Does anyone have bipolar? What medicine are you on?
456662
I hope you're on something else than just Wellbutrin. Wellbutrin is a stimulating anti-depressant and if you're bipolar it can trigger a manic episode very easily. I'm on Wellbutrin as well but also on an anti-seizure med which basically acts as a mood stabilizer. I've been on other meds though...Paxil, Clonazepam, Ativan, Lithium, Epival, Valproic Acid, Olanzapine, Risperdal, Lamactil.
574674
My daughter who is now 28 has bipolar.  She was diagnosed in her late teens and was in denial for quite along time.\nShe fought it, tried self medicating, refused to take any pills.  She was a mess.  This is an illness that will stay with you as they have yet to find a cure.  The good news that with the right combination of medications a good support system you can learn to cope and indeed have a good life.  Bi-polar has nothing to do with you not being you- it is a chemistry disorder and that is not your fault.
315155
I heard of a new drug called Lamictal - that is actually a family of antipsychotics... I was prescribed only yesterday, in addition to Lithium, a low dose of Risperdal - So far, I don't know how it will work, but my fingers are crossed. Hope this helps to mention it to your doctor.
618498
Lithium is absolutely essential for schizophrenic and bipolar disorders. Most manic episodes happen when patients stop taking the drug for whatever reason. A friend of mind got divorced when a faith healer told him to flush his supply of lithium and he had an episode. \n\nGet a second opinion from a professional before you stop with the prescription.
215139
I have bipolar disorder. I am not a "manic depressive". I am defined by who I am not by a illness I have.\nIf I am silly or playful do not ask if I remembered my meds, I am not out of control.\nI deserve to be treated like the guy you knew before I told you I had bipolar disorder.
396611
I hope that one of the links below will be what you are looking for. I am a 46 year old male who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I know how you feel and that it is good to have someone to talk to. Good luck. I wish you well!
716
here is one reason:\n\nLithium salts such as lithium carbonate (Li2CO3), lithium citrate, and lithium orotate are mood stabilizers used in the treatment of bipolar disorder, since unlike most other mood altering drugs, they counteract both mania and depression. Lithium can also be used to augment other antidepressant drugs. Useful amounts of Lithium for this use are only slightly lower than toxic amounts, so the blood levels of Lithium have to be carefully monitored during such a treatment.
292265
I've done a lot of research about exactly what you're asking because I'm bipolar too. From what I've found out, people are born with bipolar but it often takes a traumatic experience to trigger it. Once bipoar is triggered it's very important to find the right medication because bipolar is with you for life and without treatment will only get worse. There are many different medications that help with the symptoms so it's equally as important to find a doctor you can discuss all your options with. Finding a proper diet helps too as well as staying away from street drugs and alcohol.
784244
I don't know anything about you, including your diagnosis and I"m not a doctor, BUT neither of those medications is clinically proven effective at treating Type I Bipolar (specifically manic episodes).  The med noncompliance is also complicating the picture of how your meds are helping you.\n\nTopamax has cognitive dulling/flattening as a common side effect and anxiety is a withdrawal symptom of going off zoloft. I think you need a second opinion on your meds (find something more effective, like Lamictal for Bipolar Type II?  when it levels you out, it prevents you from getting depressed as a result). Then, a good therapist will help you come up with strategies for keeping compliant with your meds.\n\nMy personal experience? Going on and off meds is BAD news. It's as bad a roller coaster ride as mood swings themselves. Finding the right doc and the right meds is the most important thing in the world and it makes the effort to stay on them worth it, even if it requires therapy.\n\nSee link--Topamax isn't labeled for treatment of mania. No docs I know will use it for such. If you have type II AND a weight problem it might make sense, but otherwise I'd get a second opinion.
579980
Having manic highs (YES! THE WORLD IS GREAT! AMAZING!) and manic lows (I think I might kill myself . . . I hate the world . . . etc.)
