Agitation, Irritability, Insomnia

Lol! Yes, I have thought something about this episode is very different. I have had agitation before, with depression. I have not had severe agitation while feeling hypo before. Something has shifted. (I am aware that BPII diagnoses can turn into BPI diagnoses. I am sorry you have had this happen.) What will be will be. I just would like to be treated and stop this ongoing lack of sleep and the agitation. The underlying hypo is just fine, Lol!

I think the long period of sleep deprivation is helping to kindle this whole episode.

Thanks so very much!

WC

I hate to admit it, but I want Seroquel. please. Too bad I cannot have any.


WC

I know exactly how your feel altho it’s been months ago now.

It’s horrible and then some... just know that this will pass , Bipolar cycles ...... only thing that’s consistent about the bytch.

You are in my thoughts and gently silent hugs to you

My pdoc started me back on 20 mg of saphris at night and 5 mg during the day and I white knuckled it for a week until things subsided. That happened August 2016. Then it was an up down tango till Jan 2017 and things started to even out. HEY since that was my last nervous breakdown shouldn't my brain be healed by now?!?!?! My pdoc always says it takes 1-2 years after a nervous or psychotic breakdown for the brain to heal. Can I get my money back?

Thanks, Laurie.
I have had increased anxiety for a couple of months. It was bad enough I had dropped Adderall and Wellbutrin. I had to double my benzos; yet, they've stopped working! So pdoc was looking for a mood stabilizer and we chose gabapentin this time. it does cut the agitation, but I do need it around the clock or I get back into trouble with agitation. (We thought we could just treat sleep, but the agitation/episode is now rapidly progressing.)

The agitation is severe. If I could not cut it with gabapentin or another med, I would need to be in the hospital. I cannot stand anyone even talking to me. I cannot stand anything! I need a dark, quiet room when agitation creeps back in. It is horrible. I cannot find the words to describe it. I just want out! My speech is pressured and I am also very irritable.

Once it is temporarily quieted down with medication, I still do not sleep and I have an exuberant mood.. until the agitation returns and then I am back in hell!

Dysphoria is a great term for this hell.

This started approx. 2 months ago with extreme anxiety and has only gotten worse. The flip side, the exuberance, is amping up, too.

I guess I need to see what pdoc thinks.
I do not know what this is.
I do welcome input, so thank you very much!

WC

Thanks, Bizi!

WC

Thanks, Christina!

Thanks for reminding me this will pass!
I really cannot function during the agitation. I cannot tolerate someone even talking to me softly; it feels like a massive assault. I hold my head and try to escape as quickly as possible! (I tell them I am having a migraine.) I have to isolate. When the agitation is moderated by meds, the opposite happens and I am talkative, singing, exuberant. So strange.
I think I am repeating myself.

Thanks again, Christine!

WC

I'm so, so sorry WC. The way you're feeling does sound absolutely miserable. I wish we could do more...but please know that we are here to listen, at all times...anytime you need to vent, get support, or need suggestions.

Thank you, Laurie!
I am deeply touched by your post.
I am so grateful for my friends here.
You have all been very helpful.

WC

I am so thankful for my friends here.

I was able to get a couple of hours of sleep by adding another dose of gabapentin so it is every 8 hours. I had also added temazepam.

I will see pdoc today.

Much Love and Appreciation,

WC

I hope your appointment goes well, keep us posted.
Thinking of you

Thank you so much!
Your responses always mean a lot to me.

WC

I like my new pdoc.

We have agreed to add more gabapentin around the clock.
I was also given more clonazepam and temazepam.

We had discussed mood stabilizers. I have some rather severe side-effects with many of them.

We are re-trying Lamictal/lamotrigine.

The extra gabapentin and the benzos seem to be helping some.

It is almost 4am. I have been awake a couple of hours already. We will see if sleep improves soon.

I so deeply appreciate everyone here. Your responses have been so very helpful. Your support means so much to me! I hope I can return the favors. I am deeply touched.

With Love and Gratitude,


WC

I'm glad she is working with you. Hopefully your doing the slow titration up on lamictal and just remember you prob won't feel anything till you hit 100 mg probably. I'm down to 150 mg of it a day. I used to be on 400 mg but took 2 years of going down very slowly to get to 150 mg. 400 mg was just hitting my brain too hard and was having issues talking/thinking. My pdoc said 400 mg is the max dose for BP (i wanted him to raise it at one point) he said over that the effect is pretty null. I've heard people say they're on 450 mg though. I think the max dose for epilepsy is like 600 something mg.

