My doctor thinks I have Cyclothymia.

Hey @Former-Member,

Sounds like you're on top of the gym and diet stuff! And too true about routine. I've had to really reign in a lot of bad habits in that area. Routine always keeps my moods steadier.

I hear you on the sleep thing. I went through three years of insomnia. I ended up a total ace at Harry Potter trivia, but otherwise I wouldn't recommend it to anyone. This is actually the biggest area meds have helped me with.

I can see why you're so worried about meds - a bad experience plus all the stigma and myths does not make for great enthusiasm. The first thing I'd say is that whatever people are telling you, doctors can't "force" you to take meds. You have control over your body and your treatment options, and you can choose to seek second (and third etc) opinions about this if you're not happy. Obviously there are financial limits to this, and psychiatrists especially can be a real kick in the wallet! But do what research you can, explore your options, and remember it's your call.

I was interested to hear about you trying Gabba. I don't know much about it, and I'm certainly not a doctor, so I can't make a recommendation either way there. One question you might want to think about though is what differences you see between something like that vs a prescribed neuroactive medication. As alluded to in my other post, I've mucked around with non-prescription self-medications (of the legal and otherwise varieties) as well as a dozen different prescribed meds. The prescribed ones have consistently had fewer side effects - not to mention been cheaper and easier to get.

I can hear that you don't have a lot of faith in this part of a treatment plan, and that's ok - a lot of people are really hesitant about this. Let me just give it my highest endorsement - it took a while, but now that I've found the right medications, I finally understand what it's like to function with level moods. I'd definitely recommend giving it another shot, or at least having a chat with your doctor about Gabba and anything else you're using (including herbs and supplements). But like I said, it's always your call.

Good luck either way 🙂

Fish

PS. My GP snuck me in to a great bulk-billing psychiatrist through some kind of community psych program (can't recall the name) - maybe worth asking about?

Hey @Former-Member, unfortunately I can't recommend a med. I'm pretty sure it's against forums guidelines, but more importantly, psychiatry is an incredibly complex field in which I have zero training. I can say though that I've tried heaps, and only my current combo has made me put on weight. The rest have had other side effects and/or have just not been helpful. I hope your doctor can help!