Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
Just wondering if anyone else is taking, bupropionor, has in the past, for their bipolar depression. I'm also taking lamotrigine/Lamictal for the depression every night and that by itself doesn't keep the depression away, but seems to really help keep me from going really low when I am going through a depression phase.
I'm bipolar 1, rapid cycling, and I take the bupropion, lamotrigine, and also oxcarbazepine (Trileptal) which really works great for the mania. BTW, that also seems to help the depression as it seems to tamp down me getting over emotional in general. But that's just my theory.
The bupropion seems a little unusual for BD because it can induce mania because it's very stimulating. The norepinephrine part of it is probably what does that and I'm starting to suspect that I'd be more stable without that influence. In fact, while I'm at 300 mg/day now, I have been up to 450/day in the past and it was not good. I was so super emotional. I would have random crying spells at all times of the day and it made me so manic I was delusional which doesn't usually happen with me.
So I'd like to switch to something else but there's a big problem here. If I'm not super consistent with my dosage, or if I don't take it each and every day, it has pretty profound consequences and I can get extremely depressed very quickly. That happened a few years ago right before Christmas and I was an absolute wreck. So I'm very hesitant to even wean myself off bupropion so I can switch to something else. I really feel like I can't live without it and I'm helpless. I don't like that feeling and I don't want to be hooked on it like this forever.
Does anyone else have experience with this med?
-
Hey All...I hope that you have a lovely, peaceful beginning of your weekI have a bunch of chores that need doing but may put them off til tomorrow and just hang out with my landlord/roomie todayWhat about you?...Anything special going on?Have a great day and take good care of you!!..Xo
-
Once again I've had a fever today. I'm not going to the hospital because that's a huge waste of time but I did schedule a dr appointment for Wednesday afternoon.
I am currently on a low maintenance level seroquel and lamictal with an ambien prn. Ive been doing ok but I will probably have to change things around next year.
Some of the medications aren't really easy to come off.... I've tried to come off of a couple just to try something that I've heard works well for people and I've ended up going back on Tegretol for instance due to not feeling well off of it
If it works pretty well at that dose it might be worth just sticking with it?? perhaps?....We sure need our meds but it can be hard at times.... Big hug....xo
.Even if it's a half or quarter of a tab at a time... I hear you re extreme sweating...
That wouldn't be very comfortable and maybe take a couple or so weeks to reduce it another half or quarter tab
During these times I always have daily pep talks with myself... You can and will get through this and life will improve....
Gratitude lists help me through the rough times as well... Even though these things aren't med related they can still be really helpful... xo
The gratitude list is a fantastic idea, even if it's difficult to do when we're depressed. I actually heard something like that on a podcast a few months ago. It was about making it a habit to find just one thing to be grateful about in everything that you do every day. Like first thing when you wake up, find something. Then any chore or activity or job or whatever, find just one thing that you're grateful for. I had forgotten about that. The idea is to make it second nature and it can really change how you view the world. I did that for a week and it was so great. I'll have to get back to that.
It can be a nice cup of am coffee or tea.... a nice sunny day.... a nice conversation with someone.... Making things that we may not consciously think about regularly something to be thankful for and gratitude does become part of our lives then and I am grateful for that!