I sometimes feel that this is all a waste of time. Like it's pointless to be on meds cuz I am feeling fine now. I'm starting to forget how bad it used to be. I know it used to be, but I just can't get that feeling and vibe, per say.

Then I think of all the meds I am on, and I think Wow! WTH? I am really on this much? mood stabalizer, antipsychotic, anti depressant, and sleep med. not to mention the fish oil and the multi vitamin.

I take so many pills... and I feel fine. I can see now why people go off their meds... but logic kicks in and I think... am i overmedicated? I guess not cuz I do feel good.

Ambien is new to me. It only started last night. I called and complained about no sleep cuz it was making me physically sick. weak, not eating, major nausia.... etc.

but this morning I don't feel sick. Not to mention that I worked with a buddy for over 12 hours laying flooring while feeling sick. going back today to finish up too.

Ugh... just had to talk bout it.

[Stoda]

I can relate. Especially since my meds have added about 40lbs to my waist-line. I'd like to stop my meds, all my meds, but I know I can't. And I'm afraid to stop the depression meds because of where I've been. And I am in a good place right now. But what is this doing, long-term, to my body? And what this is doing to my freakin' pocket book. Ugh.

It seems like if this is truely a brain chemistry thing, then they would be able to do some more scientific test to determine what drugs I should be on rather than we'll try this and see how it works. Does that make sense? Like shouldn't we be seeing Neurologists rather than Psychologists?

Thanks for starting this thread.

[urbanex]

I can relate too. I did manage med-free for 20+ years so now I sometimes think it is a cop-out to use meds. However, I could not survive without my ambien. It is the one thing I do not feel guilty at all about taking. It is a lifesaver for me.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by Stoda

I can relate. Especially since my meds have added about 40lbs to my waist-line. I'd like to stop my meds, all my meds, but I know I can't. And I'm afraid to stop the depression meds because of where I've been. And I am in a good place right now. But what is this doing, long-term, to my body? And what this is doing to my freakin' pocket book. Ugh.

It seems like if this is truely a brain chemistry thing, then they would be able to do some more scientific test to determine what drugs I should be on rather than we'll try this and see how it works. Does that make sense? Like shouldn't we be seeing Neurologists rather than Psychologists?

Thanks for starting this thread.

Hopefully, eventually it will be possible. I have read that scientists have discovered genes that determine whether a person would gain weight on antipsychotics. Do not remember the details.

that would be nice to not gain weight. I used to be athletic and weigh 155. now I'm at 180 and lazy lol.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

Hopefully, eventually it will be possible. I have read that scientists have discovered genes that determine whether a person would gain weight on antipsychotics. Do not remember the details.

but we are supposedly getting closer and closer to the perfect drug, the perfect diagnosis, psychiatry moved such a long way...

and we are more and more unhappy, uprooted, disconnected, sad.

Maybe science don't hold all the anwers. Maybe it's really emotional, spiritual, and existential. Maybe the bipolar genes are just human genes. Maybe we'll never find the scientific explanation to why we are troubled.

But that doesn't mean we are doomed.

there is a growing science of a spiritual and emotional basis.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

but we are supposedly getting closer and closer to the perfect drug, the perfect diagnosis, psychiatry moved such a long way...

If you have a UTI, there are two ways to proceed: prescribe an antibiotic and see if it works or wait a bit for the culture and learn what AB will work because it depends upon the strain of the bacteria. Learning what genes predispose one to weight gain from AP's would work in the same way the culture test works now. One of the biggest problems with psychiatry is the amount of guesswork that prescribing currently entails. Any development that reduces the guesswork will be welcome. It wil not lead to the perfect drug as such will never exist due to differences in people's genetic and other makeup, but it will lead to a significant improvement over the status quo.

[venusss]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

If you have a UTI, there are two ways to proceed: prescribe an antibiotic and see if it works or wait a bit for the culture and learn what AB will work because it depends upon the strain of the bacteria. Learning what genes predispose one to weight gain from AP's would work in the same way the culture test works now. One of the biggest problems with psychiatry is the amount of guesswork that prescribing currently entails. Any development that reduces the guesswork will be welcome. It wil not lead to the perfect drug as such will never exist due to differences in people's genetic and other makeup, but it will lead to a significant improvement over the status quo.

but what if there is more to it then just drugs? What if we are forgetting the other crucial aspect in search of science?

I mean... OP himself knows too well there are other aspects to their problems.

there is a growing science of a spiritual and emotional basis.

and what'd that be? I am honestly curious. It's be great if we brought back some things back into our lifes.

[Anika.]

I was watching a show the other night on ted talk, which I usually really enjoy. But this guy was talking about how we are seeing such epidemics of depression now days, that the answer is to put more money into mental health (I agree) and develop better antidepressants ( good idea ) and then that will take care of that ( I don't agree at all ). Why are we seeing such high rates of depression, maybe we should start there. Just making better drugs and saying then we will be all good, is silly at best. This guy is a scientist, I do expect more from science. I don't know, does one have to be a scientist to see that there is a bigger problem that no one wants to address. Depression is not becoming an epidemic because of genetics ??

Sorry this is a bit OT kinda, but seems to fit.

Dan I do understand, I went through that soo many times. I went off my meds about 20 times, before this last time. Was always sort of spontaneous, which is why I think it didn't go well. I don't think there are many of us with bipolar, who don't constantly dance with the ideas of questioning our meds.

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by VenusHalley

but what if there is more to it then just drugs? What if we are forgetting the other crucial aspect in search of science?

Pursuit of gene-based determinants of prescribing does not become invalid or less promising by the existence of non-gene-based factors.