Posted by Ron Hill on November 23, 2007, at 2:41:41
In reply to bipolar 2--need help please, posted by beachbum on October 22, 2007, at 7:13:20
Beach Girl,
Are you still reading at PB, and do you still need help? I know first-hand the hell you are going through. I am bipolar II, and I'm an ultra rapid cycler. I cycle every 15 days.
I originally got screwed up in 1996 when an incompetent pdoc misdiagnosed me as ADHD and gave me Ritalin and Paxil. This combination pushed me into full blown mania.
I lost my engineering career and everything I owned, except my house. After the mania ceased, I fell into a pit of debilitating depression, and I began to ultra rapid cycle.
For years, my 15 day cycle consisted of 10 days in horrendous depression, one day of dysphoria, and 4 days in a normal mood state. This cycle repeated over and over and over ... for more than 10 years. Once in a while, I has some hypomania during what otherwise would have been a normal phase.
For few years now, I have had a great pdoc who allows me to try what I want so long as I present the research to him. Through reading tons of research and conducting a plethora of med trials, I have achieved nearly full remission. It has been a long, beyond imagination, painful battle
Beachbum, I tell you all this because I want you to understand that I know the hell you are in. I might be able to help you by showing you what works for me. But, I don't want to take the time to post if you are no longer around to read it. If you are still at PB, please reply to this post.
I am VERY VERY sorry for the horrendous debilitating depressive phases that you are tormented with. I've been there Beach, and I have experienced it first hand; the horrendous depressions, the screaming, yelling, anxious, way-beyond-irritable dysphoric mood states, the fun high energy hypomanic states, and a brief few days of normal mood state. I wish with all my heart that you did not have to experience this hell.
Tell me if you are still around, and I will tell you about my current med combo that has me very near full remission. I will try to help you to the extent that I can.
I feel bad that I did not see your post earlier.
-- Ron
Currently in near-full remission.
dx: Bipolar II, with ultra rapid cycling (15 days for one complete cycle), and mild Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)tx:
600 mg/day Trileptal
200 mg/day Lamictal
875 mg/day Keppra
90 mg/day Nardil
15 mg/day Deplin
P-5-P
Methyl-B12Androgel: 4 pumps of Androgel testosterone on a prn basis (typically administered once) during the two or three days of ultra rapid cycling depressive phases which occur every 15 days.
A few miscellaneous other vitamins and supplements: zinc, phosphatidylserine, selenium, vitamin D, Mg Malate/dietary Ca in yogurt etc, liquid fish oil, a good daily multiple vitamin.
---------------------------------
> cycling getting worse
> biggest scare is I just had this 3 weeks ago for 9 days and when I got it again last week thought it would be short cause I just had it..going on 8 days again..tried to be 'calm' but am loosing it.
> can't do this every 3 weeks I can't keep my job like this or my sanity
> took effexor for 2 weeks would that make it worse...thinking maybe wellbutrin is making it worse maybe..never thought that till today but in the last yr cycles coming faster and more severe
>
> I know I have thread [[cause andrew from 1999 cycles caught my attention and next person had SAD]] on top..... thought bipolar 2 thread if you have it might get me some advice on what has helped 'you'
>
> thank you
poster:Ron Hill
thread:790614
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20071115/msgs/796655.html