[medicalfox]

Generally when I'm manic in the beginning I reach out for help and get repeatative on subjects. I'm often judge negatively for this behavior and people belittle me because of it instead of being sympathetic. I can't control my anger and I've been revengeful against people I don't even know. I know people on this site have belittled me too which agitates me, I'm mad at everything.

I take 200mg of lamictal, should it get increased or is a new med needed? How do I break out of this cycle?

My pdoc just switched me Monday to depakote from my lamictal to get me out of my manic episode. She said lamictal was good for maintenance but not for an acute mania. If you are indeed manic call your dr for an appt. And I wanted to say I am sorry if you have ever felt belittled here, I certainly hope you would never feel that from me.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by emomom

My pdoc just switched me Monday to depakote from my lamictal to get me out of my manic episode. She said lamictal was good for maintenance but not for an acute mania. If you are indeed manic call your dr for an appt. And I wanted to say I am sorry if you have ever felt belittled here, I certainly hope you would never feel that from me.

Don't worry it wasn't you, I meant to say one person belittled me during my manic phase on this site. Can you be on more than one mood stabilizer? I'm scared of change

I am on topomax too but that is for weight. I have been on depakote before a couple of years ago. She said I could not be on both lamictal and depakote together though, they would interact. They are both anticonvulsants.

[Victoria'smom]

have you looked into other mood stabilizers that you haven't taken yet? Also there's a possibility that your doctor will want you to take an anti-psychotic at least until you get down to baseline. I think it all depends on the doctor. With your diagnosis's I think they will probably recommend an antipsychotic or change an antipsychotic if your on one. there's a neat little chart somewhere on line the compares ap's

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

have you looked into other mood stabilizers that you haven't taken yet? Also there's a possibility that your doctor will want you to take an anti-psychotic at least until you get down to baseline. I think it all depends on the doctor. With your diagnosis's I think they will probably recommend an antipsychotic or change an antipsychotic if your on one. there's a neat little chart somewhere on line the compares ap's

I take risperdal, but I don't think I have any psychotic symptoms besides the usual music I hear. Can you be on more than one mood stabilizer? Also I don't want to go on lithium so that's something I won't try.

[Anika.]

You can be on more than one mood stabilizer tho I don't think that is very common practice. I was on lithium and an anticonvulsant together, along with a few ap's and a benzo..all at the same time. I can say things got quieter in the way of psychosis. The dysphoric mania eventually lessoned. By no means did this combo work for me, in fact I felt way worse off. As far as mixing two anticonvulsants for mood stabilizers I am not sure how that would work. ( ahh I see that was addressed ) Anticonvulsants did nothing to stabilize me, couldn't tell I was taking them at all one way or the other and I tried various ones, seemed like water to me. Thorazine tho kinda of an outdated ap and with not the best reputation actually did help me, but I am not sure how comfortable people are with that one.. including me.

Not that you would react the same as me. But mania with addition of more persistant psychosis like you can see with schizoaffective is more in line with my own experience. Seems like a challenge med wise, at least for me it was. I also have the lovely musical ear syndrome... that can get kinda irritating specially when you try to sleep.

How do you like risperdal? What else are you taking if anything besides those two?

Do you fund yourself manic often, or do you fall on the depressive side more, or in between?

Sorry for 101 questions, just wondering which meds would seem more helpful to you.

[medicalfox]

Originally Posted by Anika.

You can be on more than one mood stabilizer tho I don't think that is very common practice. I was on lithium and an anticonvulsant together, along with a few ap's and a benzo..all at the same time. I can say things got quieter in the way of psychosis. The dysphoric mania eventually lessoned. By no means did this combo work for me, in fact I felt way worse off. As far as mixing two anticonvulsants for mood stabilizers I am not sure how that would work. ( ahh I see that was addressed ) Anticonvulsants did nothing to stabilize me, couldn't tell I was taking them at all one way or the other and I tried various ones, seemed like water to me. Thorazine tho kinda of an outdated ap and with not the best reputation actually did help me, but I am not sure how comfortable people are with that one.. including me.

Not that you would react the same as me. But mania with addition of more persistant psychosis like you can see with schizoaffective is more in line with my own experience. Seems like a challenge med wise, at least for me it was. I also have the lovely musical ear syndrome... that can get kinda irritating specially when you try to sleep.

How do you like risperdal? What else are you taking if anything besides those two?

Do you fund yourself manic often, or do you fall on the depressive side more, or in between?

Sorry for 101 questions, just wondering which meds would seem more helpful to you.

I really like taking risperdal and it keeps me more ground. My hallucinations aren't as bad with it and the most chronic one is the music. You're the first person I met that also hears music too, so I'm guessing you're schizoaffective also?

I take lamictal, risperdal, xanax, and zantac. I'm suppose to be on two other meds, but I need to see my pcp and my pdoc about it.

I'm manic frequently and only depressed in the winter. I think I should start a low dose of a anti depressant, but I'm worried about mania.

[Anika.]

My pdocs could never decide between bipolar 1 and schitzoaffective so they left me at bipolar 1 and added psychosis NOS. I had a fair bit of psychosis outside of mania and depression. In fact psychosis was probably my first symptom of a real problem which started when I was about 10 or 11.

Hmm, well you will forsure want to make sure your meds address the mania and psychosis. Have you been on ad's in the past? If you were was it tolerable? Make me so manic and dysphoric and just a super mess, beyond scary for me. Some people do really well with that with a good mood stabilizer in place. I guess it's the luck of the draw. But seems that when a person falls more in the manic side and exhibits psychosis ad's can be a bigger problem. Not to scare you, it's just something I have noticed over the years here.

Your pdoc may have a good idea. Changing your anticonvulsant to something like depakote might work and that might not be such a drastic change for you. Changing ap's would seem like that might be a bigger change.

I have heard music since I was pretty young. Sometimes sounds like instruments other times sounds like a radio. I don't find it too bothersome anymore but when I am trying to sleep it can be a bit of a problem. When I was a kid I assumed everyone experienced that as well even tho I knew it was phantom music. I was a bit niave , but I also assumed other people saw things too and it was just a social custom to not talk about it. Kinda silly now, but I think I found comfort in that idea.

Hopefully your dr will work with you and you find a better combo to keep mania a little further away. You could also try a light box for winter depression. Might do the trick.

[medicalfox]

I hope I can see my pdoc soon, I can't tell if I'm making a good decision work wise. It takes forever to see him since he's popular :/

I only have trouble with the music if it's a creepy tone, generally it's instrumental or electronic music so it does get annoying trying to fall asleep with it playing.

Light box sounds like a good idea, I see my therapist today so she should be able to help.

[Anika.]

I hope your T app goes well. I have heard of people getting a presrciption for a light box, no idea how that works. But maybe ask your T about ways to get one affordably as they are a bit pricey.

Sorry I'm not familar with your work situation..is it possible to hold off on making choices until you feel a little more clarity?

[medicalfox]

I know I'm not well, so idk what will help. I think over working and college has made me this way, I'm not okay. My therapist just agrees with everything I say so she won't be much help. I should probably go to bed even though it's 9am in the morning and I've been up all night. I'll respond with better news later today, thank you for reading my thread.