I always enjoy reading what you have to say. I have your book, and I check your blog and website regularly. Your research and writing have helped me a great deal.
Because of what I learned from reading your website, I had the good sense to fire my doctor when I was getting worse instead of better. Now I am relatively (mentally) healthy, with my depression (my main problem) mostly in check.
I had been diagnosed unipolar all my life and kept switching meds as they pooped out one after another. Soon, I was on endless combinations of meds and still depressed. Finally (after I fired my old doctor) a new doctor asked me the right questions about an episode (probably a mixed episode) I had twenty years ago. Turns out I should have been diagnosed bipolar all along. After switching meds strategies, my depression was much improved and has stayed that way for some time now.
I have a new problem, which is that doctors insist on treating me as if I am at great risk of having a manic or mixed episode, when in fact I have not had one for twenty years. Argh! I feel like I can't get them to look up from the d*m DSM long enough to see my illness as it is.
I gained 20 pounds on Abilify and now my doctor is trying to switch me to Seroquel. I am on (only!) 25mg and I've already gained 7 pounds in two weeks! Both my parents have/had diabetes and, at 5'2" I am now pushing 200 lbs.
I may not have a better option as I've been through a lot of meds already, but I would like to think my doctor is thinking about my physical health, and I am not convinced. Come to think of it, he never even asked me whether I have family history of diabetes.
Dori
I've been on Abilify for about 5 years now (25mg bumped up from 20 when I went into a long hypomania then crashed with an overdose; also bumped up my Lamictal).I have gained 50 lbs. on Abilify. Now I need to take blood pressure medication. I have "metobolic syndrome" which increases my odds of getting diabetes, as well as other problems. Both my parents were diabetic & my mother was bipolar.
The Abilify helps so much with the delusional thinking & the Lamictal has helped with the depression. I was stable for the 5 years previous to the OD last Aug. so I don't want to switch meds, but I desperately want to lose the weight.
My husband has told me he is no longer sexually attracted to me, because of the weight gain. He's now sleeping in another room. This weight & his comment have crushed my self-esteem (the little I had).
My pdoc is trying to help me with therapy & my internal med doc is handling the blood pressure & other ailments.
Hi, John. Thanks for your reply. I get your newsletter & have learned a lot from it.
I did ask my pdoc about Topomax. I've heard it helps to lessen your appetite, but she thought it has a greater tendency to cause "foggy" thinking & memory loss, which I already have & don't want it to get worse.
As far as diet & ex. I do my best, but as you know it is hard to carry out plans when you get to feeling depressed. My internal med doc did find I have low thyroid & pernicious anemia so I've started on meds for that & monthly B-12 shots. She said I should start getting some energy soon. She said it may help with the weight problem.
I'm AFRAID to switch from my current meds. I did so well on them for 5 years or so. I want that stability back that they provided me. I tried so many things--Lithium (kidney problems on that), Geodon (so tired & dizzy on that & I fell asleep driving while on it), been through all the anti-depressants (was orignially being treated by my family physician for unipolar depression until he ran out of ideas & sent me to a pdoc).
It seems the other anti-psychotics cause weight gain, too, so I don't know what to do. Right now I think I'm feeling so low despite the meds, because of all the reasons you stated. I think I'm emotionally very fragile right now. I'm crying easily (such as right now).
I'm seeing my pdoc every 2 weeks. She thinks with her giving me therapy, too, that I can get stronger & feel better about myself & get more energy to devote to my physical well-being.
I was seeing a therapist, but she "flunked" me, because she said I was making no progress--which is true.
I do think my pdoc is on the right track as far as helping me to analyze the way I think & interpret things (always negative).
Anyway, thanks for your response & all the work you do.--S.G.
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Hi John,
Even though I have your book and read this and that when needed, I always look forward to your new distillations of information.
I was placed on 200mg Seroquel at about one year ago while hospitalized for a mixed episode, suicidal, with EX-treme irritability and insomnia. I was hearing the tv playing when it wasn't on. I'm not sure if that counts as hallucinations or just some brain twitch from lack of sleep.
Well, long story short: the Seroquel worked like magic. The bad news is I became a sugar addict and gained 30# in 4 months. Over the past year my Doc. and I have adjusted Lithium, Lamictal, Zoloft and Seroquel here and there, but we always come back to the 200mg. Luckily, I was a thin, fit (mostly hypomanic!) person before diagnosed, so the weight is still just under the "obese" classification. I do worry as I get older, and watching out for diabetes and heart disease. I am looking for ways to cut back on meds, always. I feel that hypomania bumping the Lithium ceiling like Charlie and his Grandpa drinking fizzy pop in Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory. I have to burp and exercise. I have to stop smoking, which I incidentally began at age 34 when I had my first major mania.
Looking forward to more knowledge. And Part II. It's Necessity.
Angie