I am very sorry that you are on the medicine merry go round.
you are being very patient with this waiting game.
please be very careful with yourself. you could injure yourself easily.
lots of hugs to you today.
((((((HUGS))))))
bizi:hug::hug::hug:

I've been taking 600 Mgs of Seroquel for around 5 years before bed. If I have to get up to help my cat,I have almost fainted. In the first 4 hours Seroquel is very sedating. I don't like this feeling. I refuse to take it during the day,but my doctor has me on 25 Mgs of Seroquel after,or around dinner. This is not a weak medication. It's a major antipsychotic. It's not a sleeping pill,though it will help you to sleep.

I've been on other meds also for years. Xanax,Luvox,and Seroquel are what I'm on now.

This stuff will more then likely cause you to gain weight. That's the big unwanted side affect. I started gaining weight when I first started taking the medication. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Steve, thank you so much for your input! I don't know much about Seroquel at all. I don't mind the weight gain, as long as it's under 15lbs, as I've lost a lot of weight in the last year. I am worried about falls, but I haven't gotten light-headed yet. I have an emergency alert system though.

My original idea was to go up to 400mg at bedtime but then I figured adding a dose during the day would be better because I am sleeping well but WAY too high during the day...
It feels like the Seroquel was wearing off as I was weaning off the Abilify. And these aren't XR tabs. And I figure I had the syncope episode with XR caps.

I think 150 is too much at once, especially during the day, no matter how high I am. So, I just took 50mg at 7:30. If I'm still too high at 9, I might take another 50 as long as I'm not zombified.

I will let you know how it goes...

Kay

This sounds right kay. Here is hoping that you have some relief.
bizi

I took 50mg every 45min.
I did take 150.
So far, I do not feel sedated at all.

I am very much hoping that it works for you.

M

It did work!!! :) :) :)

I feel much better. Not really sedated, but a little tired.

There's still room for improvement, but I could actually live like this. :)

Kay

that is so great
bobby

I was very tired when I woke up this morning, so I didn't take any Seroquel. My symptoms started increasing once I got out of the shower, but they never rose to the degree that they had been at before.

I had an appointment with pdoc this morning....
Yesterday was proof that Seroquel is working. :)
I guess I just needed enough in my system.
The plan just needs a little tweaking:

400mg at bedtime for now
50-100mg as needed in the morning

I'll have to fill 2 different prescriptions, but since I found a new pharmacy and coupons, this will not be cost-prohibitive. :)

------

I met with my case manager yesterday and she's very, very nice.

I've filled out paperwork so that she, my PCP, psych, my husband and sister can communicate with one another regarding my care should the need arise (it has before). But communications with my therapist are restricted.

Why?
I've had 5 appointments with pdocs since I was released on the 2nd following a 10day stint in the psych ward. I've lost count of the phone calls.
2/2 hospitalizations in the last 8 months for mania....
BPI, not BPII.

I'm in one of those rather euphoric, high-functioning hypomanias at the moment. Not depressed.
I'm being realistic, practical, and planning. Not for the inevitable, but for the "what if's."

Kay

Congratulations, Kay!
 

Hi Kay,

I found myself smiling while reading the post just above. :)

You are doing such a great job at making sure your support network is in place and operational. It's such a pleasure to see you taking such good care of yourself.

I admire the way you are making a place for your husband-- to increase his understanding and a way for him to offer you support. Many spouses want to understand and want to help out, and are shut out by the way the system is set up.

Very nice job! :D

I hope you have a fun weekend! :)

:hug:
DejaVu

I took 400mg Seroquel for the first time last night but had a hard time falling asleep- probably because I was wound up because I didn't take anything during the day.

I just took 100mg "prn" this morning.

HI, Kay.

"As needed" -- so Seroquel this morning.

That is fabulous about signing the docs for everyone to be on the same page if you need them to be.

I hope you are feeling confident about your wellness.

Mari

I took the 100mg this morning, but I'm still flying high. And Xanax, don't forget that Xanax.

Tomorrow's plan:
Start out with 100mg am, add 50 an hour later if the 100's not doing the trick.
Then, we'll see what happens from there.

I think I'm wearing out the phone lines at pdoc's office, but I'll call again if I'm still a raging bull at 150/400.

---

Mari,
I'm not feeling confident about my (general) wellness at all. This episode has gone on WAY too long. And I'm also in the middle of a MS relapse to boot.
I'm just trying to maintain the best level of control I can, while I'm able, and plan now for the times I can't.

If/when I become unwell and can't make my own decisions, it's just so much easier to bypass all the red tape.

I'm fairly confident in Seroquel though. I think things will improve greatly once we get the dosing right.

Kay

I've had problems sometimes rarely sleeping after taking 600Mgs of Seroquel. I have OCD also. Sometimes the thoughts don't want to stop,but for the most part I sleep after taking the meds. I take a little Xanax,and Luvox for the OCD. It's all so hard to figure out. BF:hug::hug::hug:

Kay,

It feels like it has gone on too long but things have the strong possibility of being on the right path.

