Bipolar, no meds and alternative treatments

[DragonflyBlue]

I was dx'd with bipolar in 2005. I'm not questioning the dx at all. I am questioning taking meds for it.

I started on lithium. I thought I was doing well with it but had some nasty side effects. Horrible diarrhea, irritability, lack of energy, just flat out didn't care about much of anything.

So I asked my doctor to change my meds earlier this summer. I tried Lamictal. I got the rash that is supposed to be very rare. So off of that and on to Abilify. I loved the energy it gave me! I felt better than I have since I started meds. But then I got dyskenisia. My speech was slurred, my mouth was making funny movements, I looked and sounded drunk all the time.

Not a good medication for me so then it was on to Trileptal. I've been on this for abot a month and my depression is horrid. I have zero energy, I do not care about anything. Last night I cried for over an hour and could not stop.

My doctor added Wellbutrin to help even things out - I just started it today.

I'm running out of meds to try. I cannot function like this anymore. I used to paint, scrapbook, go to lunch with my mom and friends. I used to be social. I used to live. Now I just exist day to day and spend the day killing time until I can go back to bed.

I do not like this. I want my old self back.

I told my dh last night that if the Wellbutrin does not work I am going off of the meds. I want to live again, not simply exist. I want to paint, to do all the creative things I used to do. I want to care about things again. I don't want to be like this anymore. I'd rather be dead than exist like this. I'm not suicidal, please don't think that. It's not wanting to die, no plans to harm myself, just more of not wanting to be this way anymore. I want to live again.

I'm looking for alternatives to coventional medicines. What is out there that might help? I'm open to all suggestions even if they seem crazy to mainstream folks.

Does anyone have any ideas? What's worked for you if you have bipolar and don't take the "normal" meds?

I'm desperate to feel again, to live again. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

[jellop]

No advise, sorry, but I'll give you

[BensMamacita]

I know you said you don't question the diagnosis, but perhaps that is the case. Have you had a second opinion? My dh was misdiagnosed.

[DragonflyBlue]

Originally Posted by BensMamacita

I know you said you don't question the diagnosis, but perhaps that is the case. Have you had a second opinion? My dh was misdiagnosed.

I've had a second and third opinion. All the same dx.

[DanishMom]

Hi,

I know that meds can make feel like you are not any where near the person you used to be.

I've had great success with st. Johns Wort. But that was for depession only. Have you had manic episodes and if so how many and how bad were they? Have you tried ordinary anti-depressive meds - like SSRI's?

I'm a psychologist and if you like me to look further into it you can pm me.

Take care,

Anne

[texaspeach]

You are not alone

look into omega-3/fish oils to help

[DragonflyBlue]

Originally Posted by DanishMom

Hi,

I know that meds can make feel like you are not any where near the person you used to be.

I've had great success with st. Johns Wort. But that was for depession only. Have you had manic episodes and if so how many and how bad were they? Have you tried ordinary anti-depressive meds - like SSRI's?

I'm a psychologist and if you like me to look further into it you can pm me.

Take care,

Anne

I tried St. John's without much of a response to it. My manic episodes were a few times a year and mostly confined to outrageous shopping sprees. I became a hoarder of all things crafty. I could probably open my own craft store.

AD's alone made me manic or agitated and hostile.

I feel so damn helpless.. Nothing seems to work without leaving me feeling like a zombie. I can fake it sometimes but in the end it catches up with me and I'm back to feeling empty and lost.

[todavia]

there is something called orthomolecular psychiatry that a colleague told me about as an effective alternative treatment option for bipolar & schizophrenic disorders.

if you google it, a lot of info comes up but i don't know enough to discern which site might be the most useful for you.

i hope this helps.

take gentle care...

[Alana]

What significantly helps me...I take about 3 double strength fish oil caps, a b vitamin supplement, and calcium magnesium. HUGE difference when Im consistent...to make things even better...I cut out processed foods and eat tons of fruits and veggies, legumes, whole grains, small amounts of meat. Add some exercise in there, a strong social support group, and something Im passionate about...and life gets even better. Not perfect....but much better.

[mich]

Originally Posted by Alana

What significantly helps me...I take about 3 double strength fish oil caps, a b vitamin supplement, and calcium magnesium. HUGE difference when Im consistent...to make things even better...I cut out processed foods and eat tons of fruits and veggies, legumes, whole grains, small amounts of meat. Add some exercise in there, a strong social support group, and something Im passionate about...and life gets even better. Not perfect....but much better.

This is just what I was going to post. I don't officially have it, but my mother does and I see it in myself. When I am taking these supplements regularly it makes a huge difference.

Good luck

[GooeyRN]

Have you tried Depakote? Its normally used for seizures but I saw many patients be helped with it for bipolar. (I used to work in a psych hospital)

[Mommy StormRaven]

Originally Posted by GooeyRN

Have you tried Depakote? Its normally used for seizures but I saw many patients be helped with it for bipolar. (I used to work in a psych hospital)

I was on depakote for quite a while successfully. I knwo what you are going thru and I knwo it sux big time. I wish you much love and luck in your treatment. This disease bites.

