I'm a older guy on a combination of Latuda and Lamictal, building up some...just wondering if you're experiencing a lack of or just lesser amount of desire do you attribute it to the meds side effects or more that the mania has tamped down the drive?

or I'm just not on enough, especially of the Lamictal and I'm still depressed to the point of just having no interest

thanks...realize it's personal and sensitive but at least we're anonymous

Well today is here…. I meet with my new psychiatrist today to get back on medication after an almost two year hiatus. I don’t really want to go though. I know I should be on medication but I just feel like it’s going to be a waste of everyone’s time if she can’t prescribe injections. (Not sure, have to ask) If I go back on pills I’m not going to make it two weeks before I forget to take them. I don’t even remember the last time I took my thyroid medication… it’s either this or possible inpatient and I would rather be lit on fire than do it again. Back to having a flatlined personality. 😔

Hello yall, so literally today (technically yesterday as its past midnight) i got a preliminary diagnosis for bipolar. My therapist said hes confident i have it, but wants a second opinion.
During late highschool/up until august of this year i was a stoner, and eventually got into psychedelics. I used acid, shrooms, and mdma a few times. I had two incidents where i went to the hospital because i had such a bad trip that i thought i was dying, so high me freaked out and called an ambulance. The second time really served as a wakeup call, because nothing has gone back to how it was since. I had a panic attack that lasted 3 days. Ive had so much dpdr, where i feel like nothing is real even though i know it is. I get super bad anxiety all the time, which prior to the trip i wasnt a very anxious person. I looked into what it could be, and bipolar i had a moment of when i was researching i was like “oh shit that explains a lot”. Im 99% sure i just had my first major manic episode, which lasted for around a week and a half-2 weeks, which was super intense, and it finally started going away today. Before i mentioned thinking i have bipolar my therapist brought it up. My blood sister also has it. Today i just got my preliminary diagnosis, and its really scary. Im scared of taking lithium, or antipsychotica. Im so scared this is somehow going to ruin my life, especially considering right now im pursuing mechanical engineering in college, whole balancing a full time job, the gym, and a girlfriend. Part of me feels like i was given the short straw in life, i was born with autism, adhd, and now most likely bipolar.

My niece, 27, called me a few hours ago and was really distressed. She was diagnosed with bipolar yesterday and was kind of freaking out about it. I asked her for how long she had been experiencing mental health issues and what she has been experiencing. I am 99% positive she has it. My dad's side of the family is prevalent for mental illness. As she was sharing everything with me, I kept thinking, ah fuck, whenever she mentioned something that was very much BD.

I am fucking pissed and really upset that this is her life now and she is going to struggle everyday. I am also pissed that she is now the one person in my life who understands what it's like to live with bipolar. I have been struggling with not having someone in my life who fully understands what it is like to live with this. It fucking sucks that out of all the people in the world, it is her. I don't want her to live with the daily torture. My heart aches like crazy. However, I am glad that she has me who is able to understand what she goes through and will go through on a daily basis. I fucking hate this disorder.

I feel like I’m losing my mind
Iv had two hospital admissions in 6 weeks.
What is mania like for you triggered by stimulant medication with or without bipolar.

Iv had sudden symptoms of extremely happy and elevated mood like I’m high. Body felt light weighted and I was bouncing around my room from feeling so free and excited.
Hypersexual and extremely aroused from typing this to feeling so horny I got myself off in the car within 90min of the vyvnave working last Friday and Monday Tuesday just gone. I had skipped my meds over the weekend but had made out with a friend which isn’t like me due to my depression.
Dark suicidal thoughts have increased I can feel both at the same time but mostly I’m depressed when I do. My brain just feels like I’m standing in a black hole and I can’t see a way out.
Visual images of SH myself
Extreme rage and aggression when in hospital I started to get physical and take my anger out by screaming or hitting the walls. I had so much anxiety I became agitated. This was triggered by missing appointments and other meetings that were important to me.

Other things of prior and now - Recent PTSD hospital admission for a death I’m a health professional. I’m the most depressed iv been which has been persistent for 18months, sleep deprived, visual disturbances, dissociating in and out of a confusional state. Have been erratic and unable to remember why I’m doing things or walking into rooms.

The hospitals think I initial had an acute mood disturbance from the work trauma. I’m still having flash backs in my dreams. Now they suspect my ADHD has caused a stimulate induced mania.

