When is it time to worry?

I was diagnosed with Bipolar 2 at the end of November. Started on Lamictal about a week later. While it has made a difference, I still have one problem: I can't freaking sleep! I average less than 4 hours a night. This morning, I took a 30 minute nap, then slept for 2 hours. That's it.

When do I get concerned that the lack of sleep triggers crazy?

Not sleeping is usually the first sign that things are headed south. Do you have a pdoc (psychiatrist)? If so, I would go ahead and put in a call. There are several meds that can potentially help with sleep. Not sleeping leads certainly into psychosis.

Absolutely. Every bad manic or black mania event started with sleep problems. Once I was awake for a week. No food no sleep. Pure madness. Ended up 1 month in psych hospital.
The night pills I mention that I take work for me. Very restful sleep.

I'm supposed to have an intake appt at a pdoc office on the 20th, however it would still be weeks before I saw the actual shrink. I've slept roughly 3-4 hours in the last 48. No OTC meds work for more than a day or two. In getting desperate, I work 3rd shift and I NEED SLEEP.

for me sleep is as important as my meds ... it has taken a long time (months) to reach an "ok" sleep pattern ... most important is a schedule .. and keep to it ... no caffine ... limit stimulations before bed , emotional movies , ect ... maybe call your pdoc and leave a message ... mine has called in meds before or had me up something I am already on .... nothing weong with calling .... that's there job ... if not pdoc then whoever you got the lamictal from ... hope you find a way to sleep soon ....

Yeah. Sleep is so critical for Bipolar. I used to do third shift when I was younger but never ever again it's really awful what it did to me.

I hope you find relief soon. Some of the more sedating atypical antipsychotics sound in order I would not wait to see you Shrink I would page-one or call one or get a prescription for something as soon as is humanly possible. Good luck!

moogs

My pdoc was just telling me how imperative it is to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep continues the cycling. I hope you're able to get enough sleep soon.

Yeah I would strongly agree that sleep is one of the most important things around bipolar. Can you get a sleep med through your PCP to last you until your psychiatrist appointment?

Yes I agree, when I don't sleep I'm headed down big time. Meds on on now are knocking me out at night TG

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Sleep is crucial. I start to get wierd real fast these days without it. I would say it is my number 1trigger
Hope you get relief

Yikes moogs what did it do to yoy

I completely understand and yes sleep is very important try to get into a routine! Ive been hypomanic (luckily my lamictal and seroquel as well as trying to get good sleep seem to keep it at hypo and not full blown manic ) that has persisted for over a month and a half..luckily Ive started taking all my seroquel (highly recommend gives me the best sleep Ive every had, but some find the sedation lasting all day so may be different for others) at night to knock me out due to not sleeping more than 2 hours for 4 days last week...but still can't seem to shake this which has caused issues with my family this holiday season!! Good luck and I hope you can get in to see a pdoc asap! Im holding out till my appointment next week due to being out of town, but I have to get this under control before the semester starts!!! AHHH

My current pdoc told me that if I don't get any sleep for 3 days I either need to call her or go to the hospital (if it is the weekend or she is otherwise unavailable) because, apparently, not sleeping for 3 days warrants a "psychiatric emergency" for manic-depressives. I don't know if this is a common point of view for pdocs or if mine is just being a little overprotective of her patients, but that's what I was told to do.

I got sent home from work tonight. I kept zoning out and tripping all over myself. I also seem to be hearing a random beep every now and then. No voices, just the occasional annoying beep.

I have to take my RX Hydroxyzine in order to get the sleep I need. OTC meds don't touch it. Call your Pdoc and see if you can get in sooner!

It just sucked the life right out of me. I mean you get pale, like minty green zombie pale. You cannot socialize with your friends or loved ones, because your rhythms are all backwards.

Little things are just like the twighlight zone. I'd get off work and all the restaurants were serving breakfast. Wake up for work and eat dinner? It was just so unhealthy.