Wed, 02/24/2010 - 14:12
A large part of coping with Bipolar depends on noticing the danger signals and pre empting any potentially destructive conduct. Discuss here strategies you have worked out to identify triggers and avert undesirable outcomes.
Thu, 01/26/2012 - 05:05
#2
RE: newly diagnosed
I was on Cymbalta and Lamictal for about a year and a half. At first, I felt the meds worked very well. I seemed to have more up days, but not the "high" up days. I felt normal for once in my life. They quit working after a year so I stopped taking them. I am now on Pristiq and that also worked for about a year. I am back to the rollercoaster ride and no sleep. I know what you mean about the brain not stopping rushing. I feel that too. So many thoughts in my head and they don't quit. I wish I had a switch in my head that I could use to shut my brain off once in awhile.
I think the Pristiq is a good medicine. I feel I need something more that just that, but maybe with you having the Lamictal with it, might be what you need. It took about 2 or 3 weeks to really feel the effects of the medicine for me. Hope things get better for you soon.
Tue, 03/29/2011 - 06:33
#3
Coping...
I find writing helps me the most. I write comedy and am working on my memoir. Not with the intention of getting published but it's theraputic to put it in text and refer to later.
Mon, 03/07/2011 - 23:45
#4
Family Coping with day to day and relapse
Having an adult son with Bipolar, has been a roller coaster ride, when he is on medication he is with us, when he decides the meds arent doing anything or he doesnt have the disorder he stops taking them, lies to us and eventually after a while it comes back with a vengeance on him and he slips into mania/rages/depression and ends up in hospital. ( 4 times so far. ) He is currently cycling and we are just hanging in there with him back taking his Lithium, hoping it will build back up in his system. It is a challenge. I'm so glad I found your site, the essays are real life and very helpful. Bipolar Lying really hit home.
Sun, 05/15/2011 - 00:31
#5
adult son with bipolar
Hi, I'm new to this site, and new to a potential diagnosis of bi-polar for my 22 year old son. He was living in another state attending college. He had a psychotic episode and was hospitalized for 72 hours, then discharged and came home with my husband and myself. He is refusing any further treatment. He is still manic, but not wildly so. He got a part-time job and is trying to be positive, but still has episodes of extreme anger over slight things.
Some of this behavior (the excessive temper) were present while he was in his teens. He began smoking pot in high school and really withdrew from the family. While out of state, he had some use of psychedlic drugs. His psychosis started almost immediately after one lsd trip. Since he is refusing any other treatment, I don't know if he is bi-polar or this is drug related. I am going to counseling myself to try to cope. My husband has been great with him, but is getting worn out. I just want to talk to other parents to share experiences and advice.
Thank you for anything you have to share.
Tue, 05/31/2011 - 11:16
#6
adult son with bipolar
It is quite possible that this is bipolar disorder and that the right medication or combination of medications will work wonders. It is very common for someone with bipolar disorder to experiment with pot and other drugs to try to control the symptoms. Marijuana really does seem to help some with the racing thoughts that come with mania, so it's no surprise that a teenager with undiagnosed bipolar disorder would get involved with it. It could be drug induced or triggered by drugs, but a psychiatrist ought to be able to sort that out.
I don't have a diagnosed child, though I do have a husband who was diagnosed with bipolar 1 and a son who has very similar symptoms but refuses to go for treatment--he's fine. Yeah, right.
Therapy for yourself might help a lot if you have a counselor who has a basic understanding of bipolar disorder and what it's like to live with a family member with bipolar--it's a kind of stress most people never have to understand. The important thing for you is to remember to take care of yourself. Mothers have a strong tendency to let their own needs go while caring for a sick child and this is a marathon, not a sprint, so you do have to take some time out for your own well-being.
Give your son time to cycle into a more co-operative mood (the beauty and the terror of bipolar is that you know the mood will change in time) and rush him in to the doctor when he is ready. It could take a while, so don't hold your breath.
