[lavendersage]

I've seen more than a few posts mentioning that people with BPD are taking meds for it; sometimes in conjunction with DBT and sometimes not.

Curious as to what people are taking, dosage and whether or not you feel it's benefiting you. If it is, specifically in what way(s)? What do you think it's helping you do more or less of BPD-wise?

I realize BPD is often co-morbid with other MI, even physical ones, but I'd appreciate knowing what, in your cocktail, do you think is targeting your BPD?

Unless, of course, you think the cocktail is so integral to working on the BPD that specifying what it is (and why you think it works so effectively on BPD) makes sense to explain.

Thanks!

[dapplebay]

I'm taking topimax 200mg, inderal, 40 mg and lexapro 40mg. I spent two weeks in the hospital and just finished a 3 month partial hospitalization program. I've been doing tons of therapy and it's helped me a lot.

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I don't know all the doses (I'm trying to remember, I swear!), but I'm taking quite a few meds.

-Trileptal, 900mg
-Perphenazine, 8mg (I'm trying to get off that med)
-Geodon, 60mg
-Klonopin, 1mg per day, up to 3mg as needed

Those are the ones I'm using for my mood swings and anxiety/paranoia. They're not doing much, but I just started DBT, so hopefully I'll get better with that.
I'm also on Zoloft and Wellbutrin, but those are because I was diagnosed with MDD when I was 13 and I've been taking those ever since. Idk why I'm still on them, though.

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[Chris Altman]

Not all borderlines are the same because they don't need to meet the same 5 criterias to be diagnosed with BPD. So to treat BPD they usually treat the symptoms rather than the diagnosis. A mix of mood stabilizers, antidepressants and antipsychotics are usually it, but other medications may be used as well. Best wishes!

[CopperStar]

I have both bipolar disorder and some strong BPD traits. Sometimes the symptoms are hard to tell apart, but I believe that the interpersonal paranoia and agitation issues are from the BPD. Zyprexa/olanzapine helps tremendously with my paranoia/agitation issues. I actually have several very angry posts floating around the forums about my mother, and since starting Zyprexa, she and I have been getting along much, much better. If that's not a testament to what medication can do, I don't know what is, because previously our relationship was severely strained.

[ThunderGoddess]

I'm on seroquel 50mg-paranoia Prozasin 1mg-nightmares Benadryl 25mg-sleep

[ScarletPimpernel]

Lexapro: 20mg for depression
Lamotragine (Lamictal): 200mg for mood swings
Latuda: 80mg for SUI and SI thoughts
Ambien: 10mg PRN for insomnia
Ativan: 1mg PRN for anxiety

Wellbutrin XL: 150mg for help quitting smoking

[Chuva]

Sereupin (Paroxetine): 20 mg
Abilify: 15 mg
Depakote: 300 mg

However, this were my meds back when I was still thought to have Bipolar. Lately I've been told (after my new BPD diagnosis) this is a good combination of meds even for BPD, but I have yet to see my new psychiatrist, so I don't know if he will confirm the meds or change them instead. I'm going to see him in 10 days' time.

Abilify worked wonders for depression, at first, but at the moment I don't feel like this combination of meds is really working - in fact, I have relapsed in SI and suicide thoughts.

[WibblyWobbly]

Ativan: .5mg PRN
Seroquel: 50mg
Lithium: 1500mg
Cymbalta: 120mg

I am diagnosed with both BP and BPD. The most helpful med for me is lithium. It greatly reduced my suicidal impulse and agitation, but I really need my whole cocktail in order to be stable.

[FlowerChild67]

my meds are in my signature
I am switching from Abilify to Geodon in the next few weeks as it works better for both my BPD and SZA.

[lavendersage]

FlowerChild-

I just posted on the thread I began under Treatment Resistant Depression in the Depression forum ("for me but anybody is welcome...") that I don't think my current cocktail is doing the trick.

I'll look up Abilify but if I'm remembering correctly it's likely to make one put on weight?

Originally Posted by lavendersage

I'll look up Abilify but if I'm remembering correctly it's likely to make one put on weight?

Ability made me gain over 90 pounds. It was an extreme side effect, most people put on around 50-60, but I gained so much that I developed PCOS and now it's extremely hard to lose the weight.
so I'd advise being cautious with Abilify if you can.

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[Chuva]

I had been told Abilify doesn't have weight gain as a side effect, and this by two different pdocs... The first one was very impressed I was gaining weight at all, she said it's very uncommon. But I keep hearing/reading about people gaining weight with it, so...
Anyway, I gained almost 15 kg, which should be a little more than 30 pounds if I'm not mistaken.

[OwlReally]

I'm not taking anything "for" my BPD dx, but for all the associated symptoms/co-morbid disorders, much like the poster upthread...

Adderall 50mg for ADHD
Buspar 30mg for anxiety/insomnia
Xanax .05 mg "as needed" for severe anxiety/panic attacks

I've also been diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression and GAD in addition to BPD and ADHD. I've been on almost half a dozen different SSRIs at various times, none of which particularly helped and all of which gave me horrific side effects. Pdoc told me that people with ADHD often don't react well to SSRI/SNRI because of the ADHD's effect on the frontal lobe. So far that's been true for me.

The thing that really lifted my depression was, weirdly, the BPD diagnosis. Suddenly I could attach a name to all of the "crazy" thoughts and actions that plagued me pretty much my whole life. Again ironically, getting on ADHD meds calmed my anxiety down a lot--I'm still a mess, but I can do more than lie in bed and shake the majority of days b/c I can actually order my thoughts and slow them down enough to function, go to work and physically take care of myself/my furbabies, and not live in a hoarder's paradise of clutter.

I would love to finally hit on an antidepressant that would get me off the Buspar and Xanax (without making me sick, fat, weepy, paranoid, suicidal or some combo of all of the above) but for now this works for me.

[Chuva]

Hi guys,

I'd like to update you on my meds for BPD. Yesterday I went to the new pdoc and he told me I'll have to stick to Abilify, but he thinks what makes me gain weight is actually the Paroxetine. So he's making me taper off the antidepressant until I finally get to not take it anymore. He said antidepressants are bad for impulsivity, and I have definitly had a recrudescence of it, since I started cutting again after a period of 9 years.
Also, he said in time I will have to replace Depakote with Lamictal (Lamotrigine). But he says in the end he would want me to only take Abilify, though this is not going to be soon.

[lavendersage]

Originally Posted by Chuva

Hi guys,

I'd like to update you on my meds for BPD. Yesterday I went to the new pdoc and he told me I'll have to stick to Abilify, but he thinks what makes me gain weight is actually the Paroxetine. So he's making me taper off the antidepressant until I finally get to not take it anymore. He said antidepressants are bad for impulsivity, and I have definitly had a recrudescence of it, since I started cutting again after a period of 9 years.
Also, he said in time I will have to replace Depakote with Lamictal (Lamotrigine). But he says in the end he would want me to only take Abilify, though this is not going to be soon.

Thanks for the update Chuva.

I'm still "meh" about how my current meds are doing. I see the pdoc tomorrow. I'm going to ask for a very low dose (like .5mg) of Abilify and possibly a very low-dose of Seroquel (for sleep) so I can nix the benzo Xanax that I have, up until now, been taking for sleep. I may/may not ask to increase the Fetzima (currently 80mg). I think I'd first like to see if adding the Abilify will help with the 80mg Fetzima as-is.

Of course, I read a thread last week on this forum by someone who feels BPD as a "disorder" doesn't actually exist and does not take any meds - and is doing great! and I've been mulling that thread over for days now.

I don't doubt what they're saying is true for them. It makes me wonder if I'm doing the right thing taking meds and trying DBT. God, I hate this so much sometimes.

