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Mental Health Psychiatric Medication Guide

Bipolar rapid cycler with PTSD, anxiety disorder, and OCD tendencies. On meds for two years. Prescribed Prozac 40mg, Seroquel 200mg, Ativan 0.5mg, Buspar 30mg. Prozac has basically pooped out on me, Seroquel knocks me out and zaps my motivation. Ativan and Buspar do well in controlling the anxiety.

Coffee does nothing for me, caffeine pills do give me energy, but I have to change brands often (high tolerance). The addition of Sudafed with caffeine pills can induce hypomania. As someone said earlier, mine feels like a roll. Ever increasing Serotonin release, sweats then chills, etc.

Use marijuana to even myself out. Also brings back the urge to do stuff and not just sleep all day. Haven't noticed any significant weight gain with these meds, in fact I go through periods of losing weight.
 
Aetherius Rimor said:
Question, as you did not specify which version of Bipolar.

I'm planning on discussing this combination with my psychiatrist to see if a prescription for desoxyn (prescription meth) is possible since adderall has worse side effects for me. Are there any resources available showing that this combination is an accepted treatment for bi-polar type II? Amphetamine + Anti-psychotic?

The alternative I was considering after researching depakote's method of action is Amphetamine + Depakote; but depakote alone will not treat my depression and SSRIs have proven ineffective in the past (they make me fall asleep).

Also, considering the treatment for Bi-polar Type I and Bi-polar Type II can be different, do you intend on separating them out into two different categories?
Click to expand...

