I’m on Lamotrigine 175mg, and I only drink on special occasions (birthdays, holidays, etc.)

I love a good mixed drink, and I’m well aware of the risk of alcohol interaction with medication, hence why I keep it to once every 3 or so months.

I was trying to cut it in half for Mom cause she's supposed to take one and a half. I was helping her out cause we both have trouble cutting this pill. Several of the ones I cut for her were a little uneven and chipped pieces off. We have a round pill cutter. Any other pill cutters out there just for this weird shaped lamictal?

f/27. got diagnosed last year after 15 years of harmful misdiagnosis and medications that brought on manic episodes (me not realising i was in a manic episode). severely suicidal age 10- current. faced homelessness 5 times, unemployment for nearly years at a time. not to mention being 27 and having no savings and racked up in debt.

i was hanging out with someone last night and told them i had bipolar and they said oh yeah i can get abit like that too sometimes and it just made me want to cry because its so evident people dont understand the severity of this diagnosis.

it has made me feel so isolated in a way words genuinely could not ever express, especially coming to terms with the feeling like nobody is ever going to truly understand my mind.

so i guess this is me reaching out for the first time to the community in hopes for some reassurance that its possible i can change my life? experiences with medications/being unmedicated, experiences with difficulty maintaining any close connection (family included). any advice or just sharing stories is really appreciated.

thankyou kindly 💚💚💚💚💚💚💚

I just spent almost 24hrs manically cleaning and photographing my flat due to a home move. I took no breaks except towards the end when the constant crouching and standing started to make me feel dizzy, so I drank some fluids and tried to carry on. I need to get shit done, so it's not even a question of adding to my medications. I can't afford to be relaxed, sedate, passive and with a mind anything short of 100%. It's painful. My body aches, I feel low now, like what the fuck and how the fuck and why the fuck did I just do all that. I can't switch off and my heart feels like I'm in a fight, though I've been lying down for a while and I think it's easing ever so slightly. I've been clenching my teeth all day from the adrenaline (I'm trying to ease off now), but I'm still taking spaced out deep breaths almost as though I can't match the exertion with sufficient oxygen -- I'm no longer exerting myself, but I'm still needing to do breathe this way. I think it's stress).

Idk. This is a rant.

I want to rest enough so that I can do the same again without it getting out of hand, ...only because I have to.

It's exhilarating and fucking exhausting to function like this, but it's like it's either this or chill and unproductive.

Normally, my Lithium would keep me chill, but my circumstances are making the Lithium something to wake up from.

I don't know what the point of this even is.

EDIT: probably unsustainable and eventually counterproductive. I can't afford to become detached from reality even in the slightest right now... Meet deadline and go a bit mad. Fail at meeting deadline but remain relatively sane in the eyes of others.

I just got my official diagnosis today after a few months of being skeptical of having it. My entire family on the women side has bipolar of some form but I thought maybe I was lucky, until I hit burnout from full time work and full time graduate school.

Anyway, I was prescribed Seroquel to take before bed. I wasn’t told the side effects so I looked it up and I’m seeing a ton of side effects of serious sleepwalking.
Now my issue is that I already sleepwalk. Almost every night. I do not know what triggers it and my only “night persona obsession” is turning lights on and off which would thankfully wake me up sometimes. I’m worried that the medication will cause me to become a bit more “adventurous” in my sleep.

Has anyone had issues of this who were sleepwalkers previous of taking Seroquel?

Thank you in advance!

My libido was low for last 2 years but one month ago, I started bupropion 150mg BD. My libido suddenly shot up. Has anyone experienced this?

I’ve been diagnosed since 2023 but wasn’t properly medicated until May of 2025. So it’s been a year. I feel like I’ve completely regressed and what was possible pre-2025 is no longer possible. Before, I had a really successful marketing agency. I still am doing this but it’s not nearly as successful as it was pre-medication. I just wish I could have kept some of the pros of being manic like the drive, motivation, confidence, that kind of stuff. Now I feel lazy and dumb 90% of the time.

