Posted by crazy777girl on May 18, 2006, at 0:04:34
In reply to this is what I'm on,someone please give insights, posted by heaven help me on May 16, 2006, at 21:54:08
> You can already tell that it's probably not a good idea for me to get on here at night. But I feel so caught inside a chem experiment and don't have a clue what I should do or can expect. Can you take time to read this?
> 3yrs ago I was diagnosed BP2, insomnia as presenting symptom, mood swings, suicidal deductions and despair thrown in there. Since then I have tried many mixes of meds with the only one that seemed to work to be Prozac, Zyprexa and Ambien. After a 35lb weight gain and blood sugars over the top we decided to go off the Zprexa (hell in itself, but it's done!)
> After some other mixes I am now on:
> Geodon 120mg, Lamictal 200mg, Resotoril nightly, Prozac 20mg in the am. As of today I am on Valium for vertigo as well (the newest "side effect"?). I feel emotionally ok, anxiety and intense jitteryness increases each day as it gets later. By afternoon I have internal nervous shakes, as well as external jolts, my nerves are shot and raw and even the littlest suddenty sends me through the roof (even the tender little hand of one of my children on my shoulder - it's so sad.) I am very heightened, like hypersensitive to external stimuli, all the while feeling emotionally ok (I do take Lorazepam sometimes which ony barely takes the edge off). By the time I go to bed I have to lay there with the lights on to keep my mind for running off in some negative direction, or much too fast direction, or neurotic direction. I sleep "OK" but not at all the real thing where you wake up rested. Some days I wake up ready to go at least, other days I think I can't get out of bed (seems to be linked to Lorazepam too close to bed time?) The fact is that I DON'T KNOW! When I call or see my Dr. he usually just makes a change and it all starts all over again with a new face. I don't know what works or how and I am getting really, really worn out from trying to figure this out. I sure could use some direct information if you've had experience (or encouragement) with what I'm on. I did some searches and find lots of mixed stuff. Please, anyone, please.
> Now I am going to bed because you know I should not stay on here, but I am checking back in the morning. Oh, and rjlockhart, I'm still sending up some prayers for you!
> xo all
> MaryDear Mary, I may not be the perfect person to give advice, but am also bipolar, and while I have not read all responses to your post, I feel compelled to say this; my experience with meds has taught me that there is no way to tell what will work for any one, other than thru trial and error. Unfortunately, error abounds. I was diagnosed 7 years ago, but for the first 5 years, thought I was holding my own pretty well w/ a mix of just a couple of meds, certainly nothing like the cocktail I take now. My last 2 years have been a flurry of drugs in every combination & dose level imaginable, w/ any side effect you could dream up. Including diabetes, while on Seroquel. I'm still not on a perfect mix, and like you, I dread every talk or visit w/ my doc, as I hate the med adjustments & side effects. I'm now on an unconventional combo that my pharmacist called to my attention as dangerous and my insurance company wouldn't approve on first pass (in combination) as these drug types are never taken together. Nothing else has worked, however, so we're trying this. It's frustrating. Don't give up hope that one of the combinations, if not a perfect mix, might make an improvement that will give you a better grip on things. If you give up, it could be the very next thing you try that works. That's how I look at it. By the way, I also take 200mg of Lamictal every nite. I take mood stabilizers, an anti-psychotic, a tricyclic anti-depressant, an anti-anxiety med, an AM stimulant, & have just started the new patch EMSAM. I'm not really sure if it's working, I don't quite know what to expect yet. If this isn't the right mix, I'll have to keep trying, you will, too. You're right, we are 'experimenting'. If you haven't already cut your caffeine intake, that may help slightly. It also seems that this board is full of people like us who have been where we are and have more experience and answers than we do. I think we're in a good place.
poster:crazy777girl
thread:644970
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20060515/msgs/645380.html