Topic : Bipolar Disorder

The poor baby...actually, there is a prescription medication to treat ear infection pain.  It is ear drops that you put into the painful ear, called Auragan (not sure if I spelled that right).  Your son or daughter in law can call the doctor and ask for a prescription.  Baby Tylenol just doesn't cut it for an ear infection.  Our middle son had a lot of them, and the ear drops make such a difference!!

 

How exciting to get to babysit your granddaughter...I'm glad you found a new doctor...I hope that he is better than your last doc...wasn't your last doc the one who would fall asleep?  When I changed to my new doc, I brought my prescription bottles, so she could see the meds and their doses.  I also signed a release for the old doc to send my records.  I hope it goes well for you.

 

Time to go for now...Becky

Hi everyone. I was looking for some information on my bi-polar disorder and found this forum. I am a 30 year old mom of three  and married. I am in college full time. This past year, I was diagnosed with Bi-Polar. At first, I was misdiagnosed with just depression and put on a medication that made me wig-out two weeks after starting it. When returning to my dr, I refused to try any other medication, but then decided to try one. It helped at first. I started out on 25mg, then to 50mg, on up to 200mg per day. When taking this medication, with each new dosage, I felt clear and great. I wasn't on top of the world like my highs, but I sure wasn't having any bad lows.
    After a month of taking each new dosage, I would start to feel BLAH! I wouldn't be low but i missed my highs. I hated it! I still felt like crying all the time, although I couldn't cry. I didn't think about suicide, which anytime I had I didn't know why I wanted to kill myself, but not thinking about it at all was one of the great benefits.  Although it did allow my semi-suicidal thoughts to be calmed, I would still think all the normal bad things:  why am i here (on this earth), am I a good person, does everyone hate me, does anyone like me, can i love and be happy!  Yes I am married, but we have seperated and tried the past two years out of our total 8 years together, and our together right now. I think alot of this has resulted from my disorder, I just didn't know how to control it or that I had a problem. I have a problem with feeling overly in love with someone, and then the reverse: do i love him, what is love, he loves me so much and i do him (why do i feel this way)!
    After fighting with all of this, on top of being a full time mom and full time college student, I had opted to stop my medication and my therapy (i didn't feel comfortable enough to talk to them truthfully 100% anyways). I did not feel it was helping me, and like i said, I missed my highs. My highs is when I think i'm the most fun, out-going person, and i don't have all that anxiety that goes with wondering if people like me or not. If i'm on my highs, of course everyone likes me, if not, then i don't care. The only problem with my highs tho, are that I want to be on the go. I want to go party (of course not around my kids!) and do wild stuff. And that isnt' who I am either.
    I am thinking of going back to my doctor and trying a new medication. Does anyone have any recommendations? 
    Lately, especially with winter hitting, I feel wore out, tired, and have the biggest problem going to bed at night. Thus, I don't feel like getting up at 6 am to get myself and the kids around for school. I feel like I can't move. I am losing concentration in the classroom and forgetting things (the simplest of things).  I don't want my disorder to affect my life like this anymore, but i don't want to be a non-emotional zombie either.

Any Recommendations would be great! I am still trying to full understand my own episodes, and have found ways to not get depressed as much. But the above as mentioned, is starting to get worse and worse.

Thank for listening everyone. Hope everyone has a good day :)
Rhonda
  

You sound so much like me before I finally go the right meds.  I take Wellbutrin, and Abilify...both sort of high doses.  After countless years I found the right combo of these.  I suggest never going off your meds unless you consult your pdoc.  I loved my highs too.  I was so creative and some meds I tried took that away from me.  This combo doesn't. 

 

Be patient and keep in close contact with your therapist and pdoc.  If they aren't helping..try another.  I went through a few of them too. 

 

Welcome to the board.  There is tons of knowledge here as well as tons of support.  Hope you keep posting!!!!!!!!

 

Susan

Thank you Susan
I appreciate that.... I had been doing good off my meds/against my physicians better judgement. But i know i need to get back on them before my episodes get bad. I feel them coming on, and I thought it was so cool there is a message bulletin for others to talk to. thank you for your comment , welcome, and sharing your medications. I will be discussing options on Tuesday w/my dr. 
Rhonda :)

My 7 month old granddaughter is so sick still.  I'm hoping my son takes her back to see the doc again today.  It sounds to me like she is dehydrating now.  She won't sleep but an hour or two or less at a time. 

