Quote:
Originally Posted by *Laurie*
Severe anxiety (with or without agitation) can definitely be a dysphoric mania. Sheer hell. And in my experience, requires a different treatment approach than non-bipolar mania does. For example, I had a vile, severe anxiety that kept going and going...pdoc kept prescribing standard anti-anxiety meds, which didn't do anything at all. Finally, my current pdoc prescribed Gabapentin and that has really helped level off the anxiety.
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Thanks, Laurie.
I have had increased anxiety for a couple of months. It was bad enough I had dropped Adderall and Wellbutrin. I had to double my benzos; yet, they've stopped working! So pdoc was looking for a mood stabilizer and we chose gabapentin this time. it does cut the agitation, but I do need it around the clock or I get back into trouble with agitation. (We thought we could just treat sleep, but the agitation/episode is now rapidly progressing.)
The agitation is severe. If I could not cut it with gabapentin or another med, I would need to be in the hospital. I cannot stand anyone even talking to me. I cannot stand anything! I need a dark, quiet room when agitation creeps back in. It is horrible. I cannot find the words to describe it. I just want out! My speech is pressured and I am also very irritable.
Once it is temporarily quieted down with medication, I still do not sleep and I have an exuberant mood.. until the agitation returns and then I am back in hell!
Dysphoria is a great term for this hell.
This started approx. 2 months ago with extreme anxiety and has only gotten worse. The flip side, the exuberance, is amping up, too.
I guess I need to see what pdoc thinks.
I do not know what this is.
I do welcome input, so thank you very much!
WC