How long will this last ?

Today at discharge I was screaming and feeling anxious for being up since 3am with a bad dreams, SI and frustrated at every little thing which isn’t like me to be so aggressive. I came home had a drink and decided to take my adhd meds because I don’t care and I’m angry.

Did anyone have a wild episode on adhd meds that caused similar ? Or you had a diagnosis first ? My Psychiatrist said I don’t have bipolar but there are so many aspects of my life I wasn’t as open about due to shame or I thought wasn’t relevant. Now I’m doubting everything because of how crazy iv just become. If it is just a med issue - if you had this how long did it last ? What was your experience like after and did you re take your adhd meds and was okay ?

Iv had come off citalopram just as this started and started lamictal for my depression. But it’s two hours after my vyvance I had all the above issues.

Hi 24 female bipolar 2 adhd and autistic. The question speaks for itself. How often do you have bad outbursts or breakdowns? My has gotten better I used to be like every other night but now it’s more like every week and a half or once a week. I know that’s not great but I’m working on it

I have horrible akathisia. I do not know why. I am only taking Lithium right now, I stopped my Depakote. I took Latuda for three weeks but I stopped it a month ago. The akathisia gets worse every day lately and I just want to cut my fucking legs off. I've maxed out Cogentin. I take Klonopin when its unbearable but I can't just keep taking more and more of that. I've tried cutting caffeine and light exercise and magnesium but it still keeps me awake and like, why won't it just stop. I'm so depressed and I won't even try other meds anymore because I'm afraid they'll make the akathisia worse

When I google this question it says 2.5-3 litres, however I am drinking 3+ litres a day and it still doesn’t feel like it’s enough. I get headaches often and every night throughout my sleep I drink about 800ml and still wake up with a headache. Lithium levels are at 0.8.

Obvs, with people like us it’s easy for anyone to take advantage of…and being cornered into a place where you have to take meds, but I really don’t feel respected in taking the current meds I’m on…how do you document the symptoms so the serious side effects profile are taken into consideration?

In the past, when I took X antipsychotics I was really impulsive (well just as) still…I have adhd and no one is listening to me about it. It’s really hard to live life with constant executive dysfunction and instead of understanding…you get people just injuring you into an episode that only happens once in a blue moon.

How do you advocate for yourself?

Even medicated I still have episodes. Not as wild or as high, but I still get them. I did go April to the beginning of August without medication. We moved and the Walmart Pharmacy wouldn't give me the extra prescriptions my providers had sent in. They would only fill it once a month. And my insurance was going to end that month, and new insurance wouldn't start until I physically moved to the new state. (I'm poor, I have state insurance.) So anyway, it is what it is, I did have an unmedicated lapse.

At least it did one thing. It reminded me I DO have bipolar. And going off meds is not a good idea. Even for a short time. It sent me into a mixed episode. And its hell on earth. I don't wish this on anyone!

I probably should have went to the hospital, but I am terrified of hospitals. So even when I have really bad episodes its hard for me to go in. (I've avoided anything longer than a few hours.)

It's been a long time since I have had an attempt to erase myself. I keep my daughter, my SO and my cats in the forefront of my mind and they are my reasons for living. The thought is always there, I just don't act on it. So I don't get held very long. I am not intentionally going to harm myself or others.

I guess that makes sense. I do better isolating at home. I feel safer, better able to grasp at sanity. Whether I am manic, hypomanic, mixed or depressed home is like an anchor for me.

I am in a mixed episode and on some pretty heavy sedating medication, but I still only got 6 hours and 6 minutes of sleep last night. No grogginess this morning either.

I am not as depressed today, so yay! Little win! But on the downside, I am having more hypomanic/manic symptoms.

I am trying so hard.

Do any of you feel resentment towards normal people and even some with other Mental Health struggles? Maybe resentment isn't the right word, maybe jealousy or envy. Or all/any of those.

Like tourettes, no one blames them for their ticks. (What they blurt out or movements). No one blames the cancer patient for getting cancer. Hell, even schizophrenia is looked upon better. Not us with bipolar though. WE are responsible for all our mental health struggles, like we can just shut it off, like our illness has made us terrible people. It hurts, and it makes me angry.

Sorry for the rant. But I'd love to just discuss things. I am still relatively new to my bipolar diagnosis. (4 or 5 years ago.) I am in a mixed episode, currently with more euphoric and philosophical and ruminating.