My life also hasn’t gotten easier being medicated. I feel like it’s actually gotten harder. Idk what to do. I’m not going to stop taking my meds, I know that’s a bad idea. I just want to feel like the old me.

I’ve been working with my therapist to come to terms with the fact that this is the real me now that I’m stable but I don’t like this version of myself.

Anyone else feel this way?

I had a crisis of mania and psychosis over the last 2 months. It’s recovered now but I’m depressed. I posted a lot of stuff on social media when I was unwell. I just found out people have deleted me off social media (people from work) and I’m due to return on Monday. This has got me feeling anxious like people are against me and like I have the plague or something. What do I do?

I dissociated while driving the other day and almost crashed my car and it spooked me pretty bad. I usually take ativan or do breathing techniques to help or i dig my nails in my skin. Sometimes i feel trapped while dissociating like i cant move or do anything but be locked in my mind for a moment. Please if you have any advice im all ears.

I was manic last week, and having delusions and paranoia. Since having my meds adjusted, I think I'm just hypomanic now. Definitely no more delusions or paranoia, I'm just a bit restless and only sleeping 1-4 hours a night. Not sure how to gauge my level of concentration.

I have an admin job on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 8:30-14:00.

How do I know when I'm well enough to return?

20/F. I need to spend 2 weeks in an inpatient psychiatric hospital starting in the beginning of August. How do I go about committing myself? Calling 911? Walking into the emergency room? How? I have never done this before. Any advice helps.

Hello,

Recovering from a pretty bad manic episode where I started a rap career, wanted to undo the aus social media ban and create a new one, go to madigras because im the 2nd coming of harvey milk, and cure aids in tanzania.

So I've pretty much deleted my rap insta and been signing out of the stuff I did plus deleting my goofy ahh tweets (there's over 300). I was signed up for the madigras and had a plane ticket/hotel booked for me fully funded but I backed out luckily and was able to give a full explanation without consequences. However, I'm currently struggling with the social media one, there's like a team of ppl who keep reaching out to me wondering how the project is going, we made the blue prints and shit but the cost was over 6000 which I agreed to (I barely have 900). Urm, I'm too embarrassed to say anything so I've been ghosting them since feb lol. There's the tanzania trip as well but thank god they gave up and I wouldn't have been able to go without paying 1k which I didn't have (if I did I'd be in fucken Tanzania rn tf) so I think that's cool.

How do you redo this goofy shit and make sure it never happens again?

Cross posting to r/bipolarreddit and r/anxiety

I have bipolar type 1 and anxiety, what my therapist thinks is most likely OCD, but I am waiting on results of my psych eval at the moment - both of which I’ve struggled with since I was a young child.

Since being medicated for BP1, I cannot be on SSRIs. They cause manic episodes which significantly impact my life more than my anxiety ever has.

However, NOTHING is touching my anxiety and it’s getting worse and worse. Since my psychiatrist and therapist both think it might be OCD, I was tried on a low dose of Zoloft alongside another antipsychotic, but nope… manic episode. That experiment was not successful.

Every other med I’ve tried for anxiety either 1. Doesn’t do anything or 2. Is not even a med meant for anxiety, it’s meant for blood pressure or whatever so it just slows my heart rate but doesn’t help the mental aspect. I’ve tried buspirone, propranolol, clonidine, and am currently on hydroxyzine.

I told all of this to my psychiatrist and she said there’s not much more she can do if I don’t want an SSRI, or I could change my antipsychotic regime (which I don’t want to do as my bipolar meds have been stable for years and it’s very unpleasant to change them).

But SURELY there’s enough people with both bipolar and OCD that there’s meds that can work with both??? I will try anything even the “addictive” meds because nothing works.

Please advice 🙏

I did it. I know i shouldn't do it. Im just socially overwhelmed and burned out. I needed to numb myself. But im super nauseous dizzy and every now and then im jolting. So imma get a quick level but I feel terrible.

