[Bobbyj]

Just curious, a lot of you guys seem to be prescribed something, i'm wondering what your thoughts on them are. Do you like the way they make you? Are you stuck dealing with them because it is the only way you can function? Are there side effects you hate about them, but are forced to deal with? Any pros and cons you guys have i'd be interested in hearing. Personally i'm very rebellious with taking meds lol, i wouldn't take my last prescription even for a day. Also, what don't you like about being manic or when you're depresses? What don't you seem to have control over?

I know i'm asking a lot of questions, this just all interests me. I see a lot of people get prescribed drugs they hate and a diagnosis they feel stuck with before they ever give anything else a try. Why not fix substance abuse issues first as they could be causing the BP symptoms, or why not make sure to exercise everyday, change your diet, get sun, try natural methods, take vitamins, fish oil, etc. I'm not arguing for or against psych drugs, it just seems like there could be a lot of changes to be made before getting put on meds. Using therapy to work on each individual weakness we have seems like a good idea too, i've changed a lot of personality flaws over the years with good success.

Anyway i'd like to hear thoughts you guys have on the subject, it worries me how willing psych doctors are to prescribe drugs.

[hopeless2015]

I take my meds every day and go to therapy every other week I've had a rough last year with debilitating depression...in and out of the hospital numerous times and several med adjustments later I'm feeling like I'm doing better. I know the meds won't 100% make this go away but right now I think they are helping and now I have to work on all the things I let go this last year

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[fishin fool]

I don't like being on meds at all but I know my mood swings get bad
without them. The meds seem to take away that sharpness and creativity
that I love.

[pirilin]

[seoultous]

Being on medication does not bother me. I take meds and I
1) take supplements
2) get exercise
3) use a light box for artificial sun
4) follow a ketogenic diet
5) and, observe a strict sleep regime.
All of this plus therapy helps me stay stable. Medications are an important component in controlling my BP.

[BipolaRNurse]

I don't like being on medication but I have no choice, at least not if I want to be sane most of the time. Some people can manage without meds, and I envy them. But I'm not one of them.

[gina_re]

Originally Posted by Bobbyj

Just curious, a lot of you guys seem to be prescribed something, i'm wondering what your thoughts on them are. Do you like the way they make you? Are you stuck dealing with them because it is the only way you can function? Are there side effects you hate about them, but are forced to deal with? Any pros and cons you guys have i'd be interested in hearing. Personally i'm very rebellious with taking meds lol, i wouldn't take my last prescription even for a day. Also, what don't you like about being manic or when you're depresses? What don't you seem to have control over?

I know i'm asking a lot of questions, this just all interests me. I see a lot of people get prescribed drugs they hate and a diagnosis they feel stuck with before they ever give anything else a try. Why not fix substance abuse issues first as they could be causing the BP symptoms, or why not make sure to exercise everyday, change your diet, get sun, try natural methods, take vitamins, fish oil, etc. I'm not arguing for or against psych drugs, it just seems like there could be a lot of changes to be made before getting put on meds. Using therapy to work on each individual weakness we have seems like a good idea too, i've changed a lot of personality flaws over the years with good success.

Anyway i'd like to hear thoughts you guys have on the subject, it worries me how willing psych doctors are to prescribe drugs.

I personally feel as I do need them to function. I don't feel like I can really get everything I need/want to do completed. I live alone and have nothing to fall back on, so I must keep doing whatever it takes to keep all I have worked so hard for. When I started trileptal, it got me to the point where I was able to go back to school and graduate with my B.A while keeping a stable job (at the same time!). Despite being on a lot of meds, I don't feel "overmedicated." Sure there are alternatives to treating the illness such as exercise and diet...but when you are in that deep, dark, black abyss of depression, diet and exercise is the last thing on your mind. Hypomania for me is all about having a good time. I might decide to join a gym, but stop going eventually, most likely when I come down off of that high. In my opinion, when you're stabilized is when you can make those lifestyle changes and maybe decrease the dosages.
Me personally, I can't take the madness in my head and don't mind the meds.
No major side effects aside from weight gain from Paxil.

