Bipolar Support Group

Wellbutrrin xr 300 mgs am

Depakote 1,000 mgs a day

Xanax 4 mg's daily

Perphenazine 8 mgs daily

Ambien 15 mgs a night

zoloft 100 mgs daily

Is this too darn much for bipolar 1 ?

Sometimes I feel like my doc is doing an over kill with these meds.

I don't think any of us here are qualified to answer this question. It just depends on what it takes to control your symptoms effectively without too many adverse side effects. Only you can decide if a side effect is worth living with in exchange for stability.

Yeah I understand that Yrollam but at what point is there just to many meds ? I see your list as well and its quit extensive. I liked Lithium how are you doing on it ?

Some people just have to be on a lot of medications to control the symptoms. Some get away with less. I know it seems like a lot, but they help, so that is the point. I don't mind taking so many medications because they keep me stable. Try looking at it like that. It makes your quality of life better.

I agree it is a personal thing, but for me, I would think that one more med added to my regular list would be over the top. In fact, on Monday I was pleading with pdoc to get rid of the Klonopin and he wouldn't because he claims it also helps my seizures (I have a seizure disorder, but originally went on Klonopin for anxiety. Tegretol is my main seizure med, but is also a key bipolar med. The dosage is pretty much max out. Lamictal's isn't, but Lamictal is activating for me.) I also wish I could go off of Lithium, but pdoc LOVES Lithium and is convinced it is helping me.

I've been getting bad hypomania despite all of my meds, but at least they keep me from getting full blown mania or mixed mania. For that, I thank them all.

Post edited by: Cthebird, at: 04/26/2012 11:35 AM

Working in psych, I have seen just about (almost) every mix of meds. I have patients that have bad reactions from the smallest amounts of meds but they need it to stay out of the hospital. Its a difficult battle. I have one patient that is on 250mg Haldol Dec (IM injection) every 4 weeks plus 10mg in the pm on top of many other meds. Despite all that she does not exhibit any of the side effects. In fact she is doing super great.

Everyone is different with their needs and tolerance of meds.

Yes I am on an extensive bit of meds but my cycles were severe and uncontrolled without these meds. Lithium works really well for me, it is my miracle drug. Lithium was the only thing that could bring me out of a sever depression I was in, they were talking of trying ECT but the lithium finally worked. I recently stopped taking seroquel which I was taking to sleep because of weight gain concerns but I found it also had another effect in stopping it; I am more affective now. Before my face was very inexpressive but now I'm starting to get that back. On my med combo I am very much slowed down cognitively and feel quite foggy but it is just the price I pay for being stable.

Yeah seraquel sucks gained like 25 lbs on that stuff. I liked lithium myself it seemed to work then I changed docs and I went from BP 2 to BP 1 not sure what the difference is..

Post edited by: wolfmanpark, at: 04/26/2012 03:12 PM

Reviewing the comments and medications makes me wonder how ya'll can afford the medicine. I take only generic and abilify is thru patient assistance program for now. I'm fortunate my pdoc is just suggesting an increase in abilify. I'd be in trouble, for sure.

Mixed some of us have been on abilify also yeah not a cheapy drug. Almost all my drugs are generic except for Lantus and Novolog. And you do without when you need the meds to be able to buy them.