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I've tried quite a few meds, including but not limited to many beta-blockers (atenolol, propranolol, metoprolol, acebutolol, nadolol, currently on pindolol), anticonvulsants (topiramate, levetiracetam, gabapentin, and primidone), and benzos (pretty much all of them!), and haven't had good results. Beta-blockers, even pindolol with its intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, causes bradycardia. Topiramate (Topamax) makes me STUPID AF. Levetiracetam (Keppra) makes me suicidal. Primidone (Mysoline), while it works really well, the cognitive issues are EONS worse than that of topiramate. Gabapentin (Neurontin) does nothing for me much except put weight on me, but then again, I didn't pay attention to my tremor at the time, so it could be worth another try. Benzos don't do anything, which I wasn't taking the benzo primarily for the tremor anyway... I've read up on other treatments of essential tremor, and I'm not too keen on using clozapine (Clozaril), mirtazapine (Remeron), or alcohol... Does anyone know of any other treatments that would work? Or if I should retry gabapentin? I literally spilled my drink all over myself tonight when I went out to eat with my boyfriend. I'm sick of dealing with this.

First time poster here. I have bipolar 1, diagnosed last year after some horrible psychotic/manic episodes. I was put on lexapro which made me go insane and then put on zyprexa 10 mg which I abruptly stopped (I didnt get that you cant do that) which then again made me go crazy. Right now I am on Rexulti 1.5 mg and Seroquel 37.5 mg (I am tapering the Seroquel slowly to come off of it). I know these are low doses but I tend to be very sensitive to meds. The highest does of seroquel I was on was 300. I am not having any weird psychotic symptoms or manic feelings but am struggling with some depression. I am really unhappy with the weight gain from the antipsychotics. I have gained 10 lbs and from what I read all the APS will put weight on you. I also do not like how tired I feel. When I first started taking them I think the Rexulti was more activating, I actually felt jittery and seemed to be getting more stuff done, but now I just feel lazy and unmotivated. I was curious about trying Lamictal, and I was wondering if it would be possible to take that instead of the Rexulti. The only thing I worry about is I hear it impacts your cognition and I am starting school soon. Has anyone managed Bipolar 1 without a AP? Is it possible to just be on lamictal? I won't try antidepressents again after what happend with the lexapro.

Maybe a random place to post, but I'm wondering if anyone here has had kidney disease/failure or other kidney problems suddenly arise, due to taking a lot of psych meds? I hear of ppl having liver problems, but not often kidney... My GP is concerned about my elevated creatine levels (and other related symptoms) and says she sees this frequently when people take psych meds for many years... She is ruling out other causes, as this doesn't run in my family at all.

I know that a lot of bipolar folks take an SSRI as part of their daily regimen of meds and apparently it seems to help. But there's some growing concern in the pdoc world now that SSRI's may be causing manic symptoms and even directly causing manic episodes. I was on SSRI's for 10 years before quitting last October. In chronological order: Celexa, Zoloft, Celexa again, Lexapro, Zoloft again, Prozac, Zoloft again briefly, back to Prozac to close it out. For me, personally, after stopping them altogether, I was able to see what they were doing to my system. I truly believe they made me much more unstable and greatly increased compulsiveness and just made a bad situation worse. Switching from Lexapro to Zoloft sent me immediately full-on hypomanic for over a month in early 2015. I was high as a kite and on top of the fucking world. It was unreal and so obvious at the time. From the beginning of it, I was certain something unusual was going on. Now I wasn't diagnosed bipolar yet, just depressed, so I didn't even know what hypomania was then. It fizzled out eventually (sigh) but I had at least two more, shorter, and less intense episodes late spring 2015. I've not had anything quite as euphoric as those since. My last pdoc expressed some concern about the prozac but wasn't very insistent on me stopping it, just that I would want to eventually. I've since read that there is increasing concern in the pdoc community. Yet a lot of bipolar people still take SSRI's and don't seem to have problems. Do SSRI's seem to help your causes? Do you notice any unusual side effects? Have any of you stopped taking SSRI's and noticed a change? Other comments? This could be interesting.

