Posted by Sheilac on September 16, 2013, at 6:18:12
I have a serious problem with irritability. I don't know if its considered more of a mixed state or just part of the hypomania of BPII. Then, I have the cycles of depression & anxiety.
25 years ago I started with ADs & over years of ups and downs on antidepressants I developed a painful bladder issue so that now I can't even take Prozac, Zoloft or Effexor, without it burning my bladder.
Plus, all the ups and downs and crappy side effects with antidepressants, weight gain, sexual side effects, etc.
Finally, a pdoc recognized the instability antidepressants were causing in my life and tried other meds. All the mood stabilizers made me depressed (which I was told is their job!), but used in combination with other meds for depression, they helped. I had to stop low dose lithium after I grew thyroid nodules. Trileptal is good, but I have to wear glasses, it ruins my vision.
Now, I'm back to trying Geodon, an atypical antipsychotic, even though I'm not (and my doc says I do not exhibit signs of) psychosis. At the low end of 20mg, it can help me sleep, but makes me hypomanic the next day. If I try and take it twice a day I sleep or have to take serious stimulants (Adderall & coffee) to stay awake.
I can take a higher dose at night and it seems to keep me normal (no irritability, nice to my husband, no rages, and no daytime hangover). No great bliss that I used to get from ADs, but oh well. Last night was my trial of 80mg and today I feel good. No hypomania. Tonight I'll see if I can drop it to 60mg. I know the lowest effective dose is best. I report back to my shrink in a few weeks.
Here's the thing: I'm worried. People are real freaky about the use of atypical antipsychotics if you're not really schizophrenic.
Should I be worried about the effects this drug can have on me? Someone suggested trying a super low dose of Abilify instead. Is one AAP REALLY better than another? I took 50mg of Seroquel for years for sleep.
I'm sure my shrink would prefer a plain old antidepressant and low dose mood stabilized. But I can't seem to find anything that helps.
I question my "label". My old doc that retired said I was "mixed state". Maybe that's where the severe irritability and anger come in, followed by depression & anxiety.
So, what are your thoughts on using an AAP for maintenance? Bad plan long term?
I wonder about maybe visiting with my husbands neurologist and getting his opinion. I'm sure he'd yank me off AAPs too.
poster:Sheilac
thread:1050768
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20130828/msgs/1050768.html