some of the problems I’ve been having lately have been a huge swing between flat and numb and disconnected… to cosmically concerned and almost manic.
the swing has been happening so much… my doc said “rapid cycling”
So he and I are discussing mood stabilizers. So far… it seems like a toss between Depakote or Lithium.
I’m on Latuda and Seroquel. With Xanax again… as a PRN for any anxiety flair ups.
I’m NOT anti-med… people know this… but I do cringe at the thought of adding more. I’m hoping it’s just stress and season change. If it continues… I’ll give in and try the stabilizers…
Look into Omega-3 also if you haven’t. About the only sup scientifically proven to help with almost all the mental illnesses. You can also get it cheaply from supermarkets these days.
I’m using Epitec as a mood stabalizer. I’m on it for the past 4 years and it definitely helped me a lot. I’m on 100mg per day. I hope that you will be just fine very soon.
I’ve been on lithium, haldol and ativan for about two months now. And they have been really helping me. I don’t cry for no reason anymore or feel manic. I still have panic attacks but that’s not something a mood stabilizer can help with.
Hey J - I was on both Lithium for many years, and Depakote ER for many years - not at the same time, i was also on a mood stabilizer called Tegretol and currently on Lamictal.
If you are rapid cycling, and it sounds like you are - I would consider Depakote ER or Tegretol - Lithium is not really for rapid cycling, its more for classic bipolar/sza mood swings.
I am in search for another mood stabilizer to add to my cocktail, because Risperdal and Lamictal are not enough to tone down my rapid cycling.
I am considering going back on Tegretol, I have to see what my pdoc tells me.
Expect weight gain with Depakote, especially if its over 1000mg - Tegretol is weight neutral but will diminish the levels of the other meds that you are on, like Seroquel and Latuda.
Adding low dose lithium to your cocktail might help a bit too.
Best of luck with everything!
I am on Lithium; but, I would like to come off of it as I have been on it the better part of twenty years. I have also been on Depakote and Tegretol. I don’t remember much about Depakote. I thought that Tegretol was a really good medicine for me; because it seemed to be the only medicine that prevented me from my horrible temper and irritability. I had to off it, though, and switch to Lithium. It lowered my white blood count so badly that it made me very suspectible to bacterial illnesses. I was almost hospitalized; but, they didn’t do it because it was Christmas. They just told me to stay away from people. I really like Tegretol because I believe it was the only medicine that kept my horrible temper from flaring up. It kept me calm. However, when the white blood count go so terribly lowered; I started to feel sick and have dreams that I was sick. Except for that, I believe it is a good medicine. I use the word temper because I can not think of any other psychiatrically satisfactory word; but the word temper is not quite or describes it all. It’s something more. But, I never threatened anyone physically.
I’ve tried Depakote ER (Extended release) before and it worked well for me until the Dr. increased it to high for me (1125 mgs). At 500 to 750 mgs I did well on it though.
Right now I take Lamictal and just increased it because of racing thoughts and delusions. So far so good for me.