u/pinkpear0

Day 6 of abilify and decreasing my lithium to 600mg and I’ve suddenly spent around $2000 on handbags and high end makeup. I feel like I am completely losing control. My depression has improved significantly and I don’t think I’m experiencing any other manic symptoms….yet. I’ve contacted my psychiatrist for an appointment ASAP. I’m really embarrassed about the spending because I have a history of compulsive shopping but this is extreme, even for me. I feel like I need to tell my fiancé what’s going on but I am so ashamed! I’ve been trying to rein it in but I can’t seem to make it happen.

I am undergoing a big med change because my lithium damaged my kidneys after 11 years of use and I need to come off of it ASAP. I am seeing a new psychiatrist and she has me down to 600mg lithium from 1500mg and added in 5mg of abilify in addition to lamotrigine and caplyta. I decreased down to 600 and started the abilify simultaneously. After a couple days I am starting to feel good after months of being depressed. Like…I can actually feel pleasurable emotions. Today I’m starting to feel even better, maybe even a little euphoric at times. I slept for 9 hours like a ROCK last night but am still a little sleepy. I’ve been leaving the house and actually doing activities other than laying on the couch watching tv.

Unfortunately, I have been getting out of control with my spending. I have a history of compulsive shopping and I started to relapse a week before starting the abilify. I’ve spent a ton of money in a short period of time on mid range handbags and luxury makeup. I have learned that abilify can actually cause or aggravate impulse control issues around gambling or shopping, and I’m super nervous that is what’s happening because it SEEMS like the abilify may be possibly helping with my depression for the first time in a LONG time. But I’m also not sure yet if I’m actually just heading up into a hypo/manic episode.

TLDR: Going through a major med change (coming off lithium and adding abilify) and I have been feeling much less depressed and sleeping well, but also relapsing on compulsive shopping after a long period of abstinence. This shopping starting a week before starting abilify but has accelerated. Unsure if I am on my way into mania/hypomania or having impulse control issues from the abilify.

I’m on the hunt for makeup recommendations for my very fair, warm olive skin. I am a warm spring with natural red hair. I am always open to a new lip product (I prefer luminous to glossy finish) and interested in complexion products as well, but I lean into a more subtle or natural look.

Lipstick shades that flatter my skin tone:
Makeup by Mario in SoHo
MAC in Kinda Sexy
Charlotte Tilbury in Sexy Sienna
Merit in Vermillion
MAC Vegas Volt (quite bright but fun for a bold lip day)
Redhead Revolution in Au Natural

I have struggled immensely with finding a “nude” as they all pull muddy and purple/brown on me and completely wash me out, so oftentimes I will just wear a thick shiny clear gloss.

I have never had a really good foundation match out of the bottle- everything is always too pink, too orange, or too bright. I have found taking a very warm yellow foundation and mixing in a little green or blue creates my best match, but I find mixing each time unpredictable and annoying. I would love to try Lisa Eldridge’s skin tint in 1.5 but the second ingredient is coconut alkanes and coconut derivatives break me out in cystic acne.

I recently tried purple blush as many people with olive undertones seem to love it but on me….yikes! It looks purple and really accentuates the green and yellow in my skin in a bad way.

Any recommendations would be welcome!

The closest shade I’ve found that is MLBB is MAC kinda sexy, but I prefer a more luminous finish. Most nude lipsticks pull muddy and purple/brown on me! Has anyone found a magic nude for warm springs? I have fair skin and a warm olive undertone fwiw.

Shades that flatter me:
Makeup by Mario in SoHo
Charlotte Tilbury in Sexy Sienna
MAC Vegas Volt (a bit bright but fun for a bold lip day)
MAC Kinda Sexy
Merit Vermillion

I have developed the following health conditions from lithium and atypical antipsychotics:

-nephrogenic diabetes insipidus from long-term lithium use
-prediabetes
-high cholesterol
-high blood pressure
-75lbs of weight gain

I AM ONLY 33 YEARS OLD

I feel like I am going to die a very early death because of these medications. I am completely losing hope.

I’m not looking for medical advice but I’m having a nightmare of a time finding adequate care for all my issues. My doctors keep prescribing me interacting medications and I have to get off my lithium, my long-standing psychiatrist has ghosted me and the new psychiatrist I saw wanted me to come off my lithium without adding a new mood stabilizer while simultaneously starting ZOLOFT despite my history of manic switches on SSRIs. If anyone has any advice for finding good doctors, it would be much appreciated.

I was just diagnosed with diabetes insipidus due to being on lithium for 11 years. Was wondering if anyone else had experience with this. I’m pretty overwhelmed.

I have been trying to understand the mad pride movement but I honestly find it really confusing. As a person who has lived with bipolar for almost my entire life, I absolutely see it as an illness. I have been so miserable and so out of control because of the bipolar so many times. Meds have saved my life. Mad pride and mad activism seems to be deeply theoretical and while it sounds nice on paper I think in practice it seems like just another way to shame people for how they experience their health and the choices they make regarding medication/treatment.

I’m curious if anyone here can enlighten me about this movement, and if I’m misunderstanding it.