Replies to '08/01 Extreme Highs and Lows'
|
March 6, 2006, 5:19 pm PST
 Quote From: kbrown24 My husband is bipolar ll and I thought that I would share a few ways that we have found helpful in dealing with this illness. He is currently taking Lamictal which he has found to be a wonderful lifesaver drug. I haven't hear about any one on the message boards taking this drug. Its doesn't make him feel like a zombie and controls his mood swings. He also makes time to work out once sometimes twice a day. We have found that working out is a very important part of making him feel better. Working out also gets rid of that extra energy bipolar people seem to have when they feel good. The third thing is a A calender that we have posted in our bathroom were everyday he writes in the small box about how he feels. Just simple words like "great day" or whatever applies. We own a very successful construction company and we also limit the number of jobs he has going on at one time to keep his stress level at a minimum. He also sees his Dr. once a month to evaluate how he is feeling. At times when I feel so upset that he has to go through this horrible disease and so discouraged because we feel like we do all we can to fight this I am reminded that this is not a curable disease it is a relapseable disease and we only have so much control. Also finding the patterns to look for when someone goes "down". For my husband its is extra stress negative talk, wanting to sleep more, loss of energy, slowly becomes anti-social..... We are very sensitive to look for these signs and patterns. I can notice these patterns much sooner then he can and its our responsibility to do something as soon as we see these signs. DONT WAIT! I am no expert, and know that every person is different but with medication, determination, communication, therapy, and God we have seen his "downs" to a almost 1 or 2 a year. We have had a very hard road but you just have to keep searching for the certain things that work. No one knows what it feels like to go though unless you've been there. Don't think people with bipolar are weird or don't try to feel better. One of the things I have really had to get over is even in the Dr office or hospital I feel like people look at us weird and are thinking "wow that couple has some issues." No we don't ! My husband has a chemical imbalance! We live a very normal life other then once or twice a year! I have often thought about wanting to speak to people who live with someone with bipolar. Just to make people know that they aren't alone! Ive been looked at weird, talked about, and made to feel like we have to keep his disease a secret. But for my husband I have to keep a positive attitude, keep encouraging him, and love him. I hope this all has made sense because I am not the best writer in the world! I would love to talk to anyone. Best luck to all and you will be in my prayers,
Kristen
I too was taking Lamictal and it helped so much! I am glad to see someone else who takes this medicine is doing well with it! I quit taking it cause my Doctors office would not see me no more cause I missed to many appointments. I do miss feeling good. I have 3 small children & sometimes I feel like I am letting them down. Just make sure your hubby contuines to take the meds. It really truely is a way to make life easier! |
|
|
March 7, 2006, 7:42 pm PST
Quote From: kbrown24 My husband is bipolar ll and I thought that I would share a few ways that we have found helpful in dealing with this illness. He is currently taking Lamictal which he has found to be a wonderful lifesaver drug. I haven't hear about any one on the message boards taking this drug. Its doesn't make him feel like a zombie and controls his mood swings. He also makes time to work out once sometimes twice a day. We have found that working out is a very important part of making him feel better. Working out also gets rid of that extra energy bipolar people seem to have when they feel good. The third thing is a A calender that we have posted in our bathroom were everyday he writes in the small box about how he feels. Just simple words like "great day" or whatever applies. We own a very successful construction company and we also limit the number of jobs he has going on at one time to keep his stress level at a minimum. He also sees his Dr. once a month to evaluate how he is feeling. At times when I feel so upset that he has to go through this horrible disease and so discouraged because we feel like we do all we can to fight this I am reminded that this is not a curable disease it is a relapseable disease and we only have so much control. Also finding the patterns to look for when someone goes "down". For my husband its is extra stress negative talk, wanting to sleep more, loss of energy, slowly becomes anti-social..... We are very sensitive to look for these signs and patterns. I can notice these patterns much sooner then he can and its our responsibility to do something as soon as we see these signs. DONT WAIT! I am no expert, and know that every person is different but with medication, determination, communication, therapy, and God we have seen his "downs" to a almost 1 or 2 a year. We have had a very hard road but you just have to keep searching for the certain things that work. No one knows what it feels like to go though unless you've been there. Don't think people with bipolar are weird or don't try to feel better. One of the things I have really had to get over is even in the Dr office or hospital I feel like people look at us weird and are thinking "wow that couple has some issues." No we don't ! My husband has a chemical imbalance! We live a very normal life other then once or twice a year! I have often thought about wanting to speak to people who live with someone with bipolar. Just to make people know that they aren't alone! Ive been looked at weird, talked about, and made to feel like we have to keep his disease a secret. But for my husband I have to keep a positive attitude, keep encouraging him, and love him. I hope this all has made sense because I am not the best writer in the world! I would love to talk to anyone. Best luck to all and you will be in my prayers,
Kristen
I am afraid that my husband is bipolar! if he is, i'm pretty sure he won't get help. Our marriage counselor thinks his mother is bipolar! There are so many stories I could shar with you about my husband! I'm so torn between him just being completely self-centered with a lot of baggage, etc, and him having a serious mental condition. Plus, do I stay or do I go either way? Did you consistently get anything positive out of your marriage having a bipolar husband?
