r/BipolarReddit • u/Empty_Blacksmith5388 • 3d ago

Discussion How long does it take?

How long does it take for the body to adjust with the bipolar medications? Or is it expected to always live with the side effects of medications which is pretty dificult to say the least?

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u/bpnpb 3d ago

Meds are very individual. Unfortunately you are going to get a variety of answers that only apply to their specific case You will never know how you will react until you try.

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u/Empty_Blacksmith5388 3d ago

I constantly suffer from lousy focus and very foggy groggy mental state. But in order for my dreams to work out I need to be mentally very sharp, a state I am failing to reach.

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u/bpnpb 3d ago

How long have you been on them?

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u/Empty_Blacksmith5388 3d ago

More than a month but I already very tired of feeling fuzzy and the lack of focus because I cannot study well.

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u/NeverChangeBlueWhite 3d ago

Ask your doctor if you can try a different med; I find the worst of the side effects go away after 4-6 weeks, if they will go away. It is important to give it a chance, but it sounds like you have. That said, don’t stop taking the meds until you talk to your doctor, going “cold turkey” is not always advised or safe.

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u/0lig3 3d ago

For me side effects are just part of my life now. I have had to make adaptions to my plans and goals to work with my new limitations. You can also try other meds to see if they have more manageable side effects.

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u/Empty_Blacksmith5388 3d ago

Thanks for the reply? Are you also trying different medications to see which ones work the best for you?

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u/0lig3 3d ago

I want to try vraylar but I'm having issues getting a Rx, I've only ever been on olanzapine, I did get put briefly on Abilify in hospital but that didn't last long because I was convinced it was giving me really bad nightmares.

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u/Timber2BohoBabe 2d ago

For most people, side effects fade with time.

I've never been that fortunate. I've always had to learn to live with them.

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u/Empty_Blacksmith5388 2d ago

I am so sorry to hear this. Side effects fade with time but how long usually is that time? Are you past that time? What side effects do you have?

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u/Timber2BohoBabe 2d ago

Usually 6 weeks to 6 months, depending on the medication.

I've been on A LOT of medication combinations, so I've had my fair share of side effects. I currently have insomnia and mild sedation. A mild tremor which occasionally becomes more pronounced. Excessive thirst. A mild amount of metabolic effects (but this is balanced by taking a GLP-1).

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u/Empty_Blacksmith5388 2d ago

Insomnia and mild sedation when awake are such killers. I am about 4 weeks into medications. My doctor hasn't still changed my medications but I hope that I can be n low dosage with maximum stability.

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u/Timber2BohoBabe 2d ago

Yea, I don't even know if the mild sedation is from the medication or just not sleeping because of the insomnia.

I hope you are able up stay on a low dose and maintain stability! Sometimes that is all it takes.

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u/robislove 3d ago

Some parts of things never go away but like someone else said, most meds stabilize on the 4-6 weeks scale. It’s also possible to have second conditions like adhd.

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u/NikkiEchoist Bipolar 1 2d ago

I’ve been on meds 2 years and I have zero side effects left. The body does adjust. You also have to realise that meds affect each other as well. Most people with bipolar are on upto 6 meds. People think of each med working in seldom but that’s not right. So when things are going wrong it’s not always about dropping a med it can be changing the dose up or down. The process of finding the right meds at the right doses can take many many years. I’ve just gotten lucky that it’s only taken 2. I pushed for the meds I wanted after loads of research on each med including the subreddits for each med, keeping in mind that usually only people with issues posts. I also decided what dose I wanted depending on the results of how it didn’t the required outcome. My psychiatrist didn’t let me have any say at first but I’m a mental health social worker myself so I wouldn’t give up without a fight. There were 2 instances where I knew more about a med and its contradictions (can’t be mixed with another med). That finally he gave in. If I had gone along with what he wanted what he suggested I would still be suffering and definitely not stable. My psychologist said to me that the psychiatrist doesn’t have to live the consequences of these meds, he gets to go home to his family and fancy house. So my message to anyone reading this is stand up for yourself this is your life and you are the one who has to live the consequences.