Looking through the posts I see that quite of few of you here have found the right medications for yourselves. I have some questions for those of you that have. Just of out curiosity and for my own knowledge or perception of what the right meds means.

I have had symptoms since childhood, diagnosed at 17, I dismissed that and got re-diagnosed at 27. I have tried many meds, and many combinations, But I don't think I've found anything that works.

I have Bipolar type 1 with psychotic features, and rapid cycling. Before meds I had a lot of manic episodes, on meds I seems to have lots of mixed episodes. I don't know if this change is medication related.

How long did it take you to find the right medications?
How long of intervals of you stable for?
What is considered being stable for you?
What is your medication or combo that works?

I know this will all be relative to the individual, I am most stuck with what is stable, I don't know what would be considered stabilized.

I have read about the Bipolar Kindling theory many times, and I can't help but feel like I am already way down that path. I am worried because I have not found the right meds and it's been ( I thought 4 years) but I counted and it's been 6 years of trying to find the right ones. I think the BP has been progressing this whole time.

I really appreciate any help here you can offer.
Thanks, Anika

[blueoctober]

How long did it take you to find the right medications?

I had symptoms since I was 8; diagnosed in 2007 at 31 years. Current combo I've been on since May 2010 and am happy with it.

How long of intervals of you stable for?

I still have episodes, but they aren't as severe and they don't last as long. I will add that I work shift work and this affects the BP.

What is considered being stable for you?

Stability for me is a feeling of calmness and being content with life. Prior to being diagnosed I had lived so long with symptoms that this became my "norm". After my diagnosis I missed that hypomanic energy, but now I I see it as a sign that I'm not well. My life is much more balanced and I'm not running from one activity to the next.

What is your medication or combo that works?

300mg of lamictal and 300 mg of wellbutrinXL, I also take quite a few vitamins which include Omega 3, Vitamin C, Multi vitamin and vitamin D. I also watch what I eat. I find there's definitely a food mood connection for me. If I eat crappy (high carb/high sugar) I feel like crap. Exercising also keeps my mood in check. I go to the gym 4 times a week and do some sort of physical activity every day.

[ScooterBug]

Originally Posted by Anika

How long did it take you to find the right medications?

It took me three years

Originally Posted by Anika

How long of intervals of you stable for?

I was fine for 6mos to a year and then had to retweak ... it took time, and keeping track of moods with a journal, and a pdoc that listened!!

Originally Posted by Anika

What is considered being stable for you?

When I can sleep a 8hr night and not be sluggish, be able to concentrate as best as possible with work, etc ... and my episodes were only triggered by actual life issues.

Originally Posted by Anika

What is your medication or combo that works?

Keep in mind everyone is different!! My combination is Geodon, Klonopin, Lexapro, and in order to sleep Ambiem. (NOTE!! I have been advised that any more than 3 psych meds is NOT healthy ... it should only be two to three psych meds to keep you in the right balance).

I know it's a struggle, but what I found helped me was keeping the journal with my symptoms and reactions with the meds. When I had them written down and saw no change after 1-2 weeks, I would go see my pdoc and review it. He then would suggest diff meds according to my notes.

*our illness is a chemical imbalance in our brains, which each person's chemicals and imbalance are all different - like our fingerprints - so in order to figure out what meds and doses work to balance the chemicals correctly a good communication with the pdoc is needed. Be honest, thorough, and don't get discouraged!!*

Thanks Blueoctober, and scooterbug.

It's so hard to not get discouraged. No more than three on a good day?

I keep track using mood chart. Seems I am always doing mood charts.

I have tried lithium, lamictal, depakote, seroquel, riperdal, zyprexa, thorazine, prozac, celexa, zoloft, wellbutrin, zopiclone, lorazepam, diazepam, halcion. Tried in different combinations, no real notable results.

I am taking lithmax now and it doesn't make me want to puke like lithium carbonate did. Seems like a lot of tries to me but I know there is a lot more out there.

