Home Menu

Menu


Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old Sep 27, 2019, 08:18 PM
saucygirl31's Avatar
saucygirl31 saucygirl31 is offline
Member
 
Member Since: Sep 2019
Location: New England
Posts: 99
before diagnosed, my episodes were seasonal.

after diagnosed and put on lithium, it all stopped.

now that I'm on lamictal, which doc says is more for depression while lithium is more combatting mania, I keep "breaking through" to hypomania. idk whether it's the progression of the illness or the med change, but some days I am actually triggered by stress.

stress never used to trigger me. it was purely seasonal.

now when I "break through" I take a seroquel and the next day I'm fine.

how often do u break into hypomania? and if you take PRNs to clear it up does it subside?
is it because the illness gets worse, even when treated?
how often do u change meds?
__________________
Dx: BP1 + Substance Abuse
Rx: Lamictal 400, Vraylar 6, Seroquel 50 (PRN)
Hugs from:
Anonymous46341, Wild Coyote
Thanks for this!
Wild Coyote

advertisement
  #2  
Old Sep 27, 2019, 09:08 PM
cashart10's Avatar
cashart10 cashart10 is offline
Grand Magnate
 
Member Since: Oct 2013
Location: KY
Posts: 3,667
Quote:
Originally Posted by saucygirl31 View Post
before diagnosed, my episodes were seasonal.

after diagnosed and put on lithium, it all stopped.

now that I'm on lamictal, which doc says is more for depression while lithium is more combatting mania, I keep "breaking through" to hypomania. idk whether it's the progression of the illness or the med change, but some days I am actually triggered by stress.

stress never used to trigger me. it was purely seasonal.

now when I "break through" I take a seroquel and the next day I'm fine.

how often do u break into hypomania? and if you take PRNs to clear it up does it subside?
is it because the illness gets worse, even when treated?
how often do u change meds?
I breakthrough as you are describing it seasonally and in stress as well. I escalate VERY quickly sometimes so I have to jump on anything my treatment team, family, or I notice. Sometimes a boost in my seroquel and a temporary addition of klonapin is enough to dumb it down but just before spring last year for instance, we caught it in what I would consider quickly enough but it still escalated to mania and I almost ended up hospitalized. It was triggered by major stress...my job. That is a stress that I finally, like literally today have decided I canÂ’t return to because I canÂ’t keep having breakdowns. IÂ’m putting in my resignation on Monday.
__________________
*****

Every finger in the room is pointing at me
I want to spit in their faces then I get afraid of what that could bring
I got a bowling ball in my stomach I got a desert in my mouth
Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now

Tori Amos ~ Crucify

Dx: Schizoaffective Disorder
Hugs from:
Anonymous46341, BeyondtheRainbow, bizi, bpcyclist
Thanks for this!
bizi, saucygirl31
  #3  
Old Sep 28, 2019, 06:16 AM
bpcyclist's Avatar
bpcyclist bpcyclist is offline
Legendary
 
Member Since: Sep 2019
Location: Portland
Posts: 12,681
I have had no manic episodes since starting lithium. The only times I broke through were when I stopped it. Lamictal didn't do a whole lot for my crushing depression, for some reason. I know it works great for a lot of people. Have you talked to your pdoc? Maybe some tweaking needs to be considered. Hang in there!! You'' figure it out.
__________________
When I was a kid, my parents moved a lot, but I always found them--Rodney Dangerfield
Hugs from:
Anonymous46341
Thanks for this!
saucygirl31
  #4  
Old Sep 28, 2019, 07:03 AM
Anonymous46341
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
Saucygirl, I am similar to you and cashart in terms of stress and seasonal triggers. Sometimes I am even triggered by "positive" stressors. Also like you both, I have a lot of breakthrough hypomanias. I have a long history of full blown mania, as well, but between family and mental health team (like cashart's) and improved insight, my hypomanias/manias are now often caught early, which is important.

