breathing/energy problems

[livsgorillas]

I am 23 and am always tired/feeling weak despite being very active, i go to the gym 6 days a week and run everyday. the worst symptoms i have are shortness of breath throughout the whole day,...and fatigue, I thought it might of been anemia but i started taking iron pills and a multivitamin and nothing changed so i got blood work done and they confirmed it wasn't that,...and yesterday i went in to a pulmonologist and had tests done and my lungs/oxygen levels were very good so its not an asthma type thing either. as i thought he pretty much told me it was anxiety related which makes sense because i have extreme social anxiety and depression, so for the most part i am convinced these things are from that but was wondering if it could possibly be something else that i'm missing. perhaps something with the thyroid? I dont know if i should keep going back to various types of doctors or if that's just a waste a time since it most likely is brought on by anxiety. But this is very extreme and almost impossible to deal with

[birdie0907]

You need to try more than 3 meds before you give up and make the claim that they don't work. Sometimes it can take a lot of experimenting before you get the right one, but it is always worth it.
I don't know much about bp, but years ago the forum moderator would tell posters that they need to be on meds all the time if they are bp.

[remar]

I agree with Paxiled. Most SSRI's are not given to people that are bi-polar because they can either make things worse or not work at all.
I'm from ST. Louis too, as you must have seen already. Pretty close to the area anyway.

[Paxiled]

You say you're bipolar, true bipolar, not an invented bipolar 2 or 3 or whatever.  So I'm wondering about the Prozac -- I'm no expert and so this is more a question than an answer, but given that Prozac can be a stimulating antidepressant it doesn't seem appropriate for someone who's true bipolar.  Anyone know if this makes sense?  And if you're true bipolar, I would assume the anxiety and depression are part of that illness, not something separate from it, so if you successfully controlled it through a drug that worked I would assume the secondary anxiety would decrease.  You also seem to be exercising an awful lot, so I'm assuming you're an athlete -- the average person, even the average gym rat and exercise lover as I've been most of my life, doesn't run and go the gym on the same day -- they would alternate the resistance training with the aerobics unless you're cross-training, which takes a lot out of people.  Seroquel is a very sedating med for some people, so it would make sense you might get tired taking it and exercising that much if I'm reading you correctly.  Perhaps you just haven't found the right med, or perhaps I've misread you and you're not true bipolar.  And you haven't mentioned how well you sleep and eat, which would also affect your energy levels and recovery time from taking these meds and exercising as much as you seem to suggest you do.  Any thoughts?

[livsgorillas]

im from stl to by the way

[livsgorillas]

to many things its very complex,...and i just dont have the wippower or energy anymore to seek out therapists or more meds

[remar]

There are so many other meds out there to try. Don't give up on that, okay.
You really need to find the right therapist too. Interview them at your first few appointments. Ask questions, see if you click with them. If you don't them find a different one.
Can you say what's causing your anxiety?

[livsgorillas]

lithium and Prozac are the only other ones,..meds just dont help me, the things that cause my anxiety are to strong for them to make a noticeable difference

[remar]

I see. I have heard other people say the same thing about Seraquel. We're all so different and respond to these meds differently. Seraquel can cover a lot of things, including bi-polar, depression and anxiety. What other meds have you tried for the bi-polar and anxiety?  

[livsgorillas]

its the seraquel that makes me feel like a xombie,...the other one prozac i cant tell much of anything from

[remar]

I'm so sorry you're going through this. When you've been on your meds for the bi-polar are you also taking a med for your anxiety? Or, are the anxiety meds the ones that make you feel like a zombie?

[livsgorillas]

i do take meds but they don't help much, i have took many combos over the years and the only ones that do anything are the ones that turn me into a zombie. they lessen the frequency of my bipolar manic episodes but not much for the anxiety,....and i have seen therapists but they dont help either,....i cant take a step wiothout some sort of worrying crazy thought so its no wonder why this is happening but i dont see any way to stop it

[remar]

Many of us that have anxiety and depression have problems with breathing and weakness.
It would'nt hurt to get more testing done to rule anything else out.
Are you seeing a therapist? Are you taking any meds for your depression and anxiety?