On new medication Topomax for Bipolar1 + no more ADHD meds

I went to my psychiatrist at 12:30 all is well. I told him I agreed that I don’t have ADHD and that I had stopped the stimulant medication. He was in agreement with that but not in stopping the anti-psychotics without telling him first. I told him I hadn’t been taking Abilify, and he was a little upset at first but not overtly angry just advised me that I need to be on some type of mood stabilizer for Bipolar because, so with Bipolar 1 if you are too depressed or too manic, then you can become psychotic however unlike schizophrenia it doesn’t just happen out of the blue, randomly there’s a more obvious and direct cause. I’m pretty sure Bipolar is what I have, not that it’s the biggest factor but knowing what I have is important to me. So I am starting a brand new medication.

Topomax, and nothing harsh or with too many side effects. He really wants me to continue visteral as needed for anxiety or panic, and the new medication at the very lowest dose. I will take Vistaril as needed though no more than 3 times a day and I don’t plan on taking it often unless at the right time–because it’s good for allergic reactions, and also capping mania or anxiety that fuels obsessive thinking and stuff. It really calms me down, I might actually take it but I’m stressed out and just took the first dose of the new mood stabilizer and I want to be sure I know how the new stuff effects me. He suggested Lamictal but I’m allergic and I got the face rash so I’m trying topamax and hoping to God it helps more than Abilify, oh and apparently it helps you lose weight too. Win win.

I had a very positive appointment and interaction. I applied to Yale and Harvard, and I need to get recommendations from my college. No one really thinks I can do it, or seems to be enthusiastic about my goals or future, when I got an interview with a Harvard Alumni my dad told me not to bother. I live 20 minutes from the shittiest city in the world. I love this state I do not love the poverty, and drugs, and carelessness and big interests that victimize and take advantage of people.

my brother is bipolar with psychotic features, he doesn’t take medications anymore he was also diagnosed with adhd and autism. He stopped all meds and smokes a lot of weed to supposedly cope but he is a butthole without it. anyway I hope the new meds help you, there’s always a hope when you first start new meds that it will work for you.

omg thanks!! They are working really well. I’m doing better. I’m calm, not manic or racing thoughts, not paranoid as much…trying to keep myself under control and not getting bs depressed anymore, life can be hard but finding brightness is the strength right?

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I take topiramate (topomax) for seizures. It works ok for my seizures, but I have to take it in conjunction with another anti seizure med. It is known as “dopomax” because of the side effect of “cognitive dulling”

When I lowered the dose this got better.

It’s suppose to help with weight loss. Didn’t do that for me but I don’t really need to lose weight.

good luck, it can be sedating, btw,
BRooke

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I’m on Topamax as well for my mood symptoms. I noticed that a bit of a lower dose works better than a higher dose for me. At a higher dose I become very cloudy. Though all-in-all, it is very effective for my mania. The weight loss/control for the anti-psychotics I take is a plus.

Hope you have a good experience on it!

I’m starting to realize that because I was on anti-psychotics, I must’ve seemed a lot more sane than I was. I dont have a mood disorder, I never complained of mood issues other than loss etc situations. I found out my father might divorce my mother, and he wants me to get on disability, and I have paranoid schizophrenia that was my original label. I never denied my experiences, I hadn’t been having symptoms. I was taken off Abilify 30 mgs a night, and put on Vistaril 25mgs 3x a day as needed and Topomax 25mgs twice a day. I went to three different ER’s to try and get my medication and was kind of dismissed. Then i tried to commit myself and when the intake person started lying I got scared. I called my office and left voicemail, new number, was hung up on and put on hold 4x and both my x bf and I had the same psychiatrist, he ended up in a mental hospital and his mom blamed me. Then I was for real stalked. I lost my voice this morning, think I caught a cold or throat infection but i can’t even talk anymore. My new psychiatrist thru same people i see on monday but now I cant talk because I just lost my voice, and I hae been hearing voices yesterday and having scary persecution delusions and hallucinations. My dad moved out, and he is the only one advocating for me and he’s tried so hard to help by volunteering at that place and fixing their phone system but its starting to feel as if they dont care becaus I never diminished my experiences. I wasn’t ask enough questions and i was told I have Bipolar1 this past year and i dont actually think that but my dad hates labels and Im struggling with psychosis and denial because you know when you become psychotic you cant exactly realize you’re psychotic, and people dont seem to get that…people dont get how hard it is. So maybe being fully recovered was wishful thinking.