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603015 tn?1329862973

does missing one dose of meds really have an impact

I had been feeling a little unstable for a week or so and then on thursday I felt really unbalanced, I was crying for no reason just tears were flowing, I felt angry and aggitated and just generally felt terrible and scared. It wasnt until I got home that my husband told me I had missed my meds that morning, they are only 1/3 of what I take daily, can missing 1 dose effect your stability if you are vunerable or if this just a coincidence.
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Avatar universal
Do not miss any of your doses. I did that back in may 2010 I missed 4 days of meds because I did not have them and well it caused me to go nuts and well I got in a huge fight with my wife while I was nuts and well she left me and filed for a divorce and still to this day is causing me problems and well if I took my meds I would not have these problems I now have. This damm bi polor crap has wrecked my life.Now at the time I had just been started on meds for the bi polor 1 month before.
Helpful - 0
674607 tn?1240017232
Half-life will obviously vary from one med to the next, and even from one person to another.
Here''s what  http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/815523-overview   has to say about Lithium:

Lithium half-life

The plasma elimination half-life of a single dose of lithium is from 12-27 hours (varies with age). The half-life increases to approximately 36 hours in elderly persons (secondary to decreased GFR). Additionally, half-life may be considerably longer with chronic lithium use.
Helpful - 0
1527334 tn?1291701717
I've always been told that my medication (lithium) has a long enough half-life that missing one or two doses shouldn't have much of an effect. Even so, though, I can usually feel the difference. I set alarms in my phone now to remind myself to take my medication.
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Avatar universal
Bring him to your next pdoc appointment is my suggestion. That and another good book is Dr. Amen's Change your Brain, Change your Life. It has pictures of brain scans of people who are depressed (only one bipolar though) and the changes in the brain scans compared to normal people. That may help prove to him it is real. And on the upside it has some suggestions on how to heal broken brains so it would be useful for you too

And try not to take it personally. He is likely going through the stages of grief and one of those is denial. If he denies there is a problem maybe it will just go away.

The other thing is to talk to your psychiatrist. He may be able to give you something temporarily that will help. If you are a former drug addict though you may be out of luck as it is usually benzodiazapines that they give and they won't give them to someone with a past history of addiction.

The other thing you really need to do is figure out why you are playing Russian Roulette with your meds. Going off them without tapering down can cause a whole list of symptoms as you are finding out. It also lowers the seizure threshold and you could end up having a seizure. It is also extremely common so don't beat yourself up about it. Just try and figure out the issue so you don't do it again.

If you have a therapist I would talk to them about it. If you don't have a therapist I would strongly suggest getting one. If money is an issue some places work on a sliding scale where you pay a lower price if you don't have the money. You'd have to ask around. Some therapist also do some probono work but they are harder to find. Depending on your country too their may be other options. Here if you go through your psychiatrist there are a limited amount of therapist you can see. There is usually a wait. I see someone with their masters in social work for cognitive behavioral therapy. If I had to pay I wouldn't be able to go. We just can't afford it.

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have waited for over two years for my family to see that I needed help... I have been on meds. for mood disorder and panic attackss. I missed 4 days of meds. I am a bit nuts. I asked my husband for assistance to help me get my thoughts settled and he has been so cruel. He also blamed my behaviors on illegal drugs. I can prove not but he does not care. Mocked me and not only did not help but left me hanging on a limb and in real pain. How do I get him to see
Helpful - 0
674607 tn?1240017232
There are at least 2 reasons not to miss a dose.  The main one has been discussed already.  The second one is this:  Some medications produce almost instantaneous withdrawal symptoms.  In my case, this applies to Effexor.  If I miss my morning dose, I have the "withdrawal flu" by no later than 6 pm.  That's enough to remind me that I must have slipped up.
Helpful - 0
603015 tn?1329862973
Thank you, I will definatley be more vigilant and I will talk to my doc next visit.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
Any medication that is taken twice a day is because it has a short half life (time it lasts) so if you miss the morning dose or evening dose you will feel it. Some medications have extended release versions such as Seroquel, and Invega which is basically an extended release version of Risperdal. But with Depakoate and lithium from what I remember of them they are almost always given twice a day so that's why you would feel the effect. You can look up more information on any of the websites linked on the medications you posted about or ask your pharmacist for a print out and certainly ask your psychiatrist.
Helpful - 0
603015 tn?1329862973
thanks for your comments, i use a pill box thats how my husband realised, he went to get my evening ones out and realised i hadnt taken the morning ones, i take epilim and lithium, i didnt realise they could impact things so dramatically ?
Helpful - 0
637939 tn?1261283094
I know exactly what you are talking about.  Although I don't know what medication you are taking or how long you have been taking them, it is hard to say.  I think it is more likely due to a change in your monthly cycle.  I have been using the mood tracker and have really been able to nail down when these mood swings are going to appear.  My occurs  when I am ovulating.  Good luck and remember to take your meds.  I find using a pill box the only way I am sure I took them.
Helpful - 0
585414 tn?1288941302
Yes it does. Medications generally don't have a long half life so they have to taken every day or they don't work. Even when I was on standard medications if I took one pill less I'd feel psychotic or manic the next day and know exactly what happenned. And even with what I take now one time I went to a family member's house and forgot to bring it and started to get psychotic and had to go home to get it immediately (it like some current medications has a very short half life). The best thing to do is keep a reminder device such as a week day box of all your medications for that. I tend to do that and have a reminder by the computer when to change the Clonidine patch as well. Best to keep track of it.
Helpful - 0
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