Topic : Bipolar Disorder

You found the meds and the dosage that works. But you are not doing without meds. I don't take a whole lot of meds, either but I have tried to deal with bipolar disorder without meds and with meds and I'll take the with meds any day. I find that without meds I am at the mercy of my emotions and that the disorder manages me instead of the other way around.

 

For ten years I took only 100 mgs of one med (Tegretol) and that completely stabilized me. Unfortunately, I developed an allergy to that med and had to go off. I have not forgotten what the nexxt three months without effective meds were like. I went into a deep depression and became suicidal as the doc tried to find new meds for me. After about three or four months, he came up with new combo which works almost as well. Now I take three meds, but not a high dosage to take the place of the one I used to take.

 

I would not recommend to anyone that they try to do without meds with bipolar disorder. The fact that you are able to get along with so few and at so low a dosage is good for you, but it doesn't mean that it will work for everyone. It depends on the person and how they react to meds. Everyone is different and everyone's disorder seems to react differently.

 

But it sounds like you are lucky and, as I said, I'm glad you get along with such a low dosage and with only two meds. But that does not mean that people with bipolar disorder can get along without meds in general.

I have thought several times that I didn't need meds and my husband was sure I didn't need all that stuff but when it comes down to it if you have Bi-Polar don't go with out your meds it is dangerous for you and every one around you. some people have a mild case and can go with less meds but they really need to work close with their doctor to get there meds right as far as when you have a baby that changes your hormones and maybe that did you a big favor God Bless, But please other peaple don't try to go without your meds without a doctors close observation.

 

God Bless,

I tried to tell you how to get my book but that was evidently not allowable. Anyone who wants it can e-mail me at jtokc@yahoo.com and I will tell you how to order it.

How exciting to have your book published!!!!  How did you celebrate?

e-mailed everyone I know. And let you all know. Sunshine and mommibot had told me they wanted copies when it came out.

I've been so busy.....3 kids, school started(WhoooooHooo!!!!), I am trying to catch up and I feel pretty darn good these days, so run-run-run. Also canning is about to poop out so maybe I'll get to the boards more often.

I am anxious to read your book. I'll e-mail you later for details.

Again, congratulations...You're a published author!

Take care,

Leslie

Hey,

My boyfriend has a son who has schizophrenia and at this time he is in the Alton Mental Hospital.  He says he will get out soon.  He pushed his Dad out of the door and scuffed him up pretty bad, we had him arrested, did not know what else to do at the time.  He was proven unfit to stand trial.  That's how he ended up in the mental hospital.  He is fine when he takes his meds but he will think he is fine and go off of them and all hell breaks loose.  How can we convince him he has to stay on his meds?  And also what is the difference between bipoplar and schizophrenia?  He clams he is bipoplar but the VA in Marion, IL. diagnosed him as having schizophrenia.  He is 33 years old and cannot be told what he can and can't do.  It seems our hands are tied.  And I refuse to let him live with us.  It did not work the last time but where can he live?  Is this according to the type of person you are as to wanting to stay on your meds and to have a productive life?  He was drawing disability but now he is not because he was also in prison for 3 DUI's.  Now when he is on or off his meds he feels the state owes him for taking his driver's license away and blames his Dad and the system for all the bad things that have happened to him.  He just has a bad attitude about alot of things in his life.  When he was getitng his disability we tried to get him to do volunteer work to help out  people in general but he refused.  He has no good friends or girlfriends, only ones that have no life and wonder where their next beer or drugs are coming from.  I just don't know what will become of him, he is not my son but I still care about what happens to him and so does his Dad, does anyone know how to give any advice to us on this matter?

Thanks for your time,

sweetpea839

between bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. A person with bipolar disorder cannot control his or her moods; he or she is at the mercy of the emotions. Depression alternates with mania and the person much take medications to smooth out the moods to function properly. The person with bipolar disorder is usually in touch with reality.

 

A person with schizophrenia suffers breaks with reality; that is, he or she cannot always distinguish that which is real from that which is not. He or she may hear voices or see things that are not there. He or she may think that people are out to get him or her and believe that the government is persecuting or following him or her.

 

There really is no way to get an adult to take meds if they don't want to. There is a book that may help you to deal with it and understand. It is "I'm not sick, I don't need help." You can get it through Amazon or at the NAMI.org. site.

From one who was diagnosed 15 years ago with bipolar illness, believe me I do understand.   I thought the cases on the show were very extreme and not representative of patients as a whole.

 

As someone who is a native Texan I understand completely how the Texas state government has

labelled the mentally ill.  Also,  the treatment of  such people and the emphasis placed on good healthcare.   Texas is probably at the lowest or the lowest at funding. 

 

Dr. Phil might want to go to the BiPolar/Unipolar association meetings at UT Health Science Center.

Perhaps the wonderful psychiatrists who devote a lot of their time to this group might help.  

 

There really are bipolar patients who live productive, useful lives.   We take our meds the same time every day, get our blood levels and see our doctors.   One other thing that has helped me is renewing my faith in God and singing in choir.

 

Thanks for your email and don't give up.  Thanks to  the education about lithium I was able to do a lot of forgiving I needed to do.

 

Bless You,

Singer45

 I have had Bipolar patterns all my life, and was diagnosed 10 years ago, after having bad labels from  bad, inconsiderate doctors.  Now that I am  seeing good doctors, and a knowledgeable and compassionate mental health provider, I am now on a good set of medications, and am most of the time pretty stable.  I DO NOT foam at the mouth, dance naked on a roof top, or anything really outrageous, however, when I tell people that I have Bipolar, and have been in the psych ward, they take a step back, as if I might be contageous.

I agree that only showing the extremes is irresponsible.  There are people out there who may not know  the difference between normal and abnormal feelings and thoughts.  If they are not as extreme as the people shown on TV, they may not seek help until it is too late.  When I was first diagnosed with major depression, back in 1991, I was insulted at being sent to a psychiatrist (stigma), and had no idea what depression was.  By the time I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder, 5 years later, I had already been in the psych ward multiple times, with multiple (thank God not successful) suicide attempts.

I would hate to see somebody not seek help because their feelings and behavior are not as extreme as those seen on TV.  Being Bipolar is not a bad thing...feeling suicidal is not a weakness, it is a symptom that should not be ignored.  Dr. Phil, please don't go down the tubes like Phil Donahue, who, near the end of the show rotated between 5 topics, and only showed the extremes and seemed to like it when people stormed off stage. 

I watch the show for entertainment, and for tips on staying on track.  I can identify with many of the guests on the show,  and would like to see the line between "normal" and "abnormal" explained more thoroughly, rather than seeing the extreme cases.  I really like the show...keep it real.