Will

You might want to see if there is a NAMI Connection support group meeting in your area. https://www.nami.org/Support-Education/Support-Groups/NAMI-Connection It takes time to recover from a psychotic episode. Trite but true. I do lots of exercise, watch a lot of youtube, try and set and keep a few easy goals, email friends. I don't do social media much Almost two years after my last episode, the reading I do is mostly light which doesn't bother me. When I have felt I needed to bear down and read something substantial, I've set a modest goal of pages to read daily. You could probably spend days reading about theories of the mechanisms of psychoses, just via google. I'm not sure if Tinder is terribly safe if you're vulnerable but I don't know. I've done the rage-on-the-steets thing, too, so you're not alone.

Good luck w/ the depakote. It's kept me stable for a year. I know what you mean, though, about mood fluctuations. At the moment, I'm feeling more confidence than usual and I'm wondering why. Hyper vigilance seems to go with affective disorders?

@Iceberg I totally understood In my 45 years of dealing with manic depression with psychosis, I have at times questioned my doctors.

I remain confident that any reasonably competent pdoc would be aware of SJS and the clearance issues with the combination of these drugs. @Iceberg I'm sorry that happened to you.

What did I say that indicated that I was not "appreciative"? Just wow. But thanks

I am confident that any pdoc would be aware of the need for caution in using these two drugs in combination. I'm not sure what my pdoc had in mind for my lamotrigine dosage but it's moot for the time being because I don't feel that I need for it and I've discontinued . We were starting very slowly, easing into 25mg daily over a four week period. If I get depressed again, I may want to give lamotrigine another try. The depakote will stay because psychotic mania is my biggest risk.

Smaller sized city, but people in the neighborhood know because I have acted out in the neighborhood. Also, I have gone to my wife's office and yelled at people. In that instance all I could think to do was to send letters of apology explaining that I was delusional

It takes me months to get better after a psychotic episode. Time doesn't exactly heal, but it gets better. I too have acted out in public while psychotic --- many times across many years and episodes. I can't control what people may think. For the most part, I've learned that people are more understanding than I imagined them to be.

Glad it went well. Nothing like Ye Olde Ultrasounde on Christmas Eve

Just tell them of your concerns in advance and maybe they will be extra-accomodating. Good luck

No, hey, I would call it "minimally invasive." At least it seemed that way for me. I had one recently on my kidneys and and the female (yep) technician moved my shirt up and down a little but I didn't have to undress. I had one once where the female tech got a little low in the groin area which I found mildly erotic, but that's a sad commentary on my life. Your experience may vary but I don't think it should be too radically different. Maybe you can request a female tech if you are female and would prefer. They always tell me my bladder is way full and don't see how I can stand it, which I take as a point of pride

Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Using machine learning, researchers identified distinct patterns of coordinated activity between parts of the brain in people with major depressive disorder, which could lead to improved diagnosis and treatment, according to a study published Monday by PLOS Biology. more.... Study: Brain 'signatures' of major depression may help diagnosis, treatment - UPI.com https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/12/201207142315.htm

Good to know someone else using depakote for maintenance. I have tried twice to add in lamictal and both times wound up feeling bad physically, causing some anxiety. For now, I will stick w/ just the depakote and seroquel and maybe make a third run at lamictal after I get the covid vaccine.

That's my experience so far and I take it all at bedtime so sedation is not a big issue. I think lithium had a dulling effect on me. Who knows what my experience with depakote will be long term if I continue to take it, but it's not like any of these drugs are a free lunch