Hiya..New here.. Bipolar and Outta Control

[jaspacat]

Hi. If I was to launch in the tirade that is my past you'd all find another thread PRONTO. Guess it boils down to this. I have BP type 2, severe depression, anxiety and social phobia - according to THOSE who know best.I'm a a bulimic self harmer, ex-meth addict, former anorexic, current alcoholic. Gotta love the labels lol - and I'm a qualified social worker. Feel kind of silly now, don't know what I really want to say, but my GUILT is eating me up inside. I cheat on my fiance like its going out of fashion... but it's not "me". When I go manic I go off the rails and no one gets it... my little brother who is 28  - I basically raised him because Mum was always drunk and Dad was at the Casino for most of our childhoods - has been sectioned in a psych ward and had ECT for the last few months. Both our parents have now passed away and my lil bro's on a pension. I won't take my Seroquel and Amytriptiline because they make me gain weight. I have been taking 2-3mg of Xanax a day since 2004 and am totally physically  and psychologically dependent on it, goddamn beautiful hated benzos!! I guess I want to find out of there is anyone like me.... My bf "needs his space" which is cool... but if I'm manic I'll go straight to the pub and pick up no worries. The fact we have nada sex life doesn't help...I'm not excusing my behavior, don't get me wrong..Does anyone "get" me??? Any support would be so great, I'm so lost,,,

[paranoid_cataclysm]

Geodon is actually least associated with significant weight gain from what I've heard and user reviews I read.  I know I didn't gain any weight from it at all when I was on it.

[beautifulbritty712]

I don't know about mood stabilizers I have never been on one I don't think, but I took rispiridol and gained like 30 pounds in a month so I told my pdoc and he put me on geodon- I lost the weight in a month that I had gained. I guess it's different for everyone, u just have to see what different meds do for u. They won't even prescribe me and xanax or ativan or nothing no matter how much anxiety I feel- they say I'm too addictable but they give me it in the er

[ILADVOCATE]

I'd be more concerned about how you can't be on a medication that helps you than any aspect of your relationships. Xanax can be addictive and is not by itself a mood stabilizer and that's of concern. Seroquel can cause weight gain but there are other options as regards mood stabilizers. Here's a list:
http://www.psycheducation.org/depression/meds/moodstabilizers.htm
Speak to your psychiatrist about what medication might help you that doesn't cause weight gain and also inform them that you've built up a tolerance to the Xanax and they'll let you know what to do from there.