I love ice cream too. Heehee

Donna

OhKay sending you bubbles of hugs too.

Was it a cornea scratch? If so, I know that can be very painful as I have done that before myself by just rubbing my eyes. Glad to hear that it's healing now, keep up with the drops and after your prescription ends, I might suggest regular eye drops (preservative free) for awhile, 2X a day. Glad you like your eye doc.

Ice cream is an essential vegetable to consume *wink*. I have been pigging out on Rocky Road lately, craving chocolate. Using an app called Door Dash and they go to pick up the ice cream from Baskin Robbins. I have noticed that Rocky Road ice cream has changed, there used to be chocolate chunks in it, but now mostly marshmallows and some nuts with the chocolate ice cream. Not as delectable.

Hoping your brother is stabilizing today. Should he be in the hospital during this med change? Then, while he is hospitalized, they can recommend their version of the best psych docs and make an appt right away. This is the quickest way to change psych docs if he is not able to right now. Actually your brother is supposed to be seen within 5 business days after discharge. That is at least my experience.

I take Klonopin too and usually .5 mg 2X a day. Anymore than that and I sink into a depression, but during heightened emotional distress, I can usually take more. When I was with Kaiser, they refused to prescribe any Klonopin to anyone, had to go outside the plan to get that done.

Good luck with your errands and enjoy your ice cream *smiles*

Blue

OhKay ~ Thank you for sharing your Lamictal history (( hugs )).

I am very sorry to learn you are still battling mania and have depressive episodes as well. Have you tried any of the newer medications just out on the market now as an adjunct?

Understand about being high functioning when stable, which is the "new normal" for all of us struggling with this.

Glad that you are feeling better with the hopes that Lamictal is finally kicking in. Keep the hope !!

Do you keep a daily mood chart? Do you know what your triggers are?

(( comfort hugs ))

Blue

Thank you BlueMoon.

I eat a pint of ice cream every night, and have been doing so for a long time. If I stop, I start losing weight. We had ice cream cake for our birthdays/anniversary and I lost about 3lbs just eating a slice of that for several nights vs. my usual pint. But I really eat it because I love it!!!

My brother does not need to be inpatient right now, but if he needed to be, I would make sure that he was. Things are obviously different here than where you live. Wait times for initial appointments to see prescribers are long. Upon discharge, he would just be referred back to his current pdoc.

Along with the 200 mg of Lamictal twice a day, I take several other psych meds:
200mg Topamax (mood stabilizer)
800mg of Seroquel (mood stabilizer)
800mg of gabapentin (mood stabilizer)
Up to 3mg a day of Klonopin, but I VERY rarely take that much

I have tried most of the new meds, at least the ones that are suitable for someone with BPI- always on top of my regular meds. My pdoc gives me samples because the plan is for me to never be on those meds for extended periods of time. The only ones that have worked are Rexulti, to break an episode of depression, and Vraylar which was effective in breaking an acute manic episode, but it caused my eGRF (measure of kidney function) to drop over 15 points, so I can never take it again.

I do not keep a daily mood chart. It would not be of use to me.
I know my triggers, and even though I have frequent episodes, I know how to manage my BP. I have not had to be hospitalized since 2015.

I do not think that being high functioning is the "new normal."
Maybe I should have said very much so.
I have limitations from MS and meds, but that just means I have to be more conscientious. I have not lost my intellect, and I rarely miss a trick

Heehee

Kay

I think you gain tricks, in this trade of needing answers daily.

I think we all look for answers on medications to you.

Because you either have them or can find them fast.

Love ya girl.
Donna

I actually did everything I set out to do yesterday.

I thought I put my grocery list in the usual pocket in my purse before I left the house, but I didn't, and only realized that when I got to the Supermarket. I had to wing it, but I ended up doing a pretty good job, and didn't forget anything we REALLY needed. I must have thrown my list out by accident.
I came home with the groceries just in time to beat out the thunderstorms, but too late to take the nap I really needed. It was a VERY long day for me.

My legs are just junk from all the walking I did (the mall, Bj's, and the grocery store), and they woke me up earlier than usual. I tried to stay in bed from 3-6am.

I'm staying home today to get all the cleaning done I can. My anxiety can either paralyze or motivate me. I'll get in the shower soon because it usually gets me going. Sometimes I make lists, but I think I will let things play out organically today.

I have not heard back from my brother this morning, but he was hypo yesterday, and at least he was more comfortable. I actually feel better about that because that means he may not be in a total free-fall. I don't know why the pdoc did not raise his mood stabilizer when they took him off the Zoloft. I will see how he's doing today. He had a date last night, so he may still be busy.

My GYN wanted me to be as cleaned out as possible for my procedures tomorrow, but I've been backed up. I got brave this morning and took a double dose of Mirilax, but it has not done much. If you are reading this for the first time, do not make any suggestions because it is the ONLY thing I can take.

I am having cramping right now, so I will probably get my period in the next day or two, and my GYN will not be able to do the procedures if I have it. So, things may not go off as planned tomorrow. I do not know what will happen if I get it tonight or tomorrow morning because that's not a lot of notice. I will have to call her office later.

If things do go as planned, I will not be online tomorrow.

I do try.

Love you right back, Donna (((HUGS)))

Kay

I'm hoping you can have your procedure.

Good luck.

Donna

good luck tomorrow...hope it goes with out a hitch!
(((((HUGS)))))
love bizi

Good luck today with your procedure. Will be thinking of you.

((( comfort hugs )))

Blue