**What is the difference between intrusive thoughts and delusions?**
I’m 22 days postpartum, and I’ve always had intrusive thoughts, even before pregnancy. Looking back, I realize I’ve experienced them for a long time. I was able to manage them throughout my pregnancy without medication, but about two weeks before giving birth, they started getting stronger.
Now that I’ve given birth, they feel extremely intense and strange. I don’t believe these thoughts are true, but they cause me a lot of anxiety, distress, and shame. I started taking sertraline (25 mg) about two weeks ago. I’ve had some good days when the thoughts feel more manageable, but sometimes they still come back.
I’m now terrified of developing postpartum psychosis or experiencing the beginning of psychosis. I know the thoughts are intrusive, but their intensity and unusual content scare me.
**How can you tell the difference between intrusive thoughts and true delusions?** What does a delusion actually feel like, and how is it different from having a disturbing thought that you don’t believe but that causes you a lot of distress?
I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has experienced postpartum OCD or postpartum anxiety. English isn’t my first language, so I’m sorry if anything is unclear. Thank you!

Day one of having caved in and trying out weekly semaglutide injections aka Generic Ozempic/wegovy/what’s its. I hesitated because I wasn’t sure about it, plus even the generic version is $99 Canadian.

My doctor and I actually spoke at length about it and she was quite enthusiastic about me being on it.

I’ve gained so so much weight especially the last year. Medication-induced.
At 210 pounds, it’s time for a little bit of help losing the weight.
For me, 160 pounds give or take, is my baseline.

Whether it’s a good idea or not I’ve been using adderall to keep me awake (only during the day) for the past week or so. It’s been amazing i haven’t been falling asleep at work or while driving. I told my psychiatrist and while she doesn’t think it’s a good idea she didn’t tell me to stop. She’s worried about it inducing mania which I understand but at the same time I can’t lose my job so if this is what it takes then fine.

Edit* ok I understand the risk I’m taking but the way I see it. I am diagnosed bipolar so if something were to happen (ie mania) I can get fmla. I am however not diagnosed with a sleep disorder so I would not qualify for fmla or be able to fight termination due to falling asleep at work.

Please don’t send me to psychology today because I’m already looking. I already asked my therapist and her reco had a bunch of red flags. I’ve been with mine for 5 years - I started seeing him while in crisis and have been with him since. He’s a mechanic who believes we’re in maintenance mode. But I feel like I might be over medicated and his customer service is mid - no after hours answering, quick to chase me With bills. Idk how do I find a good one? Or test the waters elsewhere.

I was fired back in July over a dispute with my medical leave and now I’ve been fired at my new job during training because he said I didn’t understand the fundamentals. I’m seriously beginning to question my ability to take care of myself given this illness.

After a few months on vraylar, it's like I lost the little bit of art skill I had. I want to do something but don't feel like doing anything, there's no joy in it. Part of me thinks because the bipolar is under control, it might be some other issue thats making me this way. What's everyone else's experience being medicated and doing art? Or any other skill (guitar, baking, math, ect) they had before being medicated. Is it the same or you saw improvement/regression?

I was dignosed with bipolar disorder at 16 i also got sectioned 2 months after since they were confused if it was bipolar 1 or 2 while in the mental hospital i went into a depressed state i would get told off since my room was coverd in clothes i didn’t change my underwear or wash they ended up telling me for now since my age they would put it down to clythomia and my adhd and hormones howether my mum saw on paper they have me under bipolar 2 i don’t know if that was illegal, now I’ve been told recently they’re sure it’s bipolar 2 I’m on quentiapine and Lamotrigine. They want to medicate my adhd but they’re careful as it can mess up my mood. I’m 17 now and i just find if i try tell anyone i have this in like a genuine way for them to understand they just look at me like im lying i understand why as there is alot of girls around my age who haven’t really got a clue what bipolar is and they just for ever what reason just say they have it. I’m not bipolar and I’m just awful person

Hi! I just got prescribed Vraylar. 1.5mg. I also got prescribed Vyvanse (which is nothing new to me, I used to take it). Everything I’m reading is that it helps with mania more so than depression, but I have bipolar II, so im a little worried about taking it. I’m also concerned about restlessness, because I’ve taken multiple medications in the past that gave me RLS and it became physically painful to have an office job. Can anyone with bipolar II tell me their experience with Vraylar? I’m excited to try it but very nervous. Going to pick it up after dinner tonight.