 

This is making me so nervous I've had to take a klonopin this morning.  I'm not sleeping but a couple hours at a time too.  I've cut back on my Wellbutrin a little.  I'm way too hyper lately.  Friday I see the new doctor.  I hope she is nice. 

 

It's suppose to be in the 50-60s all week here.  We escaped the snow but the mountains got a lot.  It looks so beautiful.

 

Hope everyone has a great week!!!!!!!!!

 

Susan

When you said that the med that you tried gave you the Blah feeling, I know exactly what that is.  I was on various meds for a long time, and really had no emotions...lost my creativity, couldn't really cry, never got really really happy.  I stayed on the meds because I knew the alternative...I'm pretty out of control when not on meds.

 

I am now on a really good set of meds.  Since starting them, I have my emotions back, but not the extreme highs and lows.  I have my creativity back, and I am actually doing art and music that I love so much.

 

The meds that I am currently on are Lamictal and Abilify, plus Temazepam for sleep.  When I go to the manic side, my doc has me increase the Abilify.  If I am on the depressed side, I decrease the Abilify.  The Lamictal keeps the low side under control, and it also works on the mania.  I also take Provigil for Narcolepsy, which helps with paying attention and staying awake. (I had a sleep study to determine that I have Narcolepsy.)

 

Most people need more than one medication to get a good balance.  Also, different meds work differently on different people.  What works for one person may not work the same on another.  It is important to take the meds exactly as prescribed, and give them time to work.

 

Obviously, you know the consequences of being off of your meds.  High-tail it back to your doctor, or find a new one quick!!  I found a new doctor about a year ago, and I really like her.  She specializes in women with bipolar disorder. 

 

Please keep us posted....Becky

I hope you granddaughter gets better soon.  When your son takes her to the doctor, have him check on the ear drops for the ear pain (Auralgan).  They make a huge difference.  Also, when our kids went through the ear infections and fevers, we found that ibuprofen is much more effective on pain and fevers than Tylenol.

 

I'm sure it's hard being the grandma and not directly involved in the decisions for your granddaughter.  I can see why you are anxious...when those we love are sick, it's easy to worry a lot about them.

 

I didn't sleep well last night.  I've been taking a muscle relaxer at bedtime for my rib injury.  Last night, I didn't take one because I don't want to become dependant on them.  The pain kept waking me up, plus, I think there is some rebound effect...the muscle relaxer is a "knock-out" pill, and I think my body got used to having the extra help staying asleep.  I hope that tonight goes better.  Also, I was worried about the roads.  We had heavy snow yesterday, followed by rain.  The streets are slushy and wet.  Had it gotten below freezing last night, we would have been driving on a "skating rink".  It is supposed to rain all day today, and we are supposed to be getting some high winds later today.  It is predicted to stay above freezing until Tuesday night.  Then, we will be in the 20's overnight, and I expect very icy roads in the mornings.  I don't like driving on ice, but the kids have to get to school in the morning.

 

This morning, I stepped in dog poo on our deck...it seems that one of our dogs doesn't like going out in the snow, and so he has been pottying on the deck!!  I will be going out with him for a few times to make him go out in the snow and not on the deck.  (He is a manchester terrier mix with short hair...maybe a sweater for him??)  Our other dog is a manchester terrier and cattle dog mix with medium hair, and she plows her way through the snow.  They are both meduim sized, and noisy.

 

Well, that's my day....I hope to get a nap later....I hope your granddaughter feels better soon...Becky

oh geez :*(

Welcome to the board...I'm sorry that you are not feeling well right now...please come back and let us know how you are doing, and maybe share a bit of your story.  There is a wealth of knowledge here on the board, from people who know what bipolar is about, first hand.

 

Becky

My granddaughter was a very sick little baby.  She ended up with a double ear infection.  The doc gave her an adult dose of antibiotic and it seems it's knocked it out of her.  According to my son she is a lot better now.  I will be able to babysit today.  What an ordeal this whole thing has been.  It scared me so much I hadn't been able to get any sleep even with my klonopin.  I feel like a zombie. 

 

Susan