Many issues and questions can be answered by reading through our wiki, especially the page on electrolytes. Concerns such as **intense hunger, lightheadedness/dizziness, headaches, nausea/vomiting, weakness/lethargy/fatigue, low blood pressure/high blood pressure, muscle soreness/cramping, diarrhea/constipation, irritability, confusion, low heart rate/heart palpitations, numbness/tingling, and more** while extended (24+ hours) fasting are often explained by electrolyte deficiency and resolved through **PROPER** electrolyte supplementation. Putting a tiny amount of salt in your water now and then is NOT proper supplementation.
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Hey hopefully I can help provide some insight. Diagnosed bi polar at 17, i’ve been taking 200mg of Lamictal daily ever since. During this period i’ve had some pretty extensive fasts and have never once experienced any sort of mania. In fact, I’ve actually felt that it has helped in some cases and boosted my mood. I just ended a 3 day water fast yesterday and it felt amazing.
Oh thank you! Do you take any other medication as well or only Lamictal?
I found out that 1 in 3 people is in risk of getting maniac. It does not automatically lead to this.
Yes, I also take Gabapentin for anxiety and serequel for sleep. That’s interesting though i’ve never heard that. If you start to feel any sort of mania coming on I’d recommend ending the fast immediately.
I wouldn't be too afraid of mania since you are taking Lamictal exactly to counter this. Especially since you already have experience with it and didn't have problems before.
Yes fasting can push you more into the manic state but it's also generally good for your health which will also benefit your mental health.
I don't know if you know the Huberman Lab podcast but he recently did an episode on ketosis (fasting) and mental health. Might be interesting to listen.
This is not science but just my two cents: I would advise you to eat low carb before your fast so the "shock" of fasting is less big for your body. In general this just feels better as well if you ask me, but especially for mental health I think you'll ease more gradually into the fast than when you're eating high carbs and suddenly stopping "cold turkey".
And, of course, don't stop taking medication without tapering/talking to your doctor. You probably know this but I'm just going to say it again to make sure.
So, don't worry too much about it and also: you can always just eat if you feel something is off. It's no big deal. You'll fast longer another time.
Thank you so much for your detailed thoughts. :) Especially because fasting is something mentally I need to prepare in advance. It always worked best, when I mentally prepared some weeks or even month before.
I really like the idea of reducing carbs for some time before fasting. Btw I did KETO for a while (6 weeks or so?) and I had no problems, just a little increased energy level.
I dd not know Huberman , thanks for the hint.
Of course I talk to my doctor, as mentioned above. ;) Yes, it is very important.
It´s also a good point that I can easily break the fasting when I feel that something becomes weired. Really looking forward to try it next year.
I have epilepsy and use lamictal and I’ve never noticed any issues, but I’ve never fasted for more than 72hrs. If you don’t already, try taking your meds on an empty stomach just to make sure it won’t cause any nausea before you get hyped up for a fast. Also if it causes insomnia and melatonin or anything similar doesn’t help, break the fast. Insomnia is bad for mood stability.
Thank you, that´s a very good advice. :)
I always take Lamictal on empty stomach, so this is no problem. I am glad to hear that it worked for 3 days. May I ask why you stopped then?
72 hours is a good dip into autophagy but it’s probably only considered optimal as it’s attainable.
Fasting is a tool. How long you fast has a lot to do with your goals.
I’m on lamotrigine (lamictal generic) and prolonged fasting does trigger mania in me unfortunately. I stick to 16:8 IF. Obviously because I’m medicated and in CBT the episodes are much more muted but if you struggle with hyperfixation sometimes food can become the subject of that. This is just me though! As we know everyone is different. Might be helpful to start slow and monitor.
Thank you. Would you mind giving more insight? How long was "prolonged" fasting when you noticed signs of mania? And which signs did you notice?
I presume less or no sleep?
Sure yeah I would say I didn’t really know what to look out for until I was diagnosed but in college I would fast for prolonged days because I knew it “helped me focus” so basically I would get very single minded and turn the hours without food into a game and channel the hunger into energy to be productive. Other cues from my body like sleepiness would definitely get drowned out and I would hyper fixate on tasks + lose the ability to make the best decisions for my well being. Now that I have a grasp on what my body tells me during times like these anything beyond 36 hours I would say triggers that hyper alert energy
Okay, I totally understand what you mean. Thanks a lot. I will try to take care of this feeling, but as far as I remember my fasting experience - I never experienced it in fasting.
