perhaps some trial and error with medication. Are you considering any kind of therapy as well?

If you don't like your psychiatrist - switch :) It's important you trust your doctor, but especially in mental health as you need to build a lot of trust together.

I'm really pleased that you are trying a psych again, and that you recognise and accept your depression - that is often the biggest and hardest step! <3

Let us know how you get on, good luck! :) <3
 
Thanks for the replies.
Sinister, what you said was far from a muddled mess, it was actually quite clear. I want to be open and honest, but it's quite hard to articulate my feelings, and my behaviour isn't always a result of my feelings.
I think it would be good if he queried, because I think it would be easier to give an (elaborate) answer to a question I know is going to contribute in him gauging my problems, as opposed to incoherently rambling about things I don't understand in the hopes he'll be able to pluck something useful from my jabbering. I find I really need to be in a certain mood to just start talking in any sort of coherent manner about my feelings, and it usually ends up being long, which is good, but it's sporadic.
Effie, I asked my GP if she knew any psychiatrists that did therapy, but the only one was unwilling to work with me (she specialised in a different age group)
I'm not sure if this guy will attempt any therapy. I'd be willing to try it.
I'm hoping I get along okay with him, but I can only hope. I don't want to get on some perpetual ritual of going to the GP, getting a referral, waiting until my appointment is finally here, only to find out we clash, and then repeating the cycle. I really hope I get along with this new guy.
It's been over a year since I saw the last one.
Thanks for the well wishes <3
 
I am also quite long-winded about things, and am not sure how to guide my rambling. Tell your psychiatrist as much, too, if you can! He'll be able to ask little questions to guide you along and eventually you'll get into a sort of groove. And, really, don't worry about being long-winded with him; every little detail counts. Things that may seem insignificant to you, could actually make sense in the scheme of things to him...so try not to hesitate about talking too much or anything. ^^

Likewise, if he's unable to do therapy, you could perhaps ask /him/ for a referral. Someone that he has worked with before that he believes would be good for you, that way your therapist would be able to talk to him about what's going on and give their advice on what the next step or medication or anything could be...that sort of thing. And, having a therapist who has worked with your psychiatrist before would benefit you in another way, too: If you are having difficulty connecting with your psychiatrist or something, you could talk to your therapist about it and they could help you work things out in that sense as well!

At least, that's my two cents. I'm really glad that you're able to try therapy again, and I'm hoping and crossing my fingers that everything goes well for you!!
 
tmdoca don't feel bad for posting here, please do so as i'm sure some lurkers are here like me who want to reflect and gain/share knowledge and experiences on something we all got in common with,hope that didn't sound selfish.
I've made it past over a year on not being ill so i'm grateful for that though i'm having a battle with anxiety at the moment and sudden panic attacks where my heart races for a few seconds.I wish to up my mood stabilizers and get back on the smallest dose of effexor it has really helped me in the past it just fixed up almost everything and im sure it will get rid of this sinking into depression feelings that are coming and going..it sux i'm not going to let it consume me.

BP type 1 on 1500mg quantapine , 25-100mg seroquel

Till next time, Peace and all the best for everyone
 
Be careful with the benzos tmdoca. It fuckin sucks. I'm sliding back into using my klonopin as prescribed but I withdrew about a month ago and then caved in a few days ago cause my mind was just going crazy from stress goin on now.

It's like I don't know if I should use them or not use them. My mind is just on another plain of consciousness compared to everyone around me. I can interact in a "normal" way but it feels like it's just a program I've designed to get by with social interactions and such.

Winter is death, and my mind destroys anything and everything. I probably sound crazy. Anyway, is winter soul crushing for any of you guys that are bipolar?
 
I find zyprexa to be a wonder drug for treating manic and mixed episodes. Wish i could afford it :( . The shitty effects from anti-psychotics tend to go away after awile so id stay stick with your meds for sure. Some of the worst decisions Ive made have been going off my meds.
 
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