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Q: Side Effects of Meds are
Intolerable
I have suffered from this
illness for over 7 years. For six years I was overmedicated by my previous
doctor, and lived in a zombie-like state, sleeping 11-12 hours a day. I gained
97 lbs.
I independently quit the meds for 13 months, and lost the 97lbs....but
found that I had regained all my mental abilities; and was getting a normal, 7-8
hours sleep a night.
However, I then suffered another episode, my 2nd; it was a hypomania,
without a psychosis, as the first had been.
Currently I am back on the meds, but have reverted back to the erratic
sleeping patterns, and am suffering from memory issues, am "slow", shaking
hands, hair loss, bladder control problems, and concentration issues.
What is the benefit of my continuing to take the meds, merely because they
are a guarantor of anothe episode? I find the side effects of these meds
intolerable - they do not benefit me; simply take away from my quality of life.
Do you know of anyone who takes the risk of doing without the drugs, and who is
prepared to instead take a risk of possibly having an annual episode?
Thank you for any honest input you can give me on this one...I feel that
psychiatrists are loath in general to entertain the possibility that their
patients may actually do better off drugs than on them.
Kathleen,
Many bipolar patients feel similarly to
you and are very frustrated. The medications can cause side effects that seem
to outweigh their benefits especially when you have only infrequent episodes.
I wouldn't encourage you to stop all of your medications but rather talk to
your psychiatrist about changing them if the side effects are intolerable.
The goal should be mood stabilization with minimal side effects.
If you do decide to go off of your
medications, you should taper very slowly under the supervision of your
psychiatrist. You will definitely have another episode as bipolar illness is
lifelong. The risk can be high particularly if your next episode is a manic
one with psychosis or a severe depressive swing, and there is no way of
predicting that. If you and your psychiatrist agree to begin a trial period
of no medications, I would keep regular appointments with him/her to
hopefully stop a recurrence before it begins.
Dr Plyler
Published in May, 1011 |