[BonsaiGuy]

Hello, everyone!

If you are on medication, I am curious as to how it is working for you. Do you have any side-effects? Are they beneficial or undesired? Have you noticed a big difference or are the effects unnoticed? Do you have someone like a family member or friend that keeps an eye out for side-effects that you may not notice? Also, if you are on medication for an extended period of time, do you find it necessary to increase dose often or at all?

I know that everyone is different and is effected by medication differently. I just started medication therapy for my bi-polar and ainxiety disorders. Not only have I noticed that they are wonderfully beneficial and effective, but my wife and family have noticed the benefits as well. I am very happy at my current doses.

My wife keeps an eye out for side-effects that I may not notice (memory loss for example), and we discuss how I'm doing with them very often.

Originally, I never had the desire to be on medication due to stigma. I certainly never wanted to be on them for the rest of my life. However, now that I see the benefits and effect that they are having in my life, I am becoming more and more accepting of this possibility.

[sarahsweets]

Originally Posted by BonsaiGuy

Hello, everyone!

If you are on medication, I am curious as to how it is working for you. Do you have any side-effects? Are they beneficial or undesired? Have you noticed a big difference or are the effects unnoticed? Do you have someone like a family member or friend that keeps an eye out for side-effects that you may not notice? Also, if you are on medication for an extended period of time, do you find it necessary to increase dose often or at all?

I am very fortunate to have almost no side effects. Over time I have developed some dythskenisia(sp) but it is more a result of an autoimmune disease that I have and maybe a tiny bit related to my medicine. My husband fills my pill cases every saturday partly because I drop so many meds and the other part because it makes him feel better that he is a part of keeping me well. I have an awesome pill case:
I love that each day can be taken out to go somewhere.

I know that everyone is different and is effected by medication differently. I just started medication therapy for my bi-polar and ainxiety disorders. Not only have I noticed that they are wonderfully beneficial and effective, but my wife and family have noticed the benefits as well. I am very happy at my current doses.

I am very happy with my meds and honestly the combination is life changing. They found the magic combo when I was hospitalized 15 years ago and within days I was a new, better person.

Originally, I never had the desire to be on medication due to stigma. I certainly never wanted to be on them for the rest of my life. However, now that I see the benefits and effect that they are having in my life, I am becoming more and more accepting of this possibility.

I was resistant to meds too. And there was this one dose of an atypical antipsychotic that my doc really wanted me at. I was not compliant and would have these episodes of what I call fugue states. Stumbly, slurring, combativeness. It was like I was a different person. Once I became compliant I never had those episodes again. BTW I am BPII, GAD, PTSD,ADHD

BonsaiGuy, I'm glad you're doing well on your medication mix. I hope you remain better and hopefully feel even better yet.

I'm pretty happy on my current mix and have been on it for a long time. For the most part, I'm stable and have been, save times of great stress. I still have some barriers to overcome to be more productive and "tougher", as my husband calls it, but those barriers are now less to do with the bipolar disorder and more psychological issues that no medication can erase. Only therapy. As for breakthrough episodes, as I wrote, great stress can bring them on. When that happens my Seroquel XR is manipulated. Coping skills learned should help in prevention, ideally, but it can be difficult. I am more sensitive/vulnerable than people without a mental illness.

Right now my only medication that gives me side effects worth mentioning is my Seroquel XR. It does slow me down a bit, and at doses of 450 mg and above can challenge me in terms of bigger appetite. Though I'm not certain, it may also contribute to increasing my cholesterol. However, I do not put all of the blame on Seroquel XR. Unlike for others, it hasn't caused me significant weight gain too far above what I might have experienced without bipolar meds. I'm serious! Nevertheless, being on lower doses of Seroquel XR does make losing weight easier for me. It is also crucial to take this med at a certain time and fall asleep by a certain time. If I do, I do well and enjoy 7-9 hours of good sleep.

A couple of my other meds had caused some side effects in my early treatment on them, but time and lowered doses fixed that.

They help with the ups more than the downs. I still get dangerously low. I'm on Depakote, Zyprexa, Trileptal, and Remeron. Weight gain as the only side effect. I get ECT too, and that causes some memory loss and general fogginess. I'm grateful for my "cocktail" but I wish it helped a bit more for the depressive side of things.