A while ago i had a moment when i was suicidal and i attempted its not like i had it too bad but i took my meds and wanted to get better and i wanted off of em cause it had been a while and who wants to stay on em and so i told my mom and she agreed with it and it was alright for a while but i had a breakdown and my mom put me back on them ( theyre zoloft btw) and i dont really have an outlet so im here and i wanted to know if it ever truly does get better.

I tapered of ativan because I felt like it was making me like the energizer bunny. I would start reading a book, 15 min later do dishes, 20 min later go on a run, 10 minutes into the run get tired of it, go inside watch a tv show for 10 min, then do something else. I couldn't focus on one damn thing at a time. Well I refilled the prescription and I felt great yesterday and the day before but now I actually feel more anxious. Not exactly anxiety per se, but almost like an agitation that makes me on edge, makes me worry more. I function better. Showering, cleaning, not daydreaming all day or dissociating. But I just hate the rotten feeling of agitation and not being able to relax. Would a longer acting benzo help? Such as klonipin. This was the same thing I experienced on xanax except no agitation but more energizer bunny and 15 incremental sessions all day. But this time I keep worrying, I can't be patient, little things annoy me. I'm getting frustrated even thinking about thinking about it.

Hi all I'm new here first diagnosed with ADHD I and now with bipolar 2 and anxiety. I'm having some trouble with the meds that I'm on. I'm taking between 25 and 50 mg of Vyvanse daily. It helps with my depression, ADHD, and binge eating, but even though I'm a big girl I'm very sensitive to meds in general so my dose is fairly low. Since I was just diagnosed with bipolar in April, the psychiatrist added a mood stabilizer which is Lamictal. It is making me super sleepy but I'm not sleeping well at night. I already know that I don't do well with anticonvulsants because I can't even take 25 mg of Topiramate without being zombie like tired all day. Also my Promethease test shows that I have a gene for processing anticonvulsants less efficiently than other people. Lamictal seems to be doing the same thing that topiramate does to me, at least to some extent. I am also on 60 mg ER of propranolol at bedtime for a fast pulse and anxiety. I'm averaging about 5 hours of sleep right now and that is not working well for me. I am really wanting to request doing something different than this Lamictal. I'm definitely feeling more stable, but I cannot function as a zombie with a four-year-old. What would you suggest that I talk with my pdoc about when I go back, if anything? I've made it up to 75 mg of Lamictal and it's killer. My only option I'm thinking is to quit taking it in the morning and try it at night, but that never helped with Topiramate either. I will say that I struggle more with depression than hypomania but I do have hypomanic episodes--at least a few year with the seasonal changes and sometimes I wonder if I don't rapid cycle as well. I will also add that a concern for me would be weight gain because I'm already in the obese category, though I am losing weight--only with the help of the Vyvanse and dealing with the binge eating and ADHD for the last couple of years since I was diagnosed. Thanks!

So I just started Latuda and I am an avid user of alcohol and marijuana (its legal in my state) I currently take geodon, lamictal, and lithium but I just added latuda everything seemed like it was actually working great with Latuda but after I used "weed" and alcohol my brain is in bad shape and slowly getting better It really left my mind foggy and inattentative in the morning because of combining the marijuana and alcohol with it. at first it was going great but mixing those things with it really left my mind not all there moral of the story if you take other bipolar/schizophrenia meds alongside Latuda DO NOT do any marijuana as well it'll ruin your brain over time trust me. Other antipsychotics can cause this effect too i hope this helps those who are struggling with substance abuse alongside any of these meds because they can help you greatly but marijuana will fry with your brain with them overtime mixing them

hey there! I recently started seeing a new psychiatrist since my drug regimen of the last 3 years has plateaued and my old psych was terrible. This new doc seems to know what she's talking about and I like her. Basically my antidepressants have hit a block and feel like they've stopped working. So she suggested adding a little helper on top of what I'm already taking. Her first request was Wellbutrin, BUT when I mentioned that I use an albuterol inhaler for my asthma she said that Wellbutrin and albuterol have a bad interaction and pretty much threw out the idea of trying out Wellbutrin. She put me on 2mg Abilify instead. It's only been a week but I'm not liking the immediate side effects of Abilify that I've been experiencing and hopefully it will even out eventually. BUT in case it doesn't I want to be able to have other options. I've heard so many good things about Wellbutrin. When I tried looking up Albuterol and Wellbutrin interactions I've come up with NOTHING. even on the drug interactions checker. So my question is, has anyone ever heard of this before?? If so, what exactly is the interaction??? If nothing comes of this, I'll ask the new doc about it when I see her again in a month, but for now it's really killing me to know!

