Newly Diagnosed, Help?? Plus Lamotrigine vision side effects

Posted , 2 users are following.

Hello guys! I was only diagnosed with bipolar II a couple of weeks ago and it really came as a shock to me. I just started my 3rd week on lamotrigine, which is added to my Effexor which I have been on for about 3.5 years.  Besides a few side effects from the medicine, I feel like I'm floundering. I feel like I'm not really bipolar even though I fit the criteria for it. I don't think I have unipolar depression but I feel like, I don't know, I'm faking everything and no diagnosis fits what I have. Has anyone else felt like a faker before? 

I would also like to start tracking my mood (which I have been told to do since this summer but alas, attention span and memory problems). I see my psychologist in 3 or 4 days but I'm really feeling like I'm going out of my mind right now. I don't have anyone to talk to about this in real life and I need help sorting my thoughts out a bit. 

PS- anyone have weird visual effects on lamotrigine? Around once a day I get these weird visual "glitches" where things sort of shake around or get a little scrambled. They last under a second but they catch my eye. I'm also experiencing a little bit of anxiety and confusion as well as fatigue, but those are normal for me when I start new medicines. 

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Posted

    I've been wondering if I'm bio-polar. What were your symptoms ?

    • Posted

      How do I edit my post?
    • Posted

      Wow sorry I didn't come on here for a couple months! For the last couple years it felt like I would just wake up feeling randomly very depressed which would last for a couple months, or very energized which only lasts a couple days. I also deal with irritability and impulsiveness. If you have bipolar disorder, you can see cycles of your moods over time that go from high to low. When I say high and low, I mean like methamphetamine high and suicidal low. If you don't remember your mood changes, you can start keeping track of them by writing in a journal or using a mood tracker app.

      If you already have someone you see for mental health issues, you can bring this up to them. If you don't, hopefully you can find someone to talk to and they should ask you in the first session why you're seeking help. They'll be able to diagnose you with something if you have a disorder, as well as help you deal with your symptoms and challenges you face that may not even be related to any disorder. Best of luck to you!

      PS- I don't know how to edit a comment either cheesygrin

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