[BonsaiGuy]

Originally Posted by sarahsweets

I am very fortunate to have almost no side effects. Over time I have developed some dythskenisia(sp) but it is more a result of an autoimmune disease that I have and maybe a tiny bit related to my medicine. My husband fills my pill cases every saturday partly because I drop so many meds and the other part because it makes him feel better that he is a part of keeping me well. I have an awesome pill case:
I love that each day can be taken out to go somewhere.

I am very happy with my meds and honestly the combination is life changing. They found the magic combo when I was hospitalized 15 years ago and within days I was a new, better person.

I was resistant to meds too. And there was this one dose of an atypical antipsychotic that my doc really wanted me at. I was not compliant and would have these episodes of what I call fugue states. Stumbly, slurring, combativeness. It was like I was a different person. Once I became compliant I never had those episodes again. BTW I am BPII, GAD, PTSD,ADHD

Thank you so much for your response, sarahsweets. I really appreciate the detail. I also have a pill container with compartments for each day. It's so convenient for me, especially since I take my meds at different times during the day. I love being able to remove each day and put it in my backpack.

Glad to hear you don't have any bad side effects and that everything is going well for you.

[Victoria'smom]

My current meds don't help with depression. I have very little chooses because I need ODT. I've gained 2 lbs a month for the past 4 yrs. I'm tired a lot. Sometimes like last night I wake up to uncontrollable muscle jerking in my right side. I take ambien when that happens. I have to remind myself to tell pdoc about it.

Now the good things: I'm no longer scared. My family is no longer scared. I'm less explosive and a better mood over all. My fake front is closer to my real emotions now.

[AspiringAuthor]

I am still figuring some of the things out after so many years. My mood is stable and side effects managed, but my current combo has me sleeping for too long and I do not have time for exercise.

[wildflowerchild25]

I’m happy with my current combo. Save for a short depression episode a couple of weeks ago that was averted with upping the dose of haldol, it has kept me mostly stable for nine months. I don’t have any side effects that I notice. When I first started the haldol I had a slight tremor and akathisia that manifested in the constant tapping of my foot but that subsided about three months in. I don’t take any side effect medications. 10/10 would recommend lol.

[downandlonely]

It's a bit different for me because I have depression and not bipolar. But I honestly feel that medication may have saved my life. I'm not sure I would have killed myself without anti-depressants, but I'm pretty sure I would be unable to hold down a job. I would be living with my parents and miserable. I know this, because it is the situation my brother is in. I started meds at 14 and will take them for the rest of my life. I am fine with this.

It does bother me when other people say anti-depressants are bad and that people should be able to cope without them. I never tell a diabetic to stop taking meds and just do diet and exercise. The fact is that for people with type 2 diabetes, diet and exercise alone is enough. For type 1, insulin is necessary. I find it similar for temporary depression and persistent clinical depression. If you're just going through a rough spot, you might be able to use other coping strategies until you feel better. But for me, I need medication.

[Guiness187055]

I am happy with my combo except for my sleep medication. I can't seem to find a sleep medication that works and I have tried everything except barbituates and I don't know if they prescribe them anymore. I still suffer from pretty bad anxiety I can't take SSRI's which are supposed to help with anxiety. So unfortunatly I have to use xanax.

[Lost child]

Can I ask what is medication therapy I've never heard of it I don't feel like most of my medicine is helping my lamictal I don't see any difference I'm surprised that he put me on adderal but by 4 to cuz sometimes you know it'll make me be impulsive and hyper but otherwise my medication seem to be good my trazodone most the time helps me sleep but I'm on 400 mg the lamictal I don't know if it's helping the you know bipolar episodes, my daughter recognizes themmy daughter recognizes my bipolar episodes when I don't and it's very distressing for her so I don't know if I should go to him I mean cuz it doesn't happen all the time I don't so I can't tell if my medications are working I mean how many episodes are supposed to have are you supposed to stop having episodes after being on medication do you have a few episodes on medication how do you know? When is it do I need to see my doctor I don't have depression mostly in right now I do because I'm going to lose my dog so this is a very difficult period in my life, will I have bipolar episodes when I'm sad are upset and crying do I talk to my doctor do I change my medications because this is going to be a very difficult time In my life , so I want to know more about medication therapy please thank you

[pirilin]

What medications?.

