[dogwood]

The funk has finally set in.Iv'e been trying to stay focused, stay busy, and stay positive.I've been taking my meds on schedule but problems due to the brain surgey on top of the bipolaar have just intensified the depression.I'm not concentrating, my memory is worse than normal , I can'tstop having seizures, and I am worn out.Are there any suggestions out there how to make things better? I'd appreciate it.Thankyou

[perpetuallysad]

Oh dogwood, I don't have any real solutions for you. I can certainly empathize. I don't have a brain injury so I can only imagine you must suffer doubly having to deal with that and the bipolar. I am so sorry things are hard right now. I know I HATE when I have cognitive problems. I hope things get better. What meds are you taking?

[dogwood]

[quote=perpetuallysad;1245140]Oh dogwood, I don't have any real solutions for you. I can certainly empathize. I don't have a brain injury so I can only imagine you must suffer doubly having to deal with that and the bipolar. I am so sorry things are hard right now. I know I HATE when I have cognitive problems. I hope things get better. What meds are you taking?


I am currently taking 20mg of Abilify,although30 mg works much better for me. Itold my pdoc I could not live with the sedaation of 30mg. I have the added bonus of Lamictal although it is prescribed for my seizures.Most of the time these two work for me .

[perpetuallysad]

I was prescribed Abilify about a year ago, but I made the mistake of reading about it before I tried it and scared myself into not taking it. I have a total phobia about side effects. I have found that almost all mood stabilizers and anti-psychotics create several cognitive problems for me. One of the very worst is the inability to say a word that I know I need to use. It takes me several seconds to get some words, even though I have the word all ready in my head, but cannot get my mouth to say it. Today my husband and I were driving somewhere and to pass the time I thought I would read Franz Kafka's Metamorphosis out loud to him, it was agonizingly hard for me to do. I see the words on the page, right in front of me, and cannot for the life of me say it out loud. ARG. I worked through it though (thank goodness my husband is so kind and patient) and read for about an hour. It never go easier though. Every few words I would struggle intensely to get out. This is especially hard on my psyche/ego as I was an English major in college and language and writing are my passions. Anyway, I find the meds are doing it. Or at least, I really hope the meds are causing the problems. I also have problems with remembering short term stuff. Sometimes it really messes with my idea of sanity because my husband or son will tell me I did or said something not moments before and I totally won't be able to remember.

Anyhow, sorry I'm just rambling, but I wanted you to know someone was listening to you. I hope things get easier. I know I haven't found the miracle combination of medicines yet. I take Wellbutrin, xanax and navane right now. I change my anti-psychotic on nearly a monthly basis it seems like.

Neither Abilify nor Geodon worked for me, although Risperdone seems to be doing a decent job.

When was the last time you talked to your doctor? I think that should be the first thing you do, ASAP.

[dogwood]

Originally Posted by LovebirdsFlying

Neither Abilify nor Geodon worked for me, although Risperdone seems to be doing a decent job.

When was the last time you talked to your doctor? I think that should be the first thing you do, ASAP.

Risperdone is an excellent drug and Istayed on as long as I could. But I finally decidded that I couldn't live with the weight gain--70lbs.It was, however, the best drug I was ever on for my bipolar. I am due another visit at Vanderbilt soon and they want me to try something new for the seizures..but that is so scary for me because I have alot of bad side effects from meds or a low tolerance for meds due to the brain surgery.
So my answer is to procrastinate but that never helps

70 pounds? Ouch!

I wish you well, and good luch when you have your visit.

[lonegael]

Yeah, the weight gain on these meds is a whammy, and one that a lot of doctors don't take seriously. Dogwood, I sympathise with you, dear and I really hope that they can find a way to help you with this. Sometimes symptoms break through even with the best of medicines. Hugs. May I pray for you?

[dogwood]

Originally Posted by lonegael

Yeah, the weight gain on these meds is a whammy, and one that a lot of doctors don't take seriously. Dogwood, I sympathise with you, dear and I really hope that they can find a way to help you with this. Sometimes symptoms break through even with the best of medicines. Hugs. May I pray for you?

Thankyou for your support. For now I have increased my meds til I see my doctors. I'd appreciate your prayers, thankyou.

[Berries]

(((((((((((Dogwood)))))))))))

Have you tried taking an anti-depressant? I have bipolar and SSRIs can cause mania, but there are other types. Effexor and Wellbutrin XL. And both are weight neutral.
I currently take effexor, lamictal, and seroquel. But am trying to get on geodon instead of seroquel, because geodon is weight neutral.
I am sorry you are in a funk. I can relate.
I go to a DBSA support group too. (read your profile) Great group! It’s really helpful to me.

[dogwood]

Originally Posted by Berries

(((((((((((Dogwood)))))))))))

Have you tried taking an anti-depressant? I have bipolar and SSRIs can cause mania, but there are other types. Effexor and Wellbutrin XL. And both are weight neutral.
I currently take effexor, lamictal, and seroquel. But am trying to get on geodon instead of seroquel, because geodon is weight neutral.
I am sorry you are in a funk. I can relate.
I go to a DBSA support group too. (read your profile) Great group! It’s really helpful to me.

Whenever I was put on antidepresants my bipolar got much worse. I got extremely manic .I tried Geodon but I could not hold my head up.
I'm glad you find the DBSA helpful. It's been a tremendous help to me. Ourgroup(hopeworks) will be 2 years old Jan8th and we just started a second group 5 months ago.Sometime in the spring we'll be starting a third. It's growing faster than we expected because there are no other bipolar and depression support groups around.I wish that there were more chapters everywhere.I hope you continue using them as a support network for yourself.