At this time I am not diagnosed bipolar, but I have PDD-NOS and mood (and sleep etc) problems serious enough that I should get medication in 2 weeks. Right now I think mirtazepine would be best for me, but I will have to wait on what my psych thinks about it - I have not had any appointments with this psychiatrist yet.
Last week I tried Neurontin on my own initiative to see how effective it would be for my symptoms, I have discussed it with my psychologist who is understanding, although officially of course he cannot condone self-medication like that. The Neurontin felt quite effective for my mood and I actually felt normalized for the first time in a pretty long while. But at the doses I took it it did not help with insomnia.
I have taken Lyrica as well, years ago. Also on own initiative - it was recommended to me for avoiding GABAergic withdrawal effects for which it was very helpful. Then I also took it a few times in increasingly high doses with recreational intentions (though not irresponsibly high doses I'd say).
From what comparison I can draw from personal experience (matching with some consensus ideas on the matter), Lyrica is not only more potent by weight but also just seems qualitatively superior and more effective in what both drugs do and are meant to do. But I reviewed possible side-effects of both, since I have been considering them as a real option... it seems like Lyrica can be a little bit more messed up with possible adverse effects, at least that is how I interpreted it. I found the potential side-effects listed to be pretty weird and random, not seeming to fit together.
Of course I have no professional advice to offer, but for what it's worth: I think Lyrica is better if the symptoms / reasons for getting medicated are more serious. Then it seems warranted and worth risking a couple extra (and extra strange) side-effects. If the symptoms are not terribly serious but mild to normal then I guess Neurontin is ok.
(I see mention of valproate by the poster above me - yea Depakote *might* be a mood stabilizer I could see myself agreeing with if I really must, but things like Lithium, I wanna stay away from those - just seems like they are too heavy for my situation. Also, mirtazepine seems perfect right now because it can help with the exact things I am having problems with i.e. appetite, sleep, anxiety, general flimsy mood with depressed tendencies...)
Oh sorry! I think I responded mainly to the earlier posters and OP and not to Coklnorth who bumped...
Last week I tried Neurontin on my own initiative to see how effective it would be for my symptoms, I have discussed it with my psychologist who is understanding, although officially of course he cannot condone self-medication like that. The Neurontin felt quite effective for my mood and I actually felt normalized for the first time in a pretty long while. But at the doses I took it it did not help with insomnia.
I have taken Lyrica as well, years ago. Also on own initiative - it was recommended to me for avoiding GABAergic withdrawal effects for which it was very helpful. Then I also took it a few times in increasingly high doses with recreational intentions (though not irresponsibly high doses I'd say).
From what comparison I can draw from personal experience (matching with some consensus ideas on the matter), Lyrica is not only more potent by weight but also just seems qualitatively superior and more effective in what both drugs do and are meant to do. But I reviewed possible side-effects of both, since I have been considering them as a real option... it seems like Lyrica can be a little bit more messed up with possible adverse effects, at least that is how I interpreted it. I found the potential side-effects listed to be pretty weird and random, not seeming to fit together.
Of course I have no professional advice to offer, but for what it's worth: I think Lyrica is better if the symptoms / reasons for getting medicated are more serious. Then it seems warranted and worth risking a couple extra (and extra strange) side-effects. If the symptoms are not terribly serious but mild to normal then I guess Neurontin is ok.
(I see mention of valproate by the poster above me - yea Depakote *might* be a mood stabilizer I could see myself agreeing with if I really must, but things like Lithium, I wanna stay away from those - just seems like they are too heavy for my situation. Also, mirtazepine seems perfect right now because it can help with the exact things I am having problems with i.e. appetite, sleep, anxiety, general flimsy mood with depressed tendencies...)
Oh sorry! I think I responded mainly to the earlier posters and OP and not to Coklnorth who bumped...
