[Tucson]

Recently, I had an elevated mood that is lasting so far about a week. I was driving impulsively like shooting out in traffic thinking I can make it without being hit by cars that are close. One time I did not make it. Also I am changing lanes allot to get ahead, like playing tag with the automobiles on the road. I have been hypersexual too. These two symptoms normally begins my episode. There is always the spending of allot of money, but that has not happened yet. I am now struggling with this, and beginning to spend money on things that I really do not need. Nothing big yet. Now I have sudden and precipitous swings into significant depression, but these periods do not last long. Maybe hours. Still maybe a good part of a day. One time I woke up very very depressed. It took all morning before I started to become functional. This does not make sense. My new doctor took me off of Latuda due to side effects. He did not replace it with another AP. He gave me no reason for this. Maybe these are withdrawl symptoms from the termination of Latuda? Maybe I should be on another AP?

Recently my mental condition has become worse. I am constantly going from one thought to the next. It is like I am reviewing over and over of allot of the crazy behavior that I have over the past year, even my episode in front of a judge when I was contesting a ticket. I get agitated and very angry with myself. I end up thinking I am losing my mind. I am having a hard time dealing with this. The thoughts will not stop. What is going wrong with me?

Of course I realize I am BP for almost all of my life. However, all my crazy behavior that I cannot stop thinking about is very unsettling to me. I find myself angry at myself and telling myself that I am really screwed up, that I need to get my act together, now! I verbally put myself down. Due to these unending thoughts, I have not been paying attention to what I have been doing. Forgetting simple things like driving my car to get gas, but then forgetting what I am doing as I pass the gas station, finding myself miles further down the road.

So does this seem familiar to anybody? What is with my apparent hypomanic behaviors with then big swings into depression? I am having a hard time getting going this morning. I am also thinking of canceling my appointment with that pdoc and making another with a different one. My old pdoc that I have been going to for 15 years suddenly retired. I had no chance to say goodbye to him.

Update: Now I feel very restless. I feel like I need to get out of here. No money for this.

When I was doing ultradian cycling...the culprit was the SSRI that I was taking with out a stabilizer way in the beginning whilst being treated for depression with an antidepressant. Since then got diagnosed as BD.

[Tucson]

I am taking both Fluoxetine and Buproprion, both stimulating ADs. Thanks to my new pdoc, I am now off of any mood stabilizer. So maybe this is what is causing my cycling? I do not remember anything like this happening to me.

[Unrigged64072835]

Originally Posted by Tucson

I am taking both Fluoxetine and Buproprion, both stimulating ADs. Thanks to my new pdoc, I am now off of any mood stabilizer. So maybe this is what is causing my cycling? I do not remember anything like this happening to me.

It could be this. You need to talk to your pdoc and get this resolved.

[bizi]

yes you need at least a mood stabilizer, please don't cancel your pdoc appointment.
bizi

Indeed—get your meds in order and ask the pdoc why the changes.

Typically bipolar patients would be on Lamactil for depression if tolerated since antidepressants can cause rapid cycling or mania.

No mood stabilizer—I am so confused. Perhaps the new pdoc decided to change your dx??

Agreed on the wth is up with no mood stabilizer. What you describe sounds similar to a time I went through. It was awful, and I sympathize. Upping my Lamictal was what finally started pulling me out of it. I can't even imagine how it would have been with none(!!) It is very likely exacerbated by having 2 ADs onboard.

I'd also say not to cancel your appt., one reason being it would very likely take a long time to get in with a new one (but sure, call around) and you need help NOW. When is your appt.?

MD put me on Welbutrin for depression for the first time at 43 years....being that mania always feels good and goes unreported...just the depression...we started cycling hard....the depression kept getting worse as I report to the MD and new pdoc in which they kept prescribing higher and higher dosages about 3-4 times...let’s say in 2 years...after going from laughing to crying back to laughing in minutes...I finally got dx’d for bipolar which helped settle things down.

Everyone thought that I was doing drugs which was right...not the street drugs, but the misprescribed ones.

Why your pdoc took away your stabilizer is a mystery....I would go back and thank him for wrecking your life, find a new one if he doesn’t correct his error...then fire him.

[Tucson]

Even though I am not going to cancel this appointment, I am going to find another pdoc. I am going to a public facility, so my choices are limited. I agree that he actually may be interested in changing my dx. This is what I am thinking. He has not interviewed me or asked any questions about my condition and how it has or has been affecting me. He knows I have been diagnosed and going there for at least fifteen years for meds for BP. I can tell he has limited experience. He was having a problem with why Fluoxetine would be prescribed with Buprorion. He does not understand that this is a common combination to treat a more refractory type depression. The AP was keeping me stable. They only get pdocs with rather limited experience there. Once I get a job, this all will change.

So according to all of your replys, the withdrawl of the AP may be causing this. Is this some sort of mixed episode? Maybe not. I never have identified myself as being in a mixed episode, but my condition has been a real nightmare at times.