Are you bipolar?

suckerlove

I am. I was diagnosed in my 20's but have had symptoms since my teens. It's very serious and rough. I have been in and out of the hospital enough times to see people at both ends of the spectrum of the disorder. It is essential you get medicated and stay on the meds, especially if you are feeling better. Most commonly, people don't like how the meds make them feel and make them gain weight, myself included. But not treated, it is a scary scary disorder. Feel free to friend me if you need a friend who has gone through what you are going through.

shezzamess

I am bipolar, I struggled with depression and mood swings for 15 years before I finally had enough of the severe ups and downs. It eventually became more downs than ups. I would try one anti depressant and it would work for a while, then it would quit working. I would try another and it would work 6 months, maybe a year. I had tried all the anti depressants none of them would work for long. It was when I went to a psychiatrist instead of my Primary Doc that I was diagnosed with bipolar. The reason the anti depressants weren't working for very long was because the mood swings werent being treated. It took 9 months to a year of trying different medications to find the one that worked for me.

I take Depekote Er for the mood swings, and Lexapro for depression. I have taken these medications for 5 years with out having to change the dosage. Treating the mood swings was what made all the difference in the world.

Before medication, I would fly off the handle at the drop of a hat, for absolutely nothing! Or something that I imagined! I was mad at every one in the world, it came to the point where I didn't want to live anymore if this is the way life was... life like that sucked!
Today, I am well medicated and very stable, I have great relationships with my children and family. It's like a completely different world!

If there is anything I can do, or any questions I can answer please feel free to ask me. I have been Bipolar since I was 14, but my parents are against psychological drugs. I think that has a good deal to do with why I struggled as long as I did.

All my best to you!

sarah44254

Hello!

I was diagnosed Bipolar II (hypomania, not full blown manic) in late June this year. I started meds (lithium) in mid July and after about 6 weeks of slightly annoying dizziness and digestion issues, I am completely fine with taking these meds twice a day.

Improvements have been a much more stable mood, I don't cry as much, I haven't felt depressed as much (2 days since July.. compared to entire weeks of it that it was previous) I do not throw temper tantrums and snap at people (which was a huge issue, and a large part of the hypomania episodes)

I have had these symptoms since at least 4-5 years old. I recall many situations where I would act out very strangely compared to other children, and continuing on to my teen and early adult years. I took certain risks that should have frightened me, but instead I felt they were normal or even thrilling and didn't think twice about it.

Overall the meds are a boon. They are incredibly helpful to me and I am very glad I went in for help. I initially went in to ask why the heck I am so mean to people! Irritability is a huge part of the UP of Bipolar II and was easily explained after 2 sessions.

Debbe2

I'm not bipolar but I'm a Gemini, does that count? Actually I know several bipolar people. Get help, take meds if indicated and be a hugely successful individual in most anything you set out to do!

AmberJo1984

I was diagnosed about 7 or 8 years ago. However, that is not what I am now being treated for. It is now "Major Depressive Disorder, with PTSD". If I were you, I wouldn't wait for an appointment. If your doctor thinks you are bi-polar, I would get into a psychiatrist now. Medication will definitely be needed. And, please know there's nothing to be ashamed about with taking medicine. Right now, I'm only on one main medicine, and 2 other (sleeping and anxiety) as needed. I hated taking them too... but, it's alot easier than being put in a hospital for suicidal thoughts or depressive / manic episodes. It may take some getting used to, but it's definitely worth it.

I hope I don't sound harsh. It's just something to take very seriously. There are people out there who will understand. Find someone you trust -- a good psychiatrist / counselor -- and don't give up. Also, if you ever need to talk, I'm a message away.

magj0y

I am on anti depressants right now (I was diagnosed with depression maybe 6 months ago) and I have been finding it hard in the last month or so to remember to take the meds every day. I really hate the thought of having to take more.

I have been taking drugs for close to 30 years (epilepsy) and I STILL forget to take it. If you have a smart phone, set it on a timer to go off. If it's a "take twice a day" you don't have to take it the minute you wake up and before dinner. set it on twice a day that works for YOU.

angelicasmommy

Thanks for all the replies guys.
I didn't take offense to the joke that was told, I thought it was a little funny but I know some are sensitive to it.
I definitely relate to the anger issues. I can fly off the handle some days at my toddler and another toddler I babysit and do and say things I regret. Other days the same behavior from them has my more calm, it just depends on my mood that day. On days where I am irritable, when they fight my daughter screeches at the top of her lungs, and the sound just sends me over the edge and I scream for them to stop. I can't stand hearing them scream. Some days I wake up and I know it's gonna be a bad day. I am really irritable sometimes. i live with my sister and she tellsme I am cranky a lot.
Sometimes I feel like I am throwing a temper tantrum when I am not getting my way. I am very impatient, and when I don't get what I want when I want it, holy crap. There have been times when I get so mad, I am slamming doors, throwing things, pulling at my hair etc. I have never been like that.
The pills I am taking are actually mood stabilizers (thats what my dr called them) I couldn't remember the name of them, I thought it was the same as anti depressants?
I have been feeling like this for about 2 years. I have a family history of family illness (my mom probably has a bunch of undiagnosed stuff, I feel like I am turning into her and that scares me because dealing with my mom is hard and I don't want that to be how my daughter sees me when she is older.) but it seems like it really started when I split with my ex, who is my daughter's dad 2 years ago. It was a very stressful event that happened that caused us to split. It has slowly gotten worse between then and now. I do feel like I had mood issues before that, but it was very mild.
I have been off work taking care of my daughter since she was born except for a period of 4 ish months where I was back to work and she was in daycare. Daycare didn't work out and I decided to stay home and babysit at home to make money. I am still doing that, but actually just went back to work part time this last weekend and going back to work has helped a lot. If I am home all day I go crazy.
I read that people who are bipolar spend lots of money when they don't have it, and that is definitely me. Spending money and eating makes me happy, and I tend to do it a lot. I also have an eating disorder my dr knows about, I binge, which also started 2 years ago after the split with my ex.
Anyways, someone asked if I could get in to see my dr sooner than my appt, I could but I guess I don't feel like it's that urgent, I am not suicidal or having suicidal thoughts, I don't want to die.I also have anxiety about talking to people on the phone so I avoid having to call people.

