hello I am just after other people's experiences on severe anxiety with bipolar and how they treat this!
I am very frustrated as my mood is elevated but I have severe anxiety and agitation. I don't feel as though my mental health team are taking me very seriously. Every time I see my cpn or psychiatrist or senior clinical pharmacist I am telling them that the anxiety is becoming unbearable and is seriously affecting my everyday life. They have increased my quetiapine dose to help with the high mood but still I have not been given anything to help with my anxiety. All they keep saying is they can't give me any medication for the anxiety in case it makes me high but I would rather be high and have less anxiety than suffer like this. Does anybody have any suggestions? I really wish I had my old psychiatrist still as my new one is rubbish, he doesn't even look at you when you are talking. Any advice welcome!
Hey Gary, am hi polar too, can they not increase your meds? Are you on lithium? Or could you ask for diazapam? Speak to your con. Hang in there x
Sorry, you have had a meds increase. I take an antidepressant that helps with the anxiety.
I am bipolar and started experiencing anxiety a while ago..well it was continual thoughts playing over and over in my mind they kept me from sleeping not that my sleep has got any better it hsnt but the med Lyrica or Gabapentin as it's also known put paid to the thoughts. They weren't racing thoughts that you would get with mania so I labelled it anxiety.
I'm now anxious to have this med changed I'm going to slowly get weaned off it as it's drastic if you just stop it I experienced that due to no fault of my own. We were away just for a few days and I ran out I thought a few days wouldn't do much harm was I wrong big time ended up having to ring the nearest hospital and get an emergency script wrote up. I'm on 400mg daily taken in two doses of 200mg. My reason for wanting of it is because my weight is going up and up and I can't be doing with that as I have prolapsed discs and the heavier I am the more it hurts my lower spine.
Don't know if any of that helps but it's my story about anxiety.
Forgot to say I take 600mg lithium also for the bipolar.
Louise could I ask what antidepressant take for for anxiety please?
Hi Louise, they have increased my quetiapine. I also take lithium and lamotrigine but none of these seem to do much for my anxiety. They won't give me an antidepressant because of the risk that it might make me manic. I would welcome some diazepam but they never seem to want to give you that either. I am so annoyed and frustrated. I just want them to sort out the anxiety but it seems like there is a problem with whatever I suggest.
Thanks for sharing that Maureen. It helps to know I am not alone. I am also on 600mg of lithium, I was on 800mg until a few months ago when I ended up in hospital through it as the levels went toxic. I had severe nausea and vomiting. It wasn't very nice put it that way. I just want them to treat the anxiety as its really upsetting me but they don't seem concerned with this. Other than going private I don't know what else to try. My previous psychiatrist was great but she left and I ended up with this bloke who is atrocious. He doesn't even look at you when you are speaking to him and he never does anything for me. I could spill my guts and be really open and honest and he wouldn't even acknowledge what I am saying. You come out of your appointments thinking what the hell was the point in even turning up. I am thinking of just refusing to go to anymore appointments unless the start to take me seriously!!
Gary do you think you could describe how your anxiety effects you. I ask because I was put on Gabapentin for anxiety which I assumed I had..It was racing thoughts though not really racing more continual but not rushing on. This norm only happens when in a state of mania which I wasn't and haven't been for years praise God. I need off the Gabapentin because of weight gain now. Thank you.
Gary I was increased to 800mg lithium and went toxic also though I had no symptoms it was my blood test showed it up.
I would ask for a change of psychiatrist instead of stopping going surely we're allowed to do that. No harm in asking try it.
Hey Maureen, I take citalopram 40 mg x
Wow, that's awful. I have been on lithium 800mg for twenty years with no problem, I feel lucky, I get my blood test every 3 months.
Dear Gary, I have just been reading the replies to your dilemma. It is important to get the drug regime as good as it can be to help one's mood, but there are other techniques which are not drug related. I have had manic-depression/ bi-polar for 40 years and have experienced the roller coaster with which we are all familiar. It took me a long time to finally accept that I needed to be on medication for life. Meds are not a cure all, but the relative stability they give has allowed me to try Cognitive Behaviour Therapy ( on the NHS) and off my own bat I go to a weekly meditative group and have also found singing in a choir extremely helpful. Perhaps this is not for you. I also find that taking a walk calms my anxiety and encourages a 'living in the moment' frame of mind which is beneficial. I don't know your circumstances but will also mention that gardening is extremely good for one's mental health. I live in the country now and am lucky enough to have a garden. When I lived in the city I was part of a group called the 'Green Gym' and also shared an allotment. I had a good CPN at the time and she encouraged me to be active. Finally I agree with the right to ask for another psychiatrist as you are not getting on with your present one. Yours, Clare
Hi Maureen, well there are a lot of things. As always with me it's not straightforward. I have the usual racing heart, Shortness of breath and clenching my teeth. I have racing thoughts and negative thoughts. I become very angry and over react, if the house is a mess I throw things around and scream and shout. I am not violent towards anyone but I get really agitated and over react to everything and anything. I don't like people hanging around outside my house, this triggers paranoia and anxiety and I won't speak to people over the phone even though I work in a call centre. I won't answer the door to people either. Then there's the health anxiety and the rituals of checking my whole body over and over again otherwise something bad will happen. I convince myself I can feel things and that there's something wrong with me. I am constantly looking for reassurance. It's a living hell!!!
Hey Gary, when I was on an anti psychotic it made me really anxious and I couldn't sit still. Been off it for 3 months and its gone. Have got my anti psychotic on standby incase I need it again. Hope you get better soon x
My goodness, my youngest son, who's 31 is on that for his depression which is pretty mild but then hes on 20mg I think he probably could do with upping it but he wont go to his doctor, wont take time of work to go. Thats interesting to know though you take it for anxiety. Are you on Lithium too or only the citalpram?
Imagine that, I was only on the 800mg for less than a week when I went toxic, though with no symptoms, only showed up in my blood test, I had to go back for another blood test 2 days later, but go back down to 600mg straight away. Im thinking I need something else added though, as my mood isnt what it should be, psychiatrist was going to add Serequel until I told her I cant tolerate it, then she didnt add anything, I see her in morning so will speak again about adding something else, Im thinking of Duloxitine guess she'll decide.
Sounds woeful Gary, sorry to hear of your dilemmas friend.
You need a good mental care worker, who can be few and far between I know.
I have a great one, His name is Jesus. I couldnt last a day without Him to be honest.
I am a born again Christian, have been this past 13yrs and wouldnt trade it for anything in the world.