No more med tweaking?

[confused]

For the first couple of years after I was diagnosed it seemed like my pdoc was always adjusting my meds. Titrating up when I had episodes and back down when I was stable. When I was hospitalized they would change them. I've been on my present mix for over a year. The only meds I can feel working are lexapro (it really helps me with anxiety and depression) and seroquel (it helps me sleep). I used to be able to feel depakote slow everything down, but with lamictal I feel like I'm not taking anything. I guess it and the abilify are working because I'm not having mood swings or psychotic symptoms. I am tired and I told my pdoc I've accepted that I'm just not going to have the energy I want. Now that I'm stable should I consider going further down. I don't want to be on extra meds. Does my cocktail sound reasonable?

300 mg lamictal

20 mg abilify

10 mg lexapro

25 mg seroquel

[GroovyGwen]

If you're tired and down, it may be the abilify. You're on a decent amount and it does have... not depressing effects but mood squashing effects. Gave me restless leg too. You're not on lexapro and increasing that may have more of an activating effect. Stability to me is feeling stable, not too bad and not too good. You may seem tired because you're missing the good.

You know what they say - if you're feeling better, then your meds are working even if you don't think you are. Sometimes a med does poop out on you, so maybe that's it.

What does your doc say? Is he willing to tweak things again?

Just saw that you're on seroquel too - that med has serious depressive effects, even at 25mg. Knocks my shit out and makes me all dopey. Could be the combo of abilify and seroquel. Not sure why you're on both. If you've been hospitalized 7 times, they are probably trying to eliminate the instability but putting you into a funk is too much. Unless you get really psychotic with the anti-psychotics, in which case they're necessary.

Did I help at all? It all sounds confusing (no pun intended) when I reread it...

[confused]

Did I help at all? It all sounds confusing (no pun intended) when I reread it...

Yeah, it helps. I haven't been hospitalized 7 times. I've been 3 times and I did an outpatient program. The last one was in 2006. I stayed on the 25 mg of seroquel because I was having trouble sleeping and then I was even more tired during the day when I went off it completely. I do get psychotic and I still have residual memories, where I'm not sure what was real in the past because the delusions were so real. My pdoc says it's hard to get rid of it all.

I don't know how he would feel about lowering my meds. I haven't asked. I wasn't really sure what would help with the fatigue. I take all my meds at night so I'll be more awake during the day. He talked about a sleep study, but I haven't done that. I'm overweight and he thinks if I lose weight I'll sleep better and not be so tired. I'm on a diet and I've lost 10 lbs, but I have a lot more to lose. I gained a lot of weight on zyprexa, but it's slow coming off. I do feel better if I exercise, but I get so tired sometimes that it's hard to just do my normal activities. I don't think I'm depressed. My mood has been good.

[AirMarshall]

After 7 hospitalizations and being stable for over a year, I don't think you should be in a hurry to mess with anything!!!

I agree that you won't 'feel' the Lamictal. It is not a heavy handed med.

Have you done some reading on sleep apnea? As one who has it, I can tell you that getting dx and treated for it made a world of difference in my life. Check it out and see if the symptoms sound familiar.

best. a.m.

[GroovyGwen]

OK - so no depression just tired. Seems reasonable with the meds you are on to be frank. And if you are still having psychotic-like symptoms then going down may not be an option.

I haven't been hospitalized 7 times.

I have no idea where I got that from. My bad!

[confused]

After 7 hospitalizations and being stable for over a year, I don't think you should be in a hurry to mess with anything!!!

I agree that you won't 'feel' the Lamictal. It is not a heavy handed med.

Have you done some reading on sleep apnea? As one who has it, I can tell you that getting dx and treated for it made a world of difference in my life. Check it out and see if the symptoms sound familiar.

best. a.m.

I do sorta feel like, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

What do you do for sleep apnea? Do you have a cpap machine?

I'll read up on it. I should probably get a physical, too. When I tried to donate blood and they said my hemoglobin was too low. I'm just so used to things being side-effects.

[Zippy]

I wasn't satisfied with no energy or motivation although the cycling had stopped. Pdoc added a low dose of Wellbutrin at the time and it did the trick.

It's your choice what you are willing to accept as your baseline, but personally I want a baseline I can feel happy in, even if I am taking 9 medications.

[confused]

I wasn't satisfied with no energy or motivation although the cycling had stopped. Pdoc added a low dose of Wellbutrin at the time and it did the trick.

It's your choice what you are willing to accept as your baseline, but personally I want a baseline I can feel happy in, even if I am taking 9 medications.

Thanks Zippy. I'm glad the wellbutrin helped you