[Nevvy]

Hey everyone,

A few days after joining and I already need some guidance. I'm going for records here....

Anyway, to my current situation:
Has anyone ever had this feeling that you just want to crawl out of our skin and your hands tremble? I sort of have the feeling that I want to run as well, but am in a place that I consider my safe zone. I have tried meditating, listening to music, focusing on noises, etc, but I can't get it to stop.

I am also feeling a bit irritable as well, and my head will not quiet down (this happens quite often with me), if that helps?

I am not sure how to get it to stop...even with my anxiety attacks giving a similar problem, I have been able to stop it. Could this be a phase that I am going into? I recently upped my lithium because it was "below therapeutic levels" so could this have triggered me to abruptly switch phases?

I am scared and not sure what I can do....

any advice will be appreciated.

I have felt like this on a regular basis as the moods change. I have gone from normal to wanting to run marathons and do other active things. It could very well be because of the change in medications. But there is no sure way to tell if that is the case. I also think that that anxiety of being unsure of what your mind is doing may be causing the physical effects of the anxiety you are experiencing.

My best advice, track this mood. Keep a record of how you are feeling and the duration you are feeling it and let your doctor know about it. He is better versed in how to help you manage the feelings before they get out of control. A lot of people tend to wait the moods out too long (maybe no a lot of people, but i know I wait em out for too long), and this can be a dangerous mistake. Please take care of yourself. If it gets to be too bad, you need to speak to someone about it.

[Nevvy]

Well, I am seeing the doctor again on Thursday, with unfortunately, classes in between (being bipolar and studying, nothing like it) . I'm hoping this works its way out soon and stays an effect of upping my meds, and that it doesn't somehow become another fun phase for me.

Something for my mood logbook then.

Thank you

[~Christina]

Back when I took Lithium , every time it was bumped up I would be all wonky and numerous unlovely side effects for days to a few weeks.

I hope you catch a break quickly and Welcome to PC

Have you tried some heavy duty exercise? Smash it out of your system?

My pdocs favorite torture strategy is freezing cold showers. I cant remember all the specifics of how it works (brain is mush from major med changes) but it shocks your body into a reset type mode and helps bring the distress right down for a little while. I find you have to stay in there 5 or so minutes and it is very uncomfortable but it did work for my agitation. The nurses are trying to get me to do it right now but I think I will go all hulk smash with the shower chair and mirror so Im not doing it til the wafers kick in. And I have a cough/cold so I dont think it is so great for that but they have my mental health in mind over my physical health at the moment. The cold water definitely shuts up your head for a while cos your body is too busy going WTF are you doing to me!

[Nevvy]

Well it was strange, I went to bed with the same feeling (so it ended up being half of the day) and woke up feeling fantastic.

Not entirely sure what happened (probably one of the fantastic lithium side effects) but I seem to have made a 180 from my mood the past few months and I can actually concentrate now and my energy is back.

It's almost like I had fantastic lithium side effects, followed by my moving to my "life is good, I can conquer the world" phase.

Great timing I suppose

[Nevvy]

@supanova next time I get this lovely craptastic feeling, I will try the freezing cold shower. The exercise bit has been suggested by my psychiatrist every time I see him, but I am having a lot of trouble getting to that heavy duty part......but I sometimes go use my wii fit?

Glad you are feeling better