[elevatedsoul]

so i was planning on asking a few questions about some medicines today at my appointments but i got nervous through all the talking and forgot

I've been doing some reading on stimulants and i was just wondering what some of yalls opinions on it might be? I am only considering it because im just tired of being tired all the time (heh)
i've read that Ritalin can be used as an adjunct to bipolar treatment and increases focus, concentration, memory, energy levels?

I'm gonna try to remember to ask at my next appointment Jan. 2

does this work? are any of you using these types of medications?
or other ways that you have been successful in attaining positive energy, memory, focus and concentration improvements, or in that area

I would drink coffee all day but i still just end up feeling tired so i've stopped doing that now and limit myself to 2 cups a day..

its been a long day, hope that i've wrote this coherent enough!

[BipolaRNurse]

Stimulants are almost always a bad idea in bipolar, unless you have ADD/ADHD and can't manage it without them, and even then it's usually necessary to combine them with an antipsychotic and/or mood stabilizer.

Even large amounts of caffeine can be bad. I have been known to self-induce hypomania, or keep it going, by drinking large amounts of coffee in the evening and then not sleeping. And I'm not even particularly sensitive to the effects of caffeine.....I can normally drink caffeinated beverages throughout the day without getting jittery.

By all means, tell your doctor about feeling tired all the time; maybe s/he can tweak your current meds to make your cocktail less sedating. I understand your frustration with memory loss and being unable to focus---I have the same problems and they piss me off to no end! But as both a nurse and bipolar patient, I can't recommend going on stimulants just for that purpose in the absence of an attention-deficit disorder.....it's just asking for trouble, as it's too easy to flip into mania on the drugs. JMHO.