I absolutely use prn medications in the case of breakthrough hypomanias and manias. You can see them in my signature below. Also, if my hypomanias/manias continue despite, my psychiatrist raises my base Seroquel XR dose, but sometimes the prn use doesn't always necessitate that. I think that those of us who do have frequent hypomanias/manias benefit greatly from the use of prns.

My medication cocktails did change a lot during the worst years of my bipolar illness, but not as much these past 8 years. In fact, I have been able to have some meds in a previously behemoth cocktail removed. These last few years, only my Seroquel XR dose is manipulated, although the starter dose of Latuda was added maybe 7 months ago. My psychiatrist hasn't changed my Latuda because it likely wouldn't be as effective for mania control as my Seroquel XR.

If hypomania breakthrough is an issue for you now, please discuss that with your doctor. Maybe one of your medications is activating, or something else?

Last edited by Anonymous46341; Sep 28, 2019 at 07:34 AM.
Hugs from:
bizi, bpcyclist
Thanks for this!
bpcyclist, saucygirl31
  #5  
Old Sep 28, 2019, 12:31 PM
saucygirl31's Avatar
saucygirl31 saucygirl31 is offline
Member
 
Member Since: Sep 2019
Location: New England
Posts: 99
thanks everyone. yeah seasonal for sure, and then stress more of a trigger now that ive been diagnosed for a while, prob because of the illness progression.

yeah I broke through when my vraylar wasn't refilled for 3 days, then this spring so we increased lamictal to 400, and again recently even on lamictal 400 because I was stressed.

luckily they have just lasted a day or so because Seroquel knocked them out. it wasn't even very noticeable it was just like I drank coffee and immediately was like "wow this is way too much energy".
__________________
Dx: BP1 + Substance Abuse
Rx: Lamictal 400, Vraylar 6, Seroquel 50 (PRN)
Hugs from:
bizi, bpcyclist
  #6  
Old Sep 28, 2019, 08:29 PM
Moose72's Avatar
Moose72 Moose72 is online now
Silver Swan
 
Member Since: Jan 2008
Location: USA
Posts: 18,576
Quote:
Originally Posted by cashart10 View Post
I breakthrough as you are describing it seasonally and in stress as well. I escalate VERY quickly sometimes so I have to jump on anything my treatment team, family, or I notice. Sometimes a boost in my seroquel and a temporary addition of klonapin is enough to dumb it down but just before spring last year for instance, we caught it in what I would consider quickly enough but it still escalated to mania and I almost ended up hospitalized. It was triggered by major stress...my job. That is a stress that I finally, like literally today have decided I canÂ’t return to because I canÂ’t keep having breakdowns. IÂ’m putting in my resignation on Monday.
Good for you! Your health is most important. Without it, everything else falls by the wayside.
__________________
Qui Cantat Bis Orat ingrezza 80 mg
Propranolol 40 mg Benztropine 1 mg
Vraylar 4.5 mg
Gabapentin 300 mg
Klonopin 1 mg 2x daily
Mania Sept/Oct 2024
Mania (July/August 2024)
Mania (December 2023)
Mixed episode/Hypomania (September 2023)
Depression, Anxiety and Intrusive thoughts (September 2021)
Depression & Psychosis (July/August 2021)
Hugs from:
bizi
  #7  
Old Sep 30, 2019, 12:15 PM
cashart10's Avatar
cashart10 cashart10 is offline
Grand Magnate
 
Member Since: Oct 2013
Location: KY
Posts: 3,667
Quote:
Originally Posted by Moose72 View Post
Good for you! Your health is most important. Without it, everything else falls by the wayside.
Thank you! I actually did it!
__________________
*****

Every finger in the room is pointing at me
I want to spit in their faces then I get afraid of what that could bring
I got a bowling ball in my stomach I got a desert in my mouth
Figures that my courage would choose to sell out now

Tori Amos ~ Crucify

Dx: Schizoaffective Disorder
Hugs from:
BeyondtheRainbow
Reply
Views: 398

attentionThis is an old thread. You probably should not post your reply to it, as the original poster is unlikely to see it.




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 10:33 AM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.




 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.