[HD7970GHZ]

Hey everyone,

I have a question for anyone with Borderline PD.

I was wondering if you guys could share how your experiences were with medications? Which ones you've tried - which ones, which did or didn't work, what they helped with - what they made worse?

Please let me know as I have a doctors appointment this wednesday 9th oct - and I need to decide if I want to go on meds before then.

Thanks,
HD7970Ghz

Venlafaxine 150mg
Lamotrigine 100mg twice a day
Quetiapine 50mg for sleep

This current mix worked well for about 5 months I'd say but the last few months they haven't. Still waiting to see the pdoc about this...

Everyone is different though, what works for one may not work for another.

[dumburn]

the final combination worked well for for me for about 6 years

Sertraline 200mg in the morning
Reboxetine 4mg three times a day (not available in the US)
Quetiapine 300mg at night

[doglover1979]

150 mg Effexor
300 mg Lamictal
1 mg Risperadal
50 mg Topomax

Klonopin PRN (almost never needed)

I also have a diagnosis of Bipolar II, so my meds might look different from others.

I will say that Lamictal/Lamotrigine is the best med ever in my opinion. Its a mood stabilizer that works great on impulses and anger problems, but also has some antidepressant boost. It also has no risk of diabetes and weight gain is not an issue.

The common not so pleasant side effect is dizziness, but that has never happened to me.

The only bad side effect is a really scary rash. But that almost never happens.

[Mustkeepjob32]

Yeah the rash that can happen with Lamictal is Steven Johnson's Syndrome which is very rare as the OP stated. They build up your dose to lessen the risk.
I'm on the meds on my signature line but lately I think they're not working. Of course I have been drinking alcohol on occasion and I know that messes with the medication. Seroquel for me is a lifesaver that I use when I totally lose control of my emotions. I think I need to either up the Effexor or change the mood stabilizer. At one time I was on Lithium instead of Valproic acid and I think I did better. Let us know how it goes HD.

[Morgansangel]

I've been on a lot and cant remember them all because ive been on so many in the last 15 years and not found anything effective for me yet. Also my pdoc keeps saying 'the NICE guidelines are that medication is not the treatment for BPD, DBT is'. So I'm fighting his prejudices. He does have me on some though, but he says its for the OCD & depression not the BPD.
I keep reading of all the meds BPDers try and I get so angry that my pdoc won't let me try most of them.

[IndieVisible]

Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ

Hey everyone,

I have a question for anyone with Borderline PD.

I was wondering if you guys could share how your experiences were with medications? Which ones you've tried - which ones, which did or didn't work, what they helped with - what they made worse?

Please let me know as I have a doctors appointment this wednesday 9th oct - and I need to decide if I want to go on meds before then.

Thanks,
HD7970Ghz

Good luck! If maintaining 100% functionality in all parts of your life is important to you then finding the right combo can be a long road. Most made me feel like a zombie or a basket case. Don't be afraid to try some thing new, and do NOT be afraid to tell your doc you don't like a med and tell them why. I had one doc say, but it's for your own good, u need to get use to it. I challenged him to take the same med with me for the 3 months he suggested and let me know if he was still as effective at his job. He got my point.

[technigal]

Effexor made my blood pressure go sky high so that I had to take something for that as well. It took almost 1 year off of it to get off the blood pressure med so I am staying away from it. It did help for about 3 years then needed something added to help it along.

The problem I had with medications is we were going through fertility treatments (BPD and hormonal from those meds was nasty) and so anything I took had to be pregnancy-friendly.

Current Meds: Wellbutrin 300 mg and Abilify 2mg

Abilify is new and the one I am not sure is making any difference but it has only been a couple of weeks.

[thepoetishere]

Right now I'm on a mood stabilizer- Lamotrigin, and Wellbutrin. Trazodone for sleep. May have already told ya that. can't remember. Its worked until the last couple weeks when the paranoia and mood swings set in badly. Thinkin about calling my pdoc.

[coleychi]

Originally Posted by doglover1979

150 mg Effexor
300 mg Lamictal
1 mg Risperadal
50 mg Topomax

Klonopin PRN (almost never needed)

I also have a diagnosis of Bipolar II, so my meds might look different from others.

