Bipolar

I have gotten back on a Lithium regiment about three weeks ago. Adam is bipolar as well, but he takes trileptal. I've felt a little depressed the last couple days, but the Lithium has just started to work, so I need to be a bit more patient... I was wondering if anyone else is bipolar, and if so, what regiment are they currently using? Thanks!

Peace and love

 

I'm bipolar type 2, currently taking epival, paxil and seroquel... hope you're feeling happy today!

 

Thanks, I do feel better, I get weird mood swings. I am bipolar NOS, which means my illness doesn't follow any patterns. Today Adam felt a little depressed, but I hope he feels better.

What is Epival? I don't think I have heard of that. I like Seroquel, but my previous doctor precribed risperdal instead. I don't take that anymore.

Peace and love

 

can i ask you what your diagnosis of bipolar was.Your behaviour patterns that is, is it just the mood swings and depressions or something else.
I ask as i have a history of depression.

 

Epival's active ingredient is divalproex sodium, and is typically prescribed for controlling seizures. However, some doctors will prescribe it for bipolar patients to help control acute mania. I'm not sure if it's gotten approval from the FDA yet... but it is available in Canada. What is available and very similar to it, though, is Depakote.

 

I was diagnosised as hypomanic before because of not needing much sleep, feeling really hyper to the point of not being able to slow down, thoughts speeding through my mind, ideas that I was a genious, etc. At the time, I didn't know what it meant so I ignored the diagnosis and stopped seeing that doctor, mainly because she wanted me to do a drug screen.

Two summers ago, I was diagnosised as having underlying depression because, I guess, I seemed depressed. I wasn't given much info on why, but I was prescribed Wellbutrin. After taking that I became depressed, as in I felt like shit. I didn't want to do anything, I felt hollow and empty, and I wanted herion to make the feeling go away. That was my first TRUE depressed mood swing. About a month later, I had a hypomanic episode. I thought I was a genious, I couldn't sit still, I had racing thoughts, I talked faster than usually, and I couldn't slow down. My friends thought I had been smoking meth because of my erratic behavior.

Around four monthes later, I had a TRUE manic episode. I couldn't sleep for about a week without taking adderall, sleeping pills wouldn't help and I just tripped from those, I began having hallucinations, I talked SUPER-SUPER-FAST-BECAUSE-WORDS-COULDN'T-KEEP-UP-WITH-THOUGHTS. I was a mess. After that lovely incident, I was given my current diagnosis.

Hope that answers your questions, jazz.

Fulmah, I was prescribed that in Depakote/ Depakene. Never knew other names for it. Thanks for the info.

Peace and love

 

hippie-chick thanks for the reply and for being so honest.
I would love to hear your ideas for being a genius if you care to recall.

i have researched bipolar and how reference diagnosis states periods of insomnia and not needing sleep,hyperactivity and depression.
My own condition,although i have not been diagnosed is much different.
I am not prepared to reveal the episodes here but if you think i am intrusive and you need to know then get in touch privately and i will reveal.
thanks for your help.

 

I kept having thoughts that I considered "genius." It's so weird to describe later, because it's like, what was I thinking? I also came up with this idea of our world as the matrix, with society as the matrix, making the rules for people. I don't really remember what I thought, mainly because my thoughts were speeding together.

No, you're not intrusive Jazz. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask here! I hope you are doing well!

Peace and love

 

thanks for the replies

 

I myself had a hypomanic episode. It was induced by the medication I was on at the time. I since have not had any episodes but I am in a disposition to have another, as it runs in my family.

 

I was diagnosed about a year and a half ago. 3 doctors later I am taking 900mg Lithium and 300mg Lamictal which my doc says is the standard treatment, at least where you start out. I'm also taking 100mg of seroquel but I am going down to 25 soon. It's helped me tremendously as I look back and realizse how pyscho I was. My biggest complaint is lack of motivation, I don't want to do shit most of the time. And I don't have that honest of relationship with my doctor, I have trust issues with doctors. And I've gained almost 30 pounds in the past year so I am a fatass. I went from 150 to 180. Sucks. I used to be a pretty boy now all the girls are creeped out by me. But at least I am not totally insane anymore.