[gina_re]

Originally Posted by hopeless2015

I take my meds every day and go to therapy every other week I've had a rough last year with debilitating depression...in and out of the hospital numerous times and several med adjustments later I'm feeling like I'm doing better. I know the meds won't 100% make this go away but right now I think they are helping and now I have to work on all the things I let go this last year

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I do this too. The meds will only so much, therapy helps immensely.

[wildflowerchild25]

Without meds I inevitably end up hurting myself severely. Without meds I am in the hospital all the time. Without meds I'm a wreck and can't function enough to take care of my son.

I used to be upset about taking meds but now it's just something I have to do. I can't say I'll never try to be without but for now I'm doing so well I wouldn't chance it. My pnurse even suggested last session that we lower the Invega because I keep skipping my period but I said no. I don't want to take a chance that the mania and psychosis will come back.

Of course it took three years to find a combination that worked for me without side effects. And I still fall into terrible depressions. Believe me if exercise and meditation helped at all I'd be doing that. But it doesn't. Meds are the only thing that seem to keep me stable. And I'm fine with that now.

On them because I need them. I am a single mother. I need to care for my kids.

[Victoria'smom]

Do you like the way they make you?

They give me more energy than I normally have

Are you stuck dealing with them because it is the only way you can function?

I take them because others say I can't function

Are there side effects you hate about them, but are forced to deal with?

Dry mouth, thirsty all the time, my ED voice is gone.

. Also, what don't you like about being manic or when you're depresses? The anger and homicidal thoughts

What don't you seem to have control over? Myself

[raspberrytorte]

I'm okay with being on meds. One is working, the other one not so much, so I'm in the process of weaning off that one. The other one we had to raise the dose of because it stopped working so well. Now I think I may be having some cognitive issues from the increase, mostly remembering words, which is not good when you're a writer! So something has to be done about that. That's my only side effect though.

I'd like to go off the one that's working, see how I'd do, but I'm a mom to a four year old, stressed right now, and last time I weaned off of it (this was BEFORE becoming a mom) the withdrawal was horrible, like on the floor in the living room unable to walk because the room was spinning... and this lasted for three days. I can't deal with that and still be able to take care of my daughter.

[neverending]

Done the diet, exercise, supplements, herbs. Up north had too much depression, too many hospitalizations. Down south now too much sun n the bipolar swings really show. Meditation causes auditory hallucinations n increased anxiety, won't go into the reasons why here. Meds are the only way I can function n for therapy to help me. No, I don't like taking the meds but without them I would already be dead. I have absolutely no life med free. No ability to function. I am becoming more stable again, hopefully for awhile n I can think n my creativity is coming back to me n I am feeling some motivation. Don't have that without meds.

[franz kafka]

I hate taking medications, but I continue taking them anyway. I'm too afraid of having another episode.

^ All great answers!

[BastetsMuse]

No, I don't like being on medication, but I like the alternative (uncontrolled bipolar) even less.

I'm on them because I don't want to lose control. Mania was blissfully good - but came at huge cost. The crash that follows is frightening. Anxiety is a daily issue. Depression is even worse.

I don't like them though. Some have a sedating quality and weight gain is an ongoing issue. I cry near every night about this but recall what my life was like without the meds. But then I am thankful my life is relatively under control.

[gayleggg]

I wish that I didn't have to take meds but I feel better taking them so I do. It beats the depression and anxiety I have without them.

[MusicLover82]

Originally Posted by Bobbyj

Just curious, a lot of you guys seem to be prescribed something, i'm wondering what your thoughts on them are. Do you like the way they make you? Are you stuck dealing with them because it is the only way you can function? Are there side effects you hate about them, but are forced to deal with? Any pros and cons you guys have i'd be interested in hearing. Personally i'm very rebellious with taking meds lol, i wouldn't take my last prescription even for a day. Also, what don't you like about being manic or when you're depresses? What don't you seem to have control over?