With the clonazepam if you're in a bind and need it to work faster you can chew it. Found that out a funny way, if you're interested PM me. haha. Oh man I miss that dude.

Are you taking the gabapentin all at once or at different times a day. I want to say it has a short half life and is usually written as 3x a day. I had tried taking all of mine at night for a while because I was trying to fiddle with my meds so I wouldn't be tired during the day but the anxiety got really bad during the day which is why I take the 200 mg in the AM just to get some in my system. I tried going down to 100 mg and that was a no go. ha.

If you have any questions about meds I know too much. If all else fails you can find out a lot about meds at crazymeds. well at least you used to be able to. I haven't been there in a while.

I hope your agitation and anxiety start to lessen.

So sorry, dear WC. You're a lovely person, and have listened to any comforted so many. I really hope the sleeping improves!

I'm so sorry. How long has this been going on for you now (the lack of sleep)? How much gabapentin are you on? Gabapentin never helped me sleep, but 300 mg is the highest dose I've ever been on, and I take it prn. I've had to take it lately though because the fibro. is flaring up.

Can you mention hydroxyzine and see if you can take that one? It usually didn't keep me asleep like the hydoxyzine/trazodone combo, but I think the hydroxyzine alone helped me fall asleep and faster than the trazodone. Maybe 30 minute after taking? Is your problem falling asleep or staying asleep? Do you take calcium & magnesium supplements? If not, mention that to your pdoc. It may help with the agitation. I have to take it because of osteopenia, but I noticed when I forgot it after being in the hospital, my restless leg syndrome came back. I had totally forgotten I had that until missing the calcium/magnesium 2-3 weeks after being in the hospital, then home for a hard recovery with tons of antibiotics and other stomach meds to take. I cannot fall asleep with RLS, not even on Seroquel.

are you saying you are bipolar too? i know the feeling along with PTSD too. I don't know why but for some reason this past month i have been doing really good, i was put on xanex 2 months ago, maybe thats why? Now the doctors want to take away our hydrocodone and xanex. I am on both. I have severe back problems and jut had triggerpoint injections yesterday. I know before i felt as though i couldn't stand any noise especially when i have a migraine headaches. do you get them too? I feel for you and wish you the best.

I know it would suck, but have you thought about going IP and seeing what they can do there? My first IP stay was actually for not sleeping 3 days straight, where it was a danger for me to even drive a car, and I needed to be able to drive.

Thanks for responding. We are starting with gabapentin every 8 hours; 300mg twice and 600mg at bedtime. We are also using temazepam at bedtime and clonazepam during the day. Also added Lamictal.

Thanks for mentioning hydroxyzine and trazodone. I cannot take trazodone. Hydroxyzine might be an option if our new plan does not work.

Yes, I do take calcium/magnesium, thank you.

I am always sensitive to noise. However, this episode is much worse.

I am sorry you have RLS. Topical magnesium lotion can also help with RLS, just FYI.

Thanks again for sharing and caring!

WC

Hi avlady! Thanks for your response. I do have a Bipolar II diagnosis. Also c-PTSD and migraine.

I am sorry you have back problems. I hope you can keep the meds that work for you. It's very scary when docs want to take away meds we need. It seems benzos and pain meds are on many docs' "hit list" these days.

I appreciate your response.

WC

WC
Glad to hear your new pdoc is working with you as a team. It’s imprtant that they hear what we say and don’t just tell us what to do. I really hope things start to improve and you get some much needed sleep soon!

Thank you so much!

She really listens. We clearly work as a "team." She suggests approaches and allows me to choose, even if I were to decline all options. I feel very safe with her prescribing because she is so careful about creating a bad reaction from contraindications, etc. Very thorough. She clearly knows/pays attention to the metabolic pathways of each med; in my experience, not all pdocs are this careful/thorough. She also gives her patients her home phone and her cell phone numbers.

I think of you so often! I miss you and so enjoy seeing you posting! I hope you are doing well.

Thanks again! I really appreciate your concern.



WC

Thanks so much for your concerns!

As of right now, we feel we can handle this outpatient. My pdoc is very available, giving her patients her home phone and her cell phone. I probably should have called her this past weekend; yet, she was impressed with what I did with meds and said she would have advised exactly what I had done.

Thanks again for your concern and for sharing about your experiences.
I am so glad you are here at PC!



WC

Heya, WC, I don’t have any suggestions, but wanted you to know that you are in my heart and on my mind. Hoping things improve quickly.

Hi vertigo,
I appreciate your message!

You and yours are in my thoughts and prayers daily.

Thanks again!

WC