My psychiatrist changed my medicines

[MR_WHY]

My psychiatrist changed my medicines. Now, I'm on Lithium tablets 600 mg p.m. and 400 mg a.m.
Also, I'm on Lamictal 100 mg twice daily and seroquel 200 mg for 1 week after that increase the dose to 400 mg daily.

I hope this medicines useful this time.

Any advice.

[PurpleThunderMonkey]

Stay strong dude. It is good to get a fresh page to start with. One thing that helps me is to think that my life is like riding a bike. The meds can give me helmet, a reflector and a pump for the tires, but I am the one that has to learn how to ride it. I've got a good therapist and determination to weather the storm. Those things have helped me. Hope you find what works for you.

[PurpleThunderMonkey]

Stay strong dude. It is good to get a fresh page to start with. One thing that helps me is to think that my life is like riding a bike. The meds can give me helmet, a reflector and a pump for the tires, but I am the one that has to learn how to ride it. I've got a good therapist and determination to weather the storm. Those things have helped me. Hope you find what works for you.

[MR_WHY]

These are difficult days but the good things are that I know the improvements happen due to meds.

Depression became worse. Mania usually not occur  except as mixed epissodes.

I think to take again seroquel again before my next appointment with my psychiatrist (after about 2 weeks).

[Bubulous]

I will read and respond to your other question..
Yes, of course you are going to be going through a tough time soon but you can make it through it.  The first 3-5 days are going t be the hardest but I hope you come back here and ask for support.  

[MR_WHY]

Now, my WBCs level become better.
my psychiatrist decided stop all my meds for 2 weeks to sure my body is free of meds. after that, restart my medication again.

I'm worry about this time. It's long time without meds. I don't know if I can handle it.  

############

Please read my new question.

[MR_WHY]

Yes, I have really difficult to explain my depression or found words that explains exactly what I feel.

I think if my family know about my sickness that's will be not helpful. also, to avoid stigma. My relationship with my family get worse during years. BP is broken.

[Bubulous]

I read your old post and understand that you live with your family.  I also understand that the med change has effected you tremendously so I do not want to take away from reality.
One of the patterns that I am noticing is that I do not hear from you when you are depressed.  I usually read afterwards.  I do not think you can verbalize how you feel when you are depressed and it is only after the low mood that you can understand what is going on.
The good thing is that you have a lot of self awareness which is key.  You know what is going on with you but are worried that it is always going to be like that but I can promise you that it will not.
Why does your family not know about your diagnosis or treatment?

[MR_WHY]

Continue,

I forgot mention that I have over activity during this night. I can not sleep until now!

[MR_WHY]

Summary of last day (1st day) after stopping my meds:


Bad depression during day. Mixed episodes during night but still depression more strong. Also, I had difficult to get sleep. I tried lorazepam 2mg but help.

[MR_WHY]

Since I stopped lithium, my moods are only low or status that be not normal, not high, not low.

I never try drugs or alcohol including these days. I'm not smoking too.

Now, my low mood became more especially last days and after I stopped seroquel and decrease lamictal dose. My low moods and depression symptoms increased before taking the second dose and after it. For example, If my second dose on 6:00 p.m., my symptoms increased at 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

During work time, I don't feel worried related to work or other workers. I'm only feel bad, worried, negative thoughts when I deal with some workers that I'm not comfortable with or they put me on pressure or trigger my headache to be worse than before. That's not mean I don't have low moods during the work time, but this problem increased and trigger my low moods to be worse than before or stimulated it to begin.
This issues make me think about it during the day or at night only when I work with them. If days I don't work with them, I became less thinking or stop thinking. Last 2 days, I avoid work with them so I didn't think a lot related to my work but you should know that my low mood became worse due to changed my medicines.

My only solution when I have really strong depression episode is sleep.

I live with my family. They didn't know about my diagnosis and treatment.

Please read my older question:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Bipolar-Disorder/I-need-advice/show/2642570

[Bubulous]

As we heal in life we do it based on three.  Mind, body, and spirit.  There are also some other things in there but this is typical of what a normal person has to work with.
It sounds like your depression has already been triggered.  The symptoms you describe are those experienced from a person who is in a state of depression.
What are your after work activities like?  What do you do?
Are there any drugs or alcohol involved?  I'm not judging, that just plays a big part in understanding how a mind works.
Is your energy higher when you get in from work?  Does it peak at night a couple hours before bed?  Does it peak shortly after you get back from work?
Sorry to ask so many questions but I do this so that I give considerable attention to your worries instead of giving you the "easy answer".
What I am trying to find out is the rythm of your mood.  If it peaks in the morning it says something and if it is in the evening that says something too.
Do you live by yourself?

[MR_WHY]

I mean my memory became worse than before. My concentration is decreased during the day not only related to learning skills but during the day. I became forget many things and lose my focusing. I'm also loss my concentration during conversation with others specially during early morning and became absent minded. I hope now understood me.

