Had been on Lithium & Depakote ER -1000mg ... and now Inderal to help tremors, what should I do?

Hi, I heard about how to drink more water and it really works that I thought I might share. I am going to go with just lithium due to severe side effects from Lamictal which has cause physical issues that I will have to live with, I tolerate Lithium fine so my Dr. said that if I would be sure to agree to frequent tests and keep up with lots of water we would give it a try. He said it was the gold standard and the only reason I may get into trouble with it would be not keeping up with the tests and adding to my water intake, Just drinking water for whatever reason wasn't working then I saw this show and they talked about how to keep up with water. It works and it is simple. In the morning I fill up a pitcher with the amount of water I need to drink each day and squeeze a lemon to add to the water. It is much more appealing and turned my water drinking around to what it should be. Taking any kind of meds without enough water isn't a good plan especially Lithium.

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Water without ice is easier on the system and was recommended. I think we are the only country who are such heavy ice drinkers, it isn't hard to do without ice because the lemon increases your thirst and makes the water taste better.

Now I know how much I have been drinking it is one last thing I need to remember if I have done enough of and it makes me think about it because I take the pitcher with me if I am going to leave one room for awhile or just keep a filled glass that I roam around with.

Di

Hi, I stopped by because my Dr. wants me to take Depakote. They said it was "lamictal" like without the side effects. Well a recap of lamictal, I ended up with what they describe as "rare effects" sudden bruising and bleeding. I ended up "severe" with my vision, while they list things like twitching etc. with the eyes I started seeing things, they took me off lamictal and I am wondering why not just take Lithium. I am fed up with life whizzing by and this and that. The vision thing with lamictal was horrific. Things would move around, for example a chain on the floor would move like it is a snake, my dogs bed is moving, it came and went, they took me off lamictal and on Sunday had an attack that was 100% worse than before, everything around me was moving even my carpet, the chain now had a dozen or so things wiggling around. It is a very creepy thing to have happen and I feel like I would rather be manic than any of these conditions.

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I was stuck in hell since it was Sunday, I thought if it came back why 100% worse. I was sure if I went to the ER depending if I could drive that they would probably think I was psychotic so just had to sit down and not look around. Naturally I was getting a bit hysterical to see all these months and now years go by. I have gone from a 6 figure income to living on food stamps from being BiPolar and effects of the medications, I got off to a great start when a therapist who I trusted nudged me to go and get some Paxil, well that was a ride that rapid cycled for years. There was never any time in between to figure out to see a Dr. my brain had every screw loose.l

Now since I have moved into two categories, one severe and one rare I am very leary to accept Depakote. What other meds might give me syptoms that are sever and rare and no one knows what is happening. My shrink is terrific but they had never had anyone with the vision thing, well when it is severe it is hard to put together. Now I will live out my life with thin skin and bleeding, great.

I saw that Depakote was a weight gain machine, been there done that with Zyprexa. That drew my attention. I like how they do these meds that you gain weight, no one told me about Zyprexa until I had packed on close to 30lbs. Then the solution they offered is the same I see here with Depakote to watch what you eat and exercise, great plan that is how I used to live my life but if it puts me on the couch like the last batch of meds, hard to get up and do much of anything but eat. I have never had a weight issue in my life and in my late 50's. A big weight gain would be one more aggravation and I need to get rid of aggravation and work. At my age the only thing I can do is some writing and I really want to get my head in that direction, last week I had two good days after the first vision hit and was having a great time getting things done and then bam. Now due to lamictal I am so suspicious of any of these drugs.

I am so confused, my instincts are saying go with just Lithium, I don't have any reaction and am on it. Get that pill person to stop by daily to make sure coming off these meds I don't slip up. I never pictured my life being in such chaos, I haven't had the flu in 20 years and now I am rushing around to appointments, they want me to go get a liver test (lamictal) related. I went from the bleeding to a blood specialist got the thin blood diagnosis when I told him about the things I was seeing he strongly encouraged me to get my eyes checked, my eye vision is fine so he sent me to a neurologist who pin pointed the eye thing together. Eye issue comes roaring back Sunday and now they have a prescription for Depakote at the pharmacy and liver check test on file and the nurse was insistent that I get it this week. I told the nurse yesterday that everyone needs to hold on for awhile until I can get in tomorrow. I think it would be normal to be very cautious at this point.

Does anyone have any knowledge of severe reactions to Depakote and what about the weight gain issue?

I have an appointment tomorrow and have been searching for answers and the more I search the less I think any of these drugs are okay with me. Mania seems like a welcome relief to getting life long issues. My biggest issue without meds were that in relationships I was a moving disaster but there was also alcohol involved and I don't drink anymore. I made a lot of money and spent a ton. I have to get back to work, I am not some deadbeat that woke up one day and said, gee maybe I'll just stop working and live like a welfare case. My sister has agreed to handle my money and she knows me and I would have a tough time tricking her out of any of it.

It all came to a head like a lightning bolt in my head when they assigned me a caseworker to mange my meds, I had one of those wake up moments, hey wait a minute here I am on a slide going down so fast I went from work I loved to needing someone to help me keep track of my meds, say what?

I hope someone answers with more detail about any of the listed Depakote reactions?

I respect my shrink and I didn't go to medical school but if I get any negative feed back from any of you, he will have to be ready to have a tough sell job to keep me on these meds and just go with Lithium. I need help to get off these drugs that is clear since my mind is spinning in circles and I would still want to be under his supervision I am just not clear Depakote is not just rushing from one disaster to the other. If I am prone to moving into severe and rare reactions like with Lamictal is that my future with other meds? Does it make me a candidate for severe reactions to other drugs, is there a connection that once you get such a horrible reaction that if follows you to the next med??? I got two major hits just from Lamictal.

This lamictal thing really ranks up there with a horrible deal. I had good physical health and now due to mental health medication it is crushing my body, hmmmm, what road to take.

Any input?

Di