weird meds

Why does it seem that I'm the only one on this kind of med combo

My pdoc gave me a dx of bipolar NOS which means I don't have true "mania" symptoms but my mania is out of control. When I read about BPD I knew that was exactly what I had and I later found out that my mom and sister both have it too.

I take everyday welbutrin 300mg xl, lamictol 100 in the morning 200 at bedtime, latuda 80mg, trazadone 200mg at bedtime, elavil 25mg at bedtime and xanax .25mg 4x a day (but i dont take it that much because it doesnt work)

These meds don't really help with my unexplainable crying, rage, mood swings or anything else. Wondering if my pdoc is crazy. He just keeps upping my dose and switching my meds. ughh and i'm gaining so much weight from all of these meds

Welbutrin is a pretty safe antidepressants (atypical I think). It's often paired with other antidepressants. Lamictol is actually an antiseizure med, but it has been shown to be successful at treating BPD mood swings. Don't know what Latuda is. Trazadone is an antidepressant that helps you sleep. Xanax is for anxiety. Doesn't sound like a weird combo.

I take prozac for depression, lamictol (lamotrigine) for mood swings, ativan as needed for anxiety, and ambien as needed for sleep. So I have a similar combo.

latuda is also a mood stabilizer just part of a different group than lamictol.

I don't think any med is actually completely safe. I tried welbutrin once and it made me paranoid, almost delusional, and I didn't eat for 5 days straight.

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I haven't had anything like that but I still have alot of agression, impuliveness, attention seeking even though I'm on all these meds that are supposed to help. I'm hoping therapy will help alot more

Generally you need therapy to go along with the meds. Medication can really only help with the chemical imbalances in our brains.

im starting therapy next week.

A lot of pdocs (not all) have a very algorithmic approach to treating symptomatology while ignoring the etiology.

It's easier. I saw a pdoc on TV sit with a patient for an hour (what they're supposed to do); my old pdoc had people in and out within 3-4 minutes tops.

I'm not a doctor, but it may behove you to begin reading scientific journals regarding these medications so that you can make an assessment.

We entrust too much to "Dr." This means they are bright and got through med school.

Some have been out of med school for years; I bet, despite however good or poor of a student you were, you scantly recall much without review from your early education.

A lot of pdocs are like this. They coast by on the letters behind their names, expecting to go unchallanged because society elevates them without much criticism.

You have access to the same articles they do a lot of the times.

If you find a good pdoc, they'll appreciate your knowledge of these topics, correct you if you err, and work with you.

The "coasters" don't keep up with new research, and can be quite dangerous when treating you.

It sounds like a heavy heavy cocktail, but I do not know you, your body, nor the specific interactions well enough than to say that there's a possibility that that is no bueno.

well I am on 150 of wellbutrin, 300mg of effexor, 1mg of benztropine, and .50mg of ativan in the morning. now I am suppose to take another .50mg of ativan at noon but I don't. I take 1mg of ativan, 25mg of methoprazine, 1mg of haldol at night time its surely leveled off my mood

Hi. Yeah, as somebody said, there's not really a 'weird' or 'normal' set of meds. Basically it's finding a med or a combination of meds that help YOU. It sounds like some of you are on a great deal of different types, but I agree that it's therapy combined that's ideal. I also agree with the person who said they had stopped taking a med as it didn't appear to do anything - sensible but might be a good idea to run it by your Dr. YES, I too have had a significant weight gain which I'm NOT happy with (Depakote & Seroquel), I suspect that's down to Seroquel. .

I just dont understand why I'm on welbutrin and it can cause mania. I asked my pdoc and he didnt seem to be concerned.. I'm on like 7 other daily meds so I'm trying to get my list down...I'm only 23.

Actually, nothing is completely safe. You can drown in a drop of water, you can mess up your hormones by taking melatonin, you can posion yourself with carrots, you can cause high cholesterol by ingesting too much Omega3, and tuna can cause birth defects in unborn babies.

BUT, in terms of psych meds, Welbutrin is pretty safe especially if you compare it to MAOI's or antipsychotics.

Latuda/Lurasidone is an atypical antipsychotic a newer one used mostly for Bi-polar depression www.latuda.com But has many other uses.

I hope you get things worked out and find your right combination to help you.

Many pdocs still prescribe AD's like wellbutrin to bipolar patients along with a MS. So its not at all weird that you're on it. I'm not taking my meds, except for the occasional Klonopin but I've got Prozac as part of my cocktail yet again (3rd time) and I'm dxd BP and BPD as well.

When a bipolar patient has exhibited severe sensitivity to AD's in general (instant mania multiple times ), that's when pdocs shy away from prescribing them. If this is you, then I agree its weird that your pdoc is still flinging them at you. Negligent actually.

Wow, that is a lot of medication. I know people with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia that don't even take half the amount you are on.

Polypharmacy can indicate the diagnosis is wrong.

Is it possible to discuss your concerns with your psychiatrist? You shouldn't have to take all that medication.

Sometimes medications can cause nasty reactions that mimic mental illness. One antidepressant I took induced manic like symptoms. I ended up getting diagnosed with bipolar II and was put on a mood stabilizer. After a year I stopped both medications and was fine.

Antipsychotics have so many side effects. I have had to take these on and off over the last ten years for a psychotic disorder. They really work for hallucinations and delusions, and the cognitive impairments that come with having a psychotic disorder. They are not meant for insomnia and regulating emotions (which is different from mood swings).

Unless you have bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or are using an antipsychotic to augment an SSRI, stay away from these drugs. The weight gain isn't worth it along with the increased risk of coronary artery disease and diabetes.

Let me explain why I say this is a weird combo. Welbutrin is off label for bipolar. There are other meds for bipolar depression that is more "mainline medicine." I work in the medical field as an RN. I was originally just put on welbutrin and lamictol. I had severe manic episodes (more like BPD not mania) and he started me on abilify. then latuda. Now geodon. The trazadone came into play when I wasnt sleeping very well because I have another medical condition called interstitial cystitis and I get up and pee all night as well as all day. I also take elavil for chronic pain, headaches and it helps with mood. I started taking xanax for anxiety due to a severe car accident. The lamictol alone isn't doing enough but with BPD I'm not sure for me any amount of medication will be as helpful as I would like it to be. I also feel like I'm being overmedicated and am going to go for a second opinion. I have taken prozac, effexor, cymbalta and those didn't help.

Yes I am concerned about the side effects and what these drugs cause.