In the US (don't know much about N or S, very much doubt N and S), we stock Desoxyn dextromethamphetamine HCl 5mg tablet. You realize that though all amphetamines 'take a toll' on your body, I am not going to preach about the evils of Desoxyn and it has been plenty helpful in countless cases. Typically when you get up to considering daily Desoxyn, an extra brain cell here and here is your least concern and you just want to concentrate on life. If you eat well and sleep and take it only if it helps you, you can take therapeutic doses (unestablished, as it was discontinued with only the 5mg tab remaining - PDR hints at usual dose (that benefits) at around 40, give or take. There is no limit, however, and by old skool prescribing, 10mg dextrostat = 10mg desoxyn (7.5 if you want to get all...). I must warn you, the name is scarier than the medication. While it is a VERY potent antidepressant, mood brightener, motivator, ADHD agent solo and in tandem, and it may do thrice the damage of Adderall in a daily dose (15 Desoxyn TID =30 Adderall BID), you complain of sedation when amphetamine is adjunct to AD agent, right? There is an issue here
1. SSRIs are not fun. They can make you fall asleep or keep you up...usually one or the other for some reason.
2. Desoxyn, is, surprisingly, LESS STIMULATING than Adderall. I'm not kidding. Some may argue that it's all a matter of taste and I'm not saying it isn't. However, there's 'jittery' stimulated and 'awake'. Adderall contains more than half its constituents to elicit those jitterry peripheral effects. That's fine as long as you're OK with them, and they don't make you more nervous or add to the tremor of concomitantly taken drugs, but essentially, the CNS stimulation and PNS stimulation of Adderall adds up to make a pretty much equal punch as far as keeping you up goes. If you notice...as far as we've progressed in narco and cataplexy, we now realize that sodium oxybate is 'the real deal' sometimes, because that and a lot of else can actually help severe cases. As for ramping up the amp? No. Desoxyn also has a very obvious serotonergic component. It actually 'feels' like an SSRI. Not in a bad way. Whereas on Adderall I might fall asleep in a worried trance and wake up in a panic....on Dexedrine, I am very unlikely to fall asleep after a healthy dose until I am unable to function myself, and even then i will spring back up and go into recovery mode, eating and hydrating like some labrat. On Desoxyn, I have falleen asleep in the midst of day in the most chaotic moments. Also, it kinda does things to hypertension. A lot. If you blend with one of m/any ADs, get ready. An excellent trick here is actually VERAPAMIL (CALAN SR titrated to 480 div bid if tolerated -- this is a great mood stabilizer and it will make cardiovascular issues as a result of sympathomimetic amines no more) So not only is it not quite half a Pemoline in terms of 'AMPING YOU UP'..it also makes you feel like you're having a peaceful little stroke now and then. POINT; unless you wish to go up to Desoxyn in doses close to double your current Adderall....realize it's not the safest pill and even in high doses it will not keep you up. If you are not narcolepsic, by the way, you should not rely on ANY of these to 'keep' you up. You'll make it harder in the long run. If an AD is sedating, you take it at 8pm and go to sleep so you can have you 12 hours or as much as you can allow. Usually its 8-9, just that people think 'bedtime' means after midnight. Bedtime is EIGHT PM. Do whatever you want after but take your sedating whatever at 8PM. Small dose increments an adjustment here and here, maybe a Provigil and a Dexie and some Doraal for sleep during dose increments (because 99% of ADs will ruin your sleep making you more tired during the day, Remeron and Surmontil excluded). You can't be sleepy forever, you will snap out of it. If it continues to make it so sleepy you can't function...you have to use another medication. You can pump yourself full of Thor's thunder, but you will NEVER escape sleep. Ever. Noncompliance (not your fault...not well enough explained probably) is key. When you're sleepy you go to bed. You can't just wing it. You have a disorder that bothers you and ruins your life and by pushing the envelope you're delaying treatment. It's not the doxepin makes you sleepy. It's the 3am dose that makes you skip work and wake up when it's dark. I have battled with thousands of (almost always young men betwe. 25-34) about taking doxepin (I happen to like it when it's necessary) at 7pm. They stumble in and I know it's not the case. We divide up 100 into 12.5 qam 12.5 qpm, and 50qhs (8pm max). In a week theyre still drowsy but theyre doing things and living. In two weeks it's gone..there is no sedation. A month of titration, slowly and carefully, you'll feel out of it, but you'll go from 25-75mg wk1 to your goal by week 4 even if the goal is <375. The ones who walk around in a haze and a daze are either really too sensitive and should not take the drug, or most likely, are the ones who don't treat their tx seriously. These are serious things....not taken for fun. Doxepin is one hell of a drug and one hell of a nightmare, but in some situations the diagnosis screams its name. And it's usually so effective. And no one become a narcoleptic. Somnolence that interferes with daily functioning can be improved by a bit of modafinil, nuvigil (or if your insurance is like others and won't hear it), dexedrine IR (the smoother but stronger Adderall), Adderall IR, (2.5mg doses throughout the day,,,or one 10-20mg dose qAM during titration - this should not be a normal thing and avoided whenever possible. But when you must, then do so, and only use analeptics to fight off deplorable fatigue. Anything save for the morning, I'd go with coffee - and I know I am way out of line here but I have even suggested to those who (already) smoke, to go have a cigarette. This is not advice to people going up on their Elavil...but for those who do smoke, this is the one time in your life you will be 'excused', and it really does help. Short story long....Desoxyn is milder than Adderall. Depakote plus Amphetamine is tricky (does something to the mind...every single person I've had eventually dropped one or the other [usually the Depakote]. In certain combos, Depakote plus stim can really lead to a touch of manic like things creeping in. You see this x100 if you take amphetamine with lamotrigine....full blown manic episode out of nowhere for one, never to repeat again....and sedated cozy feeling for another...lamictal is serious stuff so perhaps the mixing there should really be done by someone willing to spend time with you.

Why do you not try Seroquel at a good dose, say over 400 [or the whole lot?] [i mean ask your doctor this isn't me telling you what to do...]first of all it actually becomes STIMulating. Truly. You feel dead when you take it (even then it wears off quickly and tolerance to sedation builds) but say you take 300SR (At 5-6PM since it needs 4 hours for 1mg to escape), you'd easily be able to get nice and chipper in the AM (by 8 or even earlier) by taking the adderall dose. Seroquel blocks different receptors. Meaning, than, say, Zyprexa. Zyprexa tonight, stimulants in a few days....Seroquel now, stimulant in a few hours)


Before I go...very important....are you on Adderall XR? not the tab, the capsule....just curious
 
