I am new

I am very new to this. I am bipolar and have lots of mental issues. I have tried so many medications and so far 4 of them are working. Come to find out today I have to be off of one of them. Now I dont know how I am going to react. My therapist wants me to be on seroquel but that medicine makes me feel drugged. I also have no insurance. I just dont know what else I should try that I can afford.
I am taking lithium, ambien, rispridone, and Zoloft. I have to be off the rispridone due to my prolactin level.
My parents are not that supportive. They believe i should not be on any medications. I have had a rough 2 weeks and if I wasn't on any medications I probaly would hurt my self.
The only support I really have is my fiance and my therapist. I thought maybe if I went on here I might can get the support I need.
I just thought I would try this out. Thanks for reading

Erin

Hey Erin.

Welcome to the forum ~ you will find loads of support and various perspectives of issues to help you sort out and come to your own decisions.

As far as med changes, sometimes they are a necessary evil and can be uncomfortable while adjusting their affects. Costs of meds is a difficulty for many ~ depending on your income there are many companies that offer their meds at extremely reduced rates but you need to contact them for information. There are many coupons available on the manufacturer website and they can be one time only or. 2-3 year benefit. Just do a little web searching and you may be surprised what is out.

Keep in touch.

Welcome Erin...

I am sorry to hear that you have to make this horrible choice...

I am sure there will be more experienced people that can advise you in regards to your meds.. I am in a different country and our system is very different to yours.

It sucks that your parents are not supportive but I am happy to hear you have a the support of a therapist and your partner..

You will find many people here to give you emotional support.. that is one thing that we are all good at and we all know where you are coming from...

Hope to see you around a lot..

Hi Erin

Welcome to the loony bin, a place for help, advice and a supportive ear. I know the med change may suck right now but hang in there and post often.

Hi Erin welcome. There is a lot of support here and we all help each other.
I just got a med change yesterday and we all here go thru it. :-)

My new med record is:

Hi Erin;

I'm glad you found this forum, because it sounds like you could use a little support, and where better to find it than with a group of people who understand what you're going through. I grew-up with parents that would barely give me aspirin for a headache, yet alone get me help for my mental conditions. They didn't believe in mental mood disorders such as depression; and they certainly did not believe in treating them. I don't really clue them in on a whole lot that goes on with me these days. They don't even know that I am bipolar. My mother knows I have issues, but I haven't exactly discussed any labels with her. Since she left my dad 15 years ago, she has come around and is much more supportive.

Med changes are a B#&@$! Do you not qualify for any federal or state programs to help pay for your meds? If not, Spott is right, there are lots of programs and coupons available to help those in your situation, you just have to search for them. Also, a lot of pharmacies have developed their own formularies that require no insurance. I work in a pharmacy, and we have a $4 generics program that includes a number of anti-depressants, including generic zoloft. (sertraline)

Anyway, keep us posted. You have found a great place for support.

Hi Erin:

Welcome to the community. Have you tried Lithium? I was having the hardest time paying for my meds too until my Dr. switched me to this. It's one of the cheapest, most effective mood stabilizers out there. I am also on a generic Ambien which is only $5 at Rite Aide because I am enrolled in their Wellness program. Lot of pharmacies have these programs. Check it out and keep posting.

Hi Erin!

I'm glad you came here to visit the rest of us loonies! *smile* You've come to the right place. Keep posting.

We don't have the "correct", "pat" answers that some of the professionals would. We just have the hands on experience of what's worked and what hasn't worked.

Thanks for the support and help. This has been such a rocky road for me and I am to the point where I do feel helpless and that no one really cares what I am going through.
I have been bi polar since 2008. I have been on so much medicines and been to the hospital. I just want to be normal and to feel happy again and not have to be medicated every day but I know that will never happen cause I tried it before and almost had to go to the hospital because of it.
I am glad now that I can go on here and share my thoughts and feelings and knowing that people will be supportive.
My family just doesn't want to understand my problems. They are blaming the doctors for putting me on so much medications. My dad wouldn't even pay for my blood test results cause he thinks all im doing is making the people richer.
Boy that made me so mad I started crying and that was the day where I should have gone to the hospital. It was a really really bad day.
Well I just wanted to tell everyone thanks for the replies. I will definitely keep on posting.

It's so great that you are working on this so proactively. Don't expect people to understand about the need for medicine... they don't have our inner experiences...it's difficult for them to understand. What works for me is to work really hard on the lifestyle factors while you wait for the meds to work. Walk for thirty minutes every day, eat something every three to four hours, try to eat more nutritious food and less junk, get your sleep when you can...Most important though is to avoid the triggers that upset your state of mind, i.e. difficult people, stressful events, etc. Last, but not least, Seroquel can be very good if dosed correctly.

I have a big problem. I live with my fiance and his mom. His mom is the most aweful person. She is very hateful and cusses all the time. She is also an alcholic. I have to deal with that everyday so that does not help my moods.

About seroquel I cant take it. It makes me feel very drugged and also I have memory loss.

Thanks so much for your advice.

Erin