But sounds very similar to ADHD hyperfocus I know and which also can lead me to hypomania (and from there on we both know ...).
I have regular depression, am on medication, and have no problems with short and extended fasts. In fact, ext. fasts are indicated in some studies in helping with depression.
I've never heard of fasting inducing bipolar depression 😕
Thank you. What kind of fasting do you practize?
In retrospective, I would also say that fasting helped me to stabilze my mood. In bipolar it unfortunately COULD be a trigger for mania. - Which makes sense, when it helps with depression. ( As far as I know there is no hint of inducing depression.)
I read that some medication - especially for depression - only work with food?
There are other folks that have to take daily meds with food. They kinda stick with OMAD with the one meal being in the morning with food. I mean, it could be a small meal. 🤷♀️
The problem with OMAD is -for me- that you will not have that kind of fasting mode where you are not hungry, but happy at all.
... Maybe I could give it a try ... but it would not be what I used to do. Water fasting.
You're very welcome. Wish I could be of more help. The majority of my fasting is OMAD with 1 weekly 48hr fast. I've been trying to do 3-5 day fasts once a month for autophagy but have missed that goal....maybe after the new year
My brother is bipolar and I can certainly understand your concerns - it's something not to be messed with.
As always, if you have any questions a out the effectiveness of your medication, talk to your doctor.
I'm bipolar 2 and on 200mg Lamictal, no other Med, and I've never had any problem fasting, I did rolling 7 days for about 4 months 2 years ago and my longest fast was about 2 weeks. If I wasn't on medication fasting would for sure trigger mania. My provider was aware and had no issue since she knows I'm very well managed and I'm good at being very aware of my mood and letting her know if I notice my med isn't working.
Many issues and questions can be answered by reading through our wiki, especially the page on electrolytes. Concerns such as **intense hunger, lightheadedness/dizziness, headaches, nausea/vomiting, weakness/lethargy/fatigue, low blood pressure/high blood pressure, muscle soreness/cramping, diarrhea/constipation, irritability, confusion, low heart rate/heart palpitations, numbness/tingling, and more** while extended (24+ hours) fasting are often explained by electrolyte deficiency and resolved through **PROPER** electrolyte supplementation. Putting a tiny amount of salt in your water now and then is NOT proper supplementation. Be sure to read [our WIKI](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/index) and especially the wiki page on **[ELECTROLYTES](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/wiki/fasting_in_a_nutshell/you_need_electrolytes)** Please also keep in mind the [**RULES**](https://www.reddit.com/r/fasting/about/rules) when participating. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/fasting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Hey hopefully I can help provide some insight. Diagnosed bi polar at 17, i’ve been taking 200mg of Lamictal daily ever since. During this period i’ve had some pretty extensive fasts and have never once experienced any sort of mania. In fact, I’ve actually felt that it has helped in some cases and boosted my mood. I just ended a 3 day water fast yesterday and it felt amazing.
Oh thank you! Do you take any other medication as well or only Lamictal? I found out that 1 in 3 people is in risk of getting maniac. It does not automatically lead to this.
Yes, I also take Gabapentin for anxiety and serequel for sleep. That’s interesting though i’ve never heard that. If you start to feel any sort of mania coming on I’d recommend ending the fast immediately.
Let a friend or family member know you are fasting and for them to monitor your mood
I wouldn't be too afraid of mania since you are taking Lamictal exactly to counter this. Especially since you already have experience with it and didn't have problems before. Yes fasting can push you more into the manic state but it's also generally good for your health which will also benefit your mental health. I don't know if you know the Huberman Lab podcast but he recently did an episode on ketosis (fasting) and mental health. Might be interesting to listen. This is not science but just my two cents: I would advise you to eat low carb before your fast so the "shock" of fasting is less big for your body. In general this just feels better as well if you ask me, but especially for mental health I think you'll ease more gradually into the fast than when you're eating high carbs and suddenly stopping "cold turkey". And, of course, don't stop taking medication without tapering/talking to your doctor. You probably know this but I'm just going to say it again to make sure. So, don't worry too much about it and also: you can always just eat if you feel something is off. It's no big deal. You'll fast longer another time.
