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Bella4216 Changing my mood stabiliser medication - terrible side effects
  • replies: 7

Hi, so my psych recently, decided to change my prescribed medication for treating my bipolar, as it wasn't quite delivering the effects we had hoped for. I was relatively more stable than I had been, but I was still experiencing some hypomanic sympto... View more

Hi, so my psych recently, decided to change my prescribed medication for treating my bipolar, as it wasn't quite delivering the effects we had hoped for. I was relatively more stable than I had been, but I was still experiencing some hypomanic symptoms, and medication was making me feel tired, causing muscle stiffness, hair loss, and messing with my immune system. So, l am now on another mood stabiliser for bipolar, and l am having a really rough time transitioning to it. I'm not sure if its the fact that I am simultaneously going off my last medication, and beginning this new one, but I can't think properly, my memory is impaired, I have terrible hand tremors, headaches, terrible thirst, incredible anxiety, and no apparent improvement in my mood. I am so incredibly anxious about this whole process, and just wish l had stayed on my previous medication. My next appointment with my psych isn't for another 5 weeks, and I've been told to persist with the medication. I don't know what to do though, and I've heard/read some bad reviews about the medication in terms of side effects. Another which l am really worried about is excessive weight gain - as apparently it can cause that. I just wish there was a medication that could cure me of my bipolar symptoms and have minimal side effects. There is such a limited range of mood stabilisers out there, and this new one I am on is my last option. Has anyone had a similar experience with weening of mood stabilisers/going onto a new one? Will the side effects get better with time, or should I just stop taking it? I am so frustrated as l can barely function. I don't know how ill get through this.

Guest_826 Confused and anxious in my relationship of 5 years :(
  • replies: 3

I am really struggling. I need help, I know I love my boyfriend so much but as heaps of people posting on here I always ask myself questions “do you love him?” “You would be better off on your own”. From questioning myself, I am now starting to think... View more

I am really struggling. I need help, I know I love my boyfriend so much but as heaps of people posting on here I always ask myself questions “do you love him?” “You would be better off on your own”. From questioning myself, I am now starting to think that I don’t love him and I am SO anxious because I know I want him in my life and I want children with him, and I feel as if I would be so lost without him. Every time I see him, I feel so anxious and feel like I can’t act normal and this is so upsetting. I question if I’m attracted to him, and my anxiety tells me thag im not not and all this shit and it really upsets me. We haven’t had sex for so long because I just feel anxious with him! I want this feeling to go away, I care about him so much and couldn’t stand him being with anyone else if we broke up. He is the most amazing guy in my life and I’m struggling so much. I want these anxious and constant OCD thoughts to go away, they are making me depressed! I’m so worried for us, I don’t want to be with anyone else! please help, any advice would be appreciated, any psychologists please answer. I feel like my anxious thoughts are sabotaging my relationship, I just want to feel normal with him again. Thankyou

Hopefullseeking Desperate/confused
  • replies: 3

Hi all, l have had depression anxiety all my life, also PTSD, Dysthymia. Been through stuff since l a was a child. See a psychiatrist but my primary therapist is my psychologist. I am on the mental health plan but Medicare only pays half. My psycholo... View more

Hi all, l have had depression anxiety all my life, also PTSD, Dysthymia. Been through stuff since l a was a child. See a psychiatrist but my primary therapist is my psychologist. I am on the mental health plan but Medicare only pays half. My psychologist said we are not getting anywhere as seeing her once a month is ‘maintenance’ and she wants to see me fortnightly but understands the constraints of Medicare. I am on DSP but do manage to put aside and pay what Medicare doesn’t. I am on medication but can only tolerate a loss dose due to physical reasons so am always fighting my mental health symptoms. I need more sessions with my psychologist but can’t afford it. What am I suppose to do?

LeeA18 Weaning of meds
  • replies: 4

Hi i am trying to understand this horrible disease. My ex is wanting to come off his meds. He has been on them for over 1.5 years. I personally don’t think this is a good idea as he has been battling with anxiety lately. He approached his psych, who ... View more

Hi i am trying to understand this horrible disease. My ex is wanting to come off his meds. He has been on them for over 1.5 years. I personally don’t think this is a good idea as he has been battling with anxiety lately. He approached his psych, who also said that he shouldn’t do it. So now he is trying to find someone that will help him. I actually think he tried to come off his meds by himself a couple of months ago. What I want to know, so I can be prepared and supportive, what are your experiences of weaning off them. Were you successful? How long did it take? How do you manage depression/anxiety without the meds? Thank you

UsedToBeANiceGuy Suggestions for Help
  • replies: 4

Hello, I am in a dark place in my life. I am struggling to be taken seriously by those around me. I am crying out for help and have started visiting a Psychiatrist, however I was placed on medication and sent on my way. I feel myself changing into so... View more