1098823
I am severely bi-polar and am on lithium, I am also a nursing student with a degree in psychology and from what I know about lithium, you need to get tested regularly and have your dosage raised or lowered gradually until your symptoms diminish and you begin to feel normal, blood is usually tested regularly until doctor determines what amount is needed. Lithium can be toxic and detrimental if taken in excess, that is why it is extremely important to have levels checked regularly. You must give this drug at least two weeks to a month to get into your system and the level needs to be correct. I empathize with you because I have suffered with extreme mania and small bouts of horrendous depression for 44 yrs now. All four of my children also display some form of this illness and my mother died of alcoholism due to self-medicating. Back in her day....there was no known treatment and probably no diagnosis. God bless you and good luck.
1156060
I have it and was diagnosed at age 26.  I got depressed and the bottom dropped out fro under me at 18 and I went for years being only diagnosed with depression.  I never attempted suicide but contemplated it for about 6 years every single day.  There were, however, manic days, where by all appearances I seemed happy to others.  I was ecstatically happy to the point that people had to make me calm down.  But when alone, the depression would immediately return with a vengeance when considered relative to the manic highs.  At one point, prior to my diagnosis, I became so consumed with my own political / religious philosophy that I went for several months in a highly delusional state until the point of psychotic hallucinations after several sleepless nights.  I was hospitalized for the first time after that and they still didn't diagnose it.  Of course I was scared and didn't tell them about the hallucinations, because I feared they'd think I was crazy. They instead treated me for alcoholism - I didn't even drink.  Finally, a couple of years after I got married, I became fascinated with a political idea that I had and began to put it to paper.  After weeks of writing incessantly and causing domestic disturbances, I went to the doctor with my notebook with me and told him that I could not stop writing - I couldn't relax and give it arrest.  At that point he diagnosed me as bipolar and I have been taking lithium and effexor every since, with limited levels of success from time to time.  There are still those moments when I'm capable of making an ass of myself with wild ideas and my enthusiasm for them.  I do not take anti-psychotic medications though as they seem to "labotomize" me and stop my thinking process cold.  I can't deal with that.  I am still highly intensive when it comes to religious or political debate.  Those are my two primary areas of obsessive compulsive thought.  I simply am not able to not think of these things when I "relax".  I can however control the pace with sedatives.  A regular sleeping schedule also helps.  \nWhen I am at my lowest low, sometimes I consider electroconvulsive therapy, but have not yet done it.  It is a bit frightening.\nGood luck, I do hope you find yourself not to have it.  But if so, there are ways to cope and control it to some degree, but I don't believe it can be totally controlled.
334922
I have anxiety and I take Lexapro and Xanex for mine. They are the best that I have taken so far. I took Zoloft and Paxil, both made me feel manic and zombie like.
1119582
So, as a rapid-cycling bipolar who was diagnosed as a depressive here is what I have to say, research, research, research.  Your doctor may know a lot, but you better too.  For 10 years I lived in hell, then I found a psychopharmachologist (yes, Virginia there really is a Santa Claus!).  You might also want a good psychologist, because retraining is a part of being bipolar, whether you like it or not.\n\nThere are a lot of things that will interact with medication, but that shouldn't be too surprising.  The foods you eat, drinking alcohol, other medications all interfere, so do your homework, get a good doctor, and don't expect the first medication to be the miracle cure.  Bipolar disorder can be frustrating, after all, look how hard it is to diagnose.\n\nBelow are several links, but I also suggest that you search on the words "Bipolar disorder", you will find more than you would ever want to know.
486532
If you go get medical attention they can tell what is wrong with you. But hopefully you just have a short temper. I  know someone who is bipolar and its not fun they said they wish they just had a short temper so best of luck to you. But go get some medical attention. Let me know what happens i will keep you in my thoughts.
385195
there is no cure for bipolar but you can lead a normal life with the right medications.
995724
Best to visit a good psychiatrist. I was diagnosed Bi-Polar about 6 years ago- I'm not sure that the diagnosis is/was correct, but I do very often resemble a person that is bi-polar. I dont have many down (depression) episodes at all, I'm up and more up mostly. There are many drugs available for every condition out there. My personal opinion is that mental and emotional disorders or maladies are very hard to pinpoint. I feel that I'm Mildly Autistic or have aspergeurs Syndrome, NOT Bi-Polar Disorder. The truth may be that I have several overlapping conditions, who knows? There are many web sites to check out also NAMI is an organization that caters to this subject. Good Luck!