eighteenhands Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I've been on Pristiq 150mg for a little over a month, Abilify 10mg for a week and a half, and am now up to 100mg Lamictal (still titrating up as I'd been off it a while). I've been up since 6am today and have crossed numerous chores off my list (nothing like my usual) despite losing focus several times and switching to another task. I know it's only been a short time but I'm wondering if the new-ish cocktail is giving me some energy or if I'm having an episode of some sort. I read that there can be a connection between antipsychotics and hypomania....also between antidepressants and manic/hypomanic episodes. * note to mod - should I also post this under antidepressants or would that confuse things? Anyway, if anyone has experience with this type of thing, please post. I think if I hadn't been depressed since early teen-hood I might just think I was feeling normal...but the onset and fact that I usually wouldn't even get out of bed until my dogs convinced me to makes me wonder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parapluie Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 (edited) Only post once, please. This is a good place to post your question. Abilify made me hypomanic at first, for like a week. It wasn't severe, but it was definitely hypomania.. I saw my pdoc a week later, after it had ended already. She said that she had one other bipolar patient who became full blown manic shortly after taking Abilify. I think she only sort of believed me about the hypomania, cause she didn't actually see it. After the hypomania ended though, I was no longer depressed at all. I had been depressed for a year and Abilify got rid of it real quick. So my pdoc said I should stay on it, but report any other weird symptoms. I was actually prescribed Abilify for early onset psychotic symptoms. Getting rid of the depression was a nice bonus. I'd say, call your pdoc and describe what's going on. They will able to figure out how to proceed. Antidepressants are known to trigger some bipolar people into becoming manic or hypomanic. Not all bipolar people though. I have never become manic/hypomanic from an antidepressant. I think I once became mixed or something though. Whatever it was, I never want to go through it again. Anyway, long story short, talk to your pdoc! heh Edited June 16, 2014 by Parapluie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discomposed Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Doses above 2mg made me "squirrelly", that is I couldn't sit still at all. I was literally cleaning things twice, some things thrice, reorganizing every cupboard and closet in my home. It also upped my anxiety like whoa. As we reduced my dose from 15mg, 10mg, 5mg and finally 2mg my inability to sit down and not be cleaning reduced. That said, my pdoc rips me off it at the slightest sign of mood elevation and keeps me off of it until I end up woefully depressed, specifically because he believes that it will make me go even higher. I'd let your pdoc know what you're experiencing regardless of which scenario it may be, just in case you need a dose adjustment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Abilify can have that effect that feels like I would imagine hypomania would feel like (I have MDD so I don't really know what hypomania feels like). For me this feeling went away (unfortunately for me) within the first month or so. It still gives me a little trouble sleeping, but the Remeron that I take largely takes care of that. I like Abilify for that reason because when I don't have it, I sleep way too much. I now get what I describe as "calm energy" from it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eighteenhands Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 I also don't know what hypomania feels like, but what's happening is different than just the jitteriness I've experienced on some meds. My pdoc spent a lot of time trying to confirm that I was unipolar (MDD) to avoid risks of taking antidepressants (worse depression if you're to the right of the spectrum of mood disorders I think). I've read some about hypomania but I think trying to understand anything you haven't experienced is hard. Even with check lists and multiple choice questions I had trouble. Meeting with both my tdoc and pdoc tomorrow...hope to get some insight. Calm energy? Bring it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rowan77 Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Abilify did not help my depression and made my mania a lot worse. I was on various doses from 10-30 mg. I was very agitated and developed akathisia, insomnia and severe anxiety. Don't think it actually caused (hypo)mania with me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crtclms Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 I became manic on Abilify. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CeremonyNewOrder Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Abilify made me manic. I was sleeping around, engaged in multiple grand projects, and could not sleep at all. Eventually I ended up in the hospital. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revan Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Abilify 2mg caused a horrible mixed state and I'm not even bipolar. Most uncomfortable med I have taken. I know some people here swear by it though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dianthus Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Lamictal can also be destabilizing and cause some hypomania-like symptoms while you titrate up. I found that I would get a little "up" for a few days every time I increased my dose and then it would settle down. I'd write down the symptoms and talk to your doc at your next appointment, and if it gets any worse, call so you can go in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts