Anyone bi-polar, manic/depressive

jillybean

jillybean

Cathlete
I am and the last time I was on meds, I gained a lot. It has been acting up lately (super happy today, didn't want to move or shower yesterday). I would like to control this without being lethargic. Any suggestions of meds or websites? Thank you. I am very private in regards to my mental health (or lack thereof)but I feel safe talking about it with you guys. Thanks for that too.
 
I have schizoaffective disorder, which is almost the same as bipolar disorder, with the difference that we schizoaffectives, have psychotic features in the abscence of a manic, depressive, or mixed episode. Bipolars only have them, if they have them at all, during an episode.

Besides, I have ADD, which is Attention Deficit Disorder (trouble reading, listening, focusing, concentrating, paying attention...). This last one was diagnosed recently and the doctor is still experimenting with different medications for me.

Sorry that this post doesn't help much, but I am in a hurry. I'll write to you later with some links and helpful info.

If you want to, you can email me at [email protected] or [email protected]

Take care!
Mariela
 
Hi Jillybean,

Yes, I'm bi-polar as well. But, like you, I feel safe sharing that here. Everyone has been so warm and kind and helpful.

What meds do you take?

Shari
 
Zoloft and Clonopin, I am not sure if it was one of these or the combo that caused the weight gain. I was also on an anti-psychotic called Zyprexia at the same time. That was because of my anorexia. I have been symptom free (regarding the eating disorders) for a long time now so I was thinking it might be time to get the next issue under control. But I am not sure which steps to take. Thanks.
 
Hi Jillybean - My mom suffered with bipolar disorder, and I know firsthand what a difficult disease it is to control. She had the kind w/psychotic episodes, which were a nightmare because she refused to voluntarily commit herself. Anyway, she went through HELL during the sixties, being subjected to shock treatments and all sorts of hellacious drugs. In the 70s, they got her on lithium, but it really didn't help much. It wasn't until she was in her 70s that they got her meds right. Thank God she had five decent years (she passed away in July 2001 at the age of 75)---it's too bad that I never knew the "real" person beneath that illness until she was elderly. That said, I'm glad that I did finally get to know her, even if it was for a too-short time. The good news is that they have made great advances in treating the disease, so people who suffer from it can live normal lives. I wanted to let you know that I think you're a brave person for being open about it, and I hope you are able to find the right combo of drugs to get it under control. Back when I was a kid and my mom was spinning from manic to depressed to psychotic, it was "shameful" to have family member with mental illness. I'm glad that society has become enlightened about these sorts of diseases. Keep your chin up, girl, and take good care of yourself. Suzanne
 
Hi Jillybean,

Could it be that your anorexia med is causing weight gain? I had to take Reglen for a stomach problem I had ages ago and it made me hungry all of the time. I asked the dr about the hunger and he said it was used to treat eating disorders.

I know that antidepressants can cause weight gain also. I have to take one to prevent migraines. That's when I started gaining weight. It makes me really tired during the day, too, which doesn't help. I keep taking it for fear that the headaches will come back :O

I wish I knew more :)
dee c.
 
My mother was never diagnosed, but she had bi-polar symptoms her whole life. Mental illness is still looked on by many people like a character flaw instead of an illness. You are brave for being forthcoming and I admire you for it. I struggle w/ depression (have been on effexor for 6 yrs.) and know that finding good meds can be a beautiful thing. I can honestly say that exercise is a wonderful mood modulator.

One of children is autistic and is taking zyprexia. That med. can definitely increase your appetite and lead to wt. gain. It can also set you up for diabetes so your doc should be watchful for those symptoms.

Valerie
 
Hi again Jillybean,

Like Valerie, I take Effexor. My doctor feels it is only necessary to control my depressive symptoms. The manic phases are mild (and usually very productive), and cause few real problems, except for the deep depression that inevitably follows them. I've taken Effexor for 7 years (as does my 13-year-old son), and it's been a miracle. I don't feel it caused any weight gain, but my weight was already wildly out of control at the time I started taking it, so I can't say for sure. I do know that I lost 99 pounds while taking it, although I'm at a plateau, now. A friend of mine takes Zoloft, and she is tiny, now. She lost 60 pounds while taking it. But I don't know anything about your other meds, whether they might cause weight gain or not. I don't know if any of this was helpful to you, but I'm sold on Effexor. Don't know how I managed without it.

Stay in touch. It's good to talk to someone with the same challenges.

Shari
 
I too am bipolar type II which means that I had more lows than highs. I had a ton of mood cycling too and it turned out that I was a rapid cycler. I was bulimic for years and went through periods where I'd cut back but it was always a problem. My doctors misdiagnosed me with unipolar depression and prescribed a series of antidepressents which would throw me into hypomanic states where my behavior was pretty much out of control. Of course I'd feel so great that I'd wind up stopping the meds and then finding myself in the same low situation a couple months later. Finally at 25 after struggling since 12 or so I found a great counseler who determined it was bipolar disorder and not depression. He was able to reccommend a great psych that got me started on medicine which included both an antidepressent and a mood stabilizer. I take Zoloft and Lamictal every day and will for the rest of my life. I am so thankful because I really thought something was wrong with me because I could not pull things together. I have a great family, great job, great friends, and am in great shape but I just never felt right.

Anyway this is probably so much more than you wanted to know but I wanted to let you know that you aren't alone with this and that there will be a right combo of meds for you. Please email me if you want to talk.

I did not have weight gain on the combo of the two meds and my bulima is in remission with the help of my doctors. I'm still talk with someone every week and will do that for the rest of my life too. Exercise has been key for me to help me get rid of some of the extra stress I feel. It's hard when I feel down which happens rarely but I know that I need to do it for my sanity. Changing around my diet has helped as well.

Take care!
 
I've noticed, in following this post, how many of us have mentioned eating disorders. I was anorexic when I was young, surviving on 300-400 calories a day for several years while exercising obsessively. I should say barely surviving, though, because I blacked out every time I stood up too quickly. Then I swung the opposite direction and became a binge eater, gaining 70 pounds in just a few months. I wonder if it's sort of "all or nothing" with many of us? I wonder how many of us with bipolar disorder also have eating disorders of one kind or another???
 
Me too. I have been on just about every mood stabilizer that is available (lithium, neurontin, depakote, etc...) and nothing worked for me until I started Tegretol (generic name is cabamazepine). I have no lethargy, and no appetite issues (it made me sleepy for about the first four days, that was it) and it has been working for about a year now.

I have also noticed that if I am getting shaky with my food and sliding back into any bingeing/starving stuff then the blood sugar roller coaster can make me feel like my moods are swinging again.

I think it's great that you were willing to bring this up. It always makes me feel better to know that other people are dealing with this too.

Ariel :)
 
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