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  #1  
Old Apr 25, 2011, 05:13 AM
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birdcrazy birdcrazy is offline
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Basically, I'm an ultra rapid cycler anyway. It seems though I still have small episodes and I need med med changes. But I got triggered, and I just came off a small mania and I'm on abilify, lamictal and lithium. I was having a hard time sleeping, a little giddy and having inappropriate thoughts about a guy that I shouldn't have had, strong ones.

I don't want to have to deal with this anymore, but at the same time, I don't want any med adjustments. A good deal many things trigger me though. I almost feel like I shouldn't be living alone.

Any suggestions?
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  #2  
Old Apr 25, 2011, 10:26 AM
Confusedinomicon Confusedinomicon is offline
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Maybe work on self control? I know you can't really help the symptoms of the schizoaffective disorder so much as the bipolar one. Just because you are having inappropriate thoughts, if you know that they will pass you can work on thought control and attempting to live a healthier lifestyle which will reduce symptoms as a whole. It may not make it so you aren't rapid cycling but it will give you more control because you're not helpless.

For me, I'm taking Lithium and Depakote. I get dehydrated if I'm not drinking enough water and I'm disorientated for the first 1/2 hour of being up. Sometimes I feel tired during the day. I don't think I have any serious side effects from taking them.
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  #3  
Old Apr 25, 2011, 11:59 AM
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ladyjrnlist ladyjrnlist is offline
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I struggle with this every day. It's a choice between the lesser of two evils. Blah. I hope you feel better soon!
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  #4  
Old Apr 25, 2011, 12:02 PM
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May sound silly... but I let myself fantasize the crazy thoughts for a while, even write them out... once out, they do not bother me that much. I let myself sit with it a while... than release it.

They are thoughts... can has choice what to do with them. With enough efford, one can stop them.
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Thanks for this!
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  #5  
Old Apr 25, 2011, 12:09 PM
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ladyjrnlist ladyjrnlist is offline
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While I agree with Venus that we can control our thoughts, I believe it's limited to an extent. Some thoughts are generated by the illness in my mind. I can refute them, but the irrational emotions still continue despite that.
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  #6  
Old Apr 25, 2011, 12:24 PM
Confusedinomicon Confusedinomicon is offline
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I think the more control you can get yourself under the less severe the symptoms will be, or they will feel less severe. It's trying to stop the thought before it gets to the point of being that irrational, thats the goal I think.

Thoughts grow in power when you worry about them. I agree that if you're hitting a real low or high that this doesn't necessarily work, but for the most part the majority aren't feeling superduperdepressed 99% of the time or really manic all the time, and lets face it, medicine only does so much. I may not feel depressed or manic but my mood still fluctuates frequently throughout the day, and isn't always appropriate.

But that doesn't mean I don't accept it and move on. No use worrying about something that is a part of who I am. x)
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  #7  
Old Apr 26, 2011, 01:52 PM
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The doc is still trying to fix the hormone level for my thyroid that messed up since I've been taking Lithium. I have side effects from 16 years of Haldol that shouldn't been prescribed to me. I will have them the rest of my life. The lamactial and the Klonipin I really don't have side effects. I usually take less Klonipin than my pdoc prescribes. I guess I'm weird. I don't think I'm hooked on it. I don't miss it if I forget a dose. Just like when the dentist prescribed Percets for my pain when I tried implants. I bet I was on them 6 or 8 weeks. But I took them like he said. And I had no withdrawal when I quit taking them. I guess I'm lucky.
  #8  
Old Apr 26, 2011, 02:48 PM
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I find that on meds I respond to situational triggers and environmental triggers as opposed to the unknown triggers that I responded to in the past. I think that my moods will always be outside the "normal" range and I will always be more sensitive to changes. Knowing the triggers though allow me to attempt to mediate their effects though and that is more than half the battle. As for which symptom, all of them but not at the same level of severity as the past and predictably.
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  #9  
Old Apr 26, 2011, 04:20 PM
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I have lithium tremors that is sometimes bad but I take "Propranolol" to combat it.
  #10  
Old May 03, 2011, 10:07 AM
sunshine285 sunshine285 is offline
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Hi there,

I have a question about changing meds. I had a small (nearly a week-long) episode of mania recently and my doctor is now asking me to change meds because they make me too sleepy esp. in the mornings (am currently on Depakote, Zoloft and Perphenazine). He's suggested that I switch to Abilify, but I'm really afraid to after reading about tardive dyskinesia. Depakote makes me sleepy and disorientated in the mornings, but other than that I don't seem to have any other side effects (I've been on it for three months).

Has anyone had any major short or long-term side effects from taking abilify?

Regards
  #11  
Old May 03, 2011, 06:02 PM
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so far I've had no probs with abilify.

agree with previous posts - we do have some degree of control over situational "triggers", take care of that and hopefully your cycling will be less severe
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  #12  
Old May 03, 2011, 08:31 PM
Confusedinomicon Confusedinomicon is offline
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I had bad side effects with abilify, but not zyprexa.

I think its different for everyone. You won't really know until you try it out.
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  #13  
Old May 04, 2011, 10:05 AM
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I'm in hypomania... waiting for the crash
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  #14  
Old May 05, 2011, 07:48 AM
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IdoubtIT IdoubtIT is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sunshine285 View Post
Hi there,

I have a question about changing meds. I had a small (nearly a week-long) episode of mania recently and my doctor is now asking me to change meds because they make me too sleepy esp. in the mornings (am currently on Depakote, Zoloft and Perphenazine). He's suggested that I switch to Abilify, but I'm really afraid to after reading about tardive dyskinesia. Depakote makes me sleepy and disorientated in the mornings, but other than that I don't seem to have any other side effects (I've been on it for three months).

Has anyone had any major short or long-term side effects from taking abilify?

Regards

My six weeks on abilify, `15mg and 30mg:
--5 lb weight gain
--akisthesia (feeling of inner restlessness like your skin is crawling off)
--hypersexual (I was off risperdal after 7 years)...hmm, maybe I'll go back to it!
  #15  
Old May 05, 2011, 02:48 PM
tcmoon52 tcmoon52 is offline
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Member Since: Aug 2010
Location: Santa Cruz CA
Posts: 64
Quote:
Originally Posted by birdcrazy View Post
Basically, I'm an ultra rapid cycler anyway. It seems though I still have small episodes and I need med med changes. But I got triggered, and I just came off a small mania and I'm on abilify, lamictal and lithium. I was having a hard time sleeping, a little giddy and having inappropriate thoughts about a guy that I shouldn't have had, strong ones.

I don't want to have to deal with this anymore, but at the same time, I don't want any med adjustments. A good deal many things trigger me though. I almost feel like I shouldn't be living alone.

Any suggestions?
I struggled for years with the exact samething. Then my Psychiatrist put me on Seroquel, and it has been fabulous for me. It cut down my cycling during the day and also solved my sleep problem. What a relief to sleep 8 hours a night for the first time in my life.
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