Medications for MDD, BPD, Bipolar, Anxiety

[Raminiki]

Would any of the members that experience the following conditions let me know of their experiences with treatment by medication?

. Major depressive disorder, with seasonal effects.
. Generalised anxiety disorder, with panic attacks.
. Borderline/emotionally unstable personality disorder.
. Bipolar disorder.

I have a laundry list of diagnoses, the latter two which may be interchangeable. I'm also on the autistic spectrum, which I think makes me react differently to antidepressants and antipsychotics. I seem to be highly sensitive to side effects, whereas the intended effects don't happen.

The latest thing I've been prescribed is lamotrigine, which I'm slowly increasing dose of. I've also fallen back on quetiapine, as it helped me fall asleep reliably in the past and I've been suffering insomnia since lockdown started.

I don't feel that anything has worked in the past. I've had many terrible experiences with side effects. Unfortunately, getting help that isn't medication is nigh on impossible here.

Any fellows with experience of the conditions above have advice on how to manage and cope with them?

 

[Walilamdzi]

I've been diagnosed with bipolar, but actually it's the ramifications of complex ptsd and prescribed carbamazepine and quetiapine. Don't like them, I have no motivation to do anything.

 

[Raminiki]

I've been diagnosed with bipolar, but actually it's the ramifications of complex ptsd and prescribed carbamazepine and quetiapine. Don't like them, I have no motivation to do anything.

I'm sorry to hear you've suffered severe consequences from taking medication. Parts of my problems have been due to various medication I was prescribed. I've not had carbamazepine, but it sounds similar to mirtazapine, which sedated me terribly. I slept most of the day and night and only dragged myself out of bed for chores before collapsing back in it. The lack of motivation I can empathise with.

With quetiapine, I understand that a larger dose is needed to effectively treat conditions. 25mg is enough to knock me out. I've tried larger doses and the extended release, but it was awful. Loss of energy and motivation, as you describe.

Can you adjust your medications to have less of of a negative effect?

 

[Walilamdzi]

I'm sorry to hear you've suffered severe consequences from taking medication. Parts of my problems have been due to various medication I was prescribed. I've not had carbamazepine, but it sounds similar to mirtazapine, which sedated me terribly. I slept most of the day and night and only dragged myself out of bed for chores before collapsing back in it. The lack of motivation I can empathise with.

With quetiapine, I understand that a larger dose is needed to effectively treat conditions. 25mg is enough to knock me out. I've tried larger doses and the extended release, but it was awful. Loss of energy and motivation, as you describe.

Can you adjust your medications to have less of of a negative effect?

Thanks for your empathy. This is exactly what I'm experiencing, and the cherry on top is that some people just think I'm choosing to be lazy. This is no life, just devoid of anything and inside all the time. I'm debating going back to sleep now. I've asked the doctors to reduce it and they refuse to. I think the large quetiapine dose is nuts, just can't do anything. Why they think it's an adequate treatment is beyond me.

 

[Poptart]

Im Bipolar 1 and struggled until recently

Im on lithium, lamictal, vraylar, wellbutrin, and effexor.

Quite a drug cocktail but my urge to CTB is completely gone. My mind no longer spirals. Its like I have a new chance at life.

Unfortunately the side effects are weight gain and acne so it feels like a second puberty.

 

[krsu]

opioids helped subdue my borderline personality disorder for a while, highly recommend not getting addicted to them though because then you will have another reason to ctb

 

[schopenh]

opioids helped subdue my borderline personality disorder for a while, highly recommend not getting addicted to them though because then you will have another reason to ctb

when you say addicted, do you mean you were abusing them, increasing dosages and didn't want to come off them?

 

[krsu]

when you say addicted, do you mean you were abusing them, increasing dosages and didn't want to come off them?

addicted as in physically and mentally addicted and would get very painful withdrawals that are almost crippling.
increasing my dosages was also something I did to compensate for tolerance.
Now it doesn't help with my bpd and it doesn't even get me high or feel good, I only take it to dodge withdrawal :(

 

[Raminiki]

Im Bipolar 1 and struggled until recently

Im on lithium, lamictal, vraylar, wellbutrin, and effexor.

Quite a drug cocktail but my urge to CTB is completely gone. My mind no longer spirals. Its like I have a new chance at life.

Unfortunately the side effects are weight gain and acne so it feels like a second puberty.

That is quite a cocktail... I only try one or two at a time so I can figure out where side effects are coming from! I'm pleased to hear you've found what works for you. I hope the side effects are bearable. I do understand that the choice is often between tolerating the underlying conditions or tolerating the side effects.

 

[UpandDownPrincess]

I take Duloxetine (SNRI), Quetiapine Extended Release, Lithium Extended Release and Quetiapine Immediate Relief in combination for my bipolar disorder. The lithium jumps on my thyroid, so I also take a thyroid pill and some very low-dose Gabapentin to quell my restless legs before bed (the Quetiapine makes them worse.)

All in all, it's a crazy cocktail but it works for me and keeps me fairly even. Increases in suicidal thoughts are quashed with a temporary increase in my lithium.

The MD who prescribed this is a genius and a very skilled psychiatrist. I have never trusted anyone like I trusted that man. My current psychiatrist has just kept it as is since I moved and had to give up the great one.