[Chuva]

Oh, lavendersage, I must have missed that post about BPD not existing as a disorder. That's just as well, because I would have probably ended up extremely enraged.

However, I do know that some pdocs believe meds are not decisive for BPD and that they feel psychotherapy alone should do the trick. I don't know. In any case, my pdoc, whom I trust and who is one of the best-known in Italy, told me I need to take them, so I'll keep taking them.

I just want my life not to be hell as before.

[DBTDiva]

Originally Posted by Chuva

Oh, lavendersage, I must have missed that post about BPD not existing as a disorder. That's just as well, because I would have probably ended up extremely enraged.

However, I do know that some pdocs believe meds are not decisive for BPD and that they feel psychotherapy alone should do the trick. I don't know. In any case, my pdoc, whom I trust and who is one of the best-known in Italy, told me I need to take them, so I'll keep taking them.

I just want my life not to be hell as before.

There is no medication specifically to treat BPD or any PD for that matter. All the meds treat symptoms like mood swings, or co-occuring disorders like depression, bipolar, or anxiety.

I take nortryptiline 25mg/day for anxiety and wellbutrin 150mg/day for depression. I also keep track of my hormones because I have PMDD and my BPD/mood swings get worse as my estrogen levels rise. I can't take hormonal birth control because last time I was on it it gave me panic attacks and I started self harming for the first time in like 6 years. My boyfriend knows that about a week before that time of the month I am probably going to melt down and yell at him for something really small.

Anyway, I've tried just about every SSRI and just had side effects and no actual help with depression. As far as side effects/meds/dosage go it's different for everyone and that sucks. Some people love Prozac, it did nothing for me. I've had people tell me wellbutrin did nothing for them but it makes my depression a lot better even though it never goes completely away.

[lavendersage]

Originally Posted by DBTDiva

There is no medication specifically to treat BPD or any PD for that matter. All the meds treat symptoms like mood swings, or co-occuring disorders like depression, bipolar, or anxiety.

I take nortryptiline 25mg/day for anxiety and wellbutrin 150mg/day for depression. I also keep track of my hormones because I have PMDD and my BPD/mood swings get worse as my estrogen levels rise. I can't take hormonal birth control because last time I was on it it gave me panic attacks and I started self harming for the first time in like 6 years. My boyfriend knows that about a week before that time of the month I am probably going to melt down and yell at him for something really small.

Anyway, I've tried just about every SSRI and just had side effects and no actual help with depression. As far as side effects/meds/dosage go it's different for everyone and that sucks. Some people love Prozac, it did nothing for me. I've had people tell me wellbutrin did nothing for them but it makes my depression a lot better even though it never goes completely away.

Hi Diva-

Thanks for responding. I understand that BPD isn't treated by meds; meds can only (hopefully) ameliorate some of it's symptoms.

I also have MDD and (I think) ADHD (inattentive-type), AND am treatment-resistant so I was just curious what other people felt was helping them with their BPD symptoms. Everybody's mileage varies. I know - been at this rodeo a long time.

I'm menopausal but before I was, I, too, had PMDD. You have my sympathies. As does your bf It is NO.PICNIC.

Prozac worked like the BOMB once - many years ago - but it pooped out and when I revisited it years later - nada.

Wellbutrin used to work but I think I went off of it (that whole "I'm feeling BETTER! I don't need this stuff anymore" thing) one or two too many times. It doesn't do anything for me now.

[DBTDiva]

Originally Posted by lavendersage

Hi Diva-

Thanks for responding. I understand that BPD isn't treated by meds; meds can only (hopefully) ameliorate some of it's symptoms.

I also have MDD and (I think) ADHD (inattentive-type), AND am treatment-resistant so I was just curious what other people felt was helping them with their BPD symptoms. Everybody's mileage varies. I know - been at this rodeo a long time.

I'm menopausal but before I was, I, too, had PMDD. You have my sympathies. As does your bf It is NO.PICNIC.