I'm currently prescribed Vyvanse 50mg, Modafinil 200mg, Propranolol 10mg 2x daily, Intuniv 3mg, Gabapentin 300mg 3x daily, Lithium 1350mg, Seroquel XR 400mg, Seroquel 50mg IR, I think that's all of it. Vyvanse helps have energy and focus, but it definitely frys your brain a little over time. Modanfinil also really helps with wakefulness but I also feel that it may blunt my mind a little bit. Propranolol helps with shaking from Lithium and I don't experience any conscious cognitive effect from such a low dose of it. Intuniv seems to help with anxiety by working on blood pressure, Gabapentin help marginally with anxiety in the way that it's dosed for me but a doctor once told me it causes cognitive impairment. Lithium keeps me from being suicidal so that's good. Seroquel really helps me with depression and anxiety, but it dulls my mind to the point where I become borderline dysfunctional. Either way I'm going to get my meds recalibrated at a top psychiatric hospital soon, if anyone has a question about medication I've been on nearly everything at some point and would be happy to answer questions.
 
I didn't have time to read through all of the posts so this might have already been discussed. I suffer from GAD, OCD, mild depression, and severe panic attacks. I take 20mg paroxetine daily, and .5-1mg of alprazolam as needed. My current meds are mediocre at best. I recently experimented with low to moderate doses of amphetamines (aderrall ir) and I notice i experienced almost no anxiety, and a significant decrease in OCD, as long as I didn't exceed 30mg daily. Have any of you had a similar experience? I couldn't find anything using the search engine.
 
Be careful with the Adderall. Tolerance goes up quickly and the effects lessen over time. What non-drug therapies have you tried? I have suffered in the past with everything on your list except substitute ADD for OCD:\ and I have found mindfulness training/practice and meditation to be the most effective treatment. For me, treating the whole self, treating my own thought process rather than seeing the anxiety and depression produced by my own thoughts as a medical condition that required medication, has been life-changing.
 
Hello herbivore! Thanks for the reply :) I have no intention of taking adderall daily, or being prescribed it. I tried it a few times recreationally and was just baffled that a stimulant had that effect, because I assumed it would have the opposite lol I went through pretty bad opiate withdrawals, and it just amplified my anxiety incredibly (which I'm sure it does for everybody). For that reason I won't allow myself to use any substance on consecutive days, or even once a week, due to the fear of having to go through the mental anguish withdrawal caused. I guess in this case my anxiety disorder I kind of a blessing! Haha on a side note I feel I need to say thank you to the members of this forum for making me feel so welcome. I can tell everyone legitimately cares about each other's well being. This is a great community and I'm so glad I found it! :)
 
i have trouble accepting amphetamines and opiates as valid treatments for anxiety/depression

i have reacted poorly to celexa and zoloft in the past, since i identify myself with my intense emotions it leaves me feeling lifeless.

i'm taking agomelatine (melatonergic antidepressant) at the moment and it is going well, i have a thread in mental health where i talk about it, i'm also trying supplementation with folic acid/activated b6 & b12 to see if i have a mutation for the MTHFR gene which is involved in the methylation cycle which could be causing some of my fatigue/depression/anxiety.

i'm hopefully going to be able to experiment with self administration of low dose ketamine to see what affect that has on neuroplasticity/reset button for my brain. that might be a project that will have to wait a while, i am confident i have the self-control to not veer into recreational doses so that it is all within the medicinal dosage range.
 
I'm diagnosed with bipolar disorder and found the right combination for myself (finally)

3mg clonazepam
1mg Ativan as needed
150mg Lamictal
80mg Latuda
 
Do any of you have experience with the antidepressant Viibryd? It's a relatively new med. my younger brother switched to it from celexa and isn't enjoying it at all. He also suffers from anxiety/depression, and panic disorder. He seems to be having worse symptoms now than before he made the switch. I want to help him so much, because I know how he's feeling. Main question is, will these side effects kind of level off once he becomes more accustomed to the med? Or should we seek other options?
 
Dealing With Bipolar

Hello, this is my first post. Hopefully it will help somebody who is struggling with mental illness.

