Hi all. ... warning possible triggers ...



I have a dx of pure O OCD, Intrusive music and Bipolar II.

I was on lamictal 200mg and carbamazepine 600mg but found My memory and ability to recall words when trying to speak , was just horrible and distressing.

Just before Christmas I went into a deep depression. So bad I reached 'that' rock bottom for the first time ever in my 41 years. Also my intrusive music was so bad I was no longer able to bypass it with my usual coping mechanisms and so was unable to sleep.
Pdoc took me off the carbamazepine and put me on 150mg Seroquel for a number of reasons
1. To help me sleep
2. To pull me out of my depression
3. There is some research that suggests it works to reduce/eliminate intrusive music.

It's been approx 3 weeks and I haven't really noticed a huge difference in the musical hallucinosis or my sleeping.
My memory is back to normal and I seem to have a bit of spark back in my personality.

However the last couple of nights at exactly the same time I seem to be getting very irritable.

I also got so wound up I started clawing and digging my fingers into my arms ... so much so I left bruises.

I have Dermatillomania but never have I picked to harm myself before ... NEVER. Nor have I attacked my arm in anyway like that.

I've tried experimenting with the time I take the seroquel and 10pm ( around 2 hours before bed time ) seems to work best not in getting me to sleep but reducing the god awful tiredness the next day.

It's almost impossible to get out of bed !!

And then all I think about during the day is getting back into the bed.

I have heard that upping the dose reduces the sedating effects .... and in all honesty it isnt significantly working for my sleep because I've heard people say they pass out on just 25mg.

I'm seeing pdoc tomorrow and just really would like to know of others experiences with it so I can make an informed decision on what to do.

There seems to be mixed ideas of wheather or not caffeine helps.
I had cut caffeine from my diet years ago but finding a cup or two now helps somewhat with the tiredness but could be the reason behind the irritability and SH.

I completely understand every drug affects everyone differently and most seem to indicate the tiredness doesn't improve. But I'd love to hear if anyone has stuck with it and gotten over the side effects.
because there is no known 'cure' or treatment for intrusive music and I'd like to give this a really good shot.

Thanks all