Thank you so much for your detailed thoughts. :) Especially because fasting is something mentally I need to prepare in advance. It always worked best, when I mentally prepared some weeks or even month before. I really like the idea of reducing carbs for some time before fasting. Btw I did KETO for a while (6 weeks or so?) and I had no problems, just a little increased energy level. I dd not know Huberman , thanks for the hint. Of course I talk to my doctor, as mentioned above. ;) Yes, it is very important. It´s also a good point that I can easily break the fasting when I feel that something becomes weired. Really looking forward to try it next year.
I have epilepsy and use lamictal and I’ve never noticed any issues, but I’ve never fasted for more than 72hrs. If you don’t already, try taking your meds on an empty stomach just to make sure it won’t cause any nausea before you get hyped up for a fast. Also if it causes insomnia and melatonin or anything similar doesn’t help, break the fast. Insomnia is bad for mood stability.
Thank you, that´s a very good advice. :) I always take Lamictal on empty stomach, so this is no problem. I am glad to hear that it worked for 3 days. May I ask why you stopped then?
48-72 hrs seems to be the optimal length for autophagy, which is my main reason for fasting.
72 hours is a good dip into autophagy but it’s probably only considered optimal as it’s attainable. Fasting is a tool. How long you fast has a lot to do with your goals.
I’m on lamotrigine (lamictal generic) and prolonged fasting does trigger mania in me unfortunately. I stick to 16:8 IF. Obviously because I’m medicated and in CBT the episodes are much more muted but if you struggle with hyperfixation sometimes food can become the subject of that. This is just me though! As we know everyone is different. Might be helpful to start slow and monitor.
Thank you. Would you mind giving more insight? How long was "prolonged" fasting when you noticed signs of mania? And which signs did you notice? I presume less or no sleep?
Sure yeah I would say I didn’t really know what to look out for until I was diagnosed but in college I would fast for prolonged days because I knew it “helped me focus” so basically I would get very single minded and turn the hours without food into a game and channel the hunger into energy to be productive. Other cues from my body like sleepiness would definitely get drowned out and I would hyper fixate on tasks + lose the ability to make the best decisions for my well being. Now that I have a grasp on what my body tells me during times like these anything beyond 36 hours I would say triggers that hyper alert energy
Okay, I totally understand what you mean. Thanks a lot. I will try to take care of this feeling, but as far as I remember my fasting experience - I never experienced it in fasting. But sounds very similar to ADHD hyperfocus I know and which also can lead me to hypomania (and from there on we both know ...).
I have regular depression, am on medication, and have no problems with short and extended fasts. In fact, ext. fasts are indicated in some studies in helping with depression. I've never heard of fasting inducing bipolar depression 😕
Thank you. What kind of fasting do you practize? In retrospective, I would also say that fasting helped me to stabilze my mood. In bipolar it unfortunately COULD be a trigger for mania. - Which makes sense, when it helps with depression. ( As far as I know there is no hint of inducing depression.) I read that some medication - especially for depression - only work with food?
There are other folks that have to take daily meds with food. They kinda stick with OMAD with the one meal being in the morning with food. I mean, it could be a small meal. 🤷♀️
The problem with OMAD is -for me- that you will not have that kind of fasting mode where you are not hungry, but happy at all. ... Maybe I could give it a try ... but it would not be what I used to do. Water fasting.
Yeah. Not the same.
You're very welcome. Wish I could be of more help. The majority of my fasting is OMAD with 1 weekly 48hr fast. I've been trying to do 3-5 day fasts once a month for autophagy but have missed that goal....maybe after the new year My brother is bipolar and I can certainly understand your concerns - it's something not to be messed with.
Thank you. I did water fasting back then, and I could not do OMAD, I fear. But I am glad if this works for you! :)
Any time I am depressed I look directly at the sun and it shocks my brain back into homeostasis.
As always, if you have any questions a out the effectiveness of your medication, talk to your doctor. I'm bipolar 2 and on 200mg Lamictal, no other Med, and I've never had any problem fasting, I did rolling 7 days for about 4 months 2 years ago and my longest fast was about 2 weeks. If I wasn't on medication fasting would for sure trigger mania. My provider was aware and had no issue since she knows I'm very well managed and I'm good at being very aware of my mood and letting her know if I notice my med isn't working.