I am happy to hear that you have confidence in Seroquel

Good luck Sunday.

Mari

Steve,

I have OCD, too and was taking Zoloft for it when this episode started. Before that it was helping, but I shouldn't be taking antidepressants. It's funny... All my OCD symptoms go away when I'm manic/hypo.

Kay

So...

400mg Seroquel at bedtime
50-100mg "as needed."

Today, 150mg is "less than needed."
Tempted to take another 50, but I don't like playing with my pills, and have already taken more med than pdoc and I have discussed. But it's just short of 10:30am here...

UGH.

I'm going to go find more things to clean.

I'm glad I didn't go up to 200mg because I started feeling lightheaded when I was scrubbing the walls this morning.

Around noon I started calming down and feeling more comfortable :) it took almost 3 hours though?
I may have gotten lightheaded because I was vigorously cleaning, or it could have been because I was up at 150mg.

The office opens Monday. Pdoc isn't in until Weds. but she said she has plenty of openings...
I may just stay with the 100mg am dose until I see her (unless there's escalation). I can probably stick it out. I've been through worse.

Kay

Hope
 

Mari makes an excellent point in her post. :D

Seroquel has a reasonably good track record of helping with bipolar mania.

Seroquel can be used as monotherapy or can be combined with divalproex (Depakote) or lithium for further stabilization if needed in treating bipolar mania.

Glad you are feeling hopeful. :)
I am very hopeful you'll continue to feel better, too.

:hug:
DejaVu

Kay,

'Sorry about the M.S. symptoms.

Re the dosing: You are doing great so far and you will come up with the dose that works.

I would not be able to manage getting the signatures on the documents and putting the documents in a safe but easily located place, . . . esp. as they would require me to update them every six months (the 6 month thing is a rule . . .I think).

Keep taking care.

M

I do have faith in Seroquel, but I'd feel better if I wasn't running out of drugs...

I can't say that my bipolar is drug-resistant, it's just that my body just can't tolerate the "good drugs." I can't take Depakote or Lithium. Maybe Zyprexa? Zyprexa may have caused akasthesia, or just been added during what I now know as agitated mania.

-----

I had to get my healthcare proxy in order because I was in no condition to make my own decisions following my s/s attempt. And decisions had to be made.

My husband and I were separated at the time. My father (bad news) was my emergency contact. And I had no healthcare proxy.

At least I left my marriage certificate, birth certificate, social security card, and license in a folder under the note. Someone at the hospital eventually let my husband take charge. But I guess it was a fight.
I don't want to put my husband and sister through that again.

As far as I know, my new healthcare proxy is valid until I sign a new one.

Over the last 8 months, I've become aware that my situation has the potential to be much more than a "bad patch". Frankly, I scared the $%!? out of myself. Even if I maintain sobriety, I may not be able to catch things early. And I know that overall, it's going to be a struggle.

So I raised my hand and asked for help.

I'm not sure how long those disclosure consents are valid. I'll have to look into that, but 6mo seems right. I don't know how much attention the docs would pay to the dates if the information was urgent though.

A year ago, NOBODY would have access to any of my psych records, not even my PCP.

Kay

Kay I still wonder why you stopped taking your meds before your s/s attempt?
ARe things ok with your hubby now?
glad that you are getting things in place.
hugs to you today.
(((((HUGS)))))
bizi:hug:

I was on !800mg Lithium, 400mg Lamictal, 200mg Topamax, (?) Klonopin a day at the time...

I was diagnosed as Type II at the time, but rapid cycling and heavily drinking for about 2yrs. My husband didn't mind the drinking (he's an armchair alcoholic), as long as I was doing it at home, but I wasn't. I'd stop by a bar for "one," and you know the rest of that story. He kicked me out, and I moved in with my BP alcoholic father.

I had already developed hypothyroidism, then went through "borderline" lithium toxicity while separated from my husband (and was immediately returned to 1800mg the same day as hospital d/c), but developing hyperparathyroidism from the Lithium was the last straw. It's reversible once you stop taking the offending med.

I stopped taking Lithium and made an appointment with pdoc. Unless you have an urgent need, you wait anywhere from 2-4 weeks to get in. During that time, I went through Lithium withdrawl and rapidly became full-blown manic. And that's when I decided I didn't need my meds.

I spent 4-5 months drunk and manic. At some point (or points) I became psychotic.

-----

My mental health/medical issues cause my husband a great deal of pain and stress. But he is an alcoholic and has had mental health and anger issues predating these issues.

I do my best to conceal what is going on, and try to limit my disclosures to "I don't feel well" or "I had to go to the doctor," etc. And I do say things like, "I feel better today." But he can't help but notice when I can't sit still. He did notice when I was paranoid. He knows I'm shielding him. And he knows that I've been going through a lot, but he's doing little to control his temper. I'm trying my best not to rock the boat.

He carries a lot of anger from the time when we were separated.

I'm concerned because he's been drinking at least a 12pk every night this week. And I've been doing a lot better mental health-wise than I was before. Watching him has actually diminished my desire to drink.