Staceychanges94

No,but I have OCD and I take medication for it. I take anti-depressants for my OCD. In the beginning i had side effects like a tendency to sleep everywhere (those pills make u either tired or unable to sleep),weight gain,depression and more anxiety.

Those psychiatric disorders get worse if you just let them and do nothing about it.
You may need meds but I dont know since im not a doctor.

Stay Strong (=

chimpy_chimp

I am Bipolar. If you take medication, you can live a very satisfying life with Bipolar Disorder. It is not the end of the world. It is absolutely essential that you take medication, however. Feel free to add me as a friend, if you wish. I am a good support person.

Iceman1800

Yes I am

Iceman1800

Nope, not me

MaraDiaz

My mom swore up and down I was, the doctor said nope. Seems I'm just really ADD. I'm sure they'd agree that I have my days when I'm not good company and that those days are pretty frequent, but needing to be left the hell alone most of the time doesn't seem to make it into the books as a medical condition.

VickyJo68

I'm on Depakote - but so far only know from the internet they are mood stabilisers (thought the leaflet says for the management of bi-polar disorder!). About two years ago I became fixated with death and why wait! Sent straight to the to the Psychiatrist and put on this - been going now for two years and one change of P-Doc, but not told yet what is going on - just 'take these and come back in 3-months". But realistically i've been like it for quite a few years and tbh going to ask to come off them.

I do acknowledge my moods are better, but can't stop the severe ups and downs I get when they happen and the Psychiatrist doesn't care.

Good luck with your appointment though.

Vicky x

angelicasmommy

I'm taking Lamotrigine, which apparently is used to treat seizures. I also take Zopiclone to sleep but they don't work very well when my mind is racing. He put me on Atavan last year but that only worked the first time I took it and then that was it. It made everything slow down and almost go in slow motion until I fell asleep. I have issues sleeping sometimes. I went weeks at a time where I would either fall asleep easily but my daughter would wake me up at like 2am then I was up for the day cuz I couldn't go back to sleep (Due to my brain not being able to go the eff to sleep) or I couldn't fall asleep until 2am then had to get up at like 7am.

crazy_ninja

Yes!
And on meds if I dont forget em.
And I hate it.

angelicasmommy

I also read something about this online being associated with bipolar and I was like "Holy crap, that's me".
I am single, and sometimes I go through episodes where I am happy to be single, I don't have time to date, I don't want to date etc. Then I want to date so I go on this dating site that I have been on for a few years now. I start talking to a few guys (And this happened again last week) I decided I didn't want to do it anymore, and deleted my profile and deleted 2 of the guys off of my facebook without warning.
I also have dated 3 guys since my ex, and I am so interested in them in the beginning, then all of the sudden I become withdrawn and I don't want to be around them anymore and I just end it. I feel like I have such a short attention span and get bored of guys easily. It's so frustrating.

athanri

I've had it for 5 years and had a hard time accepting it and the meds. I was origianlly on Olanzipine which has major weight gain as a side affect. I'm now on Abilify and I barley notice that I'm on it.

I'm on this site to loose the weight I put on through the meds and through my condition. Once I get the weight down I'll be 99% myself again.

Go see you physciatrist ASAP. If you had a sore foot you would take painkillers or some form of meds to ease the pain. Why is taking meds for a chemical inbalance in the brain so different.

mommy2AR

My sis is...she sometimes refuses to take the meds... very stubborn...makes her hard to deal with at times

knk1553

I'm not, but I'm working on my masters in counseling and plan on working with individuals with severe and persistent mental illness. Proper medication makes it very manageable, and that proper medication needs to come from a psychiatrist, not a general practitioner, they won't be able to work with you to prescribe the appropriate meds in the appropriate doses the way a psychiatrist can. It could also be beneficial to go see a psychologist/counselor/therapist as well, you can see them regularly to start with, and then taper off, and have them as a resource in your pocket to be able to set up appointments when you're going through a rough time or situation, or if you go from having mania to depression or vice versa. Most people with bipolar disorder do really well on lithium, antidepressant, or combo of both, its just impariative that you take your meds, and realize that most psychiatric medications take time to work, between 2-4 weeks for all antidepressants. Its definitely a very manageable diagnosis

Merc71

I have anxiety and ADHD and I have struggled with depression in the past. Feel free to add me!

Damn, sounds like me. ADHD-Inattentive type, with history of anxiety/depression.