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New to the board, concerned about my bipolar disorder.

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Bipolar Disorder
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Posted 3/20/2007 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
I started seeing a new shrink that put me on Invega & Lamactil. I'd never heard of either of these drugs, but the Invega made me feel awful. I was having strange dreams that seemed so vivid. After a huge anxiety attack, my doctor told me I could either stay on the invega or come off, and in which I came off. I have yet to start on the Lamactil but i'm scared to death because of the rashes i've heard related to the drug.

I keep having anxiety out the wazoo and i keep having this funny feeling in my head and I don't know if it's the lack of medication or what.

I was on zyprexa for 2 years and they took me off b/c diabetes runs in my family and i gained 40lbs in 2 years on the medication. Also, i was on prozac but they took me off because of the higher percentage of bipolar patients with suicidal thoughts.

I'm at a crossroads here, with no medication, in need of a new doctor and I feel like I can't take anything due to all the side effects of the mediction. I don't know what to do :(
Posted 3/21/2007 12:39 AM (GMT 0)
I'm new too and I know how you feel about the medicine.  The Lamictal made me feel awful also -- and made my hair fall out.  Have you thought of alternative coping methods?  Cognative Behavorial Therapy, Nutrition, Exercise, Light Therapy, Medicine, etc?  That's where I'm heading.  That and maybe very low doses of meds I can tolerate - if there are such things.  Anyway, you have my empathy about the meds.  :)

Chameleon

PS  Have you read The BiPolar Advantage?  Good book. :)  I'm also working through something called the BiPolar Workbook, which employs cognative behavorial methods.

Posted 3/21/2007 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
Not gonna say that the CBT and Lifestyle are bogus, but they're really no way to treat bipolar disorder as a monotherapy. Bipolar disorder really requires medications- the diagnosis of BiPolar means that its bad enough to necessitate meds (well, not exactly).

Everyone loves the idea of a "natural approach"- but there's a reason they're not FDA approved.
Posted 3/21/2007 6:29 PM (GMT 0)
Keep in mind with any med side effects are considered rare. You can look at it liek corssing the street, some people get hit by cars, but that doesnt stop you from crossing. I guess you can look both ways... but you get the idea.

I take zyprexa for my bi-polar and it works nice with my cypralex. I dont feel spacey and still am in a great mooood. I have gained wieght on it fast but I can use the extra lbs at 5'11 im now up to 150lbs from 135 in a month haha. I also have chrons though that messes around with my weight, 155lns is the heaviest I have ever seen myself.
Posted 3/21/2007 7:36 PM (GMT 0)
well I have a doctors appt tomorow to discuss why the invega didn't work and to look at other alternatives. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they finally give me something for my anxiety.
Posted 3/23/2007 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
So I stuck with the Invega but taking it in the morning instead of night and then they kept me off the lamactil to see how I work without it :)
Posted 3/23/2007 4:51 PM (GMT 0)
Good luck wspanicgirl21 , I hope it works out for you :-)
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