[AspiringAuthor]

Originally Posted by Lost child

Can I ask what is medication therapy I've never heard of it I don't feel like most of my medicine is helping my lamictal I don't see any difference I'm surprised that he put me on adderal but by 4 to cuz sometimes you know it'll make me be impulsive and hyper but otherwise my medication seem to be good my trazodone most the time helps me sleep but I'm on 400 mg the lamictal I don't know if it's helping the you know bipolar episodes, my daughter recognizes themmy daughter recognizes my bipolar episodes when I don't and it's very distressing for her so I don't know if I should go to him I mean cuz it doesn't happen all the time I don't so I can't tell if my medications are working I mean how many episodes are supposed to have are you supposed to stop having episodes after being on medication do you have a few episodes on medication how do you know? When is it do I need to see my doctor I don't have depression mostly in right now I do because I'm going to lose my dog so this is a very difficult period in my life, will I have bipolar episodes when I'm sad are upset and crying do I talk to my doctor do I change my medications because this is going to be a very difficult time In my life , so I want to know more about medication therapy please thank you

You need regular visits with a psychiatrists and also the doctor needs to know that you are about to lose your dog and that it is going to hit you very hard.

[Wander]

Lithium has stopped impulsive attempts on my life. However, nothing else seems to be doing anything (or done anything on other treatments in the past). Right now I have minimal side effects at least. Things are all over the place but at least I haven't been agitated for two months, although that may be a natural cycle. I really have no idea.

[BonsaiGuy]

Originally Posted by Lost child

Can I ask what is medication therapy I've never heard of it I don't feel like most of my medicine is helping my lamictal I don't see any difference I'm surprised that he put me on adderal but by 4 to cuz sometimes you know it'll make me be impulsive and hyper but otherwise my medication seem to be good my trazodone most the time helps me sleep but I'm on 400 mg the lamictal I don't know if it's helping the you know bipolar episodes, my daughter recognizes them my daughter recognizes my bipolar episodes when I don't and it's very distressing for her so I don't know if I should go to him I mean cuz it doesn't happen all the time I don't so I can't tell if my medications are working I mean how many episodes are supposed to have are you supposed to stop having episodes after being on medication do you have a few episodes on medication how do you know? When is it do I need to see my doctor I don't have depression mostly in right now I do because I'm going to lose my dog so this is a very difficult period in my life, will I have bipolar episodes when I'm sad are upset and crying do I talk to my doctor do I change my medications because this is going to be a very difficult time In my life , so I want to know more about medication therapy please thank you

I hope this doesn't let you down, but I simply use this term to differentiate between my various forms of treatment. When I say MAT or medicated assisted treatment, I am referring to my medication that specifically relates to my addiction treatment (Methadone in this case), there can be be different types of therapy. Really any sort of medical treatment is a form of therapy. Physical therapy for example. Looking at your post, it looks like you are already on medication which I would refer to as "medication therapy", you are using medication to fulfill a medical need. If you are having any issues, you should certainly talk to your doctor about your concerns.

[tmg4me]

Originally Posted by downandlonely

It's a bit different for me because I have depression and not bipolar. But I honestly feel that medication may have saved my life. I'm not sure I would have killed myself without anti-depressants, but I'm pretty sure I would be unable to hold down a job. I would be living with my parents and miserable. I know this, because it is the situation my brother is in. I started meds at 14 and will take them for the rest of my life. I am fine with this.

It does bother me when other people say anti-depressants are bad and that people should be able to cope without them. I never tell a diabetic to stop taking meds and just do diet and exercise. The fact is that for people with type 2 diabetes, diet and exercise alone is enough. For type 1, insulin is necessary. I find it similar for temporary depression and persistent clinical depression. If you're just going through a rough spot, you might be able to use other coping strategies until you feel better. But for me, I need medication.

It makes me so angry when people say why do you need antidepressants? They think you can just think your thoughts of depression away. It doesn't work like that. It's an illness that needs to be treated with medication. It doesn't go away by thinking the thoughts away. Would you tell a diabetic to stop thinking about their diabetes and that's supposed to cure them. Of course not.

[Under*Over]

I hate it. But I still take it. Im not doing the best right now so I think my medication will probably be adjusted which is going... hah... to be an adjustment for me.

I honestly dont know what Im doing. If what Im doing is what is best for me.

But Im trying.