Am I Bipolar?

Question

I was diagnosed with Bipolar about 6 months ago. After living my whole life knowing something was wrong, I was relieved to finally have a diagnosis. I am taking Effexor in the morning 225 mg and 400 mg of Seroquel at night. Here is my problem, I can't seem to recall how I felt before I started taking the meds. It is a very frustrating feeling. I almost feel like I should get off the meds and that way I can chart my moods and find out for sure if I was diagnosed correctly. Has any one else felt this way and what were your actions? I started being concerned once I read about all the side effects of Seroquel. Maybe I am just being a hypochondriac??

Answer 1

The most important thing is how you feel now. You mentioned that you lived your whole life knowing something was wrong. Has that feeling left you since you started taking those meds? Talk with your doctor about this, and just ask him how he made his diagnosis. Ask him to be as specific as possible. Also, ask your friends and family how you were then as opposed to now. My daughter is bipolar, and the difference in her behavior now on medication as compared to the way she was before is a 100% improvement.

In the meantime, don't stop your meds. Bipolar disorder can be deadly whether you're high or low. It can cause you to ponder suicide and to take foolish risks that could be fatal. If you're feeling over-medicated, it may be possible to decrease or change medications to combat that feeling, but don't stop them. God bless.

Answer 2

I can relate, although my diagnosis is not bipolar disorder. My feeling aren't quite the same, but there are some similarities. I have taken both Effexor and Seroquel in the past, although having seen a psychiatrist since I was 13 (am 31 now), I've taken quite a few drugs, lol.

I start to thinking that I don't really need the medications after all and that it's something inside my head that I can work out without psychiatrists, drugs or even therapy. I get on the "I don't need these people to be sane" bandwagon. I think that it wasn't that bad before and that I was just being a baby about my symptoms at the time I started taking it. Like you, this usually comes in after reading about the side effects or adopting a healthy habit (I'm doing x, so I don't need the pills now).

For me, this kind of thinking usually ends up in MY deciding to go off my medications. I say usually because it's happened an embarassing number of times. When I go back to feeling how I used to after 4-8 weeks, I realize how much I DO need the pills because I inevitably feel like crap every time. I've decided not to do that anymore now, but it took me a good half-dozen times before I took that vow.

Just my opinion, but if you really are bipolar, especially seriously so, you probably don't WANT to remember how you felt without medicine. Maybe if you bring up your concerns to your doctor regarding the side effects he/she can give you something different. There's no shortage of different drugs out there!

Answer 3

That is a common mistake with individuals who are diagnosed. Depending on the severity of the disorder, you could try to go off the meds and see another specialist just to be certain. If you were suicidal before medication I would not attempt this. Another thing that happens is that the medication can make people feel empty. I would continue to see a counselor or psychiatrist while taking the medication as well.

Answer 4

All medications have side effects but don't stop yours just because of this. Don't stop your medications without first consulting your doctor. If you do, you could go into another manic or depressive episode and it would take that much longer to get stable on meds again. It doesn't matter so much what the diagnosis is but are the meds helping you? Talk with your doctor and counselor. Don't make rash decisions about your life and mental health based on side effects of meds.

Answer 5

Sweetie, Don't go down that road!

All drugs have Potential side affects. Usually the percentage of people who will have those side effects are extremely small.

I had a dear friend who decided she didn't want to take the 20% risk of liver damage from her lithium she was taking for Bi Polar. Whle her Bi Polar was relative mild, it still caused her problems she had paranoia, she had yearly bouts of mania, espeically when she was under stress. Worse even she tended not to eat when one on her medication. She died at 45 yrs old. Autopsy said it was due to anorexia. which if true was because of the Bi Polar.....

At least disguste it with your doctor...

Answer 6

How you felt before the meds? You probably had you're high high's and your low low's. My mom has Bipolar, and during her high high's she was joking and laughing and in a really good mood. During her low low's she was crying, REALLY depressed, slept alot, didn't talk to anyone etc...My advice is to stay on the meds, unless you are having some wicked side effects.

Answer 7

i found out years ago I was bipolar, trust me it is not a good idea to stop taking your meds, mabey you don t remember for a reason, ask the people around you that know about this if they have seen a difference in you, and remember it takes like a good 2 months for your medicine to take full effect

Answer 8

Let a doctoe diagnose you and decide when you should be taken off or put on medication...if you decide to take yourself off the meds you could really lose control of the situation...

Answer 9

I would see how your doctor feels about this feeling your having. Only he can suggest you stay or get off these meds.

Answer 10

no my friend is bipolar. he is on meds now but i remember him back then. he was more violent. when he was confused he became angry. u can't figure out how to deal with ur emotions when u r bipolar