Hey there! I've been having a very difficult week. I've been on lexapro and klonopin for depression and anxiety for 3 years and the lexapro has plateaued in the last year or so, so my pdoc decided to put me on Abilify about a week ago and it has SUCKED. I'm not feeling any of the positive effects of the meds yet, which I understand because sometimes it takes a while. BUT i have been feeling a whole bunch of negatives. Theres a general brain slowness, like forming sentences and thoughts takes much longer than usual, like if my train of thought were a real train, there is now a huge parachute on the back slowing it down. The WORST side effect so far has been the derealization. I'm familiar with it as it is a side effect of my anxiety. I can't tell if it is a direct effect of the abilify or if the meds are causing more anxiety which is then causing derealization. The thing is, I haven't been feeling much more anxious than usual recently. It's like the derealization comes over me first and then the anxiety follows. Has anyone experienced this on Abilify? If so, did it go away eventually? Did you switch meds? Nothing seems real and I'm getting very very tired of it.

I mean a whole different personality. I am getting really frustrated in my relationship. I am hyper active by nature or maybe just busy. I dont sit much and have all kinds of things I want to do. I do these things, I finish these things and feel accomplished. Obviously when I am depressed it's a different matter. That does not mean I am hypo. Hypo and Mania are on a whole different level compared to me struggling to sit still. However my hubs does not see it that way. Seems most of my emotions are part of being bipolar in his opinion. Seems he feels like he is the victim of my behaviors. Its a crock of shit. So we are in therapy and this is all showing through to the therapist. She has not done shit except validate that people are different on meds. Like personalities are different. I guess I am different, not who he married. He blames my meds. We have therapy today. I am ready to flip out. I mean what the hell does he want. Me manic, suicidal, depressed. Or me stable. Of course my meds make me different. They are making me well.

Hello, all. I'm new to this site. I've been working with a pdoc for the past 3 to 4 years and, more recently, a therapist, due to what I personally classify as treatment resistant MDD. I'm in my mid-forties. Throughout this time, my pdoc has tried multiple "cocktail" combinations of medications. Some combinations work for a while, but it's difficult to become excited when I'm in a good period because I know the bottom can, and likely will, drop out from under my feet again. I'm curious whether anyone has had any success with a similar pharmaceutical lineup like mine. I'm also hoping someone might have tips on outrunning the black dog for longer than a few months at a time. I trust my pdoc, but I'm wondering if I should get a second opinion. Unfortunately, I live in an area where there are not many pdocs from which to choose. Some things to know: I have sleep apnea. For most of my adult life, I've fought drowsiness during the day no matter how much sleep I get. I've had multiple CPAP titrations, but they never seem to do much for the daytime sleepiness. About 3 years ago, I was diagnosed with ADD. Current medicinal lineup: Adderall (15 mg x 2 per day) Lamictal (75 mg x 2 per day) Xanax (0.5 mg x 3 per day) Buspar (15 mg x 4 per day) Trintellix (20 mg x 1 per day) Made me nauseated when I took it during the day, so my pdoc had me start taking it at bedtime, which made all the difference. Starting today, replacing Latuda with Vraylar (1.5 mg x 1 per day) Previously tried the following: Paxil (40 mg x 1 per day) I started this for social anxiety nearly 20 years ago and was taken off of it around 6 months ago. Going off of this after so long was a terrible experience, but those effects have subsided. Prozac Wellbutrin (150 mg x 1 per day) Latuda (20 mg x 1 per day) Seroquel (25 mg x 1 per day) Slept like a baby on this, but it made the daytime drowsiness worse. Rexulti Experienced akathisia with this one. Abilify Also experienced akathisia on this. Viibryd Had stomach cramps I'm also using the following supplements: Omega-3 Vitamin D Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Zinc capsule Ashwaganda/Rhodiola

