My Drugs for Bipolar 2?!
Question: My Drugs for Bipolar 2!?
Hi there, my Psychiatrist has given me Wellbutrin 150mg, seroquel 100mg (taken at night) and lamictin 100mg for my bipolar!. I must admit I dont have any zombie like feelings the next day!. I have been on all this medication for 18 days, I still feel depressed!.!.and so topsy turvey!.!.How long does the medication take to settle in the body to take effect!? Am I not giving it a chance, because my moods are still unbelievable!. I am desperate!.!.I have stopped drinking because of the meds, which doesnt help either, because I dont smoke, dont have sex (lol) side effect of something!! so now what am I supposed to look forward to!.!.!.so miserable!!Please help someone like a Doctor or Psychiatrist!.!.!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
The meds you are on are very typical for bipolar!. It does take awhile for them to reach there full efficacy, and meds are usually titrated up to the lowest dose that is most effective!.
Lamictal is used much more than lithium, lithium is a pain because the therapeutic range is so narrow, you constantly have to monitor your bloodwork and hydration level!.
Your wellbutrin is an atypical antidepressant!. If you are primarily depressed, you may stay on an antidepressant!. If you have mixed episodes or are usually hypomanic to manic the wellbutrin is probably temporary until your mood swings back!.
Seroquel, although in the anti-psychotic class is one of the most commonly used drugs for bipolar disorder, in that it decreases impulsivity, helps focus and concentration, and helps with insomnia!.
Lamictal is your mood stabilizer, it is newer than lithium with all the benefits and none of the problems!. I really like this med, it is great for kids, women of childbearing age, and everything else inbetween!. Lamictal is frequently used with Depakote as adjunct therapy!. Depakote is another mood stabilizer!.
The sexual side effects are not likely from the lamictal or wellbutrin, they are associated with seroquel however your dose is small, small, small!. My mom is bipolar and takes 800mg seroquel, this is a top dose, my SIL takes 600mg seroquel for her bipolar!. An average dose though is 400mg!.
EDIT I do think that lithium is a good drug, it does work well!. I have never seen lithium used as an adjunct to another mood stabilizer, that isn't to say that it doesn't happen!. As a psych nurse I don't see patients taking only 100mg of Seroquel, I do think gotta luv da li is a good answer!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Lamictal is used much more than lithium, lithium is a pain because the therapeutic range is so narrow, you constantly have to monitor your bloodwork and hydration level!.
Your wellbutrin is an atypical antidepressant!. If you are primarily depressed, you may stay on an antidepressant!. If you have mixed episodes or are usually hypomanic to manic the wellbutrin is probably temporary until your mood swings back!.
Seroquel, although in the anti-psychotic class is one of the most commonly used drugs for bipolar disorder, in that it decreases impulsivity, helps focus and concentration, and helps with insomnia!.
Lamictal is your mood stabilizer, it is newer than lithium with all the benefits and none of the problems!. I really like this med, it is great for kids, women of childbearing age, and everything else inbetween!. Lamictal is frequently used with Depakote as adjunct therapy!. Depakote is another mood stabilizer!.
The sexual side effects are not likely from the lamictal or wellbutrin, they are associated with seroquel however your dose is small, small, small!. My mom is bipolar and takes 800mg seroquel, this is a top dose, my SIL takes 600mg seroquel for her bipolar!. An average dose though is 400mg!.
EDIT I do think that lithium is a good drug, it does work well!. I have never seen lithium used as an adjunct to another mood stabilizer, that isn't to say that it doesn't happen!. As a psych nurse I don't see patients taking only 100mg of Seroquel, I do think gotta luv da li is a good answer!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Some of those drugs take a month so sit tight!. When two months go by you should def notice a difference and if you don't, you can assume the drugs are not helping!. I must say, that is a lot of a psychiatrist to put you on!. I intend to become a psychiatrist some day and I still have a limited amount of faith in them!. They are people live everyone else, and there are good ones and bad ones!. If they aren't helping you or listening to you, move on even if it is inconvenient!.!.!. this is your life for God's sake, you deserve to feel the best you can!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
that seems like an odd combo of meds!. i have no idea what topsy turvey means!. if you are cycling then your psych needs to know!. if you communicate with your psych like you did with us, i can see why there is a problem!. write your questions down and ask them next time you go in!. none of your meds should effect sex!. ask you psych about lithium or another mood stabilizer!.Www@Answer-Health@Com
Hi!. I was in the same place after being diagnosed!. Same drugs, too!. I've learned a lot since!. If topsy turvey means that your moods are changing quickly, then your are rapid cycling!. Been there!. Lamictal is your stabilizer but at 100mg it is just starting to be a stabilizer!. You should be feeling most of the change w/in two weeks, so it's probably not a high enough dose!. Seroquel also acts as a stabilizer!. You should feel what it's going to do w/in a couple days!. Wellbutrin as you know is an antidepressant!. Antidepressants, however, can be destabilizers, so it might not be helping you!. In my experience, you need your meds raised and/or a stabilizer that deals with the manicky side such as Lithium (a good med regardless of what others say), Depakote, Trileptal, or Tegretol added!. (These don't have the sexual side effects of Seroquel, and 100mg of Seroquel is enough to cause them!.) So, call your psychiatrist!. S/he can only do her/his job if you say there's a problem!.Www@Answer-Health@Com