Apparently I'm hypomanic. My doctor is changing my diagnosis from schizophrenia & BPD to bipolar, he said he's suspected it for a long time, he just hadn't seen me have a severe episode yet & that it can be confusing when symptoms overlap, hence my old diagnosis.
I'm scared, I'm scared even though he said the prognosis is better. I'm scared that I'm going to be like this forever, constantly swinging from high to low. This is an irritable hypomania, racing thoughts, not being able to sleep & feeling like rubbish. I've self-harmed the worst ever in the last two days, and thats after ten years of it. I have been to a specialist burns unit, I may have to stay inpatient there for treatment if it doesn't get better. I'm scared that I'm capable of doing this to myself. I'm scared that I'll get sectioned, even though I made the manager of the early intervention promise that I wouldn't. She promised on the proviso that I see the crisis team, great, because I've got on so well with them in the past :\ except not. And for me, crisis team ALWAYS ends in hospital. Always. They corner me.
Anyway, apologies for the rant. Medication question
My doctor has decreased my venlafaxine by 150mg. Will this have side effects? He's doubled my abilify to 20mg, I fear this will only add to the irritation. He's given me 2mg of clonazepam to take a day, will I be super sleepy all the time, and is it addictive & in what dose/time frame?
FINALLY:
He wants to start me on topiramate. I swear it's not even liscensed for bipolar, but apparently it helps. If not that, then lithium. Does anyone have any experience of either?
Weird train of thought: What if i'm not actually bipolar, my doctor is just saying that to make me take a drug to make me lose weight so that it doesn't look so bad? :|
In answer to that last question - your Dr can't do that. If they thought weight was an issue then clinically, they have to suggest you try diet and exercise before anything else.
In terms of the main medication questions - You may get side effects from the reduction in Venlafaxine, as it is known for being a bit messy to reduce and come off of, however, so long as you keep an eye on it and let someone around you know, you should be okay. Maybe see if you can take a couple of days leave to see through the worst of it? Venlafaxine tends to cause sickness, and dizzy sensations when in withdrawal from it.
I imagine that if the abilify does affect you, it should only do so as an initial reaction, which will then go away once your body has adjusted to the change.
I do not know about the other meds... but am sure someone on here will do.
One thing I will say, is that it sounds like it may be a good idea to talk these changes through with your Psych. Also, get him to write some of what he says down, so that there is less chance of you having missed anything important due to any lack of focus during the appointment (I do this sometimes, and it helps).
Be gentle with yourself.
Roiben x
If the Human brain were so simple that we could understand it, we would be so simple that we wouldn't.
I'm on clonazepam as a regular med - 1mg twice daily and now prn also (1mg extra if needed) and it has helped tremendously. Yes it is addictive and I had a tough time when I came off it cold turkey once but if you follow your drs instructions in taking etc and when ready reduce it according to how he tells you to, you should be fine. It can be used to bring people down from a bipolar high but I take it for anxiety/agitation.
"Everything is possible through Christ, who gives me strength". Phillipians 4:13
Not the exact same meds, but when I was last hypomanic my psych reduced the duloxetine dose I was taking (it's an SNRI like Venlafaxine is). Within a few weeks I was pretty depressed but it wasn't as bad as other episodes I've had, I stayed out of hospital at least. Lowering the Ven. should lessen the hypomania and allow it to burn itself out. With the other drugs you'll probably be pretty sedated for a while. )I'm not a shrink but that's my experience with similar drugs).
Last edited by Leni : 16-12-2011 at 09:57 PM.
Reason: Added a disclaimer-thing and a full-stop. Grammar is important.
And the illusion of love is the only promise of defence, and even that will crumble.
Thank you guys. Roiben, realistically I know that now, I guess I just didn't want to believe there was anything wrong with me :\
I feel more settled, the crisis team came yesterday after the EIS asked them to monitor me (scared this will mean they think I need hospital maybe) & they gave me zopiclone so i've had some rest (not sure regular psychiatrist will be too impressed by them overriding him with more medication changes, but ah well) My thoughts are still horrible & rushing but at least I can sit still for a bit longer & my concentration has improved enough that I managed to read two pages of a book last night and write a blog post...I'm also trying to CBT my negative thoughts so this is good I guess, and I can appear happier/make myself look presentable so I guess that's a good sign, if even my psychologist noticed. It's like one minute I'm happy, feel bubbly and talkative, but then the obsessional thoughts kick in & I feel irritable and snappy. Have managed not to self-harm, scared myself way too much with the last one & know if I do it again they'll probably put me in hospital, which is enough to stop me for now. Still talking nonsense but less so. Don't feel suicidal, although have constant suicidal thoughts. There's a difference.
Sorry I'm so ranty, I have so much to say :|
Weirdly the 150mg drop in venlafaxine hasn't had any horrible effects, and I heard this was a HORRIBLE drug to come off. I feel lucky. Starting Topiramate in the new year I believe, has anyone used it? x