For too long, I was doing horribly. Multiple hospitalizations, mostly for PTSD and bipolar depression. Well a few weeks ago I started therapy with a great therapist that accepts medicaid. Her office has a giant window that looks over Lake Michigan and that almost makes me happier than the therapy itself. Well anyways, we've been doing standard talk therapy and CBT and the more I talk, the more my issues seem less important. The arguments with family, the anger at my landlord, etc. They just seem less important and don't bother me anymore.I haven't been to a therapist in a year and a half because I thought it was pointless and didn't help but I guess I never found the right therapist (with an awesome view while pouring my guts out.) I also switched from geodon to seroquel 150mg so that is helping too. I am able to drink coffee again without panic and anxiety. I am gaining more interest in things like video games, reaading, coloring. Whereas before I couldn't even shower or brush my teeth. I just stared into space for hours. I really hope this lasts. I've never felt so normal in awhile. I've stayed at depression centers for weeks and months, ptsd trauma center for over a month. Nothing did it. Maybe this is just a fluke and eventually it will peeter out, but I'm hoping for the best. Wish me luck!

I have been struggling for the last month or so with the meds. I am off Cymbalta completely ( was on it for 2 years ) on Friday or Saturday I started taking 300mg XR of Seroquel from 200mg XR... the first 3 nights had akathesia . Now I am having anxiety attacks, feeling like an elephant is on my chest, I am dizzy and off balance and get this woosh of anxiety almost like I am going to black out and I literally scream and grab on to something. I can't really describe it, it's if you were to feel like when your stomach is hollow.. that's how my heart/chest feels. It's scary as fuck. I am losing my shit. I cry and close my eyes until it fades or at least where it's not as intense. I have this look of fear and everyone asks why I look scared? What the fuck? I am losing confidence in myself again, I am taking 5 steps backwards instead of forward. I am very depressed about it. And this time of the year makes me depressed.. for some reason I really miss my dog right now. I think because this time last year.. She got sick and I was taking care of her everyday and was with her 24/7 .. even the smell of outside right now reminds me of her. I still have her bed under the Piano; it is sad walking by it and seeing it empty, but I am not getting rid of it. Anyway.. Does Seroquel make you anxious and make you feel like you are falling off a cliff? Is that a thing? Am I having a bad reaction even tho I have been on it for way over a year. Isn't this shit suppose to relax you?

Omfg why does finding a pdoc have to be such a problem!? Like as soon as I find one with an office near me, they're either not accepting new patients or off my insurance (so they cost like $200 an appointment). It's like the universe is saying "I want you to suffer, bitch!" like what the hell?! Does anyone have any advice about finding a pdoc? I called my health insurance, but all they did was try to push therapy. They even called to today about scheduling me a therapy appointment when I called to find a psychiatrist. Like, therapy is great and everything, but I need meds. At this point, I just don't know what to do in order to get help.

I believe I am ultradian cycling or something... I feel good in one part of the day and the other half I am so miserably and suicidally depressed I am borderline psychotic. I don't have the motivation to try to get through to my pdoc's office to get a work-in appointment, but that looks like what I'm going to have to do. I asked her about clozapine and lithium and she said no to both, and that lithium can actually induce suicidality in people. I'm desperate. I've been through just about every medication (see signature). Does anyone know of a bullet proof combo that both treats suicidality and prevents it from reoccurring again? My support group is here for me, but I'm scared of worrying them too much or causing them unnecessary pain. I'd just like to be normal.

