Regarding BP and Meds

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Originally Posted by Pookyl Hey Pacman, does your cognition slow down or does it just feel like it’s slowing down? The reason I ask is because when I was on a different med combo I felt dull cognitively but testing by a neuropsychologist showed that my cognition was unchanged. But I felt I had to work harder to get the same result.

Excellent description.

Hmm, I’ve never thought of it like that. Most of the time, it’s more like I’m going slower so have to do things more deliberately and methodically. So, that kind of falls in line with your findings. But, there have been times when my memory wasn’t as good and I had trouble processing things people were saying to me at work.

I also don’t handle interruptions as well and get frustrated when things go wrong more than usual.

Hey @BethRags:
I was put on a cocktail of meds that literally saved my life about 13 years ago. There has been some tweaking of things to adjust for things like body changes or stress-based alterations but for the most part it was like the medication scraped me off the sidewalk and made me whole again. I know that that is probably not typical of someone with bipolar because its so pervasive and difficult to treat, but I am very grateful to be able to say that. I do know that had I not already been on medication that I would never have been able to get sober.

As for myself and meds I can mostly hope for more time between moods since there seems to be no cure for this illness. I was recently diagnosed (less than 2 years ago) and I now accept this about myself including the reality behind BP medication.

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Originally Posted by Jmayfair As for myself and meds I can mostly hope for more time between moods since there seems to be no cure for this illness. I was recently diagnosed (less than 2 years ago) and I now accept this about myself including the reality behind BP medication.

Good - you have a winning attitude.

Right now I’m on the best combination of meds I’ve ever been on, they have been the most effective for my symptoms. Where I’m at right now I hardly have any symptoms and when I do then they’re mild enough to where I can cope with them and use techniques and self care to keep things from escalating.

In the beginning ( decades ago) I expected that the meds were a cure all and got very fustrated that I still had break though symptoms. Not to mention they kept putting me on ADs which caused mixed moods. I had many side effects cause I was on huge cocktails and eagerly said yes to more cause this was going to be the magic med that solved everything. Then I got fed up and quit them all.

Did fine for a few months but it was obvious I needed something. I wasn't so eager any more and limited what I would take. I just needed meds to smooth the edges so I could focus on the coping skills and lifestyle changes. Eh it was hard very hard and I was still on ADs but had nixed the APs. So I quit again

During this time I was working hard with a t on using all coping skills and practicing them. I did this for about 5-6 years. Staying off the meds and having a rocky time with only coping skills.

Then I fell head long down a dark night of the soul and cut contact with everyone, excluding my T. I stayed isolated until the mood started evolving into a mixed mood state and I couldn't tolerate that. Took myself to psych emergency services and had a long Frank talk with the pdoc there. He agreed that ADs sounded like a bad fit for me proposed an AP and mood stabilizer. I agreed and with the addition of a sleep med that was all I took. It took weeks to stabilize but the ragey effects of the mixed started calming down sooner. I'm off the mood stabilizer cause it makes me feel flat and I consider meds now to just be a smoother and the coping skills to be the main driver of stability

Hope that wasn't too long. It's been a long long road and my relationship with meds has drastically altered since that first native burst of magical thinking that they would solve everything

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Originally Posted by Nammu In the beginning ( decades ago) I expected that the meds were a cure all and got very fustrated that I still had break though symptoms. Not to mention they kept putting me on ADs which caused mixed moods. I had many side effects cause I was on huge cocktails and eagerly said yes to more cause this was going to be the magic med that solved everything. Then I got fed up and quit them all. Did fine for a few months but it was obvious I needed something. I wasn't so eager any more and limited what I would take. I just needed meds to smooth the edges so I could focus on the coping skills and lifestyle changes. Eh it was hard very hard and I was still on ADs but had nixed the APs. So I quit again During this time I was working hard with a t on using all coping skills and practicing them. I did this for about 5-6 years. Staying off the meds and having a rocky time with only coping skills. Then I fell head long down a dark night of the soul and cut contact with everyone, excluding my T. I stayed isolated until the mood started evolving into a mixed mood state and I couldn't tolerate that. Took myself to psych emergency services and had a long Frank talk with the pdoc there. He agreed that ADs sounded like a bad fit for me proposed an AP and mood stabilizer. I agreed and with the addition of a sleep med that was all I took. It took weeks to stabilize but the ragey effects of the mixed started calming down sooner. I'm off the mood stabilizer cause it makes me feel flat and I consider meds now to just be a smoother and the coping skills to be the main driver of stability Hope that wasn't too long. It's been a long long road and my relationship with meds has drastically altered since that first native burst of magical thinking that they would solve everything

Ha, I hear you. After decades on meds I have, just this winter, realized that no med works 100%, 100% of the time. It's been a huge realization for me - and a long time coming.