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Meds for Mood Disorders

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Health & Wellbeing
Do they take away all of the symptoms, or just make them a bit easier to handle?

I've been on an atypical antipsychotic for three weeks... As I posted in another thread, my psychiatrist suspects I may have a mood disorder, possibly bipolar and she is giving me a trial on them to see if they have any effect.

The drug is Quetiapine and so far, I am getting better nights sleep and since Monday, have felt a little less on edge and less tearful, but that could be because I have enough energy to exercise more.

My friend has said I seem not as jokey as usual and thinks my meds are causing it, but in all honesty, I haven't felt happy in a long time and I hope I'll y'know... Be "me" again soon.

I was wondering what people's experiences are on these kinds of drugs (or mood stabilisers) and if they take away the symptoms completely... Also, if they mash up your personality and zombify you?

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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I took sodium valproate for a long time and it basically just contained me, which at the time as my moods were so erratic was perfect. Honestly saved me.
    Ultimately after a while (and a ton of therapy) I did start to notice that I wanted off meds and decided to give things a try without.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was on carbamazepine as a mood stabiliser, and it just took the edge off the lows. Not forever, not as a cure, but it made it more manageable.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I take Aripiprazole, which is a bipolar/schizophrenia med. It's done nothing to me so far, and I've been on it months. It's being changed to something else today I think so I'll let you know how that goes.

    I think there is always a risk with meds that you become a bit of an emotional zombie, as in you feel nothing, laugh less etc., but if you think it's working for you stick with it until you feel ready to come off :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i've been told before that some mood medication will lift your general mood, so that your lows aren't so low any more, and your general mood will be higher and happier.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So I can come off it one day?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i think most medication is kept going for a while, because it takes a while to work. but your doctor will decide when you're ready to be taken off it slowly. many people start medication at some point in their lives, and then when they start to recover fully they come off it and manage perfectly well for the rest of their lives.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Namaste wrote: »
    So I can come off it one day?

    Yes hopefully :) I don't think many doctors see mental health meds as a life long thing. I have an uncle with severe schizophrenia, who used to be on ridiculous amounts of medication and even he's down to only one or two low doses now. As long as you work at looking at the reasons behind why you're on meds, you should be able to come off them. (e.g. have therapy for any trauma you've experienced, or start keeping a mood diary to track your moods and write down how you feel each day). I wouldn't see the medication as a "cure" so much, but more as a tool to help you get back on track, which should be used alongside other things :)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm off mine; the therapy I'm going into requires you to be med-free.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Update: Wow.... 6 weeks in and I feel balanced. A little weight gain (likely due to the odd binge and the fact I now have the energy to *shock horror* socialise after work and my apetite back), but what a change!

    I am hoping this is the meds and not a short lived good mood period. I need around 9 hours sleep a night, but have my life back.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm on the same medication, have been for nearly 3 years now. I used to be on 500mg a day and now I'm down to 150mg! It's good for stabilzing your mood but you can become really dependant on it for sleeping (if you don't get to sleep easily).
    But apart from that it's a good drug!

    Hope you feel better :)
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