hello all, I've had panic disorder since I was 16. I'm 23 now. I've been around the block - meds, hospitalization, therapy, self help, holistic stuff, etc. I have a GREAT PDOC and I was doing GREAT this past year (coming off my meds! going on long trips! happy!) but I seemed to have relapsed this spring. Here's my current cocktail that I want some opinions on: Effexor ER 225mg / daily - the only SSRI / SSNRI that's ever helped me (i've been through every. single. ssri. they don't work for me.) At my best, I managed to get down to 175mg / day with no withdrawal symptoms, i was so proud! but with the relapse my PDOC bumped it up again. Klonopin 1mg before bed - Basically just on this dose so I don't go into withdrawal. Klonopin doesn't really do much to stop my panic attacks after being on it for almost 7 years. I really want to be off it soon. Xanax as needed for panic attacks - 2mg stops my panic. I don't take it every day. The past few days I've had to take an extra 1mg after the first 2mg wears off. Basically the only drug in my cocktail I trust to work right now. Abilify 4mg daily - I was just prescribed this last months and started at 2mg. It seemed to work! but now I'm in hell and my PDOC just bumped it up to 4mg daily last night. New symptoms as of this new 'relapse' or whatever-the-funk: back at it again with the debilitating panic attacks and agoraphobia, this time with new and improved Depression™! which i've never had before except when i get sad that panic attacks are ruining my life. That's why my PDOC bumped up my effexor and added Abilify. I had to leave work early today which is something I havent had to do in like, 6 years. TL;DR: I'm wary about the abilify. Should I even be on it? anyone have any insight? why do I have depression now after never having it in my life? can anyone fix all my problems please?

So I have been dx with gastritis and was given some meds for my stomach for it. For over a year I have had a major issue with constipation and bloating. I would go every 4-5 days. These past months it has been very painful and I have been having bloody stools. I take Miralax everyday and I still don't have bowel movements. I am seeing a GI doc to do better testing. I am suspecting ulcers for sure. But I am wondering if any of the meds could cause this?

I have noticed ( and others) I have tons of bruises on my legs and thighs.. I have over 10 right now, it's like I don't even remember how I got them. I increased my Lamictal about 5 weeks ago and I am sort of confused, some people say it is a blood thinner. I am wondering if that has something to do with it? Has anyone else experienced this? I don't want people looking at me and judging me. And plus, it's summer.. I want to wear shorts and dresses and not look like I have been beaten up by kangaroo.

Ok, so I've had PTSD since 2007 when I was still in the Air Force. My meds just aren't working right to me, and I'm having side effects from one of them. I'm on 1000mg Depakote ER, Cymbalta (I forget how much), and 3mg Risperadone (Risperdal). I was taking 750mg of Depakote and 6mg of Risperadone until recently...we're trying to take me off the Risperadone, so the pdoc is upping the Depakote. I see *a* pdoc in the afternoon (my normal pdoc had to cancel and I wasn't waiting until June to talk to someone...I don't like my experiences with the VA for the most part). Anyway, so the plan is to take me off the Risperadone, but I have a major concern...I'm already getting really, really irritable! I haven't really been getting *more* angry, but I still get really angry more often than I'd like. But the irritability is driving me nuts and feels like it's getting out of control, and I'm afraid it's starting to interfere with my work, and I work in a call center and they record and listen to the calls... I also have issues regarding the Depakote. I kinda need to stay on the Depakote because it supposedly helps with my migraines too (which are getting to the point where I'm getting ready to go back on Botox again), so coming off of it and switching to something different may not be an option...I'd want my pdoc to confer with my neurologist before making that decision so they can both make arrangements and changes if necessary. Anyway, I also have narcolepsy. The last time I was on 1000mg of Depakote I almost drove through a bush in the middle of someone's yard. Granted, I wasn't on the stimulant I'm currently taking back then (Nuvigil). But I have concerns that it could make me drowsy again. But like I can take percocet and benedryl and be wide awake, so who knows...I don't normally take pain meds, just when I get kidney stones, but when I do I have to take benedryl because it makes me itch. I'll let you know what the pdoc says tomorrow, but I'd love some input on ideas I can discuss with the pdoc on my next visit. I need something for irritability, depression, and anger (preferably no more than 2 meds), and if one of them could help with migraines too (like Depakote) that would be great...

My friend went off of his meds about 1.5 years ago. He claimed that he was incorrectly diagnosed because he has not had a "relapse" since. He suffered through 8 different hospitalizations in 9 months but has been out since. He was Dxed with Bipolar I, most recent episode manic, with psychotic features by five different P-docs. Our question is is 1.5 years without a relapse normal for BP I? Was he incorrectly Dxed? He claims that his normal up and downs do not exceed the point where he needs to be inpatient and that the doctors incorrectly Dxed him.

