[skiguy18]

Hi everyone. I am new here. For years felt I was depressed- kind of under the surface low mood. My doc put me on zoloft for sleep a year ago which helped in a number of ways. Then about six months into that I had a manic episode which was something I never had before. Put on zyprexa and divprolex. Lately I have zero energy - none. Simply getting up to eat is a major event. Through this i also lost a job i really liked as well. Most days I don't leave the house. For some reason all the doc seems to worry about is the mania - which only happened once. Honestly I prefer that to being so low on energy. Hopefully you all can relate.

[Blue_Bird]

Originally Posted by skiguy18

Hi everyone. I am new here. For years felt I was depressed- kind of under the surface low mood. My doc put me on zoloft for sleep a year ago which helped in a number of ways. Then about six months into that I had a manic episode which was something I never had before. Put on zyprexa and divprolex. Lately I have zero energy - none. Simply getting up to eat is a major event. Through this i also lost a job i really liked as well. Most days I don't leave the house. For some reason all the doc seems to worry about is the mania - which only happened once. Honestly I prefer that to being so low on energy. Hopefully you all can relate.

Hi skiguy18, welcome

I'm sorry you're experiencing lack of energy. I experience that also, some meds have made it worse than others.

Can you discuss with your doctor if there's anything else you could try or a different dosage that doesn't deplete your energy as much? Zyprexa tends to be extremely sedating

[Fairy102]

Hello!
I sure can relate! I was on zyprexa and lamictal once not only was I sleeping 12-15 hours a day I gained a whole bunch of weight. I felt low but wasn’t necessarily depressed when I was on it. I felt like a zombie. I missed my hypomania. I ended up going off meds for five years before returning. I miss the confidence and the productivity of the hypomania.

[Gabyunbound]

I'm sorry you're experiencing so much lack of energy.

Meds can certainly be the culprit, but it's often the side effects that make people with BP stop taking them and that can be dangerous, in different ways. I would suggest you work with your pdoc to find a regimen that both prevents mania and doesn't have you going around like a zombie.

I hear you about pdocs often only caring about preventing the next bout of mania and not heeding the price we have to pay. I truly hope that you can find the right combination of meds that leaves you with enough energy to lead your life as you'd like to.

Just in case, I'd also suggest you get a blood panel through your PCP to make sure you're not anemic or something else isn't off that might contribute to you being so tired.

Best of luck!

[Wild Coyote]

hi Skiguy,

Welcome to PC and to the Bipolar Forum!

I hope you will find the information and the support you may be seeking.
I am thrilled you have jumped in! Please do make yourself at home.

I am sorry you are feeling a lack of energy. I go through this a lot, too.
I hope you can find a way to resolve this soon!
I hope to see you around the forums!

WC

[Victoria'smom]

Talk to your doctor. You didn't say how much zyprexa you are on. Maybe s/he can lower the dose even splitting the dose in half. My doctor would rather me be kind of sedated then have symptoms because my symptoms are dangerous. Same doctor has my husband (who has the same dx) is on a high of anti depressed.

[jaysmotogp]

Welcome to the forum skiguy. I know i can relate, as well a most here.
I agree that it does seem, at least so far, that drs focus on the mania and the depression for them is an afterthought. Maybe because the mania is possibly less treatment resistant than the depression? Like you im not sure 🤔

[Moose72]

Originally Posted by jaysmotogp

Welcome to the forum skiguy. I know i can relate, as well a most here.
I agree that it does seem, at least so far, that drs focus on the mania and the depression for them is an afterthought. Maybe because the mania is possibly less treatment resistant than the depression? Like you im not sure 🤔

My pdoc told me as much: that they can do more for mania with drugs. I guess there are onlyanti depressants for depression.

[skiguy18]

thanks everyone! Yeah its frustrating. I am on valproic acid also - does that help with depression or is that just a mood stabilizer as well? In my own opinion i am not so sure it is bipolar and wonder if its more depression with psychosis- but from my reading they seem very similar.

[downandlonely]

I would talk to your doctor about possibly reducing your Zyprexa or switching to another medication that is less sedating. I understand not wanting to be depressed and exhausted all the time.

Someone did mention getting blood work done, which is also a good idea. I found out I was low on Vitamin D, iron, and B12. Now I take supplements.

[tecomsin]

I agree with you, Skiguy18. Many pdoc treat bipolar depression as an after thought. It does help to adjust meds if you are too sedated. It might be worth a try to make an adjustment with your pdoc. Are you still on zoloft?

[skiguy18]

Originally Posted by tecomsin

I agree with you, Skiguy18. Many pdoc treat bipolar depression as an after thought. It does help to adjust meds if you are too sedated. It might be worth a try to make an adjustment with your pdoc. Are you still on zoloft?

No they stopped the zoloft. I want to go back on it I think.

[Wild Coyote]

Originally Posted by skiguy18

thanks everyone! Yeah its frustrating. I am on valproic acid also - does that help with depression or is that just a mood stabilizer as well? In my own opinion i am not so sure it is bipolar and wonder if its more depression with psychosis- but from my reading they seem very similar.

Have you tried Lamictal/lamotrigine as a mood stabilizer? It's usually less sedating than valproic acid. Maybe ask your doctor about this option?

I was diagnosed BPII after many, many years of having a treatment-resistant depression diagnosis. It's not unusual.

Again, welcome!