Hello, I am in a dark place in my life. I am struggling to be taken seriously by those around me. I am crying out for help and have started visiting a Psychiatrist, however I was placed on medication and sent on my way. I feel myself changing into something that scares me. I am losing control of myself and I can feel a monster building inside me. I have always thought about hurting people in revenge because of how they hurt or took advantage of me... But I was always able to somehow suppress it, due to my gentle nature. I have stopped working because I fear what I will do in response when people disrespect or bully me. Now, I am no longer Mr. Nice Guy... I can feel something deep inside me that is roaring, it is telling me to respond with violence, to hurt people to show them I am serious. I have been to my GP, I have been to a health retreat, I have been to a Psychiatrist, I have tried seeking advice in chatrooms, I have tried a holistic approach, I have tried being open and honest with everyone around me as to how I am feeling, I have tried contacting Lifelife, I have tried everything to be heard. I have not been diagnosed with anything despite spending every last dollar of my savings on professionals, but they just say the same thing - take these pills and be healthy. But I am healthy. And I do take the pills. I don't want to go to jail, I don't want to hurt anyone that does not deserve it.... But there is only so long I can fight a burning desire inside me to do something unspeakable. Please, does anyone know if I can admit myself to be thoroughly assessed and NOT just sent on my way within a few days? I just want to get better and maybe one day live a normal life. I don't want to go to jail, but it seems that is the place I am going to end up and if that's the case, I might as well go out with a bang you know?

Jugglin_Strugglin Exploring Gut and brain connection in Mental Health
  • replies: 6

Hi everyone, I would urge you all to find the time to listen to the podcast of Conversations with Richard Fidler on ABC Radio today 16/3/17. "Exploring the science of gut feeling" It is an interview with Dr. Guilia Enders, Author of "Gut: the inside ... View more

Hi everyone, I would urge you all to find the time to listen to the podcast of Conversations with Richard Fidler on ABC Radio today 16/3/17. "Exploring the science of gut feeling" It is an interview with Dr. Guilia Enders, Author of "Gut: the inside story of our Body's Most Underrated Organ". She is a medical Dr, who is now doing a phD on the link btw the human digestive system and overall physical and mental wellbeing She discusses the relationship between the gut and it's microflora and the brain. Especially, the last half of interview (final 20-25minutes) which discusses the connection between this and depression, as well as general mood & our sense of well being and in our sense of just being. Valuable information. There is a lot of research happening on this. Fascinating stuff, it makes me hopeful that treatment breakthroughs are on the horizon and that treatments may become easier and with less adverse effects than anything we currently have. Lee!

bluemariner what is expensive, what is not.
  • replies: 3

Hi Everyone...have just looked at cost of psychologists in the Sydney area. Wow! 220 per session minus 124 medicare rebate means im up for $96 gap to pay. I am self employed and last year earned 40K of which only 28K was taxable. This year looking si... View more

Hi Everyone...have just looked at cost of psychologists in the Sydney area. Wow! 220 per session minus 124 medicare rebate means im up for $96 gap to pay. I am self employed and last year earned 40K of which only 28K was taxable. This year looking similiar. I live on the Central Coast. advice or experience in what is expensive and what is not? Thanks!

Justme1311 Triggered in DBT, but want to keep going
  • replies: 2

Hi, This is my first post, and I'm sorry if I do something not by the rules by accident, but I wanted to talk this through with people who "get it". Today I went to DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy) for the first time. Context: I hate group therapy... View more

Hi, This is my first post, and I'm sorry if I do something not by the rules by accident, but I wanted to talk this through with people who "get it". Today I went to DBT (dialectical behaviour therapy) for the first time. Context: I hate group therapy, I've been through 20 years of psycho therapy now and I just really want to access the distress tolerance stuff, and I have a history of "perfectionism" and not feeling like I'm ever good enough... but literally ten minutes into the session and the first assumption we had to agree to accept was "everyone needs to work harder, get better, be better". So, with my history hinging on the statement "close enough is never good enough" this triggered me and I felt totally dismissed by the psych running the group. I recognise that I want to keep going because I know the approach has some stuff that I want to access, but has anyone else felt triggered by this "assumption"? Why is the word "need" there? How about replacing it with "want"? Is this a branding issue? like, do different "versions" of DBT have different wording?

Doctor who_aspy Anyone know of treatments for Panic Attacks with depressive episode
  • replies: 2

just wanted to know if anyone knows of any treatments that work for panic attacks with depression following them? i have tried cbt and exposure therapy. been dealing with this for 12 years and need other options

just wanted to know if anyone knows of any treatments that work for panic attacks with depression following them? i have tried cbt and exposure therapy. been dealing with this for 12 years and need other options

One_step_at_a_time Is there any nutritional foods or supplements that may help with AD withdrawals
  • replies: 1

I am having an absolutely terrible time with since coming off my Depression / Bipolar medication (I am on a new one). Over the months that I tappered off it seemed to be OK but something has happened drastically over the past week. My Psych didn't ev... View more

I am having an absolutely terrible time with since coming off my Depression / Bipolar medication (I am on a new one). Over the months that I tappered off it seemed to be OK but something has happened drastically over the past week. My Psych didn't even mention any of the things that have been happening to me. I have become so grumpy and violent and even small things I cannot process or cope with. I have withdrawn and cancelled all my appts cause I find in between the shakes and dizziness I cant cope with driving. I've been on several different meds for depression/bipolar over the last 15 years and I can recognise the zaps, brain fog, memory issues etc. This time I am hearing voices at night and thought someone was breaking in, when I do sleep I wake suddenly and I'm not in the same house, have leg pain, am sweating profusely one minute, freezing cold the next. I can't get into my GP for a while and I don't want to go to ED as I work there. Are there any Super foods or Mood foods that may help or supplements or the like to help me get through this. I've even stopped my pain meds which is making me even more miserable. I'm on my own but a single parent so I need to be here and functioning. How long is this going to go on for. How do I know if this is the withdrawal or the new med? Any insight much appreciated.