[HerbanGirl]

I had a client who was dx'd Bipolar, and she found this natural supplement called TrueHope that she found very helpful in managing her symptoms. I haven't done a ton of research on it, but what I've read looks good, and it was specifically designed for Bipolar.

www.truehope.com

HTH! Good luck!

[greeny]

No advice, but lots of from me.

[DragonflyBlue]

I've come to a decision.

I'm going to give the wellbutrin six weeks to see if it makes a difference. I'll stay on the trileptal for that time too.

If at the end of that time I am not feeling significantly better, I'm going to taper off my meds and be done with it.

I'm sure I've had bipolar since I was a teen. But I can pinpoint the times I was doing well and at those times, I was eating better. Whole foods, lot's of grains, not so much meat, more fresh fruits and veggies, less processed crap and less junk food.

When I cooked, I made well balanced meals that were healthy. Eating meals out was rare. Buying chips, cookies etc was rare. I made cookies. I made cakes from scratch. I made everything from scratch.

I exercised more. I walked around the neighborhood for exercise. I cleaned my house daily. My house, even with 6 kids 11 years and under was really clean. I kept up on everything. My cycles were rare, and nowhere near as bad as they are now.

So... The plan is to give it six weeks. Make the food changes as much as I can now. I (I have no desire to cook anything let alone healthy foods) Try to exercise a bit despite feeling zero energy to do anything.

At the end of those six weeks, as I said, if I am not feeling better, I'm done with meds and will be going back to my healthy ways- with the energy to do it. I'll supplement with essential vitamins, minerals, fish oils, etc. DH is wary but trying to be supportive. I think he realizes that I either get better or I will cease to be. Not dead, just an empty shell of a person.

I'm interested in the Truehope supplement, but have questions. If anyone has tried it, would you be willing to help me out?

I feel a bit better just having a game plan. I will be doing talk therapy as well during all of this. I'm not sure how my therapist or my med doc will deal with my plan, but they don't have to live my life. I do. And it's high time I got back to living. I am worth it!

Thanks for the advice and support! I greatly appreciate it!

[tanya1976]

thanks for this thread. I was dx'd with it officially yesterday, after living with it for 15 years. Yes, 15 years. I'll be 31 next month. I'm trying to find alternative treatments since I'm nursing and I plan to do so until my second DS is a year old. I have a supportive psychologist who's willing to help me with that nursing goal without meds.

[AnyMama]

Tanya, Fish oil is a natural mood stabilizer and safe while nursing. It's tricky, but you need 1200 mg (minimum) of EPA, which is one of the Omega-3's in fish oil. It doesn't have much to do with the amount of fish oil, you'll generally need 6 pills daily of the 1000-1200mg fish oil capsules to get 1200mg of EPA. The amount of EPA is listed on the back of the bottle.

There's also a book called The Mood Cure by Julia Ross, she doesn't deal with bipolar, but she deals with a lot of its symptoms, careful though, because some things can trigger manias.

[tanya1976]

Thanks, AnyMama. I'm going to see if Barnes and Noble has that book.

I'll see about the fish oil as well.

[DragonflyBlue]

So I've been on the wellbutrin for 2 weeks now. It sucks.

I don't feel much better at all. I really don't feel anyting at all. I don't want to talk to anyone. I am feeling very apathetic towards everyone, including my family.

I have been doing better on the nutrition part. Mostly for family though as I don't eat all day long until dinner time. I'm just not hungry at all. I've been using my "Whole Foods for the Whole Family" cookbook from LLL and making a lot of my old favorites. I've made bread for the first time in years! I've been baking every other day so the kids have afterschool snacks instead of eating frozen burritos or other such crap. I'm proud of the changes I am making here. So that is one good thing.

I am really feeling more and more that the meds are killing me instead of helping. It's not crazy bipolar talk either. When I have been up to talking, I have asked about how I was before meds compared to after meds. The consensus is that I have really gone downhill and while I may not be cycling, the changes have not been healthy or for the better.

My cycles weren't too bad, I wasn't out engaging in risky behavior, I did do a lot of spending, but I haven't had access to family money for over a year now, so that wouldn't be an issue. I didn't sleep much at times, but that's got to be better than sleeping 10-14 hours a day.

I know my med doc will not be supportive of me going off my meds. My therapist supports me and thinks I have a good support network and plan of action setup. So he is supportive of my decision.

I know I said I'd give it six weeks but I don't know if I can. I feel like there is just less and less of me each day.

I'm just confused as to what to do... Is going off my meds and trying to get back to doing things naturally the right choice? I just wish someone would tell me to do it and all will be well. YKWIM?

[DanishMom]

Hi DragonflyBlue,

I think going off meds sounds like a well thought trough decision. I don't think you need to give it six weeks if you feel like it is getting worse. Especially when you have a good network in place - including your Dr. and therapist.

I'd consider truehope.com to make sure you get all the important nutrients and also do something about eating more regularly. I'm terrible at that myself but it makes a huge difference to your psychological wellbeing in terms of energy and mood.

Do you know of other kinds of herbal/alternative treatment of bi-polar. 5-HTP, SAM-e, inositol etc.?

Good luck and hugs to you.

Anne