Recently Diagnosed Bipolar II Needs HELP!

[mrsches]

I am currently on Lamotragine 100 increasing by 25mgs every two weeks, hoping to reach 00 mgs, as well as topomax 125mgs.  It has helped the depression, as I used to be unable to get out of bed, didn't want to get dressed, etc, sleep all the time.  However I am crying everyday at the drop of a hat, get super angry and frusterated over everything and feel like I am stuck in this "cyclone" that I am unable to get out of.  I have four children, so this makes it very hard to function, as I am a complete trainwreck everyday.  Any ideas on meds to try?  I tried Serequel XR, it knocked the snot out of me for a week, then I started coming around slowly, however I was so tense and clenching my jaw that my doc took me off, however I am still doing those things and I haven't been on for months!!  HELP

[aadel]

You are going through the painful process of trying to find the right combination of meds, and I don't envy you.  With BP2, we're always fighting a two-front war: We need to control the depressive end while at the same time preventing or controlling hypomania.  When you say "I get super angry and frusterated over everything and feel like I am stuck in this "cyclone" that I am unable to get out of," it sounds like you are currently in the hypomanic phase.  For some of us, hypomania can be a happy time with plenty of energy and ideas.  I, and I think you, experience hypomania as "dysphoric," i.e. intensely unhappy, frustrating, maddening.

It remains to be seen whether Lamotrigine can bring relief on both sides once you are up to the full dose.  It is, after all, a mood stabilizer, and it may therefore do the trick.  I was on it for years and found it quite helpful (had to quit because it gave me the shakes).  One often reads that Lamotrigine works better for depression than for hypomania.  So in the end it is also possible that Lithium may turn out to be effective for you.  Do keep in close touch with your pdoc.

All the best,
aadel

[Amyjo101]

You may end up having to have another medication put in place. One thing with Lamictal that my daughter had to deal with was extreme tiredness. She had to take it at night or not function during the day. After probably longer than a month once she got up to 200mg she was able to function during the day. It wasn't truly depression just straight out inability to function. She is actually doing well now on 100mg of Lamictal and 1500 of Lithium.

I will say though it did take several therapist and 3 different Psychiatrists before we found the right doctors.

[horselover65]

I am hoping someone more knowledgeable will jump in soon!

The only things I can tell you are that none of this will happen quickly and that it does take time to get to a therapeutic dose of lamotrigine (Lamictal). When I tried it, I got 6-week starter packs, then after that dosage increases continued to take time. And, on top of the time it takes to build up, it will also take time for it to work. It's unfortunate and none of us like it, but that is simply how many of these drugs work. I'm sorry you are feeling this way and I wish I could tell you about something better or faster that could help, but I don't think it exists. Yet.  

*** I can tell you one other thing: Call your psychiatrist and see her/him ASAP. If you feel you are not getting the help you need, call a DIFFERENT psychiatrist. You have to advocate for yourself and if they're not listening to you, then they aren't helping. That doesn't mean they will always tell you what you want to hear, but it does mean that if you say things are unmanageable that they should try to present you some options. Those options may not be acceptable to you, but there should be some kind of attempt at helpful communication. Best wishes!!!