*Sigh* Not sure.....

[pentecostalgirl0414]

Hi everyone... I need some advice... and I just need to vent. I hope that is okay.

I have been feeling really low for a little over a week. I went straight from mania to low. That doesn't happen a lot with me. Sometimes, I am down for a while, then I am fine. Then the mania starts and then every thing is okay.. I try to act like everything is fine but it isn't. I try to act happy because I get yelled out a lot for being either too sad or too happy. I get asked a lot, "I don't understand why you are so depressed." People just don't understand. I am on medication but I don't think that it is working. I only see my psychiatrist every 2 months and my therapist ever 2 weeks. I see my therapist Friday. I don't know what to do. My psychiatrist said that if the medication doesn't work this time (I have been taking it for almost a year now) doesn't work, she doesn't think that she is going to try me on any more medicine. Can it sometimes take a while to find the combination of medicine? I am trying to be somewhat "level" before I go back to school (July 30.) *sigh* Can anyone offer me any advice? I am sorry this post is so long.

 

[bipolarbear]

Sweetheart,

First off, know that you are not alone. and from my understanding, yes it takes time for meds combinations to be found, and effective. Are you also on a mood stabelizer, along with a bipolar med? THen you ahve to figure in the apprpperate time for the meds to kick in... For some people it takes multipul meds for it to work, and even then it takes you wanting to make the effort to put in all the heard work daily to make your life better. I hope I am encouraging to you. I am at a low point myself, so I am really trying to sound happy.. Know that I will be on my knees in prayer over you!

Take care, and continue to try and fing the gifts God sends us daily, evn if it is a smile! May the Lord bless your day! 's

 

[angelkiss]

I agree with bipolarbear.
I've been on meds for several years, and have to be on a combination. So far, with the combo that has worked for me.......Equetro, Seroquel, Remeron............I had to drop the Equetro cause it is so expensive and it's been replaced with Tegritol which is not working, so I'm back to square one.
It's frustrating having to go through so many different meds and having to start over so much, but in my case, it's better to wait it out than to be without them at all.


There are different reasons why meds don't work for certain people: Sometimes, it can take several weeks for meds to get in your system and really start working.
If a med is started out on a low dosage, the dosage may have to be raised a little at a time until you find the right amount for you.
As bipolarbear said, you may need a combination.........or in some cases, a combination may not be needed and some people need to be weened off of one or two that are in the combo.

I'm not in any way trying to be negative, but as in my case, I also have PTSD, and was only being treated for the bipolar up until a year ago. Therefore, for many years I was being treated for only one illness and not both. I learned this after finding a new therapist.


As with any illness, meds work differently for different people. What works for me may not work for you and vise/versa, and it sometimes takes time to find the right one for you.


You're in my prayers!
s and es!!

 

[pentecostalgirl0414]

I too have PTSD. It is really hard to deal with them both. Every morning I have to tell myself that things are not going to get any worse and they are going to get better. (Even though sometimes that is a lie.) I go see my therapist this Friday. I am going to talk to her about my meds. Thanks for all of the advice!!

 

[Alaskamomma]

Hey there young one! Bipolarbear and angelkiss gave you some good advice. I will just add my support and let you know that anytime you need to vent --- just come here. We are here for you and we know what it is like going through the lows and the highs. You are surrounded by women (and men) who will care what happens to you. Be of strong faith and courage like Esther of old. He will not leave you nor forsake you. Take comfort in that.

Blessings to you,

AM

 

[sherr33]

I agree with them. If you need to vent come on here and vent.

 

[Jeshu]

I too have PTSD. It is really hard to deal with them both. Every morning I have to tell myself that things are not going to get any worse and they are going to get better. (Even though sometimes that is a lie.) I go see my therapist this Friday. I am going to talk to her about my meds. Thanks for all of the advice!!

Hi

Medications can take ages to work sometimes. It depends on how big the imbalance is.
For more than five years medications failed me I was either to high or to low to find benefit, through ECT my balance was somewhat restored and the medication could do it from there on. Hallelujah!
So please persist with medication try some other anti-depressants or an anti-psychotic to keep the high away. Don't give up!

 

[berry2000]

I know it takes a long time to find the right meds. Each individual is different. Perhaps it is because of your age...they want to wait... i know a lot of meds are not approved for under 18. But don't give up...when you find something that works it can be really helpful. I don't really understand why the doctor would want to go to no meds though...there must be other things out there.

 

[pentecostalgirl0414]

Thank you so much for all of the advice. I am going to see my therapist tomorrow. I hope that it goes well and I will be able to get an appointment with my doctor. So... Wish me luck. I will let everyone know how it goes!

 

[Alive again]

Prayers!~

 

[berry2000]

Good luck!

 

[bipolarbear]

Keeping you in my prayers dear Sister...

 

[Alive again]

P{raying for wisdom for you and your doc!

 

[angelkiss]

Thank you so much for all of the advice. I am going to see my therapist tomorrow. I hope that it goes well and I will be able to get an appointment with my doctor. So... Wish me luck. I will let everyone know how it goes!

Many prayers going up for you!
s and es

 

[pentecostalgirl0414]

Well, I finally got to see my therapist. She told me that we would have to see the psychiatrist to see if there was another medication (a mood stabilizer) that I could try since the ups and down are getting worse. She even said that maybe I could actually have an appointment alone without my mother in there. (At the center that I go to, your parent has to go to the appointment with you until you are 18.) So, she said if the doctor agrees she and I will discuss the problems that I am having. I think I may be able to be more open and honest than with my mom in the room. I know it sounds mean but it is hard to tell them the problems with freaking her out. So.. it was hard for me to bring it up but I did it. Anyways, I just wanted to give everyone an update.

 

[Jeshu]

Great to hear that you dared to speak up for yourself. I do hope your medications will get sorted out.

Gerry

 

[Alive again]

YEAH!!!!! Sounds as if you did great! And asking to have time with your pdoc alone is a very good idea. As a parent of a son with bp, it was always hard to wait out in the waiting room. I wanted to help and make things right so bad, but I had to let my son and doc talk or he would not have felt free to say all he did! I pray you Mom will understand and help you in this way!

 

[bipolarbear]

YEAH!!!!! Sounds as if you did great! And asking to have time with your pdoc alone is a very good idea. As a parent of a son with bp, it was always hard to wait out in the waiting room. I wanted to help and make things right so bad, but I had to let my son and doc talk or he would not have felt free to say all he did! I pray you Mom will understand and help you in this way!

I second that, and I am still keeping you safely in my prayers! Remember The Lord has an account of all your days, even before one came to pass! He knows how to guide you through, just offer up to him a willing heart, adn hand over your burdens for him to carry!

 

[pentecostalgirl0414]

I just wanted to say Thanks to everyone who has been supporting me!! I just hope that I am going to be able to be open and honest with the doctor. It will be a couple of months though before I will be able to see her, so I guess I will have plenty of time to prepare. Thanks again!!
Blessings to everyone!

 

[pentecostalgirl0414]

I went to see my therapist yesterday. She has an appointment for my to see the doctor August 6. I just haven't got to the part of asking my mom if it would be okay if I talked to the doctor alone... I hope that I will be able to before August 6... I know it sounds childish but if you could please pray that I am able to ask her to see the doctor alone and the mood swings get better. (I have been very down lately.)