[chalmette70043]

Just diagnosed yesterday. On 15mg Abilify in the morning and 5mg twice during the day. Also 1mg 2x a day on clonozapem.

As far as i know, before the storm this was normal to me. And i'm now finding out its not. Does anyone have any suggestions, advice, experiences, anything to help me understand this better.

Anything will be helpful. I appreciate it all.

Thanks ya'll
chalmettte

[Moose72]

I have Bipolar I with mixed episodes. They are very difficult. My only advice is that if you get to feeling bad, call the psych. ER or go in. I will often try to tough it out, when later, my pdoc tells me I should've gone in or called.

[Schatje]

I found that for me mixed episodes are worse than having depression or mania by itself. The first time I had one it scared the crap out of me. Being really depressed, but having an overwhelming even uncontrollable urge to accomplish everything and anything and being unable to do it made me so agitated that I wanted to jump out of my skin. It was like there was a war going on in my head.

It was also the first time I really thought I could go through with committing suicide. Usually when I'm depressed I don't have enough drive to do anything at all, but with a mixed episode I had more than enough drive to go along with the horrible feelings depression brings. Up until then I didn't even know that there was such a thing as a mixed episode. I had been told that being depressed, but having some energy can be a deadly and I can now understand why.

If you have suicidal feelings please contact your doctor immediately or go to the ER. Finding and staying on the right meds does wonders. I'm on 200 mg of Lamictal and feeling great!

[chalmette70043]

Thank you both for replying. I will keep in mind what you've both said. Im trying to learn now that this isnt normal. I got into a sort of argument with my pdoc yesterday cause he draws this thing describing it. I told him this is the normal i know. He says its not normal. I couldnt win. So i gave up and decided to accept that i just aint normal. Maybe everyone i grew up around was right when they said i was a freak.

[3kittycat]

Having a mixed episode was the worst thing I have experienced since I've had this diagnosis. I was irritable, anxious, and depressed. My psychiatrist wanted me to take the week off school, but being that it was nursing school, there was no chance. At the time I took a med cocktail of Risperdal and Effexor. She upped the Risperdal and also gave me a prescription for Ativan. It seems similar to the cocktail you have gotten from your pdoc. The Ativan is was what really saved me and got me through school and clinicals.
After the Risperdal got me lactating, I am now on Abilify. Are you new to that drug? My new pdoc started me at 10mg and I was unable to sleep. I am now on 5mg and stable. If the Abilify is new for you, I might suggest the dose might be too high (from my own experience). It has been known to cause a feeling of inner restlessness that may make the mixed episode worse. I would think a more sedating antipsychotic like Zyprexa or Risperdal would be better. But that said, I am not a pdoc. Good luck.

[chalmette70043]

wow thanks. you know since its been raised, im having so much trouble tring to get sleep. 3 hours total the past two days. But im awake. just worn out. But i keep going. Still painting every damn thing in site. I go back to my pdoc next thursday, so i'm gonna talk to him for sure about the not sleeping. He told me if im feeling very anxiuous to take the nortriptyline in smaller doses are ween myself off within six days. Tonite im going to try doing that. I havent been able to go to work in quite awhile. Its so stressful there. and im the one everyonen runs to for everything. Plus its a construction company and all we deal with is rebuidling from the storm. So i get triggered throughout the day talking to clients or even crew who want to talk about the storm and storm damage.

I'll see what happens. and thanks so much for giving me your experience. I so much appreciate it.

chalmette