oh and abilify which made me manic

Hi, and welcome. Unfortunately it doesn't work like that. BiPolar Med Cocktails are as Individual to the Patient as the Patient is individual. Some people have cocktails that are just a Mood Stabilizer and a good Anti-D, some people have a Cocktail that's 4 or 5 meds, we don't really go by what's popular, they just don't work that way.

It can take quite a while to find the right combination of medications to get to a stable point and that combination can include any of the following:

Mood Stabilizer
Anti-Depressant
Anti-Seizure
Anti-Psychotic
Anti-Anxiety
Hypnotic Class Sleep med
Antihistamine Class Sleep med

And the combination of those can be any number of them and there are dozens of different medications in each category.....

I will say that for only 6 mo. your Pdoc has changed your meds a lot. Because every time you start a new med it can take weeks for that meds to build up to a Therapeutic level and begin working properly, it seems your Pdoc doesn't give meds much time to work. And for a newly DX'd BiPolar its better to start off slow with less meds and see what your system responds too, instead of overwhelming it. Does your Pdoc give a reason why he changes your meds so much?

Mostly related to side effects like my depression being greater or if I say I'm feeling good and energized she says I'm explaining mania...I feel really frustrated because when I feel good that feels like that's what I should be feeling but she disagrees and labels it mania...the lithium made me like a zombie and gave me terrible headaches, the abilify was the one I liked the most but she said it made me manic,and the others have made me feel lost and numb like I can't focus and seem to not be present.

I guess I'm just new to this I went to see her for what I thought was depression but I came out diagnosed bi polar...still in the midst of trying to understand and cope

I’m on lithium, zyprexa, Prozac and my anxiety meds are ativan, gabepentin, and visteril. That’s what works for me

Maybe I need a "cocktail" of meds she seems to be trying to find a single one to address my bi polar....

Welcome krk..... Yes we are all individuals in our medication regime for sure.... Six months might feel like a long time but it really isn't when trying to figure this out

The good thing is that we do have a treatable disorder and when you do find the right cocktail you will probably be on it ongoing..... I have been on the same med regime for about 25 years with the odd tweak due to life problems

Are you seeing a psychiatrist??.. They are experts in psych medication

I am on Seroquel, Tegretol, and Restoril for sleep..... I have Gabapentin if I need a little extra to help me sleep

I'm glad that you're here.... This is a good place for friendship and support..... Big hug....xo

I'm sorry its been a really bad week, and I did not ask the most important question that SunCloud mentioned and I'm now concerned about after reading your reply. Is your Dr. a Psychiatrist? Because BiPolar Disorder cannot be treated with a single medication, it actually tends to get worse and more dangerous when treated singularly with one medication, depending on which type of medication it is. So you need to be seeing a Psychiatrist if you aren't because M.D.'s while great at what they do are not trained and educated to treat BiPolar Disorder and other Mental Illnesses or deal with the medications we use.

The other thing here is, your first Pdoc (psychiatrist) isn't always a good match. Like medications it can take a while to find the right Pdoc to work with, because that relationship has to be built on trust, communication and the ability to work with one another....your Dr.'s ability to do those concerns me. If what you're saying is accurate it sounds like you may need to look for a different Pdoc.

My current cocktail is: Tegretol, Klonopin, Ambien, Celexa and Flexerill, which most people use as a Muscle Relaxer, but when it first came on the market it was an anti-depressant, way back in the day, and for me it works well as an anti-depressant, so I use it off-label.

If you find a good Pdoc who's worth their Degree and are lucky enough to snag one who specializes in BiPolar and doesn't just go for the conventional stuff....treatment can be a positive thing.

My current dr is a MN, Arnp,Cs......that's what her card reads anyhow

I would ask her for a referral to a psychiatrist.... That's what they do ... That's what they specialize in... Psychiatric meds and I agree that if possible a pdoc who has had a lot of experience in bipolar disorder

Advanced Registerd Psychiatric Nurse Practioner....

You really need to get a referral to a "real" Psychiatrist. This person is giving you bad and dangerous information, she doesn't know how to treat BiPolar, from what your saying about her "1 medication approach" and she can harm you or make you worse with what she's doing.

With Advanced Mood Disorder's like this you really need to see a Psychiatrist that's been specially educated and trained to deal with them. Some people think they're qualified buy they're just not. You cannot treat BiPolar with 1 medication, and if I were you I would be cautious of any more medication changes until you do see an actual Psychiatrist.

Take care...

It took me many different pdocs and over 20 years of searching for the right meds. I am still having to tweak them with my pdoc, esp since I just got out of the hospital...again. Don't give up and don't be afraid to switch docs if you aren't getting what you need.