I'm not getting exercise during this period because I did surgical operation before around 2 months.

Now, my psychiatrist determine stop my medicines. Stopping Seroquel immediately and Lamictal gradually. He decided this because my WBCs become lower than normal level. He requested for CT-scan.

It difficult to be strict in activities specially at the beginning of the morning, I still have some trouble with my sleep.

My condition is not stable until now. This make any actions very difficult.
I'm work on finding therapist around me. It's not easy to find one in hospital that I'm eligible to get treatment there.
I reject to get treatment in specialized hospital in mental diseases and addictions due to many causes.

********************

About my work:

My shift during the day.

I'm talking about relationship with some employees. or people that I don't feel comfortable with. This problem lead to increase my headache, feel sad and pressure. I became feel worry with more thinking. It may lead to trigger very depression episode.

[Bubulous]

What do you mean "you forget things?"
Can you be a little more specific on what is triggering you and what isbeing triggered?  I know you are a little worried and I understand.  I would never recommend avoidance as a coping skill as it does not teach you anything except to run from things.
What shift do you work?
Are you getting any exercise?
First I would recommend at least an hour if you can before work to get yourself to a calm state, then get in some mild to moderate form of exercise followed by a shower.
This works because it puts you in control of your bodies natural thermostat and can aid you in controlling what you let in or out throughout the day.  In the moment there is little you can do so you have to prepare yourself before you arrive to work.  This practice will make you more resilliant and powerful.  I have done it and I know that it works.  It may take a day or two so you have to be patient because the only thing in this world that gives immediate release from stress, worry, or depression is often also dangerous and destructive behavior.
Keep looking for that therapist but don't wait too long.  If you have done your research and have enough comfort than I recommend also taking the next step in your treatment and seeing an actual, real-life therapist that you can look in the eyes and have a back and forth conversation with.

[MR_WHY]

In works, how can I deal with others who trigger my negative symptoms? How Can I avoid them or avoid there influence and effects?

Any useful and helpful advices and ideas?!

[MR_WHY]

Thank you for your help.

There is a new problem. I became forget things. I am already have problems with my concentration and memory but I didn't forget things like now. Why? What to do?

[Bubulous]

I would say that it could be a litte of both but for right now I would focus more on some other things than the medicines so that the dr can worry about that.  The reason I know so much about medicines (especially those you are on) is because I played with them and questioned them.  The bad thing is that because of this inquisition I suffered a lot of hard times that were not necessay.  I could have just let the dr deal with that part and worked on other things that I didn't get to until later.
If the medicine is starting to stabilize you can work on a few different things.  Either the past, present, or the future.
If there is nothing from the past eating you or hurting you, then you may find yourself looking toward the future....especially if you feel like you are prepared to take on some challenges.  If your future is already in motion and going in a good direction, and you have nothing from the past to deal with, then just live in the present for as long as you can before you get pushed or pulled again.  Get some sights, or take up a new hobby all while keeping in mind not to put too much pressure or stress on yourself so that a med change is not prematurally necessary.

[MR_WHY]

What should I focus on?

[MR_WHY]

Now, one week since I started my new medication. No high mood. Only low, more low, more more low, and status that be not normal, not high, not low.

Is this good sign that the goal of new meds work? Because the doc want to stop my high first to lead to control of my low and depression.

Or It just up and down of the same disease and not related to medication!

[Bubulous]

Give it some time.  You are a complex person and it is going to take time and trust for any therapist to break through and get to the heart but it is possible.

[MR_WHY]

I see online therapist until find good possible one. He learned me some skills but It's not really work. If I'm too high or too low, it's not help.

[Bubulous]

I would not worry too much.  I am not a psychiatrist but it sounds like you have a good one.
Based on what you described with your mixed episodes, I think that he has made a good decision on the direction he has decided to go in.
For now trust your dr and take your meds.  I recommend taking your focus off of the meds for a bit.
Do you have a therapist as well?
What has he/she asked you to work on?

[MR_WHY]

What about your medication right now? Is it same (Lamictal 200 pm, 200 am; Seroquel 400 pm) or change?
My my psychiatrist changed my meds to syroquil 600 mg daily and 125 mg lamictal twice daily. He changed the principle of my treatment beacause I have mixed episodes (feel high and low at the same time) so, he stopped the lithium and may add antidepression in the future.

[MR_WHY]

Again, my psychiatrist changed my meds. Now,syroquil 600 mg daily and 125 mg lamictal twice daily. He stopped lithium at all.

When I will find meds work for me?

[mrsdimples1]

I am currently on Lamictal, Wellbutrin, Lithium, and Klonapin, oh and Adderral. Sometimes it helps but most of the time I am in a rage. No one understands or listens to me when I try to tell them how I feel or about why I act the way I do, they just change the subject. I have been so manic this week, and last week that I have just kept taking the lamictal and klonapin until I feel better or fall asleep. I see why so many people with mental illness kill themselves because you are screeaming for help and no one answers.