So glad to find this page and forum... So my story in short form. Bi Polar 1 Never accepted my dagnosis, not alone on that I am sure...but cannot beleive at aged 46 I finally get it...The destruction of the last episode has killed everything in my life. 5 months...beaten up various times, putting myself at pure risk, buying BMW I cannot afford, spent about 20k Euros, throwing out of the house my 12 year life partner, renting houses, buying stuff, Pyscotic magical thinking, (living in italy the religosity is hard to escape.) Cannot do this again...Now in the depths of the worst crippleing depression. So I finally get it, I am, I have Bi polar its not a mass jewish(Where this distrust of this comes from Ido not know ) consirpacy to have us all sedated? Please note I am pro people and the jewish people but I am not anti semetic, but Iseem to be so when I am manic...very odd, so please do not take exception to that comment. I always seem in Mania to become fixated on the idea that these drugs are just killing us. Cannot understand why in these 5 months nobody tried to have me brought in to a hosptial. That hurts, Whenone is so obviously out of control why do you have to bring yourself in so to speak? All or some of the destruction could have been avoided. SO after literally waking up 5 months later, Iam in the loneliest dreadful space, living in a town Ihave no friends, no family and in a llanguage Ihave about a 40% handle on. Iamamazed in this mania I did not do something more terrible, hurting myself or someone.. Got a Pdoc, he has put me on a crushing regieme of Quietipinia 25mg x2 , Olanzipan 5x2 and Valpo Acid 600 (slow release) and Akineton for shakes, something to stop the muscles and dead arm syndrome...I am sure alot of you have been here...But apart from wanting to share this I sat and looked at all these pills read up as much as I can on this and does it feel so odd to be killing myself slowly with these pills to possibly / hopefully not getting manic again...Seems to me I can only find the Negative side effects. its only been 6 days on these pills, apart from all the negatives I only feel less anxious...But all I have to face now is the consewuences of what Ihave been doing for 5 months.. the bills the speeding tickets. Facing all this alone is too much for one person. I think it is so incredible that people live and thrive on being along, I do not think I am one of thoese people. I am angry that no one intervened to the authorites fro me, perhaps Italy just does it like this. So why post and what to ask for.... Well I guess to say well done for being part of this community and also to ask, is there anyone out there who has been pleased with their pill regime? Any happy stories out there? As for the insiatable need for food at all times does anyone know what I could ask my doctor to prescribe to lessen the need to eat, its just constant? Feeling already that the best of life is over and all Ihave left to live for is pills, interventions and I have used up all the joy alloted to myself prior. So my name is Tim I live in Italy and I am definitly owning and finally able to admit to myself and others Iam Bi Polar (chronic) apparently...The more you have these episodes the worse they get, seems to me to be my case even if they are years inbetween. My job is alcohol, and to be told Imust not drink is not only implausible, Ijust cannot erase the only thing I hae left that gives me a tiny enjoyement, anyone experienced with Pdrugs and alcohol? After such a long Mania I guess its nornal to be completely brain exhausted? This brain exhaustion is showing itself as impaired congative functioning, inability to think properly or remmeber...feel like I have lost 30% of my functioning... any one else had such a long period of Mania? So thats me...wishing you all light love and happiness on this journey called Full spectrum Bi Polar. Saluti de Italia Tim

I have chronic tic disorder and am curious about pharmacological help. I have a few simple and complex motor tics that aren't exactly debilitating, but they are annoying and affect me at work. I work with kids and get asked "why do you do that weird thing with your eyes?" and stuff like that. Sleep deprivation tends to make the tics a lot worse. I'm on seroquel and it has been helping me sleep much better, so I've noticed a reduction, but they're still around. I've read that abilify has shown promising results in at least one study for helping tic disorder. I didn't see a subforum for tic disorders, so I figured I'd just post it here since BP is still my primary diagnosis and adding another AAP would likely impact my mood as well. If anyone has any experience with anything like this, I'd love to hear about it.

I went to see my therapist again yesterday and I told her about the medication and how I don't think it's working. I started taking meds in November of last year: 5 mg of lexapro, then to 10, then I went back to the hospital. Then it went to 15 then to 20. haven't seen much of a difference Im currently taking 20mg of Lexapro, the "therapeutic dose", which doctors dont usually go above, and I've been taking that for I think 5 weeks. So she said to talk to my physician and I hope she can help.. also I might start going to IOP again