Antidepressant make me manic, or mixed within a week, my Pdoc said we are done trying those... haha thank god

[Direction]

I spent 6 years searching...found the right combo to be no meds. Stable for me is doing what I want to be doing inspite of whether my mood is up or down. For example I started a movie night for friends when I was manic. Every Saturday we gather at my place and select a movie. When I went through a depression cycle I continue these so I wouldn't isolate. My moods may change but the behavior is relatively uneffected. I also do a lot of "opposites". For example: When I'm manic and the ideas are flying I funnel these ideas against my "compass" and other support people, so that I don't get too carried away. They can help me hunt out the good from the bad and ugly...When I'm depressed I already have heavy filters on ideas (that'll never work, I can't do that, etc) that I try to lift the filters so the ideas flow. I've been off meds for about 6 months now and I feel a lot like I did before I struggled so...It takes a lot of work, but worth it.

Hope you find your right combo...good luck...

Direction, that sounds pretty good, med free. I wish you all the sincerest luck with that, and you sound like your making it.

One day maybe I could have that too, maybe when my kids are all grown.

[Confusedinomicon]

I think Direction's post is ironic, which makes me laugh. The 'system' constantly tells us that the only way we can get better is with medication and therapy. That there is a medicine imbalance. I don't feel like there is a ton of empowerment. I feel like a lot of therapy/medication makes you over analyze emotions/moods. That medication will 'heal' you and you're a different person because you're diagnosed bipolar. (Or any other mental illness) I'm not saying medicine is bad, I just dislike how fast psychiatrists and doctors give out prescriptions. (This doesn't only apply to mental health) I just remember that I meant to say patients get the mindset that they are the victim of their disease.

A lot of times minimum amounts of medication can be given if you're practicing good lifestyle habits. I know the days where I actually try to work on my welfare (eating right/working out etc.,) that my mood is naturally lifted. Also stuff like laughing yoga and joking about the illness makes it easier to deal with. (Laughing will help your immune system too)

Sorry, little ranty. I hope you get better and you're able to find the medicines that you need. (Plus continue therapy??)

[madisgram]

anika, it took a while for the pdoc to find the right combo. keep in mind we all respond differently to meds. it may work for you but not for me. what really helped was being in CBT therapy when i started out and as i got better. having better tools to cope helped me a lot to assist what part the meds helped me.

so my med list is
a good "chemist"-pdoc who was on the right track to find the best meds.
a good therapist and ongoing therapy

also some ppl they say are med resistant.
have you seen this pdoc since the beginning? if so i'd consider seeking a second opinion and what meds the new pdoc thinks may get you balanced. for me balanced means only ripples of the highs and lows, a calmness, more serenity, more mental energy rather than fighting to stay "sane", no out of control shopping, etc.
hope this helps.

[wing]

Anika, I've been on meds for over 20 years and have tweaked them for that long. I also have rapid-cycling BP type 1, my psychosis is paranoia. Whenever a symptom worsens, I have a med adjusted. By now I can determine for myself how much of a mood swing I will tolerate and call myself stable. I don't believe that BP 1 can achieve a straight-line type of stability, and I don't really want to if the straight line means I've got to be zombie-like to do it. I'd rather endure the mild fluctuations and still experience some emotions and energy.

I attribute alot of my stability to good habits, too...mainly exercise.

I'm doing great on Lamotrigine, Abilify and recently added buproprion for a persistent mild depression. I expected this, since as we get older the depressive episodes become longer, and manic phases fewer.

Thanks guys for all you input, gives me some things to think about.

I'm a pretty small person 5 feet and under 100 lbs. My doses are not very high. It seems like I can't handle the higher doses, or I will be a total zombie and have significant side effects. It's not ok for me to be a zombie and a mom so I'm pretty stubborn about that. I agreed to anti psychotics only when I am manic or mixed.

I am very active, and practice a healthy lifestyle aside from an ED. I dont engage in and bad behaviors. I have been asking for cbt for 6 years and have not got any yet. I'm in Canada, health care here is a bit different. I'm in a small town too so less resources. I did go through 2 psych groups but they were depression only focused. Still trying to get therapy. I have a t but she just does talk therapy which I don't find helpful.

