Misdiagnosed Bipolar: Lasting Damage from Antipsychotics & Klonopin?

[user56253]

I was misdiagnosed with bipolar II some 15 years ago and spent three years being prescribed Abilify, Seroquel and Lamictal (one psychiatrist discontinued Abilify and then convinced me, in my benzo overdosed state to try Aripiprazole as though it were something new). The balance problems, dizziness and other side effects from these have never stopped. Has anyone else experienced long term side effects from these drugs (also 3 years on 3mg clonazepam which left me completely helpless when my ex began to gaslight, etc.)?

I would appreciate any input anyone can provide…

 

[Survivor3]

Hiya @Axeman64 I had one psychiatrist put me on aripiprazole and after several days I refused it. Horrible drug. I'm on olanzapine 20mg and mirtazapine 30mg at night. 20mg escitalopram in the morning.

 

[PamelaS]

I was misdiagnosed with bipolar II some 15 years ago and spent three years being prescribed Abilify, Seroquel and Lamictal (one psychiatrist discontinued Abilify and then convinced me, in my benzo overdosed state to try Aripiprazole as though it were something new). The balance problems, dizziness and other side effects from these have never stopped. Has anyone else experienced long term side effects from these drugs (also 3 years on 3mg clonazepam which left me completely helpless when my ex began to gaslight, etc.)?

I would appreciate any input anyone can provide…

Sorry to hear about how you have been abused by the system that’s supposed to be helping us. I understand completely. I went into a facility voluntarily to get help with PTSD. They didn’t even have PTSD arrested as a diagnosis. I didn’t know any of this until I got out. Even their patient care advocate was employed by the facility, protecting themselves not the patients. Needless to say, they diagnosed me with some bogus personality disorder, and put me on anti-psychotics. Lots of side effects, and lasting symptoms. We know more about PTSD than the people who are supposed to be caring for us. I truly believe that the vast majority of mental illness is caused by PTSD. In the system, if they haven’t been through it, they don’t get it. They have their way of figuring things out, and it’s not always good. Many times they just want to medicate, after all that that’s how they earn their money. I have received so much more healing through support groups like this and holistic mental health programs and summits and books and materials to educate myself by the people who have experienced it and know the truth. Wishing you well as you continue to move forward one day at a time.

 

[user56253]

Hiya @Axeman64 I had one psychiatrist put me on aripiprazole and after several days I refused it. Horrible drug. I'm on olanzapine 20mg and mirtazapine 30mg at night. 20mg escitalopram in the morning.

Glad you found your way.

 

[Survivor3]

I was also put on seroquel for years. It f*cked me up. I'm good on my meds now though. Just have the occasional anxiety attack.

 

[Survivor3]

What do you struggle with at the moment @Axeman64 ?

 

[user56253]

What do you struggle with at the moment @Axeman64 ?

@Survivor3 i have many physical ailments after 40+ years of various work and a couple of congenital conditions. The chronic pain from those is tough as I have other conditions that limit what I can do for pain. After the steady, ever changing list of psychotropic meds I was on in the 2000’s I have never regained my balance, I have Parkinsonism for a time every morning and occasional bouts of some still undiagnosed movement/seizure disorder. And the usual depression/anxiety/etc. cocktail from the 60+ years of ennui punctuated by extreme mood swings (always low, never high).

The pain is chronic but I did have the good fortune to have some Cognitive Processing Therapy in the last two years. As to psych meds, just fluoxetine and the smallest dose of diazepam I can tolerate. No particular trouble with those. I would dearly love to get at least the benzo out of my system, but I had a miserable gp treating my “depression” with 3 mg of Clonazepam per day for over three years. That messed me up.

 

[user56253]

Sorry to hear about how you have been abused by the system that’s supposed to be helping us. I understand completely. I went into a facility voluntarily to get help with PTSD. They didn’t even have PTSD arrested as a diagnosis. I didn’t know any of this until I got out. Even their patient care advocate was employed by the facility, protecting themselves not the patients. Needless to say, they diagnosed me with some bogus personality disorder, and put me on anti-psychotics. Lots of side effects, and lasting symptoms. We know more about PTSD than the people who are supposed to be caring for us. I truly believe that the vast majority of mental illness is caused by PTSD. In the system, if they haven’t been through it, they don’t get it. They have their way of figuring things out, and it’s not always good. Many times they just want to medicate, after all that that’s how they earn their money. I have received so much more healing through support groups like this and holistic mental health programs and summits and books and materials to educate myself by the people who have experienced it and know the truth. Wishing you well as you continue to move forward one day at a time.

Thank you…