I am a 25 year old male who has struggled with BP I for nearly over 10 years now. I am nearly always on the manic side of the equation IF my symptoms are not under control or I am experiencing a normal period in my life. I rarely swing to the depressive side, although it has happened a few times, and one was serious enough to land me in a P-hospital for a couple of weeks. In general, when I am on my medications (I will get into this in a minute), I tend to stay in a low hypo-manic state. This is nice because I am high functioning without getting out of control. However, I still experience problematic behavior (pleasure seeking, money problems, drug seeking behavior, etc...).

I wanted to share my experience for people who are having a hard time dealing with mania. People who do not understand the disease tend to think that a manic episode is more "fun" or "enjoyable" than a depressive one. I can see where they might think that. After all, who doesn't want to feel confident, invincible, powerful... But I contend that both states are equally damaging to ones life. Behaviors exhibited during a hypo or full blown manic episode can very quickly cause your life to crumble, leading to depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation.

I have created a scale, which I will do my best to convey on this limited web based word processor.

Here is the "key" or "guide":
This scale is 1-100.
1 = The worst depression one can experience.
50 = Equilibrium. "Normal" if you will. Neither depressed nor manic.
100 = Dangerously manic, completely out of touch with reality.

This is important to note: 1-15 on the scale is considered a depressive episode with psychosis. 85-100 is considered a manic episode with psychosis. When you enter the 15th percentile on either end, and experience psychosis, you lose touch with reality. You lose the ability to move yourself back into the normal range without medical supervision.

So here's the visual representation of the scale:

(Depressed, Psychotic) Depressive Episode< >Hypo/Fully Manic Episode (Manic, Psychotic)
||---------------15-----------------------------------50-----------------------------------85----------------100||
Normal, Balanced​

It goes without saying that you should ideally shoot for the 50 range, where you experience little to no symptoms of BP. There are 3 ways I have found that help me stay close to this range. In order of ability to move you up or down the scale, they are: 1) Medication, 2) Diet, Sleep, Exercise, and 3) cognitive self evaluation (a fancy way of saying "I feel ______, I recognize this feeling, I will try to work on this using my own thought processes and affirmations).

Medication: If you have BP I, BP II, or any of the related mood disorders, you have more than likely tried more medications than you can even remember. It's a bitch. I understand the frustration with side-effects, doctors that treat you like an addict, medications that may make things worse... such is our plight. I advise you find a good therapist, figure out what you are trying to accomplish, and THEN go see a psychiatrist. Better yet, see an NP or PNP (psychiatric nurse provider). The difference between an NP and a shrink, is that the NP will allow you to make decisions in your treatment without pushing meds and a good NP will LISTEN to what you have to say about what you are dealing with. The shrink more often than not (at least IMO), will put you on a standard regimen, turning your mind into a battle zone.

A good example of proper medication management by my NP:As I have tried numerous mood stabilizers, atypicals, anti-depressants (the shrink gave me one, and it put me in the hospital), I have a pretty good idea of what works for me. My NP allows me to participate in my medication selection. Currently, I am taking 1200mg lithium, 20mg diazepam, and 4mg clonazepam daily. Admittedly this is an odd way to treat mania long term, as the benzos can and do become habit-forming, but on these meds I feel as close to normal as I have felt in 10 years. I don't even experience drowsiness from the meds because of my individual response to treatment. My former psychiatrist would not even consider this type of treament, and I suffered needlessly while he zombified me with depakote, seraquil, and trazodone. THE POINT IS THIS: find a doc that listens to you, and is willing to work with you on medication management. Its a long, hard process, but so worth it.

Sleep, Diet, Exercise: I cannot stress enough how important it is to treat your body right. Eat right. Get your blood flowing. SLEEP. It is absolutely incredible what your body can do when you treat it like you should. Instead of that McChicken, make a wrap sandwich with some fresh ingredients. Go for a bike ride around town, you might find new hobbies and friends. And make sure you do your best to sleep on a regular schedule. Turn that TV off late at night, and keep track of your progress in a journal. Not only will this calm you down, but it empties your subconscious mind of all the distractions we have in our modern world. You will probably find that each and every day gets a little better over time. Try using the scale I introduced above if you need somewhere to start.

