Bipolar Support Group

Hi all. I'm 30 have had bipolar diagnosis since age 17 and have been on and off meds for the last 13 yrs. Never really been as aggressively treated for my bipolar disorder as I thought I should be....until now I guess. Had a huge mental breakdown a couple weeks ago and now have started lamictil 10 days ago and seroquel started 2 days ago. I k ow it's too soon to feel any different but its so discouraging not to feel any better after you've committed to mking things better for yourself. My psychiatrist started me on the seroquel. I feel very anxious and restless and scared in groups of people. I can't go to the store without having massive panic attacks, I wake up every night several times a night drenched in sweat ancd unable to move for a few agonizing minutes that seems like forever. What is there out there that I need to help? I am literally freaking out internally....my psychiatrist seems to want to help, but she wants me to lead my treatment in a way..so I need guidance from someone please..

Hi, it can be really frustrating when you have the desire to feel well again, but the actual feeling well doesn't seem to get there when we want it to. I really fully understand your pain as well as many others here do, too. We've most of us been where you are now. This sucks to hear, but it will surely take time, plenty of it. Good things take work and they take time including both physical and mental health. How many bodybuiders reach their massive bulk after just one or two workouts? I'd be willing to safely say that none of them do. It will take time, but if you stick in there and work with the meds then you will likely see improvements. The meds that you are on now may be the right ones, but they may be just the starting point. It's really important to remember your part in this process. Research good practices for physical health and employ as many of those as you can into your routine. Good physical health is key to good mental health. Let food be your medicine - Hipocrates. Take care and develop a healthy diet and add exercise. Good luck, you will need it.

Hello! I'm really sorry you had a meltdown a few weeks ago. Lamictal is an excellent medication. I take it and many others here do also. It takes awhile to get into your system though. Things will get better, just be a little patient. Seroquel, I don't know much about because I've never taken it, but I hope it works for you. If not, then you try a new one. Never give up on getting better. It sounds like you need something for your panic attacks as well. The Seroquel could be making you have night sweats, but I don't know that much about it. Lamictal for me has had no side effects. Your psychiatrist should be taking control, not letting you lead the way. She's the expert. She wants you to lead your treatment? What does that mean? You have no clue what is good for bipolar illness. I don't get it. You may want to change psychiatrists if you aren't getting the help you need to feel better. I'm really sorry you are going through this. You have joined a great support group though. You will learn a lot and get a bunch of support from everyone. Welcome to the group!!

Hi thanks for the support it helps..so the night seats have been ongoing for the last couple months, I'm sure anxiety based, hoping the seroquel will actually help with that. And in answer to your comment regarding my psychiatrist, I don't k ow what's up with this really. This week when I was there and she put me on the seroquel, her original plan was to discontinue the lamictil and start me on depakote despite her saying "I prefer the lamictil that you are in, it's a better drug. But let's try the depakote instead. ". And I had told her that if she prefers the one substantially over the other, than why change it? And her response was "so then if you want to stay on it, then that is what you should do.". This was about the time in our session when i told her that this is her job, she's the doctor and I'm the patient..and the tone of the rest of the session was a little odd from there on out. Or maybe I was just being paranoid..I don't know. What I do know is that it's nice to have an outlet with this group. My husband, bless his heart, has really been actn weird lately and trying so hard to make me happy. Which in turn makes me feel even worse, because that isn't how it's supposed to be either. Neither one of us should have to walk on egg shells or cautiously await my wrath. I finall just want to feel happy and normal. I want to be able to take my kids to the mall to see Santa without flipping out. I want to be able to watch tv without crying for an hour after one of the stupid sappy hallmark commercials. Keeping my fingers crossed that my dr will find the right combo of drugs that will help me without completely dulling me down..and I hope when I find the right combo I continue taking them as ordered and not toss them like I have every other time when I got tired of being "normal" lol waiting on a happy median I guess....

Ok so I have been seeing my psychiatrist weekly since the beginning of last month and have had several med changes, none of them successful so far in helping with my bipolar tendencies..last visit the dr increased my seroquel dosage to 100mg in the a.m. And 400mg at night. I had discontinued lamictil and was put on depakote 3 weeks ago and had such severe graphic nightmares that I had to stop the depakote..that's where the seroquel increase came in..so while taking the seroquel I had super weight gain and the beginnings of tardive dyskenisia in which my hands went numb and had sporadic twitching. So, I insist on getting off the seroquel due to the side effects. I went in ton see my dr this morning andnshe wanted to start me on geodon, but i refused to start it, because of it being another antipsychotic medication. She then decided to start me back on lamictil 25mg daily for two weeks and gradually titrate the dose up. She also prescribed lithium 300mg three times daily. I have never taken lithium, and am just curious to hear anyone's opinion on the drug? I am hesitant to believe that anything is going to help, just because I have had no success thus far. Any input is welcome and greatly appreciated.

Jtrav8

Dear One,

I'm going to give you the best advice I know for you right now. See that you MUST rest your mind, you are on meds that will help you sleep, keep quiet music on in your room, have someone bring you a stack of books, and sleep my friend. Sleep.

Allow your mind, body, and spirit to return in their best possible form. Sleep for your self and realize you ARE being strong in taking care of YOU.

So still struggling to get my meds right....seems like I was better off before I decided to get back on my meds. Psychiatrist sill has me on lithium 1200mg total daily and 50mg lamictil daily. Tried me on abilify and I took it for 2 days and had a panic attack so severe I literally couldn't move, so I stopped that with a quickness. I am starting to regret that i made the decision to address this pharmacologically, but will hang in there hoping it will all be worth it in the end.

Hang in there. I know you feel like a walking experiment while the med trials are going on, but when you find that right combo it will be worth it. Take care.

Yes. The early days of finding the right cocktail are rife with issues. When I first started the antidepressant we tried turned me into a paranoid, antsy, unsettled mess. Then we tried another and eventually I got where I am now...stable.

And stable is so worth it.

I remember feeling like I was better off before meds in the beginning. It was quite a rocky road. As kitty lover said, hang in there. Make sure you pay attention to your moods and communicate with your pdoc as clearly as you can so you can be your own advocate.

Sincerely wishing you the best.

I have the impression you are getting bad side effects (sweats) from the seroquel, may be lamictal? Is it possible to try another medicine? When I started on Risperdal and Lamictal I had to experiment with the dosages for about a year. My therapist took notes on my feelings for about 4 weeks ( it takes time to adjust) and increased or decreased them based on specific emotional descriptions. I kept a notebook on my mood sates.

My depression was bad for a long time and I had explosive anger. When she could not control the explosive anger with those two meds she added another one. It has been about 7 months and things are going well for me. Good Luck