I will say that Lamictal/Lamotrigine is the best med ever in my opinion. Its a mood stabilizer that works great on impulses and anger problems, but also has some antidepressant boost. It also has no risk of diabetes and weight gain is not an issue.

The common not so pleasant side effect is dizziness, but that has never happened to me.

The only bad side effect is a really scary rash. But that almost never happens.

Your meds are so similar to mine! I was on Effexor for a while before I switched to Pristiq (not convinced that it's working though). I'm also taking Lamictal (100 mg) and recently added Geodon (20mg). I also take .5mg Klonapin w/ up to 1mg if needed. I'm fairly new to the Lamictal (it's probably been 6 weeks. And 4 of those weeks were slowly working up to my 100mg target dose) but it's encouraging to hear that it worked so well for you.

Although, disclaimer, I don't technically have borderline personality disorder... or if I do, it's super unclear. Some psychiatrists and therapists think I do, others don't. But I definitely have anxiety/depression issues.

[HD7970GHZ]

Thanks everyone for your input! This is helping a lot!

Tomorrow morning I have a doctors appointment and I will definitely consider taking something.

I don't want to shut off all my emotions, I still want to be able to deal with them and learn to handle distress without the necessity of them - but I think having something for sleep to calm me down can help a lot.

If I decide to go on seroquel for sleep, at a low dose - and potentially start an antidepressant to help with depression - I think that would be the best option.

It sounds like everyone has a PDoc that they have access to - most times of day. Do most of you see private psychiatrists? I only ask because it seems like most of you can call them when you want - to change meds or keep them up to date with how they are working for you.

I am in Canada, and I have only ever seen psychiatrists through the government and health system - it being free and all. But it takes WAY longer to see them, and I only usually can see them once a month.

Do you think it would be worth it to see a psychiatrist outside of the government? How much is it usually for a session? Does it include therapy - or is it mainly for medication tweaking?

Thanks,
HD7970Ghz

[technigal]

Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ

It sounds like everyone has a PDoc that they have access to - most times of day. Do most of you see private psychiatrists? I only ask because it seems like most of you can call them when you want - to change meds or keep them up to date with how they are working for you.

I am in Canada, and I have only ever seen psychiatrists through the government and health system - it being free and all. But it takes WAY longer to see them, and I only usually can see them once a month.

Do you think it would be worth it to see a psychiatrist outside of the government? How much is it usually for a session? Does it include therapy - or is it mainly for medication tweaking?

Thanks,
HD7970Ghz

I only had continued access to a psychiatrist while I was on the psych ward. Most of the time I would see his student first and then the pdoc.

Up until my OD my family doc was doing my meds and sending me for a med check every couple of years. That obviously wasn't working.

I start seeing my pdoc in a week and half, we'll see how much I get to see of him.

Also, pretty sure there are no private pdocs - that would be considered private health care. You can go to a private psychologist who sometimes has access to a pdoc, actually it is really hard to find a psychologist who is not private. I have been seeing two separate teams that are both through Alberta Health, Community Support Team and next week will start with the Adult Addiction and Mental Health Team. Community support was available 8am-10pm, not sure what the new team's hours are. As soon as I start with the new team I will be dropped by CST. I had to jump through a lot of hoops to get funded treatment though... and still a month wait to see a T but better then some have had.

The last time I saw a pdoc for any length of time I saw her about every other week...mind you taking my history takes hours...

Good luck on finding someone you can work with.

Yeah I don't have a pdoc I can see either, last time I saw one was over a year ago! and I've been waiting for a couple of months at least for an appointment now... If I went private then yeah it would be different, but I just don't have that money

[HD7970GHZ]

Yeah I understand the whole money and therapy and psychiatry is a bumber.

Personally I have never paid myself nor will I. I couldn't stand
The thought of loosing my therapist because of money, nor the thought that a therapist only cares to see me because I pay her. Not good for the BPD logic.

Today I saw my doc and we decided to go back on zoloft (50mg to start) and take seroquel for sleep aid. Starting at 25mg of seroquel, but I'm going to try to get it to 50 or 100 since I felt best on that last time.

Here's to the wonderful medication transition!!!

Thanks,
Hd7970ghz

Hope it all works for you! wishing you the best

[technigal]

Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ

Here's to the wonderful medication transition!!!