WC

[~Christina]

Originally Posted by skiguy18

Hi everyone. I am new here. For years felt I was depressed- kind of under the surface low mood. My doc put me on zoloft for sleep a year ago which helped in a number of ways. Then about six months into that I had a manic episode which was something I never had before. Put on zyprexa and divprolex. Lately I have zero energy - none. Simply getting up to eat is a major event. Through this i also lost a job i really liked as well. Most days I don't leave the house. For some reason all the doc seems to worry about is the mania - which only happened once. Honestly I prefer that to being so low on energy. Hopefully you all can relate.

Sounds like your Pdoc ( Psychiarist) has you over medicated if your lacking much ambition.l ?! Maybe.

It takes time to find the right combo of meds , so don’t settle with feeling the way you are.

Are you seeing a T ( therapist) I think anyone dealing with a MI ( mental illness) can benefit having someone to talk to.

Welcome to PC

[piano97]

Sorry you are going through these things, it is rough but good you are reaching out to others. The job loss must have been devastating, I'm so sorry.

Sounds like they have you snowed out though :/ And without good cause. Do you know what the dosages are on those?

It's just my opinion but it's far more dangerous to use pills as 'maintenance' therapy than seeing how things go on as little medication as possible. Maybe the zoloft induced the mania, but doesn't mean you have to be tranquilized indefinitely. That is no way to live.

Hang in there, don't despair or give up. And do talk to doc asap about dosing.

In the end, it's your decision on what to take and they are there to support you through that decision making process.

And again, good to see you reaching out to talk to others about these things.

[tecomsin]

Originally Posted by piano97

Sounds like they have you snowed out though :/ And without good cause. Do you know what the dosages are on those?

It's just my opinion but it's far more dangerous to use pills as 'maintenance' therapy than seeing how things go on as little medication as possible.

I agree about the long term dangers with over medication. On the other hand, some people really do need to be medicated if they want to stay out of the hospital or suffer needlessly.

Olanzapine can be very sedating too. Some people, like myself, use it as basically a sleeping pill when I start to become destabilized, on top of my regular antipsychotic, Rexulti. I would wonder about the dosing but also about just switching it out for another antipsychotic that is less sedating and has less long term side effects too.

[skiguy18]

Originally Posted by piano97

Sorry you are going through these things, it is rough but good you are reaching out to others. The job loss must have been devastating, I'm so sorry.

Sounds like they have you snowed out though :/ And without good cause. Do you know what the dosages are on those?

It's just my opinion but it's far more dangerous to use pills as 'maintenance' therapy than seeing how things go on as little medication as possible. Maybe the zoloft induced the mania, but doesn't mean you have to be tranquilized indefinitely. That is no way to live.

Hang in there, don't despair or give up. And do talk to doc asap about dosing.

In the end, it's your decision on what to take and they are there to support you through that decision making process.

And again, good to see you reaching out to talk to others about these things.

The doses are 10mg zyprexa at night and 250mg valproic acid in the am and 500mg at bed.

Its not so much that i am tired just feel ten times more depressed since being on the meds.

[Guiness187055]

Originally Posted by skiguy18

The doses are 10mg zyprexa at night and 250mg valproic acid in the am and 500mg at bed.

Its not so much that i am tired just feel ten times more depressed since being on the meds.

Being that zyprexa is a tranquilizer it can make you feel down. Are you on any anti depressants? Wellbutrin works well for me to help keep my energy up a little.

[TheSeaCat]

Originally Posted by skiguy18

Hi everyone. I am new here. For years felt I was depressed- kind of under the surface low mood. My doc put me on zoloft for sleep a year ago which helped in a number of ways. Then about six months into that I had a manic episode which was something I never had before. Put on zyprexa and divprolex. Lately I have zero energy - none. Simply getting up to eat is a major event. Through this i also lost a job i really liked as well. Most days I don't leave the house. For some reason all the doc seems to worry about is the mania - which only happened once. Honestly I prefer that to being so low on energy. Hopefully you all can relate.

Hi welcome to PC!

I recently spent three months in a nasty depressive state where unless I had to see a doctor my butt was in bed. I didn't want to leave bed; I made my bed a depressive nest. Zyprexa was horrible medication for me; it made me gain a lot of weight in a short period which only added to the depression.

I also know the feeling of losing a job; lost my job in July which only made the depression worse; it took three months to find a medication combo that stabilized me enough to make me want to work again.

I am Bipolar 2; so I don't get manic I get hypomanic; which happens once in a blue moon; in realty I am much likely to be send back into a depressive spiral.

I am really glad you joined; to me and many others this has been my biggest system of support. :

I would encourage you to talk to whomever does your medications and tell them that you feel very sedated and have no energy. Their are other medications you can try.

[Pookyl]

Welcome!
It’s hardgoing to be a newbie to bipolar. It’s trial and error to find the right treatment plan. And we’re all so different.
As someone who’s experienced a prolonged ‘treatment resistant’ manic episode or two, I understand why doctors do what they can to eliminate manic episodes. Valproic Acid (aka Depakote) is a mood stabiliser especially good with the mixed/suicidal and depressive moods. I take it in addition to Lithium (which helps the manic side of things of things)

[liveforsummer]

Welcome!

I take 200 mg lamotrigine (mood stabilizer) and Zoloft 100mg for the depressive symptoms I still have. Things aren’t as bad anymore but I do miss the energy and confidence of hypomania however there were also negative effects of the hypomania too

I hope you can find something that works soon for you.

[Unrigged64072835]

Welcome to PC!

People are different as to how they react to meds. I was on many anti depressants for several years. Doctors couldn’t understand why I wasn’t getting any better. I had a breakdown in 2012. I’ve been on a few more meds since then. Zyprexa relaxes me quickly but not worth the side effects. Valproic acid made me be depressed for about a year.

If your meds aren’t working, your doc needs to know. You pay them to help you.