Depression and then anxety

Hi,
I'm new here. I'm having a hard time with anxiety. My Dr. diagnosed me with bipolar 11. I'm on Lamictal, Depakote, Lithium, Kolonopin Seroquel. I was on Celexa but seems to be triggering anxiety. Can't get my Dr. to email me back about this anxiety issue. My Dr. diagnosed me as having bipolar, but I can't remember manic episodes (well two or three times when I spent a lot of money. Anyway Dr. says the anxiety episodes with racing thoughts is the hypomanic side of the depression. Anyone else just get anxiety and then depressive episodes, but not manic episodes? By the way, I read somewhere that Benadryl helps anxiety so I have been taking that yesterday and today. Thanks for taking the time to read all of this. Emily

Hello EmyJay: Since this is your first post here on PC...welcome to Psych Central. The Psychiatric Medications forum, here on PC, may also be of interest to you. Here's a link:

https://psychcentralforums.com/psychiatric-medications/

And then here are links to 5 articles, from Psych Central's archives, on the subject of bipolar 2 in particular:

What Bipolar II Disorder Really Looks & Feels Like

How Bipolar II is Different | Bipolar Laid Bare

Bipolar II: Anger, Angst & Understanding

What Helps Individuals with Bipolar II Disorder Successfully Manage Their Illness

https://psychcentral.com/blog/it-shi...r-ii-disorder/

I hope you find PC to be of benefit.

Hi EmJay,

Welcome to the PC Bipolar forum.
I hope you will find the information and the support you may be seeking.

It certainly seems like there are relatively new thoughts about chronic treatment resistant depression and BPII.. it sounds like you might have had a couple of episodes of hypomania? Agitation/irritability can definitely be a part of BPII. I often experience irritability when my mood is shifting. The treatment goal is to stabilize mood so it does not easily shift into various types of episodes.

It is unfortunate you are experiencing so much anxiety. That does not feel good.
I see you are on a few meds, including klonopin. I believe the klonopin is meant to treat anxiety. If it is not working well enough, please do persist in getting a response from your pdoc.

Do you have any idea as to why your pdoc might not respond?
Does he have colleagues in his office? Maybe get in touch with them and explain that you need your doctor's help right away?

Benadryl. Many use this for anxiety and/or for sleep.. I cannot recommend it and I cannot sing its praises. I am not a licensed health care professional.. I do have some concerns about you using Benadryl without your pdoc's permission My concern is that you are adding a med to your already long list of meds. and have no professional input regarding any interactions, etc.

With several meds on board, it could be very difficult to know if there may or may not be any interactions, despite what the literature says.

Please do be careful mixing/adding meds, even OTC meds.

It is critical your pdoc responds to you, asap. Please keep reaching out. There has to be some way to get to him? Please do check with your pharmacist regarding any drug interactions of concern. :hug;

I typed out nearly exactly what wild coyote wrote and then it vanished.

I wanted to add though that benadryl is not always calming. Some people are made agitated by it. I was put on it IP once because I was so agitated and my PRNs weren't helping. The problem was that I would get more agitated after a dose and then we were chasing that agitation on top on the agitation I started with. You're on so many meds that weird interactions are possible. I really hope you can contact your doctor tomorrow.

The bipolar disorder anxiety you've described is miserable and might be a form of mania called "dysphoric mania." It is entirely incorrect that mania is always "up" - it is not always a euphoric state. Many times mania causes a more desperate state than depression does, in the send that a dysphoric mania can be very difficult (but not impossible!) to treat, but is entirely overwhelmimg.

I experienced that severe manic anxiety for 6 wrenching years before a new pdoc knew it to be a dysphoric mania and properly medicated it. Also, therapy is immensely helpful.