Shown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Lmarqueling on January 12, 2006, at 18:26:34
Ok, where to start.
I was diagnosed with depression when I was 19. I took a couple of pills, got sick and stopped taking them (I believe them to be Zoloft). I would go through spells especially around my period.. and I would be at really low phases, then really high phases.. and then normal.I didn't take any antidepressent again until 9 years later. I just dealt with my highs and lows because there was always that normal phase in between. One day, I became stressed out (personal issues, work etc) to the point where I just couldn't stop crying. So I was put on Prozak and was told that I was depressed and had anxiety issues. I was also put on the birth control pill (I've always wondered if this affected my moods). Well I lost weight and was feeling pretty good until they eventually started wearing off. I was put on a higher mg and would fall asleep at work nonstop so I had to take myself off of them. I was then put on Wellabutrin, Lexapro, and a couple of others. I gained 50#'s in the last 3 years, which isn't very healthy.
Another stressful personal event took place about a year ago and I hit my all time low. I Couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, couldn't function. I actually thought i was going to lose my job. I went to a pshychiatrist and he subscribed symbyax because he said that I was bi-polar. That worked out fine. I started feeling better so I slowly weened myself off of them. (Mind you, I haven't been on the birth control pill for a 1 1/2 yrs.)
My present situation. I was told to go back on the pill because of ovarian cysts and really heavy bleeding. I have had major mood swings a couple of times since then (probably doesn't help that i quit smoking). I talked to my phsychologist about it and he told me about cyclothymia (he thought i had it because I have been so open with him about my husband and I's marriage/personal problems whereas the phsyciatrist gave me a 10 min test and then told me i was bipolar). I never have heard of this before and started reading about it and it seems to fit me. I am really normal most of the time (besides being lazy and unmotivated - which I blame on not excercising and bad diet).. adn then there are times when I'm on top of the flipping world.. self confident.. feel like I can conquer anything.. then there are times where I don't want to talk to anyone and won't leave the house because I'm so exhausted from my wandering mind. I don't want to be told that I have something else... but the disorder seems to make sense. I'm not all the time "low" and I'm not all the time "high" and I'm normal in between!
I'm scared to be put on another drug. I've maintained my weight for years and then all of a sudden gain a whopping 50#, my opinion from switching to all those drugs... and the word lithium scares the crap out of me. What do you guys think that I should do? See a doc?
Posted by Lmarqueling on January 12, 2006, at 18:33:34
In reply to Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by Lmarqueling on January 12, 2006, at 18:26:34
I also think that this disorder explains why...
I go to one extreme or the other on things (diet, extracurricular activities, hobbies etc.)
When I am depressed, I don't do any of these things.. when I'm high as a kite, I feel like taking them all on at once and overexasperating myself. Its a big, huge cycle.
Posted by 4WD on January 12, 2006, at 20:59:37
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by Lmarqueling on January 12, 2006, at 18:33:34
> I also think that this disorder explains why...
> I go to one extreme or the other on things (diet, extracurricular activities, hobbies etc.)
> When I am depressed, I don't do any of these things.. when I'm high as a kite, I feel like taking them all on at once and overexasperating myself. Its a big, huge cycle.
You are not on any meds now? I definitely think you should see a doctor - a psychiatrist and describe what you posted here. There are a lot of meds for cycling besides lithium - some of them even have a tendence to make you lose weight.Marsha
Posted by Lmarqueling on January 12, 2006, at 21:27:07
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by 4WD on January 12, 2006, at 20:59:37
do you think that i can see a family dr?
Posted by Phillipa on January 12, 2006, at 21:51:12
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by Lmarqueling on January 12, 2006, at 21:27:07
No you need a psychiatrist preferably a psychopharmacologist. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 12, 2006, at 22:19:41
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia » Lmarqueling, posted by Phillipa on January 12, 2006, at 21:51:12
I agree w/ Phillipa, you need a psychiatrist. Family docs don't have enough training to deal w/ much beyond simple, mild depression. If you had a heart problem, you'd see a cardiologist, right? Same deal here.
It sounds like you had bad luck w/ at least one pdoc in the past. Just like any other type of doc--there are good ones and bad ones. Hopefully you will be able to get the quality treatment that you deserve.
BTW, I take Lithium for treatment resistant depression--it has been a lifesaver for me (and no weight gain). It can be better than it is now.
Best,
EE
Posted by hopwitch on January 13, 2006, at 15:11:45
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 12, 2006, at 22:19:41
Watching this thread with bated breath! My psych nurse is very helpfull, but the pdoctor is of the there, there, keep taking the pills type. Lithium scares me too, mostly cos it's so lethal at overdose that I couldn't trust myself with it. Scary stuff.
Posted by octopusprime on January 14, 2006, at 0:30:07
In reply to Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by Lmarqueling on January 12, 2006, at 18:26:34
congrats on quitting smoking
sorry to hear about your troubles
i just remembered that cyclothymia was my previous dx before bipolar 2. the really lame literature on cyclothymia will occasionally refer to it as "bipolar 3" - so the disorders are all in the same family and really just vary in severity.
i was told by my pdoc that lamictal is more "weight-neutral" than lithium. i have not started to lose weight yet, so don't ask me. but the treatment options presented to you sound appropriate. yes you do need a psychiatrist. good luck
ps - how long have you quit smoking/been on the pill for? can you tolerate a couple month wait to see if things even out?
Posted by Lmarqueling on January 14, 2006, at 15:34:12
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by octopusprime on January 14, 2006, at 0:30:07
well.. i've been on the pill for 1 month and 1 week. smoking wise, I quit all of last week (except for saturday where i smoked 3/4 pack) and then haven't smoked any this week. Maybe i should just wait a little bit longer huh?
Posted by octopusprime on January 15, 2006, at 23:03:46
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia, posted by Lmarqueling on January 14, 2006, at 15:34:12
i was a raging psycho immediately after i quit smoking. the urge to kill faded after the first two weeks or so. didn't change the fact that i need meds though. (however i did stop throwing computer equipment at my coworkers). good luck
Posted by Lmarqueling on January 16, 2006, at 7:04:27
In reply to Re: Need Help! - Cyclothymia » Lmarqueling, posted by octopusprime on January 15, 2006, at 23:03:46
hahhaha
*throw computers at co-workers*.
I'm going to wait another week or so.. I havne't had any more issues yet.
This is the end of the thread.
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