Medicationchange

Hello everyone, I’m on my like 10th day of Vraylar, did anyone else have any racing heart issues? I even went to med express because it felt like my heart was fluttering and I couldn’t focus. Also is anyone else tired but also restless on it? If I take it during the day I feel funky(the feeling is fading as my body adjusts) but when I take it at night I wake up a bunch. But it’s definitely helping my mental health. I was just curious if anyone else had issues adjusting at first? Thank you! #BipolarDisorder #Vraylar #SideEffects #Medicationchange

My psychiatrist is currently decreasing my Zoloft dose. I've been taking the lower dose for about 5 days now and the past few nights I have had the craziest dreams! Vivid, super complex, fast-paced—the kinds of dreams I have on occasion, but never night after night like this. I'm not complaining, just curious if anyone else has ever experienced this.
#Depression #Medicationchange #Zoloft #dreams

The doctor switched me off of the Vraylar onto Lithium due to akathisia, only to have Parkinsons like symptoms on the lithium. So now he has switched me to Rispiridone and Lamotrigine. I am hopeful that the symptoms of depression will finally go away and that I will actually be able to enjoy our vacation. Nothing has been working so far and I have been depressed for so long that normalcy is something that I have started questioning. What is normal? Does it exist? What is it like to not feel this way anymore and to actually want to get out and live life and do things instead of this constant anxiety over leaving the house. I just want be able to leave the house and run errands again without a panic attack. I just want to be able to go out on dates with my husband and go out to dinner on a whim. My daughter has been on this medication combination before and said that the rispiridone actually worked really quickly for her while she titrated up to the right dosage of the Lamotrigine, so I am excited at the possibility of having a wonderful vacation and that this might be the one finally. I am hopeful for a more positive experience and to actually get some decent sleep since she said that it really helped her be able to finally get sleep. Vraylar is not somethhing that is very good for sleep and neither was lithium. Here we go, trying again for a new normal.

Hi all!

I've had a mysterious condition for a long time, where I lose the ability to voluntarily move and talk for anywhere from 10 mins to an hour. I'm completely frozen, except I can have an involuntary smile response if somebody says something funny. I am completely aware of my surroundings, and want to interact with people, but I can't. It has a gradual onset and ending. My service dog alerts to it. None of my doctors could figure it out, so they just said it was probably catatonia. I was tested for seizures, but they didn't find anything.

So anyway, I had brunch with a friend who's a doctor and another friend who has a master's degree in research psychology with an interest in psychopharmacology. I was telling them both about this mysterious condition, and they both agreed that it sounded like a basal ganglia problem. They said it was likely an extrapyramidal or parkinsonian side effect from my high doses of antipsychotics. They said it would probably be helped by taking a second dose of cogentin in the mornings, instead of just taking it before bed.

Well, I went to my Psychiatrist this week, and told him about this, and he added on the second dose of Cogentin! So, maybe I won't have these episodes anymore! I can't believe none of my clinicians over the years even considered that! I'm so hopeful that it'll help! And it's such an easy fix, if it works. I'm thrilled!

#SchizoaffectiveDisorder #SchizophreniaSpectrumPsychoticDisorders #Schizophrenia #SideEffects #Relieved #DrugInducedParkinsonism #MedicationInducedMovementDisorders #PsychiatricMedication #Medicationreaction #Medicationchange #medicationsideeffects #Medicationstruggle

After nearly ten years as a SAHM I am preparing to enter the workforce again. My youngest child has just started kindergarten, the house is empty and honestly I feel a bit empty too in this quiet house. It's hard to know which direction to look, hard to know who I am aside from a mom...

Aside from this pressure I am gradually switching my bipolar medication after discovering that it has caused kidney disease. This complicates my job search - I fear trying to get something I will be passionate about knowing I may only mess it up if my medication reduction causes mania. It looks like temp work may be best for now... my dreams will be put on hold yet again..
#CheckInWithMe

So the past few days I’ve been really off and my moods are all over the place, I was diagnosed with bipolar depression and anxiety in December, the past few months I’ve felt level and in a good spot, I’ve been feeling like I used to anger, irritation, depressed because of those feelings and I don’t like it, I’m calling my doctor today to see what they say.

I’m 34 years old Mother of 2 beautiful daughters ages 14 and 9. I have a wonderful husband an amazing family, great job, fabulous friends. However I also have anxiety, depression, PTSD, palpitations since heart surgery for SVT’s, chronic migraines, scoliosis. 3 months ago I had to do a med switch for my anxiety because it was reeking havoc on my heart and since then I have not been able to get a grip. I feel like I’m drowning. I’ve had 2 days in the last 3 months where I haven’t had panic attacks. I wish I could even go back to the me 4-5 months ago.
I’ve been to every therapist, phycologist in the province as well as in/outpatient therapy. It’s like I’m trapped in a bad dream.
#Medicationchange #Anxiety #palpitations