Bipolar Opiate Addiction

I had a problem with opiates for 6 years. My drug of choice was Roxy 30s, and occasional OC 80 (when Roxy wasn't available). I am now 2 years clean and I am on Suboxone 8mg 4x per day. After a year of taking this, I started feeling very tired. I went for a sleep study and they prescribed Nuivigil 250mg twice a day, over the FDA's guidelines. After 6 months my moods were out of whack. I had symptoms of BiPolar, so my doctor gave me 50 mg of Pristiq. I noticed some change but after a month I was back to the mood swings. My doctor had me see an Endocrinologist. This doctor ordered blood work and noticed my testosterone was very low and prescribed a Testosterone shot every week to get my levels back up. The tiredness went away but my mood swings still were a problem. I found out that Nuvigil cancels out the Buprenorphine in Suboxone so I weened off Nuvigil, but my mood was better but I still didn't feel myself and was prescribed Lamictal 200mg. This worked for 2 about 2 months but Im still not 100%.

I know I did some damage with my drug use but does anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone dealt with these issues? This wasn't noticeable before my addiction but then again I may have not noticed it. I need a change. I went through all this while coming off pills. That was hard enough not to mention trying to keep my mood stabilized. I didn't want to scare off my fiancé. She has been a huge supporter of me and I couldn't ask for anyone better.

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I am very sorry about everything that you've been going through.

Have you tried seeing a psychiatrist? It sounds like you need someone with more experience with such medications, as you may need to take more than one to get yourself balance out, again.

If the Pristiq helped and the Lamictal helped, then you may do even better if you take them both, this is often down for those whose conditions are resistant to just one.

The FDA lists the typical side effects of these medications as possibly including nausea, dizziness, headache, dry mouth and weight changes.

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I was diagnosed with bipolar in my early thirtys it took a few years to figure out that I was bipolar. They thought depression/anixity. I was on street drugs on and off for years. Meth was my choice. Was sent to shrink who over proscribed medications, got me addicted to xanex. I overdosed twice dudue to the amount of meds I was on. Finally got a new shrink who thought I was in and out of mentally ill hospitals. No. So he changed my meds around. It took about a year or so to get the right combination to stabilize my moods. Now I'm 44 and messed up again and medications are being changed again, because I'm not stable. I can't work for three months or more. You need a really good support system. Go to group meetings, therapy is very good. My mom is my biggest support. My husband does not understand and it can cause a lot of problems between us.

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Thank you for your input. I am seeing a psychiatrist. I am still on Pristiq and Lamictal and Suboxon. It gets so frustrating trying to analyze your mood all day. I just want to feel normal.

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I recently was given pristiq lamictal & abilify. What a huge difference!!!! Try that. It worked

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