New here

Hi, I am new to this forum. I was diagnosed in 2007 with rapid cycling, and it's been somewhat of an adventure for me. I was so unstable when I was first diagnosed that I was hospitalized as a 5150 within the first couple months. When I'm manic, I get super angry and have no patience for anyone or anything. In fact, I posted yesterday and can't seem to find it because it needs to be approved first, so I was a little upset last night that it still wasn't up...I think I'm on the way to hypomania. If a moderator did approve it and I just am not seeing it, please let me know! I had a couple questions on there I was hoping to get answers or advice on, and I don't know that I will be able to word them the same on this thread.
I am currently taking 60mg Geodon in the am, 80mg Geodon and 300mg Lamictal in the evening. I've been having trouble sleeping lately...getting to sleep and then staying asleep for more than a couple hours at a time. I'll try to go to bed by 9:30pm at the latest, and I'll usually wake up a few times in the night. I have very realistic-feeling dreams that are pretty intense. I will wake up from them, and either go back to sleep and continue the dream, or I'll wake up with my heart pounding and feeling like my body is psychedelic in movement. I guess like the whole room is throbbing around me. I was taking Lunesta, which gave me a horrible taste in my mouth, but I don't have insurance anymore and it's too expensive. I'm going to try Ativan to help me sleep, but first I've been trying 6oz of wine (approved by my pdoc), which hasn't been helping as much as I would like.
I am currently a full-time student at a university. I worked as a phlebotomist for 9 years at the same hospital, which was just such a drama and stress zone. I went out on stress leaves at least once a year from the time I was diagnosed, all based on the intense workload and the people I had to deal with....a bunch of women in one small space. I knew I couldn't handle the stress of working and going to school, as well as take care of my family, so I decided to apply for permanent disability while I'm going to school. I hired a lawyer to help me with the process in the hopes that it won't take too long.
Right now, I'm feeling like I'm headed towards mania, and I am taking my meds as prescribed. I don't know if it's because I don't eat right when I take my morning Geodon, if I'm not taking enough, or if I'm taking the wrong combo and it's not working anymore. I'm trying to find something so I can lose some weight. I've gained 20lbs since I stopped working and I'm not having much luck in losing any of it. I lost a bunch of weight with just Geodon alone, and with Lamictal I gained a little bit back because I had lost too much weight...I was close to 100lbs at 5'2".
My question, if you've made it down this far...do you think there is something I can do differently with my meds? I've been feeling slightly manic for a few weeks now, but it comes and goes. About 11am I feel like I haven't taken my morning dose, and I get easily irritated, especially with my boys. I missed two days of school the past two weeks because I just couldn't deal with the day...my hubby managed to make me feel better both days, mainly by letting me buy things for the house and getting a mani/pedi. My pdoc doesn't want to change my meds while I'm in school, but I thought I could handle a decrease in Lamictal, which I think I'm taking for the depression, if so then it's working because I haven't been depressed in a very long time (knock on wood). But I'm wondering if it's making me manic. I know that I'm taking Geodon for the mania, but am I taking enough? I hate to increase the morning dose because it makes me tired, and I drive an hour to school three times a week. Does anyone have any advice??? Thanks in advance, and I'm hoping I've come to a good place for support and advice!

All of this needs to be discussed with your doc. You may need to find another doctor if you feel your needs are not be addressed correctly though.

I take geodon for mood swings because I havent been dx with mania or hypomania. It has helped me. Sometimes my anxiety makes me agitated or edgy then ill take my xanax. Maybe thats whats causing yours. I defintely think yours pdoc not wanting to change your meds because your in school is unethical because your still having symptoms. You could get better so why not try...especially if your willing. Target dose for lamictal is 200-300mg a day. I take mine in the am and pm. Geodon in the pm because it makes me sleepy. Have you tried any other antipsychotics? I first got put on one for mood swings specifically hypomania like symptoms. Abilify worked very well for me but I was scared of weight gain. Latuda also worked for me but it is somewhat expensive. There is a whole bunch of them. Maybe another one might not make you as tired and help more. Abilify and latuda didnt make me sleepy. I think your on a high dose of geodon..compared to mine but everyone is different. Hope you start to feel better.

I was going to point this out too. If your not getting the care you want then go somewhere else. Its your right as a patient.

I actually could not sleep at all on geodon. My pdoc at the time didn't believe me because she "had never heard that before". Obviously I stopped seeing her.

If you don think you're getting proper treatment find a new pdoc. They are not omnipotent, all-knowing gods.

I'm not sure about geodon dosing but it seems like you're on a lot already. So maybe an antipsychotic switch is in order.

Just a couple of suggestions.
Cut any caffeine and energy drinks
Ask if you can try melatonin, it's a supplement for sleep
Let your pdoc know how bad the mania is.

I'm pretty much with him on not wanting to change while I'm in school. I am trying very hard to be able to finish school this time and I would hate to throw the semester away because of a med change. I only have about a month left and then I'm off for the summer. I am really hoping that just adjusting what I'm already taking is what I need.
I gained weight on Abilify, and I believe it made me manic. I don't have insurance, so price kinda weighs heavy for me. I do get coupons, which helps. I believe I'm on the max dose for the evening, and almost there for the morning. I was taking 80mg in the morning also, but decreased it because I just couldn't wake up and get to work on time. I also don't eat as soon as I take it, and I know that's important. But if I eat, I sleep for a couple hours, and I don't have time for that with my boys and school.

The only caffeine I have is a cup of coffee in the morning, or a cup of white tea every once in a while.
Melatonin does not work for me, at least not just 3mg.
I just saw my pdoc last week, and I thought I had it under control. I have good hours and then bad moments. He isn't in the office on Fridays and I had school until just about an hour ago. But I am planning on calling Monday to let him know what's going on.

I just want to say that I don't have any doubts in my pdoc. He has been doing this a very long time...actually close to retiring, which is a whole other topic...and I think he has done a good job. My mother-in-law called him about a year ago, worried about my mood and about my kids, and he had me come in and suggested going to a hospital to get things figured out. My main reason for my questions about medication is because this is what my husband and I do...we research things that could maybe help or what may be hurting me so we can go in to the appt and be prepared. I only have a 15 minute appt once a month, so I like to make sure we get everything taken care of. I was just hoping to get some opinions and see what some of the side effects are for other meds that you have experienced. I've thought about Latuda and Saphris because they are not supposed to cause any weight gain, but it sounded like they had bad side effects. I also had a coworker who took Topamax, but I didn't know how effective that would be, since she isn't as bad as I am...she was able to go over a year unmedicated. I'm sorry if I gave you all the wrong impression about my pdoc. Like I replied to someone else, the decision to not change meds is just as much my choice as it is his. Of course, if it came down to it and something needed to be done right now, we would do it.

Latuda, saphris, and abilify are all prohibitively expensive for me. I have a high deductible insurance plan so I pay for everything out of pocket until I hit it. Even at the discounted price abilify was $650 a month ! Even when I meet the deductible it was $60 per month. Way too much, and it didn't even help anyway.

I can't say I've ever been happy with an ap. They all have too many side effects for me to deal with, or they just don't do anything. I need one sometimes when an episode gets our of control but I prefer not to take them. So unfortunately I can't help you there! Butane backing off the lamictal will help. You can go back up if you get depressed.

I'm going to call my pdoc on Monday and see if I can just talk to him over the phone and decrease the lamictal, to maybe 100mg. I'm also hoping this will help jumpstart some weight loss from the geodon. I'd rather do this, especially while I'm in school for the next month, and then make a bigger change if he feels it's necessary.