[nataliepatricia6183]

So, I started Strattera for ADD and am on Prozac and Geoden for skin picking. I've never thought of myself as having bi-polar 2, just ADD but the symptoms are similar.
Now since I started the new meds I am having mania; sleeping only 5 hours a night and feel rested, racing thoughts, ideas, agitation and restlessness. Anyone else experience this while on their meds and how did you finally treat it..were you then diagnosed bi-polar?

Thanks

[SingDanceRunLife]

There are 2 schools of thought on this: One says if you have medication induced mania, you have bipolar. The other says the opposite. I would talk to your pdoc and see what s/he has to say.

[Miswimmy1]

I am diagnosed ADHD and recently had an episode of medication induced mania myself. I have been on the watch for signs of a possible mood disorder but have never been officially diagnosed. Following the manic episode, I believe that my pdoc believes I have Bipolar II.

This is something that you should really discuss with your doctor. I'm not sure Strattera though would induce a manic episode. I think it's typically the stimulants or antidepressants which can trigger an episode of in people with previously undiagnosed bipolar disorder but I could be wrong.

Natalie, my meds are different then yours. However, i cannot sleep regular. I am up all hours of the night and day. I never know when i am going to sleep. The anxiety meds just make me want to sleep and i refuse to do so. I don't like feeling medicated. I understand how you feel. Talk this over with your doctor. Take care.

[nataliepatricia6183]

Thanks everyone. I just feel so confused right now. Now, I'm remembering back to High School and the mania I had. I'd write in notebooks for days..skip class..the things I would write about were very complex and to a lot of people didn't make sense. I would have depression too but the problem is any identifier of a bi-polar condition seemed to get covered up when I got addicted to alcohol. Then it was the alcohol that ruled me for awhile. But I remember now even acting manic on alcohol. Maybe I do have bi-polar. Can't wait to see my PDOC on Tuesday and figure things out. Right now I'm just on the Geoden, Prozac and Klonopin ..got off the Strattera yesterday cause she advised me to.

[ChipperMonkey]

I've never experienced mania or hypo-mania outside of antidepressant use. Some doctors have labeled me as bipolar but I reject this idea because I think it's a load of BS. Depression isn't caused ONLY by lack of seratonin, so if you boost seratonin levels in someone who has normal seratonin levels, they're going to have too much seratonin and voilà mania! (I had one therapist explain it to me this way. I agree with her.) I mean HELLO they won't diagnose a disorder based on someone's symptoms during illegal drug use (that stop once the drug use ends), but they will if it's a result of prescription drugs. Makes no sense. Oh, and I'm SUPER sensitive to most medications. I think that has a lot to do with it, too.

[Miswimmy1]

Originally Posted by ChipperMonkey

Depression isn't caused ONLY by lack of seratonin, so if you boost seratonin levels in someone who has normal seratonin levels, they're going to have too much seratonin and voilà mania! (I had one therapist explain it to me this way. I agree with her.) I mean HELLO they won't diagnose a disorder based on someone's symptoms during illegal drug use (that stop once the drug use ends), but they will if it's a result of prescription drugs. Makes no sense.

That is an interesting point about the Serotonin which makes complete sense.

[jbuttz]

Antidepressants & Bipolar III I read something similar to this a while back. Bi polar 3 caused by antidepressant use. I used wellbutrin and over the years switched to cipralex.

I had mania or hypomania one morning and just sat outside smoking cigarettes feeling like king of the world on no sleep. I felt like I was on cocaine and life of the party by myself.

I don't know how much truth to that article there is but if it's true then I could be bipolar 1 or 2 because I got mania while using an antidepressant.

I've had a lot of bipolar 2 symptoms pre medication but never hypomania until recently. I'm still trying to figure out how I feel about all of this.

[nataliepatricia6183]

Thanks for the responses everyone So, I have been officially diagnosed as possibly having Bi-polar 2..rapid cycler or some mixed states..yeah it's confusing, even to me but I have borderline personality disorder as well..so that doesn't help. But anywho..off the Prozac off the Strattera which both caused mania and now I'm on Lithium twice a day to start. Anyone else taken this? I already feel more even keel...it's great except for the nausea and diarrhea.

[jbuttz]

I want to flat out say that I think I actually have bipolar 2 and not just depression. I feel so tangled up and empty or ****ing irritated and having experienced mania or hypomania (forgive me but I'm not sure which) from meds. I told my doctor that I thought that I had it along time ago but I'm still just on an ad.

[nataliepatricia6183]

If you are having these reactions from antidepressants or even antipsychotics for that matter, you may want to get a full screening for bi-polar 2 since you have extra sensitive reactions to these meds. It's also important to go back and think about your mood history ..within yourself and in your reactions with others.

Good luck!

[jbuttz]

Originally Posted by nataliepatricia6183

If you are having these reactions from antidepressants or even antipsychotics for that matter, you may want to get a full screening for bi-polar 2 since you have extra sensitive reactions to these meds. It's also important to go back and think about your mood history ..within yourself and in your reactions with others.

Good luck!

I think it could be rapid cycling. While I'm at work and in the zone, I act as if I'm the best employee, get very irritated when I'm slowed down, be your friend the next minute, followed by awful depression while at home. Can't focus, can't make easy decisions, rapid speech but not loud because I'm generally a quiet person. I wish it came in the form of euphoria so I could feel great. Thats only happened once. It comes as irritability.

[jbuttz]

I don't remember being as irritable as I am these days. I'm not on an antipsychotic, just antidepressant. We had ethics training the other day at work and I starting thinking they were doing it because I'm an *** hole.