This is definitely an imperfect situation, but we're getting along. I want him to feel empowered- to have the resources in place if he feels like I'm starting to run off the rails. He has help out there now. At least I can give him that.

Kay

Trial and Error
 

Bless you, Kay! :hug:

You have been through a lot.

It's "normal" to want to go off meds when becoming manic, or even hypomanic. It's not the best decision, of course; yet, it's normal and it's what people feel like doing when they are starting to amp up.

Very sorry about the lithium toxicity. That had to be a bit scary.

The whole diagnostic process between BPI and BPII can be trial and error. Same with finding the meds you can tolerate and those which work for you.

I hope you and hubby can gain a mutual understanding, mutual forgiveness and have peace at home together.

You are both in my thoughts and prayers.

:hug:
DejaVu

hi kay, wow
you have been thru alot. how long did you have to stay with your dad?
That must have been hard on you.
How are you doing today?
bizi

Yesterday brought good news, as some of my neuro pain started to subside. It looks like the MS relapse is drawing to an end :) :) :)
And I took 100mg of Seroquel with my am pills because I was pretty revved up. I was a little tired after, but I felt like I was starting to reach my baseline... whatever that is... I don't know if I'd recognize it if it hit me over the head.

This morning I woke up at 9 (quite late for me) without any symptoms of hypomania! :) :) :) :) :) :) :)

But I'm a little guarded because I'm on the pensive side this morning. So no prn Seroquel for me.
I'm waiting to see what the rest of the day, and following days, bring.

---

My husband and I were separated for 4-5mo.
I lived with my dad for all but 1mo. when he was in Florida. He's a BP alcoholic, and was manic the whole time, too. It was "interesting."

The separation from my husband was obviously the big trigger for me, and I went into decline even before I stopped Lithium. Add to that a VERY unhealthy environment, and you have a recipe for disaster.

I had sex with someone else while I was separated from my husband, he knows it. He considers it cheating. It's this that he can't get over more than anything else.

Kay

Crap...

I just had to take 50mg of Seroquel. I literally just started writing a book.

Oh, Wow, Kay.

I hope that your day improves.

M

I could only describe my reaction to today in words that are too explicit for this forum. Tomorrow marks 8 weeks of this. Not for any lack of trying.

I thought I was symptom-free this morning. But now my body and mind are all-in.

100mg is obviously not an "as needed" dose for me no matter how I think I feel when I wake up. And today it's not doing the trick. But the last time I took 150, I got lightheaded (but I was a cleaning machine at the time).

I posted yesterday that I don't mind toughing out hypo symptoms, and I meant it. But yesterday I wasn't writing a book.This is new...

It may be fairly innocuous, since this whole episode has been so changeable, but my biggest fear is escalation.

Pdoc is in the office tomorrow. I'm going to have to get in touch with her because the meds, as they are, are not controlling my symptoms.

I just don't know if this warrants a phone call or a face to face meeting?

Kay

i think face to face so she can see your body language.
bobby

I called and made an appointment to see pdoc tomorrow at 9am...
Better not mess around with this.

Good luck.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

I am glad that you are seeing your pdoc tomorrow.
I hope you can sleep tonight.
keep taking your seroquel...
bizi

You were right, it was a good idea to go in.
I am escalating again. And today is worse than yesterday.

The plan is to increase the pm dose from 400-600mg, with an "as needed" daytime dose of 50-150mg, as tolerated.

Pdoc said that most of her patients do well with just a higher pm dose, but some do need to add a dose during the day.
I have an appointment with her next Wednesday. In the meantime, she's giving me the leeway to try and figure out which category I fall into.
And I can always return to the office if I have to.

I was still agitated and psychotic when I was almost maxed out on Abilify. Life is certainly imperfect at the moment, but at least I'm only exhibiting symptoms of hypomania. I'm not in the middle of a mixed/manic event anymore. And I'm not delusional.

Despite the escalation, I'm still encouraged because there's room to adjust the dosage. And I think the adjustments she made today are aggressive enough to make a difference.

Kay

Kay

Sounds so good. Keep up all the good work.

Donna :hug::grouphug:

It sounds like you have a good doctor!
thank you for checking in.
bizi

Kay,

I commend you.

Stay persistent and hopeful.

M

Recommended dosage for Bipolar I maintenance therapy: 400-800mg
Maximum: 800mg

And she has you possibly going up to 750.
(Did I get the math right)?


How do you feel about that?

M

Yes, there's the possibility of going up to 750, but...

I took the 600mg dose for the first time last night without any side effects and woke up this morning without any obvious hypo symptoms :):):)

The witching hour (noon) has passed and I haven't had to take a prn. Although, I did need a Xanax this morning.

I've been consciously trying to stay away from any ambitious cleaning projects, and I'm finding it a lot easier to sit still.

But it's just one day.
And my husband may notice sx I'm not aware of when he comes home from work.

Then again, progress is progress. I think this an excellent turn of events. :) :) :)

Kay