[xRavenx]

Hi everyone,
It's been a while since I've posted here..
I was doing relatively ok until a recent incident at work that snowballed and triggered a mixed episode with high anxiety. Sometimes my anxiety turns into paranoia. I am hoping that does not happen. I feel a lot of physical symptoms, such as my stomach often turning, feeling on edge, heart palpitations. I often lose weight and lost a bit so far, although the trigger started just 4 days ago. I have a new Psychiatrist that is so much better than my previous psychiatrists who actually hears me, which I am grateful for.

What usually helps you with Bipolar anxiety where it is difficult to reality test?

My pdoc increased my Seroquel, which so far has helped a little bit as well as allowing klonopin daily if needed, but I will try not to take it every day. It's been hard to work, and I'm hanging on by a thread. I have cancelled social obligations since I'm feeling too unwell, but I am going to challenge myself today because it is my friend's birthday, and I don't want to let her down.

Any support or input would be wonderful. Thank you everyone!

[Nammu]

Sounds like it’s not related but getting decent sleep is what helped me. My pdoc concentrated on getting me to have good sleep hygiene. I take, 15 mg of ambien ( that a high doses ) I too had anxiety with my mania and lost weight. The first time that happened they wanted to put down anorexia too. But it was just the anxiety. In addition to the high dose of ambien I take Latuda, Benadryl, melatonin and Tylenol. I refuse to take benzos as they end up causing anxiety.

Oh I forgot. We added 25 mg of seroquel to my regimen.

Best of luck. May you find the combo that helps you.

[MuddyBoots]

I had a doc that said "with bipolar, sleep and mood are practically the same. If one's off, the other will be too." So Nammu makes a point with making sure good sleep is a priority. I take Clonidine for sleep (it helps my ADHD and PTSD too).

For anxiety, if it's coming in more attacks that cause crisis, I cope with the attacks using DBT crisis survival skills (you can look up STOP, TIPP, ACCEPTS, and the ways they suggest to self-sooth if you want). If it's more a persistent thing, that's usually a sign I need to work on caring for my basic needs (SLEEP, food, hygiene, being in a clean environment, getting outside, being active, and doing things that need to get done so I'm not worrying about a growing to-do list).

Last night and this morning were high anxiety times (though I'm not mixed, just coming out of the hospital) and I've been just chilling, making sure to eat, shower, relax with tea and music, do some things I've been really anxious about getting done ASAP (vacuum out my dresser/the mattress protector post bed-bug treatment/clean my sheets again, order a new card that expires this month), and I plan on going for a walk to check out this place people I guess to go to meditate a lot I've never heard of before in a little bit just to give you an idea of how I'm handling the anxiety.

I know with with the mixed state it's a little different because there's less control and more of those depressive thoughts and emotions, but I think regardless it's important to come up with a plan of tackling the day with a mix of productiveness, self-care, and trying to add some joy.

[luvyrself]

Dont forget regular exercise. Even regular walks can do more than piling on the meds. I went back to water aerobics to help me withstand major stress w my ex piling on more and more physical disorders. Dan Buettner's book, The Blue Zones stresses balancing various aspects of life. You can do this!