Cognitive Self Evaluation: Don't get confused by the term. It just means that you should take a minute to evaluate how you are doing, and come up with strategies that will help you find balance. Some people meditate, others pray. You can even use this technique to assess the other 2 areas I mentioned. The point is, your brain is powerful. Learn to use it as a tool. Here's a short anecdote: A few years back a very close friend told me that he thought my BP was all in my head. That I was making it up (not necessarily on purpose, but almost as a compulsion). I was offended. I have dealt with debilitating effects for years, and here he is telling me that its all made up... But I did some thinking, and entertained the thought that maybe it was all just some elaborate hoax I tricked myself into believing, and kept re-affirming with every dose of medication and every discussion I had about it. As it turns out, he was partially right. After I changed my ATTITUDE and PERSPECTIVE on my disease, I found I could better control the symptoms. I no longer viewed myself as a victim, but as a person who is incredibly strong and can deal with things that many people cannot understand.

You are strong. You are worthy of a life filled with joy and happiness. NEVER let anyone tell you otherwise. Work on it a little every day, discuss with your p-doc what you are really feeling needs to happen, and break out into the world with something to offer.


"I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see."
Jimi Hendrix





 
Last edited:
Has anyone tried injections for Aripiprazole/Abilify? I'd be interested in experiences and how it compares to taking it orally every day
 
appie said:
Dealing With Bipolar

Hello, this is my first post. Hopefully it will help somebody who is struggling with mental illness.

I am a 25 year old male who has struggled with BP I for nearly over 10 years now. I am nearly always on the manic side of the equation IF my symptoms are not under control or I am experiencing a normal period in my life. I rarely swing to the depressive side, although it has happened a few times, and one was serious enough to land me in a P-hospital for a couple of weeks. In general, when I am on my medications (I will get into this in a minute), I tend to stay in a low hypo-manic state. This is nice because I am high functioning without getting out of control. However, I still experience problematic behavior (pleasure seeking, money problems, drug seeking behavior, etc...).

I wanted to share my experience for people who are having a hard time dealing with mania. People who do not understand the disease tend to think that a manic episode is more "fun" or "enjoyable" than a depressive one. I can see where they might think that. After all, who doesn't want to feel confident, invincible, powerful... But I contend that both states are equally damaging to ones life. Behaviors exhibited during a hypo or full blown manic episode can very quickly cause your life to crumble, leading to depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation.

I have created a scale, which I will do my best to convey on this limited web based word processor.

Here is the "key" or "guide":
This scale is 1-100.
1 = The worst depression one can experience.
50 = Equilibrium. "Normal" if you will. Neither depressed nor manic.
100 = Dangerously manic, completely out of touch with reality.

This is important to note: 1-15 on the scale is considered a depressive episode with psychosis. 85-100 is considered a manic episode with psychosis. When you enter the 15th percentile on either end, and experience psychosis, you lose touch with reality. You lose the ability to move yourself back into the normal range without medical supervision.

So here's the visual representation of the scale:

(Depressed, Psychotic) Depressive Episode< >Hypo/Fully Manic Episode (Manic, Psychotic)
||---------------15-----------------------------------50-----------------------------------85----------------100||
Normal, Balanced​

It goes without saying that you should ideally shoot for the 50 range, where you experience little to no symptoms of BP. There are 3 ways I have found that help me stay close to this range. In order of ability to move you up or down the scale, they are: 1) Medication, 2) Diet, Sleep, Exercise, and 3) cognitive self evaluation (a fancy way of saying "I feel ______, I recognize this feeling, I will try to work on this using my own thought processes and affirmations).

Medication: If you have BP I, BP II, or any of the related mood disorders, you have more than likely tried more medications than you can even remember. It's a bitch. I understand the frustration with side-effects, doctors that treat you like an addict, medications that may make things worse... such is our plight. I advise you find a good therapist, figure out what you are trying to accomplish, and THEN go see a psychiatrist. Better yet, see an NP or PNP (psychiatric nurse provider). The difference between an NP and a shrink, is that the NP will allow you to make decisions in your treatment without pushing meds and a good NP will LISTEN to what you have to say about what you are dealing with. The shrink more often than not (at least IMO), will put you on a standard regimen, turning your mind into a battle zone.