Thanks,
Hd7970ghz

Good luck on the transition.

[Mustkeepjob32]

Seroquel has been a lifesafer for me. I am trying to learn to soothe and distract myself using DBT techniques but sometimes I forget and when I get emotional unstable and can't calm myself down, Seroquel is the only thing that will safe me from myself.

[HD7970GHZ]

Just wanted to thank everyone for the help! I appreciate all the advice and shared knowledge and experiences with medications!

I feel ashamed going back on meds. I feel as though I have failed in some way. does anyone else share this same feeling?

I have been on and off meds a few times in the last 10 years, and right now I am feeling better after being on them for only 3 days. It's amazing. I literally felt the desire to get out of bed today. First time that's happened in months. Strange... I hate saying that meds are an answer - but in all honesty - there is currently a major correlation with meds and my feeling better.

Thanks,
HD7970Ghz

[technigal]

Originally Posted by HD7970GHZ

Just wanted to thank everyone for the help! I appreciate all the advice and shared knowledge and experiences with medications!

I feel ashamed going back on meds. I feel as though I have failed in some way. does anyone else share this same feeling?

I have been on and off meds a few times in the last 10 years, and right now I am feeling better after being on them for only 3 days. It's amazing. I literally felt the desire to get out of bed today. First time that's happened in months. Strange... I hate saying that meds are an answer - but in all honesty - there is currently a major correlation with meds and my feeling better.

Thanks,
HD7970Ghz

I feel the same way. I don't want to be on meds but I feel and do so much better when I am on them.

[UnderTheRose]

Was on Divalproex but it made me feel flattened and i cried alot. Switched over to Seroquel. Currently on 100 at night and 50 in the morning. Although the seroquel knocks me out when i'm upping it to a new level/adjusting... I've really found it helpful. Especially for my rage, ruminating thoughts, and anxiety. Ill be bumping up to 350 over the next week.
Im in BC Canada, and the psych only adjusts my meds, we dont talk about much. I see a Therapist through Mental Health. My doc told me to go to the local Mental Health centre and do a self-referral. I did this and was able to get into DBT (once weekly for 2 hours for a year) an hour every other week with the therapist and once monthly or every two months (depending on need) with the Mental Health on staff Psych. Maybe see if something like that is in your area.
*sidenote, I was thinking i might still need help with depression and was interested in Pristiq but havent taken it yet*

[Morgansangel]

To those who feel its a failure to need to go back on meds:

If you were diabetic would you see it as a failure to take insulin? If you had cancer would you see chemo as a failure?

You have an illness and meds can help you, so why deprive yourself?

[technigal]

Originally Posted by Morgansangel

To those who feel its a failure to need to go back on meds:

If you were diabetic would you see it as a failure to take insulin? If you had cancer would you see chemo as a failure?

You have an illness and meds can help you, so why deprive yourself?

But I am type 2 diabetic and just got off my meds for that...this seems like I will be on meds forever...

[Morgansangel]

If it was a physical illness causing you to need meds for the rest of your life would you be resistant to taking them?

The way I see it, i was born with some chemicals wonky in my brain, things happened to me that affected me as well. There are meds that can fill those gaps, fix the wonkiness and so I take them. If I didn't they'd just stay wonky.

If you break your arm or leg badly you get a metal pin/plate put in, if you break your brain you should be able to have a 'pin/plate' fitted too, even if it is a chemical one.

[wiltedxdaisy]

For me, I find anti-psychotics and mood stabilizers to help me the most. I don't do well with anti-depressants (unless they are the sedating type) because they tend to make me very agitated and manic and when I was younger they made me suicidal. I am currently on quite a bit of a cocktail, but it's working for me. I have been on a ton of different things over the years, but currently am taking Klonopin, Haldol, Zyprexa, Lamical and Trazodone.

[technigal]

Originally Posted by Morgansangel

If it was a physical illness causing you to need meds for the rest of your life would you be resistant to taking them?

I actually hate taking any kind of medication. I take it, knowing that it will help but still do not like taking it. That is why I have worked hard to change things in my life so I can control my diabetes with diet, so I only have to take my asthma meds if I have a cold... I know I cannot go off my BPD meds again but that does not mean I have to like taking them.