Bipolar. Swings, mostly manic--or they call them 'hypomanic" -- symptoms include pressured speech, increeased goal activity, spending sprees, and "hyper-sexuality" -- which is what usually brings me to Hip Forums. As an outlet. Depressed periods come when I finally crash, and last relatively not quite as long. I take a med for this, but I'm not sure it's working anymore.
Hello! I have a loved one in my family that is bipolar their on nova – risperidone. In Canada it cost $118 for 90 pills and I am just wondering what it costs in America. Also I am wondering why you figure your meds are not working anymore. Cheers!
got diagnosed a few years ago. have been on a never ending ride to determine what meds would work for me. recently i have been having a hards time but been getting better. seemed to have found my cocktail. (lamictal, lithium, & depakote)
I also have a bi-polar in the family, my oldest daughter (now 37). Had her on meds when she was in high school. Worked pretty well. After she left home she quit taking the meds and it was down hill from there. Didn't hear from her for about 15 years. Then about 4 years ago we received a phone call from her, a recording started with, " You are receiving a collect phone call from an inmate of the Oregon state dept. of corrections".Turns out she'd been their "guest" for 7 1/2 years. We reconnected and she is now out. She told me of her attempt of self medicating..Meth for the low days and booze and downers for the high days. She is now on prescibed meds and life is pretty good, same job for 3 years, great live-in boyfriend and is close to her sister and her family.
I've been diagnosed with Bi-Polar for a whiiiiile now. I only started taking meds for it a couple of months ago when I felt that it was either meds or death, pretty much. Never did like the meds idea, never did believe in mental illness that cannot be overcome by the individual... Anyhow, I took a break from everything together with it... live in complete solitude for the last couple of months right now, to figure things out and to get used to myself. I feel a lot better, and have (against my doctor's wishes) decreased my med intake by alot. I only take 1/4th of what I'm supposed to take (I'm on Lamictal)... and I still feel alright, it took a little bit of will to get over the immediate sadness that a dependence on this medicine brings with a lowered dosage, but it's truly amazing how much more I feel. I felt like the meds were taking me out of myself, eliminating my emotions entirely... but at the same time, the only emotion I truly felt in the last couple of months was a great sense of depression, so maybe I'm still recovering. Anyyyyyyyyhow... meds are alright, I would guess... I still do not truly believe in them... but if you do take meds, never take what the doctor prescribes... know your body, experiment with it, know exactly how much medicine you need... do not be a statistic. Also, I STRONGLY suggest a change of environment... maybe not as extreme as mine, but... change change change... get away from what bring you down, grow, become a stronger person, figure shit out, think, and then come back to face them.
to be honest if i could be okay without meds i would do without. but they seem to be working for now. maybe i will find a homeopathic remedy that works in the near future.
Meds aren't a totally bad thing. Just work closely with your doctor to get the best treatment. Best of luck and if you ever want to talk, PM me. I also have bipolar disorder. Peace and love
Depakote. It was working for the first couple months, but it doesn't work any more. I've just gotten a script for generic valium (diazepam) & am taking one 50mg each night, and that helps more. I did try respirdal, which the other fellow mentioned, and I couldn't handle the side effects.
depakote has been working for me but the only thing is that i do not like the side affect of weight gain which is due to increased hunger. but i am getting around that by eating right. i'm a vegetarian so i have been making sure that when i need a snack i have like cantelope or granola in the house. some things my husband won't eat.
Bad shit! It makes you gain weight like crazy. Also avoid Zyprexa---I was bouncing off the walls, literally! I take a little (2 mg.) Xanax, but the Prozac, and Seroquel (quitiepine), especially, are a good combination. Don't drink with the 50 mg of Xanax or you won't wake up---ever! Seroquel is good for the bi-polar and schizoaffective problems I have. But I still go on spending sprees like a mutherforker! I quit alcohol a year ago. Also don't take Ambien for sleep---it completely obiterates your memory and you do funny shit and never know it. Read some of the news about it! I took it for ten years, yea years, and I barely remember the whole time, and finally was nailed by the cops for DUI. But, the case as dismissed since I had no alcohol---only Ambien, which they couldn't detect. Stopped that a year ago too. These mindfucking drugs are a little bit of Paradise, a lot of hell---even prescription ones!
i prefer to not take meds for i feel like i would not be the same person afterwards.. i just take it day by day.. sigh.
Oh, hi! Seems like I'm following you around, but I'm not really! I have a dau about your age. Enjoy it! Life goes away too fast! Oh, beautiful pix, too. You are a great-looking and cool girl. (That's from the old guy---I'm not coming on to you. Been married 38 years and still love my wife.)
Medications affect different people in different ways. What works for some people doesn't work for everyone. Peace and love
i have to agree hippiechick. depakote and lithium do not work for a friend of mine with bipolar but they do for me. she is on lamictal and something else i can't think of. everybody reacts differently. i used to be on welbutrin but it made me psycho. have quick highs, lows, bitchy, just crazy. i hated it. but it worked well for someone else i know. and tommy...rock on! ^_^ i can't smoke pot anymore cause it'll mess with the good vibe i have going. Rock and peace to you brother.
I know I'm bipolar but i've never been to to doctors. I just hate them. So how would I go about getting diagnosed?.. my man is totally fed up with my problems by now
