Welcome to the board Joyce...I'm Becky.
You have probably already experienced much of what bipolar disorder is. The diagnosis is actually a blessing because now, you can get the right meds and get your moods under control.
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder, characterized by extreme highs (mania) and lows (depression). These mood changes can happen slowly over time, or rapidly, changing frequently. This is not just normal mood shifts...the moods are usually extreme.
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 12 years ago, after years of terrible mood swings and a lot of physical symptoms...mostly bad headaches and generalized muscle pain. Before my diagnosis, I was in and out of the psych ward for 5 years previous to that. All my life, I've had the mood extremes, but it was dismissed as childhood temper tantrums, teenage hormones, newlywed blues, post-partum depression, grieving (when my mom died)...and on and on.
When I was finally diagnosed with bipolar disorder, my life suddenly made sense...there is a name to what I have...it is a relief to finally be able to get the right meds. It took several years to find the right combination for me...everybody reacts a little bit differently to the meds, so there is no single drug that is the "right" drug for everybody. I take Lamictal and Abilify, plus Temazepam for sleep, and Provigil for narcolepsy.
Has your doctor prescribed meds for you yet? If so, give them some time to take effect...it takes up to 6 weeks for some meds to start working. Also, it is really important to stay on your meds even when you start to feel more stable...it's the meds that keep us stable.
A web site with some really good info on bipolar is www.nami.org or try googling "bipolar disorder". Watch out for the web sites that just want to sell you something. There is a lot of good info on the internet about bipolar disorder.
Well...gotta go to bed now....Becky
