[beatlesman]

I have been trying the anti psychotics for mania and anxiety, and I can't find one that doesn't either make me sleep too much or feel a strange altered feeling. I have tried zyprexa, risperdol, geodan, abilify, latuda, halidol and safris. I have also heard that side effects go away, but the sleeping hasn't with zyprexa, and the weird feeling I got from the others lasted for a few weeks at most and then I demanded them be changed. Am I giving these trials too little time? I know it takes years to find the right meds, and it has been 18 months. Zyprexa I tolerate but I now have prediabetes and that worries me. Also I sleep 2-3 hours more than I used to before zyprexa. That's a part time job. I struggle in school because of it. I also tried a combination of Depakote and Lithium, but they don't help anxiety and I had a nervous breakdown from stress. I was sleeping less on that combo. Oh yeah I am also on Zoloft 100 mg.
Does anyone have any advise on what I can do? I want something that prevents mania and doesn't make me sleep. I haven't had a manic episode in 2 years. I know the lithium works and it doesn't seem to be the culprit for sleeping. Im on 1500 mg. Any advise is appreciated.

[kaliope]

i am the one that gets the contact your dr immediately side effects so i know how frustrating it is. it took me over 2 1/2 years to find the right meds. i was like you demanding new meds when i didnt like the side effects. haldol and topomax is what worked for me but i eventually got tartive dykenesia from the haldol. but it was working so well we just added artane to counteract it. i took buspar for the anxiety. i dont believe the mood stabilizers really address that. i took trileptal for awhile and it really amped it up. my doc gave me zoloft for anxiety and it sent me in to a mania with psychosis for two months. i got off the haldol and eventually started taking geodon as the booster. it would knock me out within twenty minutes of taking it but that stopped happening after a few months and then i could stay up all night again. i was allergic to saphris. and the others all had bad side effects. i hope something in here addresses you, at least the fact that you arent alone. the topomax took away most of the problem. i was a rapid cycler and it went down to 1 or 2 simple hypomanias a year. i read on her that there is testing now that can be done to determine which drugs will work for you. maybe ask your dr about it.

[Crazy Hitch]

Yeah lithium is probs more to stabilise your mood overall vs acting as antipsychotic - its in theory meant to help prevent the highs swinging too high out of control and visa versa. I would agree - I don't think lithium would interfere with your sleep if you are stable. Well, that is my personal experience with lithium.

I haven't tried too many AP.

They generally do come with side effects and trial and error as to how you are travelling on them.

You seem to have tried a few different meds.

Seroquel XR is used off label for GAD but does also come with side effects too. Weight gain at high doses is probably one of the most bugful ones reported by most members.

I guess we can all give suggestions.

But what works for one may not necessarily work for the other.

So I hope you are able to find some input here and see what others have to say.

I am sure we can all offer different suggestions to give you some ideas.

So it's good that you ask.

Just remember you may react differently or not experience side effects members list below in posts.

Good luck with finding the right one.

[crubba67]

I've only tried Risperdone, Latuda and Zyprexa. By far the Risperdone (combined with Zoloft) was the most zombiefying. The Latuda (combined with Zoloft) was just too expensive ($675.00) so I only used it for a month, not long enough to give it a fair shake. I'm taking Zyprexa now and combining it with Prozac and it has so far been the least sedating. I've been taking anti-psychotics for over 3 years now and you do get used to the side effects...that being said, I still take a nap just about every afternoon.

[BipolaRNurse]

I'm on both Zyprexa and Geodon PLUS Klonopin at night, so I'm pretty hard to wake up in morning. I also take naps sometimes. It's okay though, because it does tamp down the mania. I've been pre-hypomanic for a couple of weeks now and would undoubtedly be dancing on the moon if I weren't on this cocktail. So I'll trade a bit of zombie-ness for sanity.....it's worth it to me.

[butterflypower]

I took Zyprexa and it made me sleepy and gain weight. Now I'm on Invega Sustena and it's a whole lot better with no side effects. It's an injection that lasts a month. There is also the pill form.

[junkDNA]

i take invega there are little to no side effects for me