Is this hypomania?

That’s more of a rhetorical question. I started back on lamictal this week, 2 weeks of 25mg, followed by 2 weeks of 50 mg. I can not settle down. I’m going to have to go back on seroquel for sleep too which is going to make me drowsy however I need good sleep.
I know what triggered this episode , this ties into relationship issues.
I’ve been dealing with this diagnosis for about 14 years, it’s a secondary diagnosis after ptsd. I’ve been fighting it the whole time which puzzles my doctor. He’s like if the medication helps who cares what the diagnosis is.
I know all the basic advice, good sleep hygiene, don’t drink or use drugs, watch your stress levels and diet. I’m hoping my nervous system settles with the changes I am making. Tonight I took 5mg of quick release melatonin and it seems to be working.

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Hi leomama. Sounds like you are dealing with the situation in a wise way. Maybe what the doctor says is that the same meds can treat multiple diagnoses.

I am not an authority on the topic but my friend with bipolar has trouble sleeping in mania and they are irritable or have a racing mind. Hope you start getting better sleep as that always helps me feel better.
@CANDC

Thank you. I’m trying. Yesterday I went for an hour bike ride .

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Hi leomama. I’m sorry you’re having a rough time. I’m manic at the moment, too, and insomnia is making it worse. I hope you get some good sleep since that helps a lot.

I realized energy drinks weren’t helping .

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It could be. I have been dealing with insomnia for weeks now. Which I think has now triggered hypomania. If I don't be careful I could go full blown manic. The hard part is I like being up at night. But being bipolar it's not healthy. Melatonin doesn't work for me. Neither does magnesium.

So I’m guessing you don’t have a job?
And I see you don’t.
My life was much easier when I was SAHM on disability.

Hi leomama. How are you doing now? I hope the hypomanic symptoms have eased a bit. Either way, you do seem to have some insight into mood elevations. That's priceless! I've developed more insight, too, but it sure can be tough. Sometimes I only realize after some minor damage is done, and then I think "Ohhhh, I guess I've been heading upwards." That, or my husband tells me . Spring and summer are also my vulnerable times, though this spring hasn't been a problem.

A dose of 100 mg Lamictal is also part of my medication cocktail. I've valued it, at that dose, for almost 10 years now. I will say that in the past, at higher doses, it has caused me to have hypomania and even mania. Or as my psychiatrists have said, just didn't prevent it. I'm not sure who is right on this one. In any case, it was always helpful for curbing/ending my depression. I haven't really been significantly depressed in years, though I do also give my Seroquel XR some credit for that.

Interesting I’m curious about the rest of your cocktail. I’m on 50mg of lamictal and 25mg of seroquel (as needed for sleep) and 100 mg of Wellbutrin (just started).

My current bipolar meds include 600 mg carbamazepine ER (aka Tegretol XR), 100 mg Lamictal, and 600 mg quetiapine ER (aka Seroquel XR). I also have a supply of 1 mg Ativan pills (a benzo), but only use them rarely "as needed", for anxiety relief. From my experience, the less I use the benzo, the better it helps when I truly need it. Taking it regularly, for me, was counterproductive.

My Seroquel XR is used as mainly a moodstabilizer. It helps not only with my sleep, but at preventing/curbing mania, depression, mixed states, and even anxiety. One of the better for mixed states! After time, though it still helps with my sleep, the amount doesn't sedate exponentially more than smaller doses. Also nowadays, 50 mg in the morning doesn't make me tired at all. And yet, the addition of 50 or 100 mg more, will help stabilize my mood, if it is rising. Have you ever taken Seroquel at higher doses? Sometimes they even prescribe it specifically for depression, at doses up to 300 mg. For mania, usually doses of 300 mg to 800 mg. The only negatives were waiting to get past the initial sedation and its tendency to increase hunger (at some doses). The latter has caused me some minor health issues, like high cholesterol, though it need not in everyone.

I certainly hope that the Lamictal serves you well. I think it's far more side effect friendly for most, than higher doses of Seroquel. As for my Tegretol XR, I think it's helpful at moodstabilization, but not so much on the depression end.

I was on lamictal for 10 years . seroquel is for sleep
For me