Newly disgnosed and dealing with side effects from meds

[JJsMom]

Hello everyone,

I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 in November after having a manic episode where I took off to the USA and stayed there for almost 7 weeks. When I returned, the mania continued and I destroyed a TV with a baseball bat, and attacked my husband with a knife because I was having hallucinations. He had the police escort me to the hospital, and I was there for almost 3 weeks. They started me on olanzapine, but it didn’t really do much besides make me nauseous and groggy.

I had another episode at the end of January, and was hospitalized again. This time the doctor added lithium, which seemed to stop my mind from racing. I was still sick and groggy from the olanzapine, and two weeks later I started falling down because I was so dizzy. I went back to the hospital yet again, and was taken off the olanzapine and given quetiapine instead.

I’m at home again, but I feel really weird and don’t know if it’s from having bipolar disorder, or the medications. I’m exhausted but can’t sleep for more than 5-6 hours a night, and I wake up feeling jittery and shaky in the morning. Plus my mind wanders or I have the worst racing thoughts, to the point that my head hurts.

Does anyone else have experience taking lithium and quetiapine? Do the side effects eventually go away? All I want is to feel a little like my old self again, it’s been so long since I’ve felt anything close to normal.

Thanks for listening,

JJsMom

[Pollyanna]

Hey JJsMom
Ive taken quetiapine for a while now. The side effects do seem to go away however a feel as if it has dulled my personality and my ability to hold a normal conversation.
I really hope everything settles down for you.

[JJsMom]

Thanks Pollyanna, I am hoping that everything settles down as well. I have an upcoming appointment with my psychiatrist and I’m going to ask him about the side effects.
Thanks for your reply!

[Mocha231]

Hi JJ’s Mom,

side effects generally lessen within 4 to 6 weeks. If your side effects continue to persist please discuss this with your doctor. I am also concerned about your lack of sleep. Over time that will really start to impact you both mentally and physically. Speaking from experience it may take some time before you find a medication that makes you feel more like yourself.

[Jafar the wizard]

December 2003
It was my first visit to a psychiatrist in my whole life .. and i can still recall that evening at home after leaving the psychiatrist's clinic .. Olanzapine was my first prescription drug ( I say drug and not medicine because that's how I felt it was ) .. it took only one hour to hear my ex wife advising me to go to bed .. she said the way I was mouthing the words while listening to her was enough to tell the whole tale .. I was talking weird and acting weird ..
I had to quit taking olanzapine one week later .. olanzapine was not a good idea .. not at all ..

[JJsMom]

Hello all,

Thank you for your words of encouragement and support, it means so much to me right now. I feel so lost, like I’m the only person who has this illness, although I know it isn’t true.
I do have some good news, I had a solid sleep last night for about 8 hours, but I still feel tired and like my head is in a fog. Hoping that will clear up as the day goes on.
I’ve got an appointment with my psychiatrist tomorrow, so I’m going to discuss that with him and see what can be done with my meds. I’m sure there’s an answer for me out there, I just want my sleep to be a little more stable.
Have a good day all!

[uni]

Hello JJsMom and Pollyanna. I just want to say hello and welcome!

[Mryounglion]

Hi , I was on cloranspham n in honesty it was pure nasty I’m going with withdrawals n I’m 75 percent through it, not fun,