Meds made it worse

[Kaya1923]

I have been off my meds for a little over year, now I am feeling all the ld problems coming back the not sleeping, over thinking and wanting to disappear.  But, when I was on the meds while some things got better other things that I never had before came about.  I couldn't leave my house because of panic attacks and fear of being aropund people.  The meds caused me to gain 82 pounds and then the Dr. said it was because I was eating wrong.  Yet, I never changed my eating habits.  I would freak out if someone called the house much less drop by.  Now, I can get out of the house and have had friends over but all of the bi-polar peoblems are coming back.  I have tried to hide it from my husband, but I don't know that it is working.  I just don't know what to do?  I know I need to go to the Dr, but I am afraid to be put back on the meds and have all that start up again.  I know I need help because thigns are getting bad again.

[Crystlas]

I guarantee that that crazy Depakote caused your weight gain.  Try some weight neutral drugs.  Oh, the temazepam...bad news, majorly addictive.  Melatonin, when taken nightly is great for sleep.  Wellbutrin is an excellent anti-depressent for weight loss.  I always lose weight on it.  Abilify does not cause weight gain either.  These are the drugs I am using.  I just got off of my Lithium, FINALLY and excited to lose all that water weight gain.  PLEASE go back on good meds!  

[Kaya1923]

I feel that I need to let every one know that I am so well aware of the fact I need help.  That this will never go away.  I know I this so well.   i don't want to get back to the point to where I am trying to kill myself again.  I also know that is why I went on this site.  Because I need help and I am just fearing going back on meds as well. I went through two years of trying to get the right combo to have the Dr I was seeing call and leave a phone message that she was no longer going to see me because see couldn't help me.  She would at times change my meds only after being on them for two weeks.   So I went to a new Dr and then He sent me to a team of Drs and they went through having me going to therapy for six months and a new set of med combos.  When they found the set they like they did no more.  So, I got to where I could not walk out my front door without freaking out.  If someone would show up at my house I would hide a bathroom crying for fear they saw me. Then I would hide in my bedroom for two weeks just in case someone might show back up.  And this was done not beacuse I didn't like how i looked  or anything that petty.  It was because I would have extreame panic attacks.  I lost my job, I got to the point that if the phone would ring I would freak out and had such fear that was so unbearable that I tried to kill myself to stop it.  When i talked to the three Drs that I had by this point they said it was normal to be that way and I wanted no part of that.  So, i stopped.  So, yes i am having my insane lows because that is what I get with my bi-polar not so much the highs it is the bad lows.  But, even with them I able to go see friends and go to the store and answer the phone.  No I am not to the point I use to be and I still have a hard time in crowds.  But it is nowhere near as bad as it was on the meds.   No I am not saying I don't need help, I was just hoping that maybe someone else even went through even in some small way what I have gone through and might be able to give some help.  I thank you all for your post but I feel that this is not for me.

[Jikan]

I you agree with others that see your mental health provider as soon as possible. Being off your meds for a year is a long time and I'm surprised that you didn't freak out before now(even though you may have without you acknowledging it). I took myself off my meds twice because I didn't think they were working. Both times I ended up in the hospital. It may take quite a long time to get the right combination of medications that will stablize you.  Have faith and continue research on your own, ask your doctor specific questions(make a list) and tell him about medications you are not comfortable with (i.e. weight gain). Depakote and Seraquel both made me gain weight and I told my doctor to take me off of them, which he did. I currently use lamictal, remeron and valium which seem to do the trick. Regardless, bipolar disorder is not curable, but you can stabilize it.  Good luck in your efforts to get a handle on it.

[triedeverymed]

You know it's a trade off with medication but it doesn't have to be all that bad. You may have been on the wrong medication and it caused panic attacks. A bit of tweaking the old drugs might help you lead a better quality life. Don't be afraid to say no to a certain med and tell your doctor you will not go back on the same meds. Do a bit of research so you can throw out some options when you see the doc. It helps quite a bit to know your options.
All the best

[bernie40]

Hi, I can really empathise with how you are feeling.  I too came off my meds because I was fed up the constant changing and various side effects but I was only off them a month before it all went down hill again.  My husband was worried when I told him because he also didn't like the way I was on the meds and was worried about me going back on them.  I told the pdoc that I didn't want the ones I was on before and she prescribed me Zyprexa but unfortunately that hasn't worked out either so it will be another one when I go back to see her.

Definitely make an appointment before things get worse and you may find your husband will be supportive if you tell him (mine was in the end).

Take care, all the best.  Helen

[Kaya1923]

I was on Prozac, Lithium,Temazepam, Topamax...they had just taken me off of the Depacoat ( i think that is how it is spelled)  Yes, I was on all of them at the same time.  As for my thryoid it was checked every six months as well as my liver.  And it was low but still in the normal range.  And it wasn't until I hit over two hundred pounds that they said the meds caused it.  
  Yeah I know I have it and know that I need the meds I just don't want the side effects of the meds.   And this is after going two years of changing meds every time I turned around because the Dr. was not happy with the result he/she was getting.   I had both a male and female Dr  they worked in the same office.  And no, no plan or even a hint of a plan was ever laid out for me to do.  They said I had to be eating too much fast food.  Yet, that is something I have always tried to stay away from.  
In gettting back to the Dr it will be a new one because my husbands job changed insurance plans so I have to get new Drs.
  Thank you for talking to me.
L,
Kaya

[Venora Moonwind]

what meds were you on? and did you get your thryoid checked? The dr is a goofball to not akknowledge that bi polar meds can make you gain weight.
when I gained weight on zyprexa My head do and discused healthy meal plans
6 samll meals a day with lots of fruits and veggies,grains an3oz of leanprotiens per meal.NO caffiene or sugar as these aggravate bi polar andput the pounds on.
Exercise at least 30 mins a day even if it is just a brisk walk.Not only will this help you to loose the weight but it will improve you mood and level you out somewhatNOt like being on meds but it will reduce the need for a high dosage.
I am on year 8 of being stable on my zyprexa and celexa. I tried to stop them with denying I was bi polar but after episode 3 I had it driven home that I am bi polar I need my meds and my therapy to be stable
Talk to your doc or If it were me I would change docs after saying what he said about your eating. Did he/she ehlp you to lay out a plan ? Probably not most dont and I know I am blessed to have such a wonderful psychiatrist and therapist
So make that appontment and know that the right med combo is there for you I went through alot of meds before I got the zyprexa celexa and I dont ever intend to stop taking them  because of how they have meade a stable noraml happy person.
Let me know how things go with your appointment and ypur progress. Until then give the suggestions I made a try because they rally help .
Love Venora