I don't know how to handle this - - please help

I am so hypomanic/restless that I can't stand it anymore. My pdoc says I need to wait a couple weeks (when I'm up to 50 mg lamictal) before I may find relief from this!

I want to cry. I want to scream. I'm so wound up. I've tried various activities but just seem bored/restless no matter what I do.

Any suggestions?

I hate this!

Lamictal works mostly for depressive symptoms. Some places online it says it only shows a significant effect for keeping depressive episodes away and not manic episodes. Not sure about acute hypomania, but I personally would ask your pdoc for a different med if it's too bad. You could ask for Olanzapine if it's unbearable as that pill starts working quickly and has strong anti-manic effects. I'm on 50 mg Lamictal now and it does nothing for me, I think. The most effective dosages are 100 mg+ and usually more for everyone as far as I know. Olanzapine works well for making my hypomanias milder or even gone, but it is especially used for treatment of acute symptoms.

Thank you. I just left a message for my pdoc. I told him I am not going to be able to feel this way for 2 weeks (time he said I should start feeling part). My husband will be in Canada from Thurs - Monday, and I'm just not going to be able to do this on my own without (feeling like I'm) going biserk.

He just told me to take 5 mg of saphris, which I have on hand. He said if that doesn't work to take another 5 mg in one hour. I'm already taking 100 mg geodon at night -- obviously the geodon's not working.

I pray this will work. Hypomania/aggitation is the worst. Well, actually panic attack is - - of course depression's no picnic either. I'm just worried nothing will work and I will be stuck feeling like a crazy lady forever (please no one take offense to the word "crazy." I'm calling myself that in a fit of low self esteem here.

I'm going to lie down and see if I can relax. Thanks, all, for being here.

I'm so sorry that you have to feel that way!! It is not fun!! I wish my Dr would understand how I felt as well. That maybe feeling that way for an hour, never mind days is so bad!

Dr's know this beast is cyclical. They probably hope "it" ends well before the 2 weeks or however long they suggest before freaking out and adding another med. I doubt they say "wait" to be cruel.

Besides, if you start off with a bunch of meds, pdoc has no idea which is gold and which is a dud, becoz you're a walking pharmacy

Try not to stress about waiting for the lamictal to kick in. Stressing about it only magnifies it mentally and physically. I doubt this feeling will last that long, unless of course you have a history of long cycles which last months. Then I totally get why you're freaking out

Exercise, put on loud music, dance and sing off the energy. Lavendar baths with a sturdy lufa help the skin crawling anxiety, channel the excess energy so that you run out of steam fast. Don't choose tasks that need concentration, do "mindless" things, like scrubbing the floor.

And if all else fails or you don't want to try any of these suggestions, then tranq yourself and pray you wake up "slower" 12hrs later

This will pass, we're all that crazy lady at some point, but we have to find comfort in the fact that its not permanent. Its episodic.

Any relief?

As I recall, the early days with Lamictal were actually quite activating for me, and I tended to ramp up with each titration till I got to about 200 mg, then it leveled off.

Like another member said, Lamictal really does little to nothing for mania, at least not if you have the full-blown episodes like I and so many others here do. Personally, it's kept me out of depression for 1 1/2 years except for a low period that lasted through all of December and a mixed episode in May. YMMV, but it's a good drug that helps pull all the other elements of bipolar treatment together for people like me who take multiple meds.

took 5 mg saphris yesterday at 3:30 p.m. and l slept til 7. Took another 5 at 8:30 p.m. and slept on and off til 3 a.m. Took another 5 at 3. Kind of tired now, but still feeling ansty. Ugh.

am hopeful klonopin will help today and that I can just take 10 mg saphris at bedtime.

Normal life, please resume!

Newgal:

I'm only pretty recently on 50mg of Lamictal. I started it while coming off of sertraline which was a bad idea for me. So the first bit of time on lower doses has seen me rather up and down and I went pretty much right into a low depression for a bit.

I've been steadily levelling off though, and am still just on the 50mg. Not sure how long I'm meant to stay on that because I don't really remember what the pdoc said. But it does level off.

Did your pdoc tell you to keep taking more and more of the saphris? From what it sounds like he only told you to take 10mg and you upped that on your own...

What meds are you currently already taking?

sounds like Geodon, Lamictal, Klonopin and Saphris? I hope that they help and that you're only taking what your pdoc said to take!

Have you tried anything else that's been mentioned in the thread to try and reign in the mania? I hope today is a bit easier for you!

RedPanda, I'm taking 25 mg lamical now, 10 mg saphris, klonopin prn (but usually 2 1mg tabs at bedtime since my sleep is so bad, and maybe 1/2 pill twice during daytime for anxiety. Occasionally I take provigil for fatigue. Oh yes, the geodon too, but I think the doc may have me stop that. I see him again next Tuesday.

I took the "extra" saphris just that one day, per pdoc's instructions. I'm making an effort to adhere to this doc's instructions. I didn't with the last one, b/c he was so hard to reach and I was desperate. (I know, bad idea.)

After 2 nights on starting dose of lamictal, I feel really groggy in a.m., and just slightly more tired than pre-lamictal during the day. I'm going to hang in there and hope the apparent tiredness s/e wears off. I've heard so many good things about lamictal that I really want to hang in there with it.

Yeah... I had a few days where I was SOOOO exhausted that it was ridiculous. But it only lasted a few days for me, it seems I got the morning grogginess as a few day marathon. haha.

I'm glad that you're following his instructions

If you still find that the lamictal makes you groggy in the morning, could you ask your pdoc about switching and taking them at night instead?

Someone else posted Lamictal is more for the depressive side, that is what I was told too.

It seems you might need something for that horrible restlessness.

I haven't had a hypomanic episode in a long time. I did not get the restlessness with it just more energy. Those were the times I use to dive into projects. But if you are feeling agitated or restless, to me, that sounds more like a mixed episode. They are the worst and for me I need some extra medication until it passes.

Take care of yourself and keep us informed.

I actually take the lamictal at night. wonder if grogginess could be b/c I take everything at same time (at night). The only thing I don't take at night is provigil.

Well, the klonopin does help with the restlessness quite well now. Just don't want to have to take too much of that and build up tolerance.

I'm so poly-pharmed out, it's not even funny. Hopefully, once lamictal is up to therapeutic dose, the doc will nix some of the other stuff . . .

I think lamictal has lost its effectiveness with me, I might have to increase the dosage. Hope you feel better!