A good example of proper medication management by my NP:As I have tried numerous mood stabilizers, atypicals, anti-depressants (the shrink gave me one, and it put me in the hospital), I have a pretty good idea of what works for me. My NP allows me to participate in my medication selection. Currently, I am taking 1200mg lithium, 20mg diazepam, and 4mg clonazepam daily. Admittedly this is an odd way to treat mania long term, as the benzos can and do become habit-forming, but on these meds I feel as close to normal as I have felt in 10 years. I don't even experience drowsiness from the meds because of my individual response to treatment. My former psychiatrist would not even consider this type of treament, and I suffered needlessly while he zombified me with depakote, seraquil, and trazodone. THE POINT IS THIS: find a doc that listens to you, and is willing to work with you on medication management. Its a long, hard process, but so worth it.

Sleep, Diet, Exercise: I cannot stress enough how important it is to treat your body right. Eat right. Get your blood flowing. SLEEP. It is absolutely incredible what your body can do when you treat it like you should. Instead of that McChicken, make a wrap sandwich with some fresh ingredients. Go for a bike ride around town, you might find new hobbies and friends. And make sure you do your best to sleep on a regular schedule. Turn that TV off late at night, and keep track of your progress in a journal. Not only will this calm you down, but it empties your subconscious mind of all the distractions we have in our modern world. You will probably find that each and every day gets a little better over time. Try using the scale I introduced above if you need somewhere to start.

Cognitive Self Evaluation: Don't get confused by the term. It just means that you should take a minute to evaluate how you are doing, and come up with strategies that will help you find balance. Some people meditate, others pray. You can even use this technique to assess the other 2 areas I mentioned. The point is, your brain is powerful. Learn to use it as a tool. Here's a short anecdote: A few years back a very close friend told me that he thought my BP was all in my head. That I was making it up (not necessarily on purpose, but almost as a compulsion). I was offended. I have dealt with debilitating effects for years, and here he is telling me that its all made up... But I did some thinking, and entertained the thought that maybe it was all just some elaborate hoax I tricked myself into believing, and kept re-affirming with every dose of medication and every discussion I had about it. As it turns out, he was partially right. After I changed my ATTITUDE and PERSPECTIVE on my disease, I found I could better control the symptoms. I no longer viewed myself as a victim, but as a person who is incredibly strong and can deal with things that many people cannot understand.

You are strong. You are worthy of a life filled with joy and happiness. NEVER let anyone tell you otherwise. Work on it a little every day, discuss with your p-doc what you are really feeling needs to happen, and break out into the world with something to offer.


"I used to live in a room full of mirrors; all I could see was me. I take my spirit and I crash my mirrors, now the whole world is here for me to see."
Jimi Hendrix
Click to expand...

This is a great post! I would like to merge this into the Bipolar megathread so more people will see it.
 
My experience on several medications

Hello everyone

I'm a new member and I have been struggling with clinical depression, social anxiety and so I've been told recently OCD.

No official OCD diagnosis yet but I have been assesed by a clinical psychologist and he said that I have intrusive thoughts and struggle with insomnia.

I have tried plenty of medications. I can contribute advice as to how medications may affect you based on how they affected me. I'm also a psychology student.

In the last four years I've been on Prozac, Citalopram, Mirtazapine, Lyrica, Amitriptyline, Sertraline and Diazepam.

My intention is to provide advice from my own experience, thank you.
 
Hi, I'm bipolar and ADHD or ADD. I was taking a generic form of Ritalin but my mom who has the same issues as me has started taking Strattera. She said it doesn't make her feel speedy or weird in any way. Ritalin made me super manic so I stopped taking it.

Has anyone taken Strattera? I'm going to ask my psych about it tomorrow so I'm doing my last minute research on it.

Thanks!
 
I really don't know what the hell is wrong with me, but I take 100 mg Seroquel to sleep. Today I felt super depressed all day, but I decided to record a song to at least get something accomplished. It was a sick track :) It's been uber grey in North Cali for weeks and I'm tired of my life to some extent. Can't wait for some good old hypomania! Or maybe that's just normal feeling good? Nowdays we're so quick to label ourselves, especially if you're a fuck-up like me, it gives us an excuse,lol. All I know for sure is that chemical use and withdrawal is a sure way to get crazy ;)
 
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