need some advice

[longhaul195]

2 years ago I had a panic attack that turned into anxiety that lasted for days. I got to the point where I couldn't sleep.(This was the first time in my life) Was put on Lexapro and trazadone for sleep which worked great. Stayed on the Lexapro for 1 1/2+ years and weaned off at the recommendation of my doctor. 3 months later..whammo..another panic attack and the start of the same thing. Went to a new pdoc who told me in 5 minutes I was bipolar. All I had was anxiety never had depression never was any type of manic. She said the anxiety was the mania and started me on a fist full of meds. All I wanted to do was start the lex and trazadone again. All the medication made me very ill. I lost 16 pounds in 2 weeks. She did nothing to address my sleep problems which made everything worse. One of the drugs was Depakote and while I was taking it I could feel it depressing me. I even mentioned this to everyone around me because I've never felt depression before. After switching Dr.s and being so ill, I ended up in the hospital. There they said major depression. Unfortunately I am very sensitive to meds and can't stay on any antidepressants long enough to get a benefit. I have been clinically depressed for 6 months now and wonder what to do to get out of it. My new doc wants to try all the antipsychotics again and I don't want to do that. I guess my question is... if the depression is deep and won't go away is it a sign of bipolar disorder? I never would have believed I was and nothing like this runs in my family.I really don't want to take those meds and land back in the hospital, but would like to get out of this depression. 6 months is too long.
Thanks

[longhaul195]

Please see above post...spelled your name wrong...

[longhaul195]

Was just thinking about your post and thought I'd send an update. I myself have found a wonderful pyschiatric nurse practioner who specializes in meds and was appalled herself to see what I have been put through. She has put me back on Lexapro and Klonopin until the lex kicks in. It turns out I may have a problem with celiac and thyroid which may explain a lot. I don't need anything to sleep anymore which is nice. Especially because with all these new health concerns my anxiety is a little over the top. It has been a lousy 7 months trying to get my head back on straight. Those meds really did a number. But I'm still curious about how the anxiety plays into bipolar. Can that be the only mania there is or do the other typical symptoms have to play a part in it too. My new panic disorder may be due to thyroid issues but don't know yet. When I get the anxiety it's pretty intense and doesn't go away easily leading to trouble sleeping and eating. However, before this I was never depressed. Plus with all the ADs I've been on I've never become even hypomanic. (My house would look a lot better if I did!!) My new doc says major depression with panic disorder but I still wonder because that first nut still has me scared.Any info you could give me would be great. I'm still trying to put all the pieces together.
thanks so much

[fixit211]

Hi,
I really don't have any good news for you here. Like Jillthepill, my doc is also playing guinee pig with me. He has diagnosed me as being bi-polar. I started with just getting help for my depression, then it was the anxiety, and this pill causes that side effect and so on.
Anyway, 2 years later, I am taking 2000mg of Depakote ER per day along with 300mg wellbutrin SR, and 45mg Remeron. This is in addition to the vicodine I take for my back problems, and the medicines for my asthma.
Well, the doc and counsler / therapist, whatever she is, has come to the conclusion that my bi-polar manic depression whatever you want to lable it is now under control, and now they are going to address the paranoia that I am experiencing. I wished they had addressed that 2 years ago, but I am glad they are looking into it now. I still feel, as I always have, that the paranoia is conected with the panic / anxiety attacks.
It's a gamble. They will keep trying as long as you let them. Just be sure to let them know when they get it right so they can stop and move ahead with the next problem. Be open and honest with your doc. I told mine once that I felt he was wasting my time blah blah blah, and he gave me the speach about give the pills time to work, 6 to 8 weeks, nothing happens overnight, etc, etc. well I gotta say he was kinda right on that point.
But I do feel for you, I really do, I am getting so tired of all this and would like for them to say take this 1 pill and everything will be perfect again. But that ain't gonna happen. Hang in there.
Sincerly, fixit211

[JillthePill77]

Find a good psychologist.  Mine is much more invested in finding the meds that really are right for me.  Plus you get two opinions to think about, the Psychologist and the Psychiatrist.  The team works very well for me.

[DLA]

Lexapro is and antidpressant/antianxiety med.  I'm bipolar with emphasis on depression and anxiety.  I take Celexa and have wonderful success except that I occasionally have to change meds b/c my body gets too used to them.

You could just have an anxiety disorder and they are treated differently.  Find a new psychiatrist or therapist who will listen and work with you.  If not fire them and move to the next one.

[Crystlas]

OMG!  I would be majorly peed off I I were you!!  Sounds to me like this is medically induced depression.  I am not a doctor, but I am a social worker with a passion of doing lots of research on lots of subjects.  I was correctly diagnosed bipolar due to the fact that I had major manic and major depressive symptoms w/o being on ANY drugs and now I am FINALLY on a great combo keeping my BP under control.  However, I have read that people put on these types of medications can be chemically thrown off balance and induced into mood problems when they do not have the disorder.  These drugs mess with brain chemicals and if someone does not have an imbalance it can really screw you up!  (I know I am not typing "professionally", but I am astounded!!)  If it was me, and I am taking a chance giving you this advice, I would stop seeing those doctors and wean myself off SLOWLY from these medications.  After you get a clean system then see what types of symptoms you really do have and find a specialist that works with that particular disorder and will prescribe for you the Lexapro and Trazadone.  Sounds like that combo works great for you.  Sadly, there are a lot of crooks out there trying to pump clients full of **** to make a buck and win a nice vacation.  I have been through some of them myself.  In fact one of them put me on the wrong drugs a few months ago and I started getting very suicidal and actually had an attempt a month ago!  I fired her @ss as soon as I got out of the hospital and I am now with a WONDERFUL psychiatric nurse practioner that listens to what I want.  She has me on the right meds and we worked as a team to get there.  Since I have read the DSM, you sound like you have GAD (General Anxiety Disorder) , which is easily managable.  Unfortunatly, a lot of prescribed meds are very addictive to the body ie. Temazepam, Xanax, Kolonopin...etc. so please be careful and do your research on anything that goes into your body.  Most of the drugs in this family of Benzo's are very physically addictive.  I ONLY use Temazepam when I am very very manic and have to sleep to stop the phase and I use those pills sparingly to avoid addiction.  I use natural methods for my anxiety which is pretty bad for me in general.  I use Meletonin and Valerian root.  It seems to really help.  Now I wonder if there is a prescription anxiety med that is not addictive.  I know trazadone is not, I used to use it.  My NP pulled me off of it since I got put on Wellbutrin and she said there is an interaction between both drugs.  I love the wellbutrin, it is doing a great job.  I do hope this info helps.  You are incharge of your body and what goes in it.   Good for you to question this.  Learn from what happened to me being with a crooked psychiatrist and take care of you.   Best of luck and keep me posted!