[leejt1986]

I've been on gabapentin for a little over a month and my entire life has changed. I've never been on a mood stabilizer before. After a week i immediately started noticing changes in my mood and behavior. I could go through a day without wanting to cry. I could reason with myself if I was having paranoid thoughts. I could calm myself if I began to have panic symptoms.

What did everyone else notice when they started treatment for bi polar? The biggest one for me was definitely the paranoia. I can reason with myself and tell myself people aren't conspiring against me

[fishin fool]

I guess for me I noticed that my mood swings were less intense.
I think they are still there but not nearly as bad as before meds.

[YMIHere]

I was on Prozac for depression and I guess that helped, but the thing I will NEVER forget was going on Ritalin for ADHD. I'm chronically disorganized - a procrastinator etc. When I was married the first time, my husband would complain because I would leave stuff out all the time. I was the type to leave the kitchen cabinets open. There was SOMETHING on the counter and he said, "Are you EVER going to put that away?" The fact is I didn't even SEE it anymore. I can remember yakking on the phone when I was first on meds. I was talking and I saw the salt and pepper shakers were left out and I put them in the cabinet. I NEVER did that before. It's not like I was TRYING to clean. I just saw it was out of place and instinctively put it away. Then I thought, "So THIS is how the other half lives!" Such a small thing and I will NEVER forget it and I forget EVERYTHING these days.

[Icare dixit]

Antipsychotics helped with paranoia and persecutory delusions (and, underlyingly, delusions of grandeur). What remains is rock solid, but less consequential (still not inconsequential by far).

My mood stabiliser is helpful. But I think mania and depression is too. I want both, severely, with enough stability between episodes. It used to be rather continuous, so I'm thankful I now have three states (one now that brings back useful and happy memories) of being and one is more acceptable for others.

[SingDanceRunLife]

I didn't notice anything at first, but my friends and T noticed I was less irritable and less likely to just go off. When I switched to Zyprexa I noticed that I felt more "even" and not as depressed and not like the Energizer bunny either.

Everything was in living color, I felt alive like I hadn't known possible. I called people to tell them they should all get on an anti-depressant....I was a bit manic but had no idea what manic was back then.

[Bipolarchic14]

I had become more outgoing. That may have been therapy too! Or a combo