 

I have question. I have been reading these posts and I have some of those manic symptoms others are talking about. Does taking Total Lean or other stimulant, diet pills cause Bi-polar symptoms, do you think? My doctor gave me abilify and I haven't tried it yet. I don't really know if I am bi-polar? I do have the one day really up and the next day totally down days.

 

Diet pills don't cause bipolar disorder. They can worsen manic symptoms, however. Bipolar disorder is a genetically related, brain chemistry imbalance. I am taking abilify and it has really helped out a lot. The only way to know if it will help is to try it. There may be side effects, but decide with your doctor if you can live with them or if you need to try something else. Good luck on whatever decision that you make about the medication.

Peace and love

 

The use of certain stimulants, especially blow and meth, can emulate mania fairly well.

Does that make you bipolar? no.

 

What side effects did you have with abilify hippie chick?

I do think that I am bi-polar 1 as the doctor said, it just surprised me that is all. The diet pills do say they cause irritability, hyperactivity, etc. But I noticed bi-polar symptoms after I had a string of bad things happen, which started causing depression and anxiety. Bi-polar can be caused from your environment I heard.

 

Bipolar episodes can be triggered by your enviroment. These are called triggers.

As to the abilify, it can cause mainly shakiness and twitches when you first start taking it. I don't know other side effects; those are just the ones that I've expierenced first hand. I don't have the shakiness as bad now that I've been on the medication for about four to five monthes. It really helps out.

If you have other questions about bipolar disorder, please feel free to ask. I am willing to listen and answer as best as I can. Good luck with your diagnosis.

Peace and love

 

I'm diagnosed hypomanic, bipolar w' panic attacks. I get all the bad side effects from the medications so am currently not taking anything and just living alone and staying home all the time. I started getting tremors from the meds so be aware of that, they can do nerve damage. I'm trying marijuana to help take the edge off, the problem is it's expensive and I cannot deal with the dealers who are usually cokeheads as well.
After 911 I got off my meds and promptly fell into a manic episode that ended in my living the next 5 years in the desert and in finally in my moms driveway in my van.
i don't drink alcohol or do anything besides the pot and a little coffee (I should quit, it doesn't help except to clear my head.)
I get suicidal at times but I think after spending most of my life almost homeless (knowing I couldn't function regularly I'd buy an old motorhome or travel trailer and put it in someone's back yard--no elec or that stuff though--and finally bought a sailboat, then lastly the van. I LOVE living indoors!!!!!! Electricity Rocks! and not that solar power where you might get enough power to run a fan or a 2" tv for a couple hours. On a sailboat my computer would've corroded so quick from the salt air. Anyways, I think that I won't get too suicidal as long as I can maintain housing and stay alone.
My advice is to AVOID stressful situations, make concessions. Choose peace over fun.

 

Regarding Abilify: It will affect everyone differently I imagine, but for me, it just knocked me out. This was again back when the doctors thought I was bi-polar (which I am not). The one horrible thing it did though was worsen my depression. I remember crying so much that I couldn't even talk. It just made me want to die. That is a scary thought if one is bi-polar. And I was taking it in conjunction with Wellbutrin for the depression. I was only supposed to take the Abilify when I was overwhelmed or highly stressed (when my psycho mother in law came to visit mostly), but the side effects lasted for a week.

With any drugs for mental well being you have to try them to see if they will work. It could take a combo of drugs. Just make sure you record and report any side effects to your doctor.

And lying or keeping something from your doctor will never help you get well. I didn't like one of my doctors either, so I just stopped going to him and found a new one that was wonderful. My mother was seeing a psychologist that she was constantly lying to and he could tell for obvious reasons and he kicked her out and told her he couldn't help her.

 

the last thing they tried to give me was abilify but the pharm didn't have it in and I didn't go back for it. I have developed tremors from the meds and that's what you're saying happens w' the abilify; I cant believe he was trying to give me that knowing about my tremors. Personally I would rather just live my hermit life than take those drugs, the side effects suck!

 

As for me, I would rather live a healthy life and deal with the side effects of medication than live like I was when I was unmedicated, homeless and unhappy. The drugs have evened out my moods, especially abilify and I can go on with my life and not worry about having another episode. The last one landed me in jail. Medication helps, especially when you're under a good doctor's care.

Peace and love