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Bi Polar 2 new to the forum and hoping for advice

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Posted 6/17/2013 5:40 AM (GMT 0)
Hi, I'm new to the forums. Now that I've been diagnosed as BP2 I look back on my life and realize that it's not a new thing. At this point in my life I seem to be fast cycling. Right now I'm in a totally depressed state, I started an anti convulsant med and it seems like it triggered the depression. The only drug that really seems to have awesomely worked for my is Olanzapine. It caused weight gain pretty badly but I felt great on it. So the doctor started tinkering around with other meds (my list is in my siggy) ... at this point I'm wondering if I should go back to the Olanzapine and just deal with the weight issues, I mean at least I'll have the energy and drive to deal with them. The drug seemed to work well for me. I went to bed at 11 and actually fell right asleep, woke up on my own at 7:30, had energy to do stuff all day long, didn't feel so despairing of life and such...

I guess I'm wondering if I should just take the bad side effects and go back to a med I know works.
Posted 6/19/2013 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
 

 Honestly, if i have to choose between being fat and happy and skinny and depressed, i ll take fat and happy any day of the week.

  Having a positive outlook helps tremoundsly in life and with this desease, i have often said, ive never felt like i wanted to die when i was hypomanic let alone manic, but boy bring in that depression and i want to check out big time.

  So in my world view ill deal with the weight and have the energy  to enjoy life. Beautiful and sexy comes from inside anyway, the outside is just the outside.

 Bill

Posted 6/21/2013 1:20 PM (GMT 0)
I am going to have to respectfully disagree about the fat and happy thing, Bi-Polar is hard enough to deal with without dumping the health issues a person get with prolonged over-weight/obesity. I have both severe medical issues and am Bi=Polar II rapid-cycling and believe me you don't want it. For most of us its a two med cocktail, ant-depressant and something for anxiety, there are drugs now that do both in 1 pill but you need to talk to your psych about that. Also consider talk therapy, I've had 3 years of CBT and Family Therapy + Parenting classes, and its by far the best thing I've done for my Mental Illness. I hope this helps either way you decide to go we are with you :-)
Posted 6/25/2013 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I went to my psych doc an she put me back on olanzapine, recommended I completely drop caffeine which really sucks but I'm working on it. I'm a diet pepsi addict so I am having a hard time dropping it and trying to stay awake enough to do things.

I don't understand how an anti depressant and an anxiety med would be the treatment for BP 2? We're currently getting me off of Effexor because SSRIs and the like simply encourage faster more frequent cycling. At this point I just want it all to stop. I'm done being depressed, I'm done feeling like I want to just be gone, I'm done with being testy and irritable I just want to feel normal again.
Posted 6/25/2013 2:34 AM (GMT 0)
Ambers,
Both Pepsi and Diet Pepsi come in caffeine free versions. You can wean yourself off the caffeine and still enjoy your cola. I was a Diet Coke drinker. I found that when I switched to caffeine-free, my body had a conditioned response. Even though it was caffeine free I felt energized. Thankfully without the extreme side effects I get from caffeine.

Best of luck to you. :)
Posted 6/27/2013 11:47 PM (GMT 0)
Am glad the doctor took the time to listen to you, and put you back on something you know worked for you in the past.   And the way you're looking at it is perfect.   You say previously at least  you will have the energy to work at losing any weight that you do gain from it, and that is so awesome and positive and good to remember if you do gain a couple pounds, right?   

 

And going off effexor is hell, so we'll be here for support when you do.   I remember the brain shocks like it was yesterday. *Sigh* 

 

Take care Amber!

Posted 6/28/2013 4:11 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks. I've gone down on my Effexor twice now, going down slowly is better than cold turkey. I randomly a long time ago decided to go off meds. OMG Effexor sucks eggs to go off. So yeah ... not looking forward to going down off of it completely. Thanks for the support
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