Help!! I am terrified for my best friend!!

[MizzMiniMowze]

My best friend just turned 19 in October 2011, and has extreme bipolar disorder (without meds she has psychotic symptoms) Even on luvox right now, she is quite the rollercoaster. Lately I have been fearing for her life and self respect. She started drinking almost every weekend this past year and more recently, started taking an ECA (Ephedrine,Caffiene and Apririn) stack. (We live in Canada) I am a former drug addict and know the effects of Ephedrine very well. She is BARELY overweight with only extra fat at her belly and bust (which could easily be fixed with some good old fashioned exercise and healthy eating habits (she has only bothered with trying to restrict her calories not exercising regularly). Not only has this happened but she just got her tonsils out. She said she stopped taking it 3 days before the surgery and hasn't in a week since the surgery but has suddenly developed, extreme confusion (she told her doctor the wrong birthday), dizziness, shaking/tremors and blurred vision. Also, she has been way more irritable, making her unbearable to be around or reason with. I understand bipolar disorder is a big part of that, but her actions lately have instensified it tenfold! I have tried to convince her that it isn't safe, is addictive and, also will become very counter-produvtive when she discontinues use, she refuses to hear me. I am also pretty sure she will not tell her doctor she is taking it and I know for a fact she will not breathe a word to her mother who works in the medical feild and knows her stuff. Also, my friend told me herself that the medication for her bipolar (Luvox) increases caffiene's effects 5 fold. Am I being too much of a worry wort, or is there some valid medical advice I can be given to help bring her to he senses? It just doesn't make sense to me that someone with bipolar, who could easily lose her extra weight with healthy diet and exercise, should need to take a cocktail drug to lose weight. I fear it will push her severe disorder over the edge and that it already has mixed badly with her other medications. Please give me some info I can use ASAP.

[lindahand]

Luvox alone for bipolar isn't good medicine. It can cause an increase in bipolar symptoms. It is such that I would literally see a new pdoc because it borders on malpractice. A mood stabilizer may help. Something like lithium, depakote, or lamotrigine or sometimes they use an antipsychotic like abilify, seroquel, risperadol, geodone, zyprexa, or invega.Then she may be able to gain enough insight as to the dangers of what she is doing.

Until she is a clear and present danger to herself there may not be much you can do except wait for her to crash and hope she doesn't crash too hard. If you can get the Mom's phone number that may be a good start. But I don't see her giving it to you.

Sorry I can't tell you anything more positive than this. It sounds like you've done everything you can do.

[angelrider729]

I don't know if you could do this or not but here is what I did for a friend of mine. I went to her house (different situation but could be the same outcome) and she had been taking her anti-depressants a few at a time instead of all at once. This would have made trying to save her a lot harder.
I called a friend of mine and we got her in the car. My friend held her to the back of the front seat with his arm so she couldn't move. I drove her to the hospital just in time because when we got her there she "crashed".  She did not talk to me for about a year but when she did she apologized and she's stable now and we're back to being friends.

[MizzMiniMowze]

She lives an hour away from me, I don't know her doctor... Also considered calling her mom, don't have her mom's phone number either... That's why I am on here looking for Medical advice, I've thought of those ideas already. Thanks for the concern though.

[karems]

Might b worth letting her dr know, you could loose her friendship but better than loosing ur friend all together :(