Does anyone try to self manage bipolar?

[boffin1252]

I have tried quitipine but makes me feel drowsy, and wake up with a dry mouth at night. I have read into other drugs and they seem to have similar side effects.

Drugs for bipolar all seem to be toxic to health like lithium. People say that these drugs can shorten your like.

I therefore am considering self manageing my problem.

 

[keith74]

You may want to check out this thread:

Mania Management without Meds

Hey I’m new here and I just wanted to share some thoughts and maybe get some mild feedback. I’ve seen a handful of doctors and all of them seem to think that some different medications and the person before is going to work to reduce my mania episodes that occur daily. I do believe that in...

www.mentalhealthforum.net

 

[Fairy Lucretia]

when you say self manage do you mean just without medication? are you getting any other kind of support?
i do hope so and you aren't alone we are here x

 

[boffin1252]

Meaning I'm not taking my quitipine anymore it makes me feel drowsy. Just going to see if I can put up with it. I only got diagnosed 3 months ago as bipolar rapid cycling.

Personally I think that many other people get diagnosed willy nilly. Just seems such a broad scope of behaviour, anyone can fall into it.

 

[JessisMe]

I’m on Lithium, Lamotrigine, Invega Sustenna and have weekly meetings with my therapist. It has been a year since my last mania which lasted almost a year. xo, j

 

[boffin1252]

What happens when you get manic?

My manic episodes usually result me becoming angry, agitated, paranoid, spend loads of money, pay for sex, drugs.

When I was talking quitipine it didn't stop me paying for sex spending money ect. It just calmed me down. I think its mostly related to addictive behaviour. I don't see how meds can stop you doing these behaviour patterns.

Any ideas?

 

[HLon99]

Yep tried all kinds of home remedies, the efficacy of which ranged from in the best case scenario totally worthless to downright dangerous to my mental and physical health.

Tried CBD oil, helped with anxiety, didn't help mood swings one bit. Tried cardio exercise, helped relieve depression for a few hours but didn't help in the long run (although exercise is an excellent adjunctive for mental health). Tried St. johns wort, which made me manic and nearly drove me off the deep end. And I'm not proud to say I did go through a period of self-medicating with cannabis, which totally destabilised my mental health.

If you are struggling with any type of mental illness, my advice is simple and to the point, go and see a psychiatrist, get professional help, that is the only way. If you are unhappy with the medication they are prescribing you, do your research and consult with your doctor about finding the drug that is right for you. Yes, Quitiapine, whilst effective for bipolar, can cause heavy sedation and it is the reason why I refused to take it when my doctor offered it to me. After listening to my concerns about possible weight gain, sedation and side effects, we decided to settle on Aripiprazole (Abilify), which unlike most antipsychotics, causes no sedation past the first 2 weeks, and has very mild side effects and is very effective for Bipolar mania prevention. I also take lamotrigine (Lamictal) which is great and very effective for bipolar depression, and almost without any side effects whatsoever.

I would highly recommend both drugs, but everybody's system is different so really you have to consult your doctor and find the right drug for you. I would suggest for now stay away from self-cures and try a different drug. Don't resort to trying to fix your mental health problems 'your way', there is a reason why psychiatrists spend 5-7 years in medical school, because medicine isn't easy. You wouldn't try and fix your own car if you weren't a mechanic, so why would you try and treat your mental health if you are not a doctor?

Hope this helps.
-H

 

[HLon99]

Also, Bipolar is not a disorder of behaviour, such as OCD or personality disorders. It a disorder of mood, caused by chemical and neurological differences in the brain, that are clearly visible on fMRI scans. These differences need to be corrected by medication and there is no alternative proven cure for bipolar disorder. Of course, everyone has the right of choice when it comes to making the decision whether to take medication or not. But if you are truly committed to treating your mental health its definitely worth a shot and you should not just tap out after one failed attempt.

 

[boffin1252]

My psychiatrist is phoning me in 2 weeks. I'll discuss my problems, and look into other meds.

 

[Bipolarbear808]

What happens when you get manic?

My manic episodes usually result me becoming angry, agitated, paranoid, spend loads of money, pay for sex, drugs.