I know i'm asking a lot of questions, this just all interests me. I see a lot of people get prescribed drugs they hate and a diagnosis they feel stuck with before they ever give anything else a try. Why not fix substance abuse issues first as they could be causing the BP symptoms, or why not make sure to exercise everyday, change your diet, get sun, try natural methods, take vitamins, fish oil, etc. I'm not arguing for or against psych drugs, it just seems like there could be a lot of changes to be made before getting put on meds. Using therapy to work on each individual weakness we have seems like a good idea too, i've changed a lot of personality flaws over the years with good success.


Anyway i'd like to hear thoughts you guys have on the subject, it worries me how willing psych doctors are to prescribe drugs.

The pros far outweigh the cons (side-effects). In fact, I'd say the cons are so tiny in comparison, they are trivial. I can live a relatively normal life on my meds. That means the world to me.

BP 2, OCD, GAD
Lithium, Trileptal, Latuda, Risperdal, Xanax

[Bobbyj]

Thanks for all the awesome answers guys! I'm sorry for how much some of you have to deal with :/. I'm beginning to think i was misdiagnosed, i think my therapist is thinking the same, i definitely feel the ups and downs of mania and depression depending on a lot of environmental factors. What some of you guys go through sounds far more out of control than my experiences. I have had very crazy points in my life, but i think substance abuse and other things could be the reason. I was very up and down as a kid/teen as well though. Is there a such thing as mild bipolar? Or even mild bpd? I feel i have the tendencies of these conditions, but are much more easily controlled and almost non existent while i'm clean and sober. I'm just trying to learn as much about all of this as i can. One thing i don't understand is, how did a genetic condition such as BP get passed down for so long without people dying off that had it? Medication is relatively new so how did people function and how did it manage to live on. There had to be some purpose to it?

[gina_re]

Originally Posted by Bobbyj

Thanks for all the awesome answers guys! I'm sorry for how much some of you have to deal with :/. I'm beginning to think i was misdiagnosed, i think my therapist is thinking the same, i definitely feel the ups and downs of mania and depression depending on a lot of environmental factors. What some of you guys go through sounds far more out of control than my experiences. I have had very crazy points in my life, but i think substance abuse and other things could be the reason. I was very up and down as a kid/teen as well though. Is there a such thing as mild bipolar? Or even mild bpd? I feel i have the tendencies of these conditions, but are much more easily controlled and almost non existent while i'm clean and sober. I'm just trying to learn as much about all of this as i can. One thing i don't understand is, how did a genetic condition such as BP get passed down for so long without people dying off that had it? Medication is relatively new so how did people function and how did it manage to live on. There had to be some purpose to it?

Who knows how "well" they did. The stigma of mental illness was horrible in the past...and what people had to go through when put in insane asylums....I don't even want to think of it.
"Mild" bipolar maybe could be cyclothymia..?

[zijax]

All the good things that are happening in my life are attributed to my being sober. It hasn't lessened the bipolar but actually brought it into the light so I can see it and take care of it. I love your honesty in admitting your highs and lows were worse when drinking/using. I am way more manic now that I'm sober which is better than being depressed. I hate the downer of the duo. There are so many miracles in sobriety, it's the best trip I've ever been on. Life is supersweet.

[zijax]

Sorry, didn't read the earlier posts. I hate taking meds but I have stayed out of the hospital sense last November and I don't want to go back. Still paying off the ambulance bill. I am grateful there are meds to help me so I try to behave and take the fool things. They are helping me with the highs but I wisht hey were stronger, can't seem to get stable but just started these new ones 4 days ago. Been looking for right combo for 6 months, changing every month. Rapid hell cycling

[Nammu]

For me...no I don't like taking them.

It's a hobs choice, being between a rock and a hard place. I need them at times to have any kind of a quality life. There are times I can wean off and use therapy, eating right etc but then there are the times I need them. Side effects, always, they varies with the meds. Choosing the lessor of two evils at the time.

I've worked hard to control the BP, but sometimes it's in control and I need to use every tool in the box.

I've always known they were right about the diagnosis but denial is a powerful companion.