too large of a cocktail?

[cari7373]

Hello, new to this. I was diagnosed as bipolar in 2004 after a diagnosis of severe depression, anxiety and PTSD. I am not sure if all of that is summed up with the bipolar diagnosis, or I have all of them. Anyway, I have been hospitalized 3 times and over the last 5 years have been in almost every psych med know. The guinea pig trials have been often debilitating. After a long road of ups and downs I think I am doing pretty well... but it's a HUGE cocktail.
I take Lamictal, wellbutrin, klonopin, geodon, vistaril, and now vyvanase (although strattera helped my moods a lot better plus the ADHD symptoms it caused breathing problems at 80 mg a day). I have severe insomnia and a lot of meds work opposite on me, hence making me a 'problem child' for any pdoc I've had. So the new combo seems to be doing well, but I would like to take a smaller dosage of the strattera as well. Don't see pdoc until 10/27. I also was on cymbalta about 6 months ago and it helped tremendously with my depressive states, body pain and PMS (which is terrible. Have almost left my husband every month for the last 6 months, one week before my period). Pdoc stopped cymbalta because it was making me a little 'too' happy.(figures). Ended up in hospital after stopping it. Just wondering if anyone out there has had such a large cocktail to remain stable and if anyone knows if adding a lower dose of strattera and a small dose of cymbalta to the mix would cause trouble. I admit I have been taking the 40 mg of strattera every other day even though pdoc switched me to vyvanse. Am taking that as well but just makes me a little moody when it wears off. (as did adderall (adderrall)). I also was diagnosed with 'supposed' chronic fatigue syndrome earlier this year due to chronic pain and fatigue. I am torn on this diagnoses as my mental issues could exhibit the same symptoms. (although they never have before) Also unfortunately I also suffer from akathisia, sometimes terribly and antihistamines make it worse. So far Vistaril hasn't been too bad... but I am sock of feeling my insides are going to jump out... very difficult to sleep. Restless leg is an issue and I haven't even brought that up with reg doc because of who knows she will do for that. More medicine? Ugh more.. I was severely obese at one time and am half of that weight now and so when a med (whether it's helping or not begins to show weight gain I will stop it because gaining weight makes me more depressed). CALGON TAKE ME AWAY!!!

Sorry so long, just wanting some input that might help when I see pdoc next. I appreciate any opinions. Thanks for reading my novella. : )

[ILADVOCATE]

Yes medications for ADHD can be activating but they are also helpful on the symptoms they treat. You'll have to discuss that with your psychiatrist. "Restless legs syndrome" is probably not what you are experiencing. Anti-psychotics can cause temporary movement disorders such as akathesia. They could prescribe a side effect pill for that. Wellbutrin is an anti-depressent and can be activating in people with bipolar. Geodon can be activating regardless. We certainly can't make any statements about which medications might be changed but I would suggest if no psychiatrist has been able to address these issues without this amount of medications that you might consider seeing a psychopharmocologist who are "medication experts" and might be able able to decide which combination of medications would be right for you.

[rogelio63]

Hey there,

Don't have much to say about the med issues, but my mom had restless leg syndrome in addition to having alot of meds act opposite with her too.  She tried this goofy home remedy for restless legs and it worked. Here's a link so you can read about it yourself.

Rodger
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2005/12/07/soap-under-the

[cari7373]

Thanks for your input. I do think it's all just akathesia as almost everything I take causes it in me with the exception of the lamictal and klonopin. Benedryl does it.. odd since that's one of the treatments for it. It also wires me.

How does one see a psychopharmocologist? I am sure that there isn't one in my small town and how do you get referred to one? My currrent pdoc is patient, but I do wonder how much she can really do.

I don't like being on so many meds. I was fairly stable on lamictal and klonopin only for almost 2 years but then a switch was well.. switched and I went into a manic state that wasn't a fun one. I have been on so many meds... by themselves, in 2's, 3's... switched around... different times of the day.. etc.

SInce being on the vistaril and geodon at night it's been the first I've been able to sleep more than 2 hours at a time. But that's still not a regular occurrence. Most activating drugs work opposite, with the exception of the wellbutrin. The ADHD meds mellow me out and when I was on cymbalta I had to take it at night because it knocked me out. She said it shouldn't do that. It's always a lot of experimenting with times and such. Wellbutrin without the lamictal and klonopin makes me a monster. I am not sure if it really helps with my depressive states or not but the thought of yet another med change terrifies me and specially when it comes to anti-depressants.

The current combo seems to be working if I take the strattera. Vyvanase by itself is making me moody and tearful when it wears off about 4-5 pm. Can't take another one or I won't sleep... that cycle again.

I understand you can't make any statements as to the med situation. I was just wondering if anyone had any similar experiences.

Rogelio63, I do have a bar of soap with me in my bed. I don't know if it helps much with the akathesia symptoms but I have grown accustomed to needing it touching me somewhere when I am in the bed. Placebo.. or maybe it sadly is a substitute for my husband when he isn't in bed? lol

Only thing that seems to help with the restless feeling is klonopin and making sure I don't eat a lot of sugar in the day and alcohol is a BIG time trigger for it.

Maybe if I ate the soap? : )

[ILADVOCATE]

You can get a referral to a psychopharmocologist by calling your local NAMI hotline.
This might help as well:
http://www.ascpp.org/
If you take a medication that is activating you could ask your psychiatrist if it could be taken in the morning for now.

[rogelio63]

Oh no,,,you only eat the soap if you say a bad word,,,