Bipolar Hell

Hi Jules

I wouldn't change your medication at all without seeking specialist advice. Do you see a psychiatrist or are things dealt with by your GP ? It sounds like Sertraline isn't really adequately controlling your bipolar. There are plenty of alternatives but getting the right one is probably better handled by a psychiatric specialist. You could ask your GP to refer you to your Community Mental Health Team, which is the next step up the ladder from primary care. Finding the best drug is still a matter of trial and error but you are more likely to find it there.

You could ask your GP to review your medication if you don't fancy a CMHT. Sertraline is sometimes given with Quetiapine, an anti-psychotic. You could change to a specialist mood stabilizer like Lithium or Depakote rather than rely on an anti-depressant like Sertraline. I think that is more common these days. Several of the manufacturers of Sertraline don't even recommend it for use in bipolar. I looked up Pfizer who first made it I think and they don't.

I think you stand a good chance of achieving an improvement. A discussion with your GP about the efficacy of Sertraline is probably your first step. Best of luck.

Love

Steve

Steve

thank you so much for your reply. I am not with a mental health team yet, which is my fault really as I have all the information for contacting them. I have tried to be strong. Silly really. 

I shall make an appointment with my GP and explain what you have told me and have found out about sertraline. 

Many many thanks for your help and time.

Julie x

You might like to look at something on the drug treatment of Bipolar. This is a reasonable introduction. Good luck.

      http://www.helpguide.org/articles/bipolar-disorder/bipolar-medication-guide.htm

I have just had my first appointment with mental healt. They want to regress me as a lot of my childhood is locked away. I have my next appointment near the end of the wee. just waiting on the call x

Hi jules, 

After reading your email, I'm really worried that you're on sertraline for bipolar. It's for depression,  not bipolar. I'm glad you're now seeing mental health. I'm bipolar and have been since age 11. After years of trial and error with medication I'm now on mirtazapine (anti depressant) and olanzapine (anti psychotic) both of which have saved my mind and my life. If ever you need to talk, I'm always around. 

Good luck 

Hugs, Sarah xx

I'm on 50mg of sertraline for schizoaffective disorder and 800mg quetiapine, the sertraline has lifted my mood slightly.

bipolar is depression (manic depression) i was on sertraline for 2 years was ok but need to change every few years

Good to hear from you again. I'm glad you have made it to a Community Mental Health Team, that can only be a good thing. They don't actually plan to regress you, as in taking you back by some means to re-experience when you were young I hope. I thought that variety of weirdness hadn't survived the 60's. I guess they just want to explore your early life with you a bit, which is fair enough.

Most importantly have you made any progress in getting off Sertraline and on to a more efficient mood stabilizer ? I hope you have but if you haven't you are in the right place to do it. Good luck with the therapy.

Steve 

Hi I have suffered from Bipolar for16yrs now and am currently in remission. I want to help people who are suffering the same. I am a local author and have written about my experiences and so I understand when things get tough. Feel free to message me. Catwoman123 x

I actually got to see a psychiatrist who did think I was bipolar but as it hadn't been long since stopping a very dangerous addiction I thought that maybe that was the cause. i have now been "clean" for 4 years but I am on 200mg a day of Sertraline, i also have Spinal Arthritis and Segenerative Disc disease so I am also on oxycodone (80mg slow release every 12 hours). I was on 120mg but I am trying to reduce the amount further as I hate having to take narcotic medication. I'm also on diazepam for muscle spasms but worry that because of my disabilities I will never be fully "clean" so to speak. What really worries me is if I miss a day of my sertraline I have like a mini nervous breakdown the following day, I am totally out of control and really emotional. i need proper help as my thyroid is now no longer working properly and I cannot bring myself to get out of bed most days. This means I have put on weight and become very agoraphobic. I need help but I don't know where to start. Please advise me.

Wendy x