Category Archives: Side effects

So long, lithium

Posted on July 29, 2018 by purplepersuasion

I can tell you pretty accurately when I started taking lithium, because I blogged about it (wow, I have been blogging for a long time). In fact, that post tells me that it’s very nearly seven years to the day. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Medication, Mood disorder, Side effects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on So long, lithium

Look Mum, no antipsychotics!

Posted on July 8, 2016 by purplepersuasion

On (re)diagnosis in 2011 I was recommended quetiapine, but also asked to consider lamotrigene. I was given the chance to go away and read the leaflets and come back the following week, but I wanted to get started. Also my … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Crisis care, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Psychiatry, Recovery, Side effects, Treatment planning, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 18 Comments

The naked brain

Posted on June 9, 2016 by purplepersuasion

Ever wanted to run off to a cave and hide for a couple of weeks? Today it was agreed that after everything I described in my last post, my symptoms are “clearly iatrogenic” (medically induced) and “clearly intolerable” and that … Continue reading →

Posted in Bipolar, Crisis care, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, Pillshaming, Psychiatry, Recovery, Side effects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Not back on track

Posted on June 6, 2016 by purplepersuasion

***TRIGGER WARNING SUICIDE*** Uh-oh. My rate of blogging is always a sign I could be unwell and here we are, two in two days. I mentioned medication change and aripiprazole (brand name Abilify) almost in passing yesterday. Truth is, I was using … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Crisis care, GP, hallucinations, Hospital, Medication, Mental health, Mental health services, Mood disorder, NHS services, Primary care, Psychiatry, Side effects, Suicidal thought | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Unpinned

Posted on June 5, 2016 by purplepersuasion

It is not always a bad thing to be pinned down. Rather like a tent, I need underpinnings in order to be who I want to be, to feel like me. I can’t erect the life I want unless some fundamentals … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Books and reading, Crisis care, Employment and benefits, exercise, Hypomania, Mental health, Mood disorder, Recovery, Self-management, Side effects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Prankxiety

Posted on May 29, 2016 by purplepersuasion

Oh anxiety, you trickster, you joker, you fiddler with minds. Anxiety is all over me at the moment. There are probable reasons for this; I’m on a therapeutic dose of aripiprazole, which is well known for causing agitation and  anxiety, and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Anxiety, Bipolar, Medication, Mental health, Mood disorder, Side effects, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments