Hey guys! How’s you all? Hope you’re all having a good 2018 so far.
So I have a question for all the SZA or Bipolar peeps here! I need help with this. I had a severe depression at the start of the month and had a med increase (seroquel 125mg) for hallucinations and delusions. Mood lasted only like a week but was very bad. I suppose the meds worked for the psychotic symptoms but didn’t do much for the mood. Depression has lingered and I realised today that I am actually in a mixed state for the last week or two.
I’m concerned because it doesn’t seem to be passing. I’ve had mixed states before but they never lasted that long and weren’t so difficult. This one I truly feel I’m swinging between hypo is (but not nice hypomania just really energetic, loud, reckless) and depression but constantly agitated, not sleeping well. Today started getting paranoid as well. I just want it to end I feel like pulling my hair out at this point! I feel very dangerous at the moment too like I could easily do something stupid. I hoped it would change to hypomania but that’s clearly not happening.
I just started taking lamictal yesterday. My question is how do I make it stop? Or is there anything that will help!?
Also how long does lamictal take to start working?
Hi mermaid. I am not sure if I am sz or sza, but I have Depakote and lithium(plus Zyprexa). The Depakote calms my irritability and anger, but doesn’t do anything for my depression and negatives. Its the lithium now which I find quite effective for the depression, but my problem is that he lifts my anxiety and paranoia too.
Just my experience
I hope the others sza will come to help you.
Yes the irritability is ■■■■■■■ awful. I feel like punching something! Actually it’s interesting that you say that about lamictal inducing hypomania because I was defo hypomanic this morning and I took it last night and usually my hypomania is in the evenings
Hey Anna. Thanks for your reply. They wanted to put me on lithium this week but I don’t want to try it. I’m too scared of the side effects and don’t trust myself to take it correctly. I’m glad it helps you though! Have you ever tried lamictal?
I took lamictal but for very brief time, yes… It could be an option still for me, if lithium continues to increase my paranoia, yes. My negatives are really bad if I am only on Zyprexa, I basically don’t live…
I have sza, and I take lamictal (lamotrigine), lithium, and saphris. The lamotrigine helps with my mood swings and has made a big difference to that effect. I take 400 mg a day. The lithium is a recent addition. I am on a low dose, 300 mg a day. I was experiencing some serious suicidal thoughts, mania, and depression, which is why my doctor put me on it. It has been a big help. I am happy again. I feel like my normal self. I am still paranoid, but I was before; the lithium doesn’t seem to have increased it. It hasn’t increased my anxiety either; that has returned to pre-depression/manic levels.
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