When I was talking quitipine it didn't stop me paying for sex spending money ect. It just calmed me down. I think its mostly related to addictive behaviour. I don't see how meds can stop you doing these behaviour patterns.

Any ideas?

I'm taking Risperidone for Bipolar II and it has actually helped me with the impulsive spending issue. The medication just brings down that burning desire to need whatever I want in that moment, so its a lot easier for me to walk away. The down side to the medication, at least for me though is that it seems to blunt my emotions.

I think if you find that right medication at the right dosage it could probably help with the impulsivity too. I'm not gonna lie though, finding the right medication and right dosage can definitely be a challenge.

 

[floater]

I'm on lithium, probably kill me in the end, until then I keep taking it - med docs took me off it one time and worst breakdown of my life, so no - its a chemical thing and needs a chemical answer...

 

[On Fire]

I don't think it is possible to self manage serious bipolar type 1. Also, another vote for Aripiprazole (Abilify) as an excellent, very effective and non drowsy antipsychotic, that also has mood stabilising properties.

 

[Ghost_Owl]

No. Better to view it like managing epilepsy and not play around with the notion of self managing without medical assistance. Because each manic episode pretty much damages the brain in the long term. Softening the severity of a manic episode softens the damage. Medication, not willpower is the only method that exists with any efficacy. Therapies will just make you more aware of warning signs and contingency planning, and maybe dealing with the inconsistency it brings into your life, but are not a fix either. Worse than that the threshold for another manic episode also lowers the more you have and the longer you go untreated. The same happens if you play around with medication going on and off it repeatedly. If you can soften the mania's you may also find the depressions are not so deep or long.

Ultimately you need to ask yourself is dry mouth and drowsiness in the present a better price to pay than cognitive defects in the future and all the damage run away bipolar causes to you and the people around you? Medication for bipolar really is to reduce symptoms, it is not a cure and like everything you put in your body it will come at a price. That is true of all medicine. For me it is better to accept that price and be more functional with, than without medication. The price of not doing so was wrecking my fathers savings and ruining long standing relationships. All because I flirted with a similar idea and rather stupidly missed my creative manias and resented blunted emotions. I thought I could manage it, that I could be careful enough. I was very wrong.

 

[Tawny]

Lithium is a very good medication, as long as you take it as prescribed, and at the correct dose. It is only toxic if you take too much. As long as you have regular blood tests and look after your health, this will not happen.

Antipsychotics, some make you sleepy, but not all. There are different types. Quetiapine is one that makes some people sleepy. There are others that don't though.

I take an anticonvulsant, and there are different types you can take. I am not sleepy on mine, and i don't really have any side effects.

If i take a high dose, i get a dry mouth, so i take as little as possible. I still have some symptoms, but that for me is better than side effects.

To die earlier, i think that is more from people with severe symptoms despite medication, who are unable to look after their health well because they are so unwell most of the time.

When not on medication, i became more and more unwell and life was very miserable and i took an overdose. It is not worth the risk for me. I try to reduce medication once in a while and it doesn't go well. I will try again one day.

Some people do well without medication but i don't think it is common.

 

[Manic16]

Hey Boffin, a lot of people on here belief heavily in medication, I disagree and am more relatable to you. Everyone is different of course but for me I have a strict routine when I wake up, down to the half hour (wake up 5am, workout 5:30-7, shower and breakfast 7-7:30.. etc..)

I’ve found the biggest change for me is paying attention to physical health and working out 5-6 days a week. I’ve since fallen out of that the last two weeks due to a changed work schedule and I’ve basically plummeted to my low again with manic times at the end of my day. Also I pay attention to what I eat and plan my meals so I can also maintain my schedule of eating. I haveprotein like chicken or pork and carbs or veggies as a side, I eat every 3 hours. Music is also big for me. At work I feel anxious and depressed so I put headphones in for the whole day and yea ppl can tell somethings up but music helps me deal.

so 4biggest things for me is sticking to a schedule, eating healthy and regularly, excercising (with goals) and music.

I’ve been an alcoholic most my life I’m reslizing as a result of these highs and lows, but when you have to workout and eat and drink protein at certain times in your day I’ve found there’s no real room for alcohol or drugs. And my interest is less.
Hope that helps! Life is hard but create a routine and kick the day right in the d$?k!