I have remained stable for well over a decade, with no manic episodes and no depression. It might not be a combination that works for everyone-but it does for me. It’s been 13 years since I made the change, and it’s still what I take now.
It took a bit of tweaking, but that combination of the two drugs worked beautifully. Within weeks I was starting to feel better. I started on daily doses of Abilify and Wellbutrin. This time, when I described my reaction to the first two medications, I was heard. On a friend’s recommendation, I made an appointment with another psychiatrist. I began to despair of ever feeling like myself again. I was terrified of taking more Seroquel, and told her so, but her lack of empathy left me very discouraged. When I explained all this to my psychiatrist, she merely increased the dosage and said I would likely improve when I reached the correct level of drug in my system. But Seroquel, for me, had disastrous side effects, including a significant uptick in my manic feelings. At the time, the antipsychotic drug had been recently approved to treat bipolar disorder -now it is very commonly prescribed. I continued to struggle with extended periods of hypomania, alternating with uncontrollable sadness.Īfter a few months of regular blood work and frustration, I asked for a change of medications, and the doctor prescribed Seroquel. I was constantly thirsty, but otherwise unchanged. Many patients respond well to Lithium I was not one of them. On my initial visit with a psychiatrist, I was prescribed Lithium, which is often the first medication given to people with a bipolar diagnosis. I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2006, after a year of many hypomanic episodes and times of deep depression. Living with bipolar disorder and how I found help When both practitioner and patient listen to and understand one another, this successful communication can lead to a more positive outcome. While the provider takes the lead in diagnosis and treatment, the patient brings their medical history and lived experience to the partnership. Being in sync is pivotal if the dance is to be successful.įinding the right mental health professional-especially when dealing with physical or mental health conditions-can be like finding the right dance partner. The partners need to be aware of one another and respond to one another.
When people dance together, there is a leader and a follower-but both are equally important to the smoothness and flow of the dance.
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