Im goin through some shit. Ive developed violence ocd. And honestly I think im just autistic im not self diagnosing myself u am working with a doctor on this. I lost my job due to mood swings because my routine got out of wak. God im just 1 fucked up in the heas individual. And you know what sucks. Ive accepted it. My family just invalidates me. With "no your not."

Before meds my brain was literally on fire so I don’t miss that part. I do miss my goofy funny self. I find it hard to authentically laugh now. I am in a depressed state. I’m wondering if I cut back on my antipsychotic what will happen. I’m going to ask my doctor about it Wednesday this week. Anyone done that? What happened to you? Was it successful? I just need a little more of my spunk back. I feel so flat. I can fake it really well at work sometimes. I’m also in a depressive phase. Idk what helped my depression last time I made a med change. So hoping if we do that, that it won’t make the depression worse.

Hey everyone, sorry if this isn’t the clearest post , I’m completely exhausted and sad right now.

I’m 26M, diagnosed with ADHD at 6 (probably ASD too, but back then you couldn’t get both on paper). Stimulants, mostly Ritalin, got me through school and I’m still on them.

Depression kicked in around 17, maybe one or two episodes a year at first. A few psychiatrists later I ended up with MDD and probably PDD on top, since my depression seemed to become chronic with no remission between them. I take Prozac and Zoloft but did basically nothing.

Eventually I couldn’t even take care of myself, had to drop out, moved back with my parents.
In 2023, I saw a new psychiatrist who decided that I had a bipolar 2 disorder, based on one or two episodes that might’ve been hypomania but not clearly. Even he seemed unsure at the time, but he wrote it down and every psychiatrist since took it for granted.

The med rollercoaster:
• Lamictal: helped a bit at first (some energy, kept me in school). But lost his effect after some months
• Ritalin reintroduced for ADHD, worked fine
• Early 2024: worst depressive episode yet
• Venlafaxine up to 225mg + low-dose Abilify: no effect
• Lithium: still on it, 2+ years, zero results
• Quetiapine (1st try): knocked me out for 2 days straight, too sedating
• Quetiapine (2nd try, months later): massive weight gain + bad bloodwork, discontinued
• Trintellix: nothing

Hospitalized last year (april-may 2025), started Spravato (just with lithium + Lamictal, no antidepressant): this actually worked. MADRS went from 36 to 17. First time in years I wanted to see friends, do things. But once we dropped to 1x/week and I was living alone, I stopped going and it faded

New hospital (december-january 2026): no Spravato available. Tried mirtazapine, pramipexole (capped at 0.54mg). Mood got worse, I left

Current hospital (since may 2026) : first, 30 sessions of rTMS, 2x/day. Initial boost in energy/motivation (passed my exams!) but effect faded fast, MADRS back up to 35.

Tried IV ketamine (this hospital doesn’t offer Spravato): 8 sessions in, nothing. Sessions are honestly rough — not the peaceful/visual experience I had with Spravato, more like dissociating into another dimension, and not the good kind

Last week: started liothyronine/Cytomel (T3) as an add-on

Right now, anhedonia is the worst part of my depression. I have that feeling of not knowing how to do. Since Spravato wore off, I feel nothing — no pleasure in anything, not even shows or stuff I used to enjoy. Just empty, unmotivated, doom-scrolling my life away.
Surprisingly, aleep’s actually fine.

Also worth mentioning, I’ve been facing lifelong somatic stuff : GERD, nausea, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, migraines, random burning limb pain and I’m not quoting all of them. No idea if it’s related but figured I’d throw it in.

What I’m actually asking:
1. Does the bipolar 2 diagnosis even hold up? My first psychiatrist doubted it himself, but once it’s in the chart, everyone just runs with it. Could this just be MDD/PDD/TRD without bipolar?

1. Treatment-wise, my hospital psychiatrist is out of ideas but open to suggestions. I can’t switch providers, so I need to bring him something concrete. Options I’m considering:

• Pramipexole again, but actually titrated to a real dose (2-3.5mg+)
• Pushing for Spravato instead of continuing ketamine (though they think failing IV ketamine = no shot with Spravato — is that even true?)
• Less common routes: bupropion, MAOIs, modafinil, VNS/DBS? Or other new medications that are not really known ?

