my new prescription
112 tablets of anti-crazy meds (enough for 4 weeks) = £7.20. Bargain.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Mon 11 May 2009, 10:50, 3 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Gotta love it.
I hope they help.
(Poppet some assembly required., Mon 11 May 2009, 10:57, Reply)

Thanks VC
The expression "help" is pretty subjective; suffice to say, the lock-box remains closed and I don't go hunting for my second passport when I'm on them, although they make me feel dopey as hell.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:19, Reply)

That's not fair
I only get 84 a go :[
( Captain V, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:07, Reply)

4 x 75mg / venlafaxine daily
trust me, I'd rather I wasn't on them.

And, whilst we're in fantasyville, I wish that Georgina and I were still together.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:18, Reply)

3 x 200mg lithium daily
Don't make me go to fantasy land - I'll make a mess at work.
( Captain V, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:22, Reply)

Ouch!
Hope they're working out for you.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:23, Reply)

It's impossible to be certain
I've been on them 6 months but have gone around 12 months without an episode before so I'm withholding serious judgement until I've been on them 24months. For some reason my psychiartrists (of whom I'm not withheld judgement) don't quite understand this viewpoint. Either they don't understand my point, which would leave me doubting their competence, or they've not come across a bipolar patient that knows anything much about their illness before.

Fortunately since starting lithium my mood has been in an excellent "range". I still get depressed and manic but not to the levels that 'cause problems so I've some hope that lithium will be the answer.
( Captain V, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:31, Reply)

Good for you.
You might find that there's a few lithium users on the boards here.

Do you find that lithium works to reduce the amplitude but increase the frequency of your emotional states? I find myself in a similar situation, viz, not having the emotional highs (and missing them) but at the same time not having the lows either (and NOT missing them).
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Mon 11 May 2009, 11:34, Reply)

Yea I know there are a few about
It's hard to say really. I've always had high frequency low intensity mood swings (again relative for to my extreme moods not a "normal" person's moods) with a more significant episodes every so often.

I'd say that since being on lithium I've mostly been experiencing it's anti-depressant effects. My moods aren't changing quite as often but rather than ranging from hypomanic to depressed (with a rare episode of mania) and periods of "normality" interspersed I feel like I'm between hypomanic and a mixed state with less "normality" but no serious depression or manic episodes (yet).
( Captain V, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:03, Reply)

fuck me
I am so glad I never got put onto the real drugs like you guys have been.
I was medicated on - of all things - the pill - because the doctor thought I was just hormonal. Yep. "Hormonal" enough to try to off myself. Didn't work. Just gave me massive headaches.
When the doc realised it wasn't hormonal she make me see a psychiatrist for six months. And I managed to get out of it with the help of her, my mum and family (and two close friends).

best of luck to you guys - I know what it's like being so low. I hope everything works out for you.
(Poppet some assembly required., Mon 11 May 2009, 12:12, Reply)

On behalf of Capt V and myself,
Thanks VC.

One thing though, if you were being hormonal why the f*** did the GP give you pills that are basically massive shots of hormones? You weren't (presumably) sprouting facial hair were you?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:17, Reply)

No idea.
I think she thought it would help settle them?? I was always worse around *that* time but the fact I was consistantly so damn low should have alerted her to the fact it was no hormonal! I went 18 months before going to the doc about it - and the only reason I did was because I got caught doing something very stupid.
(Poppet some assembly required., Mon 11 May 2009, 12:26, Reply)

This will sound weird
But I've always enjoyed being depressed if, and only if, I'm able to allow it to consume me without ruining my life completely.

Unfortunately having a job doesn't really allow that to happen but on the upside I've not been seriously depressed since I started here.

Dealing with "just" depression is hard as it's not always clear what the underlying cause is (then you've got issues of terminology that make discussing it difficult). I get the impression that doctors are very trigger happy with meds for depression probably because it's much easier than trying to really understand what's going on. Glad it's worked out for you without the need for medication though.

In my experience most doctors are pretty rubbish. I'm fortunate that I'm very self aware, good with textbooks and self diagnosis and that my GP is actually much better than my psychiatrists (I only see them because I feel as though I have to).
( Captain V, Mon 11 May 2009, 12:28, Reply)

800mg lithium daily
plus zopiclone for those sleepless nights and a reserve supply of olanzapine and the stuff that stops the dribbling, shaking side effects of olanzapine.

And folic acid.

And booze.
( crackhouseceilidhband Fuck off back to Mumsnet, Mon 11 May 2009, 13:28, Reply)