I take a very high dose of Lamictal ever day. (The generic form of Lamictal is Lamotrigine.) The basic dose is 200mg and I take 500-550mg. It just shows how differently we all process medications! A dose that high can naturally lead to more side effects. I have tried so many ways to get the meds in my system while minimizing the neck stiffness, breathing problem and itching I get with Lamictal.
Take Your Meds Over a 24 Hour Period
I finally came up with something that works. I do a 24 hour round of the meds. Most of us take meds while we are awake or when we go to sleep. I decided to take them throughout the day and night. I got a 7 day pill box, but instead of using it for days- I use it for hours. I break my Lamictal into sections some big and some smaller and put them in each day. I carry this in my purse for the day and then put it in my kitchen at night. It has taken a while to get used to it. I can also add any supplements I take such as an Iron pill or Vitamin D.
If you take more than one drug (and most with bipolar do) you can spread them out the same way if needed. Also, it’s essential that you tell your health care professional you want to do this. Some medications are time released and may not work with this system!
A typical day looks like this- I wake up and take a dose. Wait a few hours and take the other, then a third. I take one right before I go to bed. One when I wake up to go to the bathroom- and if I get up two times in the night I take another one then- and if there is a little bit left over in the morning, I take that and then wait a few hours to start all over again.
My mother does this with her generic Lamotrigine (Lamictal is the brand name) – and a friend does it with her Zyprexa and Lamictal. This takes planning for sure! But it’s worth it. I will send this out as a newsletter as I feel it’s a great way to get the meds in our system with less side effects to worry us!
If you have not checked out my updated bipolarhappens.com website for my Health Cards Treatment System, here is the link.
This one goes directly to the medications side effects page. You can then read about my books from there!
BipolarHappens.com Medications Side Effect Information
If you would like to send this blog to a friend, you can copy and paste the URL at the top of the blog and send it in an email!
Julie
I really enjoyed my radio show – there were some fantastic guests and the people I worked with were amazing. If you havent’ heard the shows, you can listen from my author webpage. I’ve always wanted to be on the radio- but wow! It is a lot of work. Here I am at the mike- the guy is my amazing co-host Avi and the beautiful woman (inside and out!) is my friend and colleague Gayathri. I knew I had to have her as a guest on the show- her passion for multi- cultural education regarding mental illness is beyond admirable!
Here is the link to the radio shows!
Julie Fast Radio Shows
Whenever I’m having a tough time and it feels like I can’t get things done- I always say, “Buck up Julie!” I just had the thought that I’m not sure if I’m using the term correctly! So I looked it up:
BUCK UP: to make or become more cheerful, vigorous, etc.:
Yes, that is correct! In my book Get it Done When You’re Depressed I say you can Think Like and Athlete and Be Your Own Drill Sergeant. It’s the same thing. We usually have to be the ones to get ourselves out of mild to moderate depression. I believe we can access a part of our brain that isn’t sick and stand up straighter and just get on with our work.
Depression never wants a person to do anything- but I believe that we can buck up in certain lower depression situations and take back our minds. When you open Get it Done, the table of contents reads like a mini boot camp for depression. It helps to read them out loud!
Julie
Ok, here are some tough changes that can save a lot of money. I know, I do them! These are suggests for those who are truly in financial straights.
1. Cancel cable. Oh yes, it’s hard. But you will read more, get out more and meet more people. If you keep cable, call and say you are thinking of cancelling and would love a special deal.
2. Replace cable with Netflix if you are really into movies. For $9 a month you can watch unlimited movies as well as ones on your computer. Wait for $10 movies to come out on DVD. (You save money on popcorn as well.) I went to the movies last night- if I had watching a movie, bought popcorn and a drink – it would have been over $20! Yikes.
3. Go cash only- I bring dollar bills with me when I go out. I plan what I’m going to spend before I leave the house. This changed . If you bring a $20, you will spend a $20- especially if you’re depressed or slightly manic.
4. Have a potluck with friends where there is a limit to how much you can spend. $5 is a good amount.
5. Dive less, walk more. It makes a big difference!
6. Call all of your extra expenses including your cell phone company and say, “I may have to cancel my phone, so I would love a deal.” You may be shocked at the savings.”
7. Manage bipolar disorder as best you can- less mood swings means more ability to work and make money. Less mood swings means fewer money mistakes. This is especially true with mania. When I started using my Health Cards for mania, my life changed financially for the better. I write about this in Bipolar Happens! as well.
I could do a list of 50 suggestions here, but I guess it’s good to start with seven! I have found that removing expenses is as powerful as making more money.
Julie
I love writing books- but it’s very hard to stay focused when you are your own boss. A friend of mine who is also a writer and who also has bipolar disorder just sent me this quote:
Bestselling novelist Margaret Atwood was at a party talking to a neurosurgeon. He said that as he had just retired, he thought he’d write a book. (Paraphrasing) Margaret said, “That’s a coincidence. I’m thinking of becoming a neurosurgeon when I retire.”
So true! If you’re a writer- no matter what kind- you are talented and it’s not as easy as some may think it is!
I have taught myself to write when I’m depressed- I wrote a book about it- I guess I’m lucky I’m not a neurosurgeon. I don’t think that’s a career that would be as flexible as writing !
Julie
I did it! After years of worrying about the holidays- I managed to have a pretty good time due to lots of planning. I hope it was the same for you. Thanks for all of the comments on this topic. It helps so much to hear from others who have similar experiences. I went to a small and very fun party on the 31st. I even stayed up until midnight! A rarity for me due to SLEEP ISSUES! Here is a picture of myself and my dear friend and former radio show co-host Avi.
I have one goal for all of us in 2010:
STABILITY. When we (and the people we love) are stable, anything is possible.
Julie
Holiday Changes for the Better: Reader Comment
Here is a fantastic testament to how a solid treatment plan with personal changes can make a difference with the illness. I have known Sandra and her comments on this site for quite a while and know that she has gone through many, many changes in the past year in order to reach this level of stability. It takes time to get better, but positive change is possible. I love hearing about it directly from readers!
Hi Julie,
Now that I’m on the right medications, I am able to answer yes to your questions. (See the blog entry below) Only a few months ago, I couldn’t answer yes to each question. Before, I wasn’t on any medication that addressed my bipolar symptoms, so I suspect that the antidepressants I was taking actually made my bipolar symptoms worse. (I learned that from you and was able to talk about this with my new psychiatrist, who agreed!)
Besides the new medication (Depakote), regular sleep patterns and medication compliance are essential to help me stay on track. I’ve also learned to take life at a more even pace; I think before all of these changes, I used to try to get too much done in too little time. For example, this year for Christmas I didn’t make all of the different types of cookies I’ve made in years past and no one has objected!
It also helps me to make a daily to-do list and prioritize what needs to be done. I think the medication changes have also helped me to slow down racing thinking so I can begin a project well in advance of its due date.
I haven’t overstretched my budget. This year, I told my family that I just could not afford Christmas gifts; I plan to start graduate school in January and money is tight right now. They all understood. Being able to get my budget in control and eliminate debt has helped me to relax more.
I think that’s it for now.
Sandra
(Sandra is correct- those with bipolar disorder should NEVER take antidepressants unless they are included with a mood stabilizer and or antipsychotic. Depakote is an anti mania drug that is in the classification of an anticonvulsant, though it is regularly called a mood stabilizer. It can take time to find the right medications- it took me many years, but it is very possible. Thanks to Sandra for giving us hope!)