I had one pdoc for 5 and half years who I liked. New pdoc for a few months and I am trying to get a new one. He's not so great at all. The thing about no meds is that I'll land myself in the hospital no matter how healthy I try to be. The hallucinations become too much, my reality becomes so distorted, and I become so low functioning. I am talking about mixed or manic phases here. The depressed phases suck but I can tackle it better, I have more skills for that, and I can take control.

The mania is so strong that no matter how hard I try, is too strong. I don't have skills that I can use when all ration, or logic has left the building. I feel so guilty afterwords for not being able to control this. I don't do anything bad but I am functioning on a level that needs a home care aide Oh I might over spend a little, at thrift stores and such. I am on disability so even that can hurt my account.

You think cbt can help with that, I'm going to keep trying to find some.

[blueoctober]

Anika, Have you thought about buying a workbook on CBT or DBT for person's with BP. I have this one (DBT for bipolar) and it's good:

http://www.amazon.ca/Dialectical-Beh...7730728&sr=8-1

Blueoctober, I haven't even thought of that! Great suggestion, I did a workbook like this for anxiety, and it was really helpful.

I'm going to see if I can get a copy! Thanks a bunch.

[Direction]

I read the "free" pages you can see...looks like a good book...I'm a huge fan of DBT

[kaliope]

Im bipolar with psychosis rapid cycler. PTSD as well. Took over three years to find the right med. Wellbutrin handled the depression right away and I took buspar for severe anxiety. Stopped both of those last october and havent had a need to start again. Been stablized on Haldol for a year and a half now. 1mg a day. This means no lows, no highs, no psychosis. A life with no sign of cycles. No impulsiveness, no rapid speech, no poor judgement, no impending feelings of doom, no grand plans. No more spending sprees. Sometimes life is just boring, but I will take it over the past any day.

[mgran]

How long did it take you to find the right medications?

I was diagnosed at 38. My first full blown psychotic episode was when I was sixteen, though I imagine there were signs before that. I should point out that I'm schizoaffective, which means that in addition to bipolar symptoms I have some elements of schizophrenia, but since I believe both diseases are on a spectrum, I hope I can be of some help.

How long of intervals of you stable for?

My mood episodes used to be mainly depressed for a long time, a month or so of mania... though I went manic for about six months shortly after my husband died. (Sounds weird, but I think I was running from the depression.) My periods of mood stability were complicated by the fact that I was having schizophrenic symptoms between mood disorder.
What is considered being stable for you?

Stable is being aware of my condition, what symptoms presage an episode, and being able to ward it off at an early stage. It is knowing that just because I think I heard the neighbours criticising me to the builder fixing their roof, it doesn't mean it happened... and even if it did, it doesn't matter. It's having a reasonably stable mood, good sleep pattern, and not hallucinating too much. It's not going off on a massive spending spree, or suddenly deciding to lock myself into the house and drink myself unconscious, since it's the only way to shut myself up. (I only do that when my son is visiting friends, and haven't done it since the meds kicked in.)

What is your medication or combo that works?
Lamotrigine, 100 m (that may be increased at some point, since my mood is rather low at the moment) and seroquel XL (which worked brilliantly as an anti psychotic, and which I'm slowly reducing from 450... so far I'm down to 350. We'll see how far down I can go. I may be able to maintain on a low dose, or even one day come off it, if I stay aware of my symptoms.)

Because I'm going down with my seroquel I've had a few sleepless nights recently... the doctor has given me a short course of temazapam, which has helped. It's just to get my sleeping back to a normal rhythm (recently it completely inverted, and I was awake all night, and sleeping in the day.)

I've been on quite a few anti depressants (they made me manic) and two mood stabilisers, the second of which helped a lot. Carbimazipine was the first, lamotrigine the one that worked. The doctor's were reluctant to put me on lithium since my mother had a very bad reaction to it. I've been on two anti psychotics that I know of (rispiridone and seroquel.) I'm afraid I'm not sure what the first anti psychotic I went onto was... and at one point they added mirtazapine to the mix. I can't remember why I came off that one, I wasn't very well at the time.

This last year it's been like the fog has been lifting. Mind you, I do have nightmares about it all going pearshaped again... but I'm hoping that I'll maintain on a dose of seroquel and lamotrigine.