Bonnie
Tue, 09/27/2011 - 13:43
#7
will she ever choose to be healthy again?
oh, I'm so glad I found this place. I am so worn down to my bones dealing with my 19 year old daughter. She was diagnosed with early onset bipolar at age 12. When she was taking her meds she was stable and doing really well in school and in our home. She has been lying about taking her meds for almost two years and when she turned 18 she cut me out of her treatment completely. She is currently out of our home and we are estranged. At this time, I refuse to let her back into my life until we see a therapist together to help mediate our relationship. I call her about once a week and tell her I think about her every day, love her, and ask her if I can make an appointment with her therapist so we can begin working on mending our relationship. I just don't trust my perception of her anymore--I literally can not tell if she is telling the truth or lying to me anymore. I used to be able to tell and I can't anymore--so I just assume that everything that she says is a lie.
I find myself filled with hate and anger at her for choosing not to take her meds--for choosing her illness over us, her family. I feel anger toward her psychiatrist for telling her in a meeting where I was present that "taking meds, not taking meds--it's all part of life. You either do it or not and that's life." As if it was no big deal--not adressing the potential damage that she could/can/does do to her relationships when she chooses not to take her meds. I feel like her choosing the bipolar illness instead of medication is just like a drug addict choosing their drug of choice and I refuse to enable her self destruction.
I am working on being able to accept her choice and feel love and compassion toward her instead of anger and judgement (totally not there yet). It's really, really difficult at this time and I find myself relieved that I am 'free' from her verbal abuse, lying, and stealing. I'm just starting to 'long for' and 'miss' the "healthy her". It's been so long since I've seen that side of her that I've kind of forgotten what it feels like. I don't know if she will ever choose to be healthy again and that realization is starting to break my heart.
Wed, 10/05/2011 - 05:16
#8
alternative meds?
I just want to pass on some advice, I hated taking my meds- they slowed me down, made me feel 3 feet thick, and just NOT ME. I am 42 now and in the last 3 years found relife and stability witha more natural treatment, I first got tested for the MTHFR genetic mutation, I have MTHFR 677, it is the root cause for my dissorder, my DR put me on Deplin 7.5 mg 2x a day (don't use the generic comes from china and has 1/2 the potency) I also take a Methyl B12 5000 iu (get at Super Suppliments), Vitamin E 400 iu, Vitamin C 3000 mg a day (1000 mg 3x's), a full spectrum mineral (NOW brand, get at super suppliments), and an Omega 3 (flax seed oil typically, get at Super suppliments). it has made a big difference and kept me on a more even keel, I am also looking at some other suppliments to help detoxify my system and improve the metabolic function that is affected by the MTHFR and causes my chemical imballence. Here is a web site where I got a dietary/suppliment protocol for MTHFR treatment and maintanance;www.NeurologicalResource.org, I went to one of thier seminars and got alot of great info, hope this helps.
ovre 20 years ago, the doctors suspected that I had bi-polar disorder but could not make the diagnosis because I was knee deep in an entrreched severe eating disorder. I have been recovered since October 25, 1994 but my mood swings got worse. Last week I finally met a psychiatrist I trusted on the spot, which is a rareity for me. Little by little she is chaning my medications. She put me on Lamicatal, I am on my 8th day, and took me off trazadone, seroquel. Today we switched my paxil for pristiq. The only problem is that now its made myinsomnia 10 times worse. I see her again in 2 weeks and was just wondering what to expectr from others. The Lamictal does seem to be helping even out my moods, or perhaps that is just hope.
I am also having to fit a thrapy abuse case and I am in collge and lost my job this month, so all this stress me wonder will it make the time it takes for the pristiq and lamictal longer to eve thingout with all that stress or can it handle it?
RIght now all I feel from both of them is exhaustion but when I lie down to sleep my brain doesnt stop rushing,.not coherent thoughts but racing from one place to another.
Is this thebipolar or medicine. Can anyone offer me any hope?