Topic : Bipolar Disorder

I had a very productive weekend...taking advantage of the mania.  I dusted half of my cat collection...still have the other half to go (over 150 cat knick knacks...lost count).  I went through my closet and got rid of all of the too small clothes that were "mocking" me for not being able to fit into them.  With my weight gain, I have had to buy some bigger clothes...I hope that the endocrinologist can make some sense of my labs and other tests...low thyroid, among other things...low thyroid causes weight gain...I hope to have a solution and lose the recently gained 20 pounds.  I just bought the bare minimum of bigger clothes to get by.

 

Today, I cleaned both bathrooms, am doing lots of laundry (oh those boys and their dirt!!), did the kitchen floor, and other cleaning...gotta keep up while the mania lasts...not really high mania...just lots of extra energy...but I poop out about 4 PM and can barely stay awake until bedtime...I'll take what energy I can...

 

Well...back to the laundry and whatever I find to do...Becky

I think you need to talk with your therapist or doctor...you aren't making any sense...obviously you are upset, and you need to talk to somebody...are you on meds???  Meds are so important to achieving and maintaining balance.  Please let us know how you are doing...Becky

It's good to hear that you had a productive weekend.  A little mania can be a good thing.  I'm sure you are watching things closely though.  I too have low thyroid and have gained weight.  I blame the depression maily for the weight gain, I tend to sit around a lot when I'm depressed.  It's so hard to get motivated.

 

I have a therapy appointment tomorrow with a new therapist.  I'm not looking forward to it.  I don't like change.  I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Have a good day!

 

 

I am one who suffers from bipolar, my life of struggles, challenges and substance abuse may make me look to others as a very irresponsible confused individual, not even close to who I am....  For me, managing my illness is literally a 24 hr job... I have a 13yr old son who also suffers this mood disorder, it may look to some that we're a perfect match up... 'wrong'... we ping off eachother.  I describe bipolar as an onion, there are many diffent layers, no two people suffering from this disorder are the same....

I've read and researched as much literature as I can find, I'm in therapy and through alot of trial and error, I'm on a good combination of meds....  Statiscly speaking, people with bipolar are extremely intelligant individuals, our mood cycles are difficult and hard to understand. Thankyou for asking Dr. Phil for the opportunity to share our stories about this very lethal illness...

 

 

 

Hello Everyone,

 

Im Joyce and new to the message board. I was recently told I have bipolar disorder, and well, im still in shock.

 

 Can any of you tell me what i can expect from this disorder???

 

Thx...

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

Thanks so much for the info.  I have looked it up and it kindda just made me more curious as to what was going on. I mean with all the medical mumbo jumbo, thanks for breaking it down in plain old english. My Dr. didnt even explain things to me, and she gave me Xanax .5mg  which barely takes the edge off. Im looking for a Doctor who deals with Bipolar Disorder as i speak, but no luck as of yet. About the highs and lows, I think im stuck in the lows.... depressed all the time and cry at the drop of a dime.  This Xanax Im on does nothing for me. I feel so nervous and tired all the time. But I got three numbers to dr.s today that Im calling tomorrow , hopefully one can help. I even tried the local Common Grounds, a mental health resourse company and they turned me away. Not "SICK" for them to help !!!   oh ok then!!!  lol  And your right, I felt so much better knowing what was going on, like now i know im not going crazy.. Well..... that remains to be seen...lol  i still feel like im going nuts at times.

 

 

Well thanks again for everything,  feel free to write me,  I will probably write you, as i might just have more question for ya as i go through this. If that is ok with you. Good to know Im not alone in this.

 

 

Good Night,

 

Joyce

It's been a pretty long time since I was on the message board.  Welcome newcomers!!!

 

We are all settled in here in Colorado from Ohio.  The move was rough going but we made it.  We've been here for about two months now.  Up until just a week ago I hit the brick wall of depression.  Losing our house in Ohio....leaving my horse and cats behind and all that, didn't help my mood.  As beautiful as it is here, I didn't want to leave the apartment, didn't want to do anything.  My adult son tried to get me out but even he couldn't motivate me.  He doesn't understand my bipolar illness and thinks of me as being "the strong one".  When I can't live up to that he gets upset. 

 

But my depression has lifted for the most part.  I babysit just about every day for my little six month old granddaughter.  She is the cutest little angel........with a huge bad temper at times.  LOL 

 

I haven't seen a doctor yet but I have enough meds till I do next month.  If it weren't for my meds during this time, for sure I'd be in the hospital by now.  To all new people on this board, never go off your meds.  If you don't have the right combo at first...keep trying and work with your pdoc.  If you don't get any satisfaction from one pdoc, go see a different one if you can.  It took me many years to finally find something that works with the least amount of side effects.  Don't be discouraged.  Keep communication open with your therapists and pdocs. 

 

Again......Hi to everyone.  I hope you all have a great day.

 

Susan

Went to St. Louis for the wedding of a grandneice. Now I find it rather hard to beleive that I am old enough to have a grandneice old enough to be getting married, but she is 21. It was a lovely wedding with lots of good food, but I am happy to be home with my cats.

I'm glad you are looking for a doctor to fit your needs.  Most people with bipolar are on more than one med to treat the various symptoms.  Don't give up on the meds.  I don't know much about Xanax.  I hope that you find a good doc who will work with you to find the right meds to help you feel better.  It is a comfort to know that we are not alone in this.

 

Becky