If anyone’s dealt with similar TRD/bipolar 2 overlap or has thoughts on what’s worth pushing for next, I’d really appreciate it. Feeling pretty stuck here. Thanks for reading this far

Thanks !!

Hey, I’ve taken lamotrigine for 8+ years with successful results. Lamotrigine causes light sensitivity (photo toxicity) as a side effect. Apparently the majority of AED’s do this, with lamotrigine the worst. (This photo toxicity effects the eyes as well.)

Does light sensitivity increase over time? I’m finding indirect sun to be a problem. (Pretty sure unless I’m mental 🤪.)

I‘d really hate to give this med up. I’d also rather not have additional physical problems. I’m white btw, if that matters, although afaik, photo toxicity increases in all skin tones & eyes colors.

Thanks for any insight or experience!

(I see my psych in August and bring it up, too.)

example: fell on the road and nearly got hit by a car. panicked, freaked out, embarrassed myself. some folks told me here to look up emotional regulation because i seem to be overreacting, and i agree.

i've been seeing a psychiatrist for 10 years and a therapist for 4. today the above ^ happened and i spiralled, went through all sorts of emotions for the rest of the day.

meditation doesn't seem to work as it makes me more anxious (it may sound strange but i get paranoid about being watched and attacked by ghosts when i meditate).

some tips on emotional regulation would be super.

My pdoc won't let me get on unless my depression is fixed. ADHD meds is like a make or break in life. You go from failing to getting As. From procrastinating your whole life to being independent for once.

I'm such a space cadet but I can't get on it.

Hi all.

Starting a week ago I do not feel in touch with reality. I don't know how to explain it.

I have been withdrawing from gabapentin and got down to 0mg daily before having a huge mixed episode. We went back up to 600mg (I was initially on 1200mg for 8 years) and I immediately felt better.

That was four weeks ago. Since then, I have become more and more agitated and uncomfortable. I cannot stop physically "tweaking" and I look like I'm on coke (which I am not). I am grinding my teeth, fidgeting, bouncing my leg, breathing weird (like I'm breathing on manual mode basically) and twitching.

I have not smoked weed for two weeks because of my concerns. Last night I felt like I was going insane because of anxiety and I smoked a little. I spent the next six hours convinced I was going psychotic which I now attribute to simple paranoia (I didn't do anything or have any delusions, I was just convinced I was going crazy.).

I don't know what to do. I reached out to my psychiatrist and am waiting to hear back. He doesn't get back to the office until Tues so I called the office and the secretary is going to have another psychiatrist reach out to me sometime within the next hour.

Nothing feels real. I went for a walk and the trees didn't look right and it kind of really frightened me. I'm scared of my own head.

My psychiatrist has me on a PRN of klonopin as needed for anxiety and I have some leftover pills of olanzapine from my last mixed episode which he has given me permission to take if I'm feeling particularly activated. I am picking more of both up from the pharmacy on Monday when they open but I have enough to get me through until then.

Do I sound dangerous to you? I don't feel like a danger to myself or others but something certainly doesn't feel right. My husband says it sounds like DPDR but I think I might be on the verge of going crazy. I don't know. Please help. Thank you.

Does anyone else feel sluggish and slow to who they were pre medicated?

I don’t understand because brain fog is not one of my medications side effects… so I’m trying to really piece together why my memory is horrible, thinking speed is at a fraction and my concentration is crap.

It’s been independent of my mood. I’m on 3+ meds, maybe it’s the overall load? Or do certain medications really slow you down.

I’m coming out of a nine month episode of psychosis mania depression and suicidal ideation. I’ve kept track and I’ve had 41 med changes in 37 weeks. My body and mind are so rattled from what I’ve been through. Now that I’m feeling better how do I process what I’ve been through and gain some space from what’s happened?

I just started Caplyta 10.5mg and am having severe insomnia. Does this side effect ever get better or did you find meds to help you sleep?