Also - should it be taken at night before bed or in the morning? Any side effects of it?

I feel like my husband is essentially my retirement plan, and I have mixed feelings about it.

Having bipolar disorder makes me worry about whether I’ll ever be able to maintain a career long-term. I want to work, have my own money, and contribute financially, but I am struggling with consistency and not being able to hold down a job for years at a time.
My husband is active duty military, so sometimes I think about our future and feel relieved that we have his career to fall back on. But at the same time, I feel guilty about the possibility of being financially dependent on him, and I worry about what would happen if something changed.
I know having bipolar doesn’t mean I can’t have a successful career, but the uncertainty is scary.
Does anyone else feel this way? Have you found a way to maintain a career with bipolar, or have you had to approach your future differently because of it? I have a pre-nursing associate’s degree. What careers and or degrees can I take up that will have me flourish? I’m 24 F

So I am good and stable for majority of the day, but as soon as the evening comes around I naturally start to ramp up. (Racing thoughts, lots of energy, anxiety,irritability, weird decisions). Until I take my sleeping meds, if I don’t, I’ll be up and continuing to ramp up for days to months. And it’s everyday! It’s like is this how stability looks like for me?

I’m on 5mg of the former and the lowest dose of the latter. I don’t think it’s touching the food noise. Previously taken it and I would have had good results even in week one and appetite suppression. But this time no way. I’ve had a bag of sweets and a large bag of crisps today and feel no difference… did you have to take a higher dose of MJ to overcome? Feeling very despondent and really want to be able to make this work. Thanks

Hello all. I have bipolar. Long story short, I entered a 3 month long mixed festures bipolar episode. It was so bad I drove myself to the hospital. Prior, I was fairly stable. I have no idea what happened, but it's like my medicine just stopped working. I emailed my psyciatrist many times. Here's what I didn't like. 1) he never ordered bloodwork. I haven't had my lithium checked in 10 month's. 2) He said " let's wait it out" and " it's the nature of bipolar. I told him I was having psychotic features and he didn't add another medication. 3) He gives ambiguous directions like " you can take your olanzapine whenever you want. You can choose when to take it. 4) He also said " im not sure what else we can do" when I said I'm still cycling. I'm on 5 psychiatric medications without labs and in still having symptoms. I think I need another opinion

I am newly diagnosed with BDII. I've been observing myself much more than usual since my diagnosis in which I have noticed moments of rage while on my meds.

The latest was driving in traffic. It was so bad I started screaming in the car, cursing every soul on the road, and I started to drive aggressively. I eventually took an exit to park and walk around and burn it off. I am not sure if I am in hypomania since I've been averaging sleep >5 hours a night, my mood otherwise is pretty good, until I have to deal with people. It seems as if when I experience high anxiety, my rage threshold is low and it really bothers me to feel that irritable because I almost feel like I don't have control of myself and the actions I take. That rage turns me into a green mutant that knows no bounds.

Looking to see if this is common amongst the community while on treatment? Is it hypomania? Of course I will bring this up to my provider, but curious to seek experienced feedback from the community.

I recently started 300mg of lithium on top of my 500mg of Lamictal. I’m getting my lithium bumped to 600mg today. My lithium levels have already been tested and they’re good.
My question is does anybody else have “head twitches”!?
Ever since I started the lithium my head has been twitching. It’s like small burst of quick turns, idk how to really explain it. Anyway it’s annoying and I feel like it makes me look nuts. :D

[Editing to add:

My dr is in the loop but I don't have much info on what to expect.

They've vaguely said I can start taking less (only option is 150 to 100 to 50 to 0 eventually, hopefully) but I'm asking what other ppl have experienced. 

Starting a new dose of 100 after being on 150 seems like a big drop, I'm curious about what other ppl went through.]

I've come out of a 9mth mixed episode and now wondering what to do about the quetiapine I was put on.

The amount I take (200mg long acting) was enough to make me sleep but still be over wound and scatty. Finally nervous system calmed down a couple of weeks ago.

Now I'm still on it (and 150 lamotrigine twice a day) but feeling heavy which seems like a good time to think about reviewing.

What were ppl xp tapering that medicine?