Thanks, Michelle |
|
|
August 1, 2006, 5:12 pm PDT
Quote From: kbrown24 My husband is bipolar ll and I thought that I would share a few ways that we have found helpful in dealing with this illness. He is currently taking Lamictal which he has found to be a wonderful lifesaver drug. I haven't hear about any one on the message boards taking this drug. Its doesn't make him feel like a zombie and controls his mood swings. He also makes time to work out once sometimes twice a day. We have found that working out is a very important part of making him feel better. Working out also gets rid of that extra energy bipolar people seem to have when they feel good. The third thing is a A calender that we have posted in our bathroom were everyday he writes in the small box about how he feels. Just simple words like "great day" or whatever applies. We own a very successful construction company and we also limit the number of jobs he has going on at one time to keep his stress level at a minimum. He also sees his Dr. once a month to evaluate how he is feeling. At times when I feel so upset that he has to go through this horrible disease and so discouraged because we feel like we do all we can to fight this I am reminded that this is not a curable disease it is a relapseable disease and we only have so much control. Also finding the patterns to look for when someone goes "down". For my husband its is extra stress negative talk, wanting to sleep more, loss of energy, slowly becomes anti-social..... We are very sensitive to look for these signs and patterns. I can notice these patterns much sooner then he can and its our responsibility to do something as soon as we see these signs. DONT WAIT! I am no expert, and know that every person is different but with medication, determination, communication, therapy, and God we have seen his "downs" to a almost 1 or 2 a year. We have had a very hard road but you just have to keep searching for the certain things that work. No one knows what it feels like to go though unless you've been there. Don't think people with bipolar are weird or don't try to feel better. One of the things I have really had to get over is even in the Dr office or hospital I feel like people look at us weird and are thinking "wow that couple has some issues." No we don't ! My husband has a chemical imbalance! We live a very normal life other then once or twice a year! I have often thought about wanting to speak to people who live with someone with bipolar. Just to make people know that they aren't alone! Ive been looked at weird, talked about, and made to feel like we have to keep his disease a secret. But for my husband I have to keep a positive attitude, keep encouraging him, and love him. I hope this all has made sense because I am not the best writer in the world! I would love to talk to anyone. Best luck to all and you will be in my prayers,
Kristen
I was diagnosed as Bi-polar almost ten years ago. I had a classic manic episode and then sunk into a deep depression. My daughter was born three months early, I was recently separated from her father and was living with my mother at the time of my breakdown. Over the years, I have been on many different medications, but currently I am also taking Lamictal. It has helped me stay pretty balanced for over three years. I also suffer from social anxiety. At times it is so painful just to go to the grocery store. My doctor has prescribed Kolonipin for this and it seems to help. I have been able to function pretty well by taking my medication regularly, checking in with my psychiatrist once a month and going to therapy 2-3 times per month. I also limit my activities in order to not get too stressed out. I do suffer from depression with symptoms very similar to your husband's. I have extra stress negative talk, want to sleep more, loss of energy, and my social anxiety increases to the point of being anti-social also. My worst time of the year is during the winter, especially Nov - Jan. It is always hard for me to make it through the holidays. I have Season Affective Disorder in addition to my Bipolar. I have been on anti-depressants in the past, Wellbutrin most recently, but the doctor thought it was contributing to my anxiety and took me off it about two months ago. My husband said it made all the difference and I was a totally different person after stopping the anti-depressant. My stress level over the past eighteen months since we were married has been through the roof. My husband has a lot of medical problems. He has had five different surgeries and we have been in the emergency room at least three dozen times in only a year and a half. I haven't worked for the past eighteen months, because it has been a full-time job just taking care of him. I honestly don't know how I have made it through. It is inspiring to know that your husband can keep working and running a business in spite of this disorder. He is lucky to have you to support him! I appreciated your suggestions of exercise and the calendar to track how you are feeling day to day. I will try that. I read through four pages of messages before I got to yours, and was so thankful to hear a story so similiar to my own. Thank you for taking the time to tell your story. Best of luck to you and your husband. It is a hard road to travel fighting this disease, but I believe that having Bipolar disorder has helped me become a stronger, more empathetic person. It has taken a long time to get to this point though. Thanks again. Hope to read more of your postings soon. My prayers are with you also.
Kathy
|
|
Return to the Message Board