Prozac worked like the BOMB once - many years ago - but it pooped out and when I revisited it years later - nada.

Wellbutrin used to work but I think I went off of it (that whole "I'm feeling BETTER! I don't need this stuff anymore" thing) one or two too many times. It doesn't do anything for me now.

Yeah I went off Wellbutrin because of dry mouth side effect - ha. I don't know why I didn't just deal with it because it has been less effective now but still better than SSRIs. I feel that some of the depression comes along with the BPD. I was dxed with MDD at age 19 but depression started around age 9. I don't believe I will ever not have some low grade depression but I function better now than ever before so I will not complain!!! I feel sorry for my boyfriend too sometimes, lol. He is very understanding. Last month I sat and drank my morning coffee, watched the news, and sobbed for no reason at all. PMDD makes me feel more insane than anything else that's wrong with me!!

[lavendersage]

Originally Posted by DBTDiva

Yeah I went off Wellbutrin because of dry mouth side effect - ha. I don't know why I didn't just deal with it because it has been less effective now but still better than SSRIs. I feel that some of the depression comes along with the BPD. I was dxed with MDD at age 19 but depression started around age 9. I don't believe I will ever not have some low grade depression but I function better now than ever before so I will not complain!!! I feel sorry for my boyfriend too sometimes, lol. He is very understanding. Last month I sat and drank my morning coffee, watched the news, and sobbed for no reason at all. PMDD makes me feel more insane than anything else that's wrong with me!!

Well, I don't know how old you are now but it got worse as I grew older. It was never "mild" but when I hit 40, it went from THIS to THIS in intensity. I seriously thought I was losing my mind. I finally did some googling and stumbled on a website for women that had PMDD and, without exception, the ones who were menopausal said that in the waning years of having their periods, the PMDD went out - of - control. It's like the hormones know they're dying so they want to go out with a big BANG!

[FlowerChild67]

Originally Posted by lavendersage

FlowerChild

I'll look up Abilify but if I'm remembering correctly it's likely to make one put on weight?

Abilify for me helped me lose the weight that Haldol made me gain. I was 385 pound a little over a year ago and now I am 199. I contribute the weight lose too my diet and walking everyday plus Abilify. So it might be worth a try as all meds work differently for different people.

[justwow43]

Prozac 40mg
Abilify 20 mg
Xanax 1 mg, 4 x a day plus 1 PRN

I think the Prozac helps with the depression and the Abilify gets my butt up and moving.
I really dislike the Xanax. I never take 5 in a day. On really bad days I will take maybe 3, if my anxiety is through the roof.
I use it as a last resort because I hate feeling like a zombie and it makes me pretty tired. I do not like the feeling. But sometimes it is all I can do to get my heart to stop racing.

[DBTDiva]

Originally Posted by lavendersage

Well, I don't know how old you are now but it got worse as I grew older. It was never "mild" but when I hit 40, it went from THIS to THIS in intensity. I seriously thought I was losing my mind. I finally did some googling and stumbled on a website for women that had PMDD and, without exception, the ones who were menopausal said that in the waning years of having their periods, the PMDD went out - of - control. It's like the hormones know they're dying so they want to go out with a big BANG!

Oh God, that's really frightening! I'm almost 35. I've treated the PMDD with herbal supplements but I just recently got health insurance for the first time since 2008 so I have more resources now. It's just better knowing what it is. I never identified it until a few years ago a partner pointed out that we got into a huge fight once a month. Now if I start to feel really emotionally disregulated I check my apps, I have one called "hormone horoscope" that is really helpful. So I can go "yes I feel like crying but it's hormones." If I feel less "crazy" I tend to do better.

[Make BPD StigmaFree]

I am currently on Cymbalta (60 mg) and Abilify (10 mg). It seems to numb my emotions. I don't get as upset. But I just feel numbed out. My doctor doesn't want to decrease my meds at this time though. Maybe in the spring I'll see about getting them reduced.