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Postpartum Depression
PPD..bipolar disorder
If you dont want to read the whole thing just please share medications you have tried for bipolar disorder, going to doctor next week so want to be prepared..and the mood stabilizers scare me w/ their side effects.
They diagonosed me at the hospital with Bipolar disorder, triggered from after I had the baby, stress etc. Both my parents suffer from it, as well as a few cousins and my uncles.
I lash out at my husband, get very agitated with him, say things I dont mean because he is the love of my life! I get very inpatient..anxious, when he offers to get me water..if i dont have it with in like a minute i start getting nervous and just get it myself 
..
One thing though..never think negatively with my baby..so happy about that! They were worried that I might not be able to take care of her, but she keeps me going!! I love seeing her in the morning!
Sorry this was long, Havent really talked about it all that much, but would like to know if anyone else is experiencing this, and what medications worked for you? I have read a lot about mood stabalizers and they scare me with the side effects..i have a few friends who also suffer from the disorder and they take cymbalta, I guess that worked for her but everyone is different.
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Re: PPD..bipolar disorder
I am bipolar as well, there have been a few others to come to the board recently but sadly I don't think they have hung around for you to get their experiences but I may be wrong.
I have been on Risperidal, Effexor, Tegretol, Buspar, and Seroquel in varying combinations over the past few years. Currently my combination is Seroquel and Ambien. The worst side effects I can say I've had was after having DS the Buspar increased my anxiety and I was taken off it, and I had some weight gain back a few years ago when I began treating with medication but it was a very dark time in my life so I am not certain how much of the weight could honestly be from medication.
Be open and honest with your doctor, if whatever meds they try are not working don't feel like you have to stay on them, there are plenty of options with bipolar medications. You seem to have quite a few people in your life who are bipolar as well, but if you have any other questions, or just want to chat with someone else feel free to pm me.
I don't have bipolar disorder, but I was on Risperdal for a PPD psychotic event.
The worst side-effect was the weight gain. I put on 10-15 lbs pretty much immediately after beginning the medication, but everything I've read & heard says that is pretty standard. The weight sucks, but it is SO WORTH IT to feel better. & now that I'm off it? I've dropped 2 lbs within a week & a half of being off it.
The other bad ones - slurring, facial ticks, facial tension. The muscles in my face just felt off, but that's also a pretty standard side effect.
But like I said - SO WORTH IT. I would have given anything to be whole again with my family, & 10 lbs & a facial tick were worth it all.
I've been bipolar since I was a kid and am now pregnant for the first time. I've been on Seroquel, Abilify, Geodon, Effexor, Trilafon, and Lamictal, with a little Ativan for anxiety here and there. My latest combination (before I found out I was preggo, now I'm having a go at being med-free) is Trilafon (perphenazine) and Lamictal. Perphenazine is one of the more traditional antipsychotics. The ones that most doctors tend to prescribe for bipolar disorder these days are second-generation, also known as atypical antipsychotics. This is because the newer ones are supposed to have fewer unpleasant long-term side-effects, but I found that most of them make me really tired, hence me trying the older drug. (The atypicals are also the ones that are notorious for weight gain.) Perphenazine is much less commonly prescribed for bipolar. Abilify made me nauseous, but that's not typical for most people. The Geodon made my jaw muscles crazy-tense, which is not uncommon. The Effexor made me more manic than I've ever been in my entire life, so if you try an SSRI -- especially one like this that also affects norepinephrine levels at the same time -- monitor your moods very carefully. In fact, with any new medication regimen, I would suggest keeping a mood journal, taking special note of how much sleep you're getting each night -- though of course it's often not easy to get a full night's sleep with a little one!
As for mood stabilizers, I gotta say I'm happy with my Lamictal. Yes, you can get the Scary Rash (TM), but you start on such a small dose so that you and your doctor can catch this very rare side effect right away. It's relatively safe for most people because the dosage is increased so gradually. The downside, of course, is that it takes so long to reach a therapeutic dose.
My husband also happens to be bipolar. He takes lithium and Zyprexa with occasional help from Ativan and/or Ambien. The Zyprexa has caused him to gain a LOT of weight and sometimes makes him extremely sleepy, but it has done wonders for his mood.
In the end, each drug affects everyone differently. My advice: be prepared to mix and match and try different drug combinations for a while before finding the right one. It can take many months and you may still need to make adjustments over time, but try not to be discouraged. Keep track of your moods and check in with supportive family and friends often. Try to sleep!
Sorry this is so long! Final note: I hope it's ok for me to post this here. I just started a blog a couple days ago about bipolar/mood disorders and pregnancy/child-rearing, and PPD and medications are things I will write about quite often. https://crazypregnantlady.tumblr.com. I'm not selling anything or profiting off this in any way whatsoever, but mods, feel free to take this down if it violates the rules. I just want to hear from others who have been through the same stuff.