Need someone...lots of ??? - Bipolar Disorder Message Board

libragirl76 · 01-10-2007, 10:27 PM

Hello all...

I havent posted for a couple of mos. since I got out of the hospital in October and feel I am falling off track again. I went back to work and all has been going well until they started adding even more overtime but by no means am I lazy because we have worked overtime for over a year now. But they are working us like a dog 7:45 am until 7:15 p:m during the weekdays and than they added 8 hours on Saturdays. I listen to customers complain all day and than I have to sale to them so its very stressfull plus some of the managers and the way they do things really suck. I dont get to see my kids because when I leave in the morning they are just getting up and when I come home I see them for maybe 30 min. The saturdays were "OUR DAYS" in my family because the kids all play sports so its either a basketball, football or soccer game. The past two weeks I have went mentally down and this week has been the worse.(I also have found out some health issues with my mom). But I have not wanted to get out of bed and have slept for like 14 hours straight, dont really feel like doing anything but than feel guilty because I know I dont see the kids much. I have been calling in to work because the last day I went to work one of the managers told me I went over on my break and I just burst out into tears(which one I was crying in the bathroom and two I never go over on my break and if I did and the manager said that normally I wouldnt act that way.)

Today I finally dragged myself to the pdoc I am on 40mg celexa, 400mg Topamax and 200 mg Lamictal and she told me to gradually stop taking the Lamitcal and add the Apilify, which is 15 mg. I am on Weight Watchers and have lost 32 lbs and that was the first thing I asked but I know everyone is different but reading the site it seems this is one that may cause weight gain? If that is the cause I will call her tomorrow and tell her no way! Anyways I realized when I was diagnoises I accepted it but didnt make any changes. I just take my medicines and go to my appointments and continue to go with my busy stressful life like before, is it possible? My husband is supportive to an extend but he knows my income supports more than his income does and I am unable to find another job making that. So it puts a big burden on me because of our mortgage and all than there our times he will look at me like I am just plain lazy. He says he will go to a support group but when the time comes he refuses.

I am sorry this is so long. I dont have anyone to turn too. What about my job? What about the abilify? What about my husband?

Llama · 01-10-2007, 11:36 PM

Hi there. I just wanted to let you know that I did not gain any weight while on abilify (although I was barely on it for a month). Now I'm just on lamictal and am at 125mg. I really think I need another med, but my pdoc wants to wait until I get to a higher dose of the lamictal.

The one thing that you may want to be careful of (which is the reason that I had to get off of the abilify) is a side effect of restlessnes. I guess there is some kind of fancy clinical term for it. But if you do get this side effect there are meds that can stop this side effect. I don't know why but my pdoc mentioned adding one of those meds then changed her mind and said I should jsut get off of that med alltogether. I just hope the extreme anger/irritability does not return. we'll see I guess.

Llama · 01-10-2007, 11:38 PM

btw, what do you think of topamax? I am thinking of asking to try that med along with the lamictal! Otherwise I was thinking geodon. I guess my pdoc will know best though for me.

libragirl76 · 01-11-2007, 07:42 AM

Hello Llama and thanks for your response!

I love Topomaz and that is the one med I will not let the Pdoc take me off of and ofcourse I know everyone is different. But I had terrible headaches and they are gone with this med and there was just a gradual weight loss. The one thing was that things tasted different and I could no longer dring carbonated drings for awhile. Caffenie drings had like a metal taste it was weird but eveuntually (awhile thought) it went away but it was a good thing because that maybe made me loss weight too, huh? Anyways I have had great success with it. its the only one...lol!
Now i have been on Lamictal 200 mg and my pdoc is gradual taken me completly off of it too START me ON THE apilify but reading on the site some people are taking both of these together??? That would not be because I am on Topamax right? I am also on Celexa---which I just feel something is not working and was pointing more towards the Celexa not Lamictal...Anyways I quess i am not the pdoc....

libragirl76 · 01-11-2007, 07:53 AM

I love Topomaz and that is the one med I will not let the Pdoc take me off of and of course I know everyone is different. But I had terrible headaches and they are gone with this med and there was just a gradual weight loss. The one side effect I had was things tasted different and I could no longer dring carbonated drings for a long while. Caffenie drings had like a metal taste it was weird but eveuntually it went away but it was a good thing because that maybe made me loss weight too because I got used to drinking other things. Anyways I have had great success with it.

Now i have been on Lamictal 200 mg and my pdoc is gradual taken me COMPLETLY off of it too START me ON THE apilify but reading on the site some people are taking both of these together??? Would that not be in my case because I am also on Topamax? I am also on Celexa---which I just feel something is not working and was pointing more towards the Celexa not Lamictal...I TAKE ALL MY MEDS GO TO MY APPT AND WONDER AT TIMES WHAT DOES EACH ONE DO AND WHY DONT I FEEL BETTER?? WHY AM I STILL UP AND DOWN.... LOL!!!Anyways I quess i am not the pdoc.... THANKS for listening......