Seasonal Med Changes?

[yummysecrets]

Is it common to have to adjust meds with the seasons? I know it's not uncommon for seasonal change to help precipitate a mood episode, so I was wondering if there's a corresponding medication shift, too.

Specifically for me: I've always felt "crappy" in the winter and "better" in the summer, even before there were identifiable moods. I just started this medication treatment at the end of May, and it's been absolutely amazing. Over the last couple of weeks, though, Winter has officially hit, and I've noticed a steep drop in my general mood. That's not a mood episode, of course, but my thoughts have turned darker and eating's not as good, etc., so I'm concerned that eventually something will happen. (I see a team member every week, so I'm not "worried" about my safety, just concerned.)

(Putting this in the Mood Stabalizer category, since I feel it's more like that issue?)

In the meantime I'm going to keep getting sunlight and exercise and taking my vitamins, I guess??

[bpladybug]

I always have some depression in the winter. It is especially dark, wet, and grey where I live.

Then I flip into hypomania around March 15th. This must be because of changes in light.

I have to adjust my treatment accordingly.

[nalgas]

It's not at all unusual for people to still notice things changing with the time of year, even with meds that are otherwise working. A lot of people have to keep an eye on how they're doing as the seasons change and sometimes have to adjust meds a bit, too. What can help for some people, depending on the source and degree of the problem, is doing simple things like using a light box. Sometimes stuff like that can be enough to keep you covered through the winter without any fiddling with meds. Might be worth looking into if you're already noticing it being a problem.

I, on the other hand, am weird and look forward winter, because the heat and bright light of the summer just makes me feel miserable. This is the time of year I start feeling better, unlike most of the rest of you.

[rowen]

I've had to adjust twice yearly. Lifestyle things don't seem to work. It's pretty annoying, and a little scary considering what can happen when one's mood gets out of control. I suspect everyone is different, though, depending on what they're on and what their challenges are like. I have some friends who don't seem to have these issues. *shrug* Don't ask me what's different. Just is.

[crazynotstupid]

I have had a couple of seasonal med changes--mostly upping the lamictal. Last time was actually, think, arouns spring-ish. Doc decided we should do it, saying "well probably we should have done this before, your mood seems to dip when fall/winter starts, but why don't we go ahead and do it now." Yeah, i guess we should have, short-sightedness by both of us. It happens. I don't change anything come spring/summer cuz, while I swing up, it's not like I fly. It's like, manage to get shit done swing. And feel alive.

Hopefully, with the oncoming lack of light and drop in temps, the up in lamictal will help.

(And btw, as far as spring/summer goes, I have a nice bottle of risperdal handy so no worries)

[yummysecrets]

Thank you, everybody. I've got an appointment with the pdoc next Wednesday (and a Therapy in between) so we'll be able to jump on it if it becomes a problem. Hopefully BEFORE it becomes a problem.

Just sad that perfect meds SUDDENLY decided to stop working. ): Last week I was kicking ass, this week I'm practically a drooling vegetable (by my standards). Under the impression sudden med-failure is not uncommon with Bipolar disorders.

I too live in a dark-n-crappy area of the world. A friend of mine is in pharmacology....she told me that in our area our vitamin D levels are "dismal", even in the Summer, because it's just not possible to get enough light. Most of my friends have seasonal mood-lowering, and none of them are Bipolar.

[tazlina]

I live in Alaska, a place known for many resources but Vitamin D is not one of them. Add to that my pale skin's need for sunblock, and I'm pretty screwed. On the up side, I doubt my Vitamin D levels change much with the seasons!

We're still working on getting my initial meds straight, so I certainly anticipate an increase. But I imagine I'll need to increase/decrease seasonally, too. Just don't tell my boyfriend. He's convinced that going tanning would solve a lot of my problems, so I might have convinced him that seasons have no effect on my symptoms.

[yummysecrets]

Just noting here that while I did struggle with food-issues, I did NOT enter a mood episode - the grumpiness leveled out after a few weeks. Just an OCD flare of hypochondria, I suppose. @_@ I've been making sure to get sunlight and exercise every day too, which probably helps.

[tazlina]

I'm going the opposite way of what I expected; I'm getting hypomanic instead of depressed.