New to this forum.....question

       Hi. I am 37, Married 17yr, 14yo son.  I have multiple dx.  I have my bipolar mostly under control.  I don't swing much at all really.  I have had a migraine for about a month now.  My doc gave me toradol nasal spray yesterday.  I use it like I am suppose to.  I couldn't sleep last night and woke up manic.  I did't notice really until my son told me I was really manic this morning.  Then looking at how I was acting and what all I had done before, he was right.  I am still bouncing off the walls. 

Here is the question:  DO certain meds cause swings?

keep talkin' with your doc / pharmacist. welcome to the forum, jamie

Thanks guys! My doc put me on prednisone yesterday. So, that could be it, huh. I need the drug more than keeping myself stable at this point in time. I hope I restablize once off it. 'Cause I had in pretty good control. I was hoping it would be something else he gave me. Oh well.

Thanks so much.

This is my first (and hopefully only) encounter with this potent pyschoactive drug. I had an unexplained allergic reaction, started to swell in the throat. So I went to the ER and was giving a steroid injection in my butt cheek. Hurt like holy hell. Then was given a 40mg a day prescription of prednisone for 5 days. Today is day two of insantiy!

I'm 20 years old and have been on antidepressants for a few years, not for any bi-polar tendencies, just typical depression. I was totally caught off guard with no warning about the side effects of prednisone. A few hours later, this all happening while I was alone, I became suicidally depressed, weeping for no reason, wanting to die and hurt myself. Then I swung into a manic, paranoid, wired and confused state I haven't encountered for years. I definitely liken the experience to amphetamine psychosis. Minor visual hallucinations (blue flashing lights and motions unexplained), and talking and whining to myself, madness! Shakiness and twitching ensued. My jaw became tight and I chewed and gurned my teeth.

I thought it was a great idea to jump in the car at 2.00am to buy some hair dye, as I was apparently delusional and out of touch with reality. Drove around lost and confused for 45mins in circles. It was like having a psychotic breakdown! I looked like I was twicking on meth. I could have seriously injured myself or another, as I was a danger on the road. Got home (eventually) and cried some more. Then swung back to manic, dyed my hair and cut it and put on make up at 3am. Insomnia. Aches and pains my body hurt like I was having withdrawls. My eyes couldn't focus and my brain was in a stupor. It brought back my dermatillomania (I was scratching and itching my face til it bled). Then I was angry, irritable and irrational at my mother and my poor cat through no fault of their own.

The next day I started to research, and found this blog. The experience was very scary and frightening. I can deal with the acne, hunger, pains and all physical symptoms, but the psychological and emotional rollercoaster I couldn't handle alone. I told my mother and now she is helping me through my medically induced insanity. If I'd known earlier the effects of prednisone I would have at least asked to be watched for such disturbances.

bill,

that's crazy! :) Benadryl interacts with Lamictal, resulting in migraines. Just FYI for everyone. You can verify on drugs.com with the interactions checker feature.