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.

8,884 Members

129,557 Posts

0 Online

sfagrad 09/07/2013

I had been on lithium for a year and it worked wonderfully. I had to be taken off bc of unwanted side effects. I tried zero quell but got nauseous. Now I am back on lithium and 900mg is not working but if I go back to 1200 the side effects will come back and I will not be able to travel or sleep good. Now I cannot sleep but a few hrs and am tired everyday. I have racing thoughts and I still feel out of control. I go see my pdoc Monday and plan on asking him about geodon. Any advice welcome.

irishwriter 09/07/2013

I have found topamax very good and klonopin good for sleep.
am also on respiridal,prozac,eltroxin,and,xanax. this is the first combo in many years that seems to be working this well for me.
best of luck to you. i also take 3000 vitamin d.

tommymott 09/08/2013

Check out depakote as a stabilizer. I've used lithium for many years and much of the time I used an anti-psychotic and tranquilizer with it. Some combination should give you relief.
I tend to think that if 1200 mg of lithium is causing problems then it won't be long until 900 mg causes problems so replacing lithium with depakote might be best. I wish you success.

Eulenspiegel 09/08/2013

What works for one doesn't always work for others, so there's nothing I can suggest that would be sure to be of value!!

I've heard some people say that Geodon works great for them!!!
I hope that proves true for you!!!

If not that, then one of the other meds that are out there!!!

Good luck!!!!

jraernr 09/08/2013

Let your Dr know all side effects, symptoms, etc. Whats worked before, what hasn't, and all other meds you're on.

As far as meds go, we're all different and react differently... it's not a good idea to give advice about meds, but we can share what's helped us.

Hope you and your Dr can find what will work best for you. Be patiently, it can take a long trial period to see what will work best.

tats69 09/08/2013

I think Geodon is a great med......it can make ya pretty sleepy when you first start taking it but that subsides over time. When I took it things were working great for me but I seem to get the more rare side effects of the antipsych meds and I got tardives from taking it and had to switch to Abilify. Other than that RARE side effect the drug worked great for me and I really couldn't tell I was even taking anything....I felt that damn good.

I hope you find something that works great for you very soon!!

nickpc20001 09/08/2013

You might want to try latuda it's new but it has been the best for me so far.. It keeps me out of the hospital..

evildoer 09/08/2013

Have you tried Lamictal? It's a mood stabilizer like depakote and Lithium. Meds like Risperdal, Geodon, Abilify etc. are antipychotics (and have some interesting side effect profiles...).

Can Lithium cause sleep disturbances? That might explain a lot for me....unless I take a ton of meds I don't sleep.

Cheers

Pulpit 09/08/2013

I was on Lithium for years,it slowed my brain down, but over the years it got less and less so I switched over to Depakote, it has slowed down my brain to where I don't hardly react at all to stress, sleep is the only side effect causing problems.

Join the Conversation