Let's talk about bipolar disorder

     I take a PRN for my anxiety/sleep disorder.... The therapist said I might have to do a sleep study....I suppose....I listen to her, she helps many others too....I am leaning towards it, though....Anything will help me, I guess...I have to travel to it, though....Perhaps?  I am willing to try....I listen and I learn....

I was first diagnosed bi polar 2 in 2010 after my second suicide attempt and was put in a mental health in patient for the first time. I'm 2013 they upgraded I like to say me to bi polar 1 I had my first manic phycosis and was taking to the hospital in handcuffs which here they call it t.d.o I also was diagnosed in 2013 with ptsd and have struggled with it a few times over the years which including a alot of unwanted trips to snowden ( our local in patient mental health hospital ) I suffer from anxiety sleep disorder which are syptoms of the ptsd and bi polar one . If I don't take my meds within a few months I'm being t.d.o to the hospital for at least 5 days I have learned over the years it was a struggle to keep taking my meds bc before I got put on meds I was a thin active girl and now I'm overweight and every thing seems to overwhelm me. 

I was diagnosed with depression in my mid 30's tho I suffered from it much earlier. I took antidepressants successfully for years along with therapy. Then I hit 50 and was diagnosed with breast cancer. The cancer center psychiatrist who was helping me to manage my depression finally did a real in depth intake of my life and diagnosed me with bipolar 2. I didn't believe him because I blamed the chemo for messing with my brain. I've always been able to get out of depression with proper meds, but this time I couldn't. Lithium worked, then it didn't. You name it, I've taken it over the last 4 years. I spent most of this time in severe depression with anxiety. This time meds weren't working for me and I just didn't understand why. Then finally I mentioned not being able to sleep due to restless legs. He prescribed pramipexole and all of a sudden I started coming out of depression. I believe this RX mainly used for parkinsons disease is what turned my life around. I take 3 mg twice a day along with duloxetine and olanzapine. I hate the weight gain on olanzapine, but I'm trying to manage it. Even though the last year I've struggled with the stress of covid, I can honestly say my major depression has stayed away. If anyone has/is going thru cancer with bipolar and needs someone to talk to, let me know. It's a terrible combination to deal with. This summer I'll be 5 years cancer free!

Dear Cici83....I am currently on Latuda for my Mood Swings....1 in the Afternoon and 2 at Suppertime daily....It works fine for me, don't know about you....Sorry to hear about your breast cancer.....So tragic....I am praying for you dear, okay?  I am faithful too....Still praying for those that I've lost, the Covid-19 people we've lost, and, of course those still suffering with it....And many others who have touched me both personally and emotionally throughout my young life.....I am at peace now.....I've been so since I have gotten sober for 30 years this year, and because I am back to my old self once again.... I pray that I continue to stay that way, daily....Thanks.  BFN_ Mark.

Hello! I was diagnosed with bipolar 1 in my early 30s (I’m now 43). I’ve dealt with depression and anxiety since I was a teenager, but I knew there was something else wrong when I would go through days of not sleeping, hallucinating, and not functioning in society as I used to. In my Bipolar 1, I am typically more on the depressive side but not as deep as I get during a standard depression episode. I don’t sit around is isolation and cry during my bipolar episodes. During my bipolar depression I have no energy to do anything, I sleep all the time,  I’m very irritable, I occasionally have suicidal thoughts and (I haven’t done this in some time) I would cut myself.

During my manic episodes which typically last for 2-3 days but I’ve had severe episodes that have lasted a week or more, I don’t sleep at all, I don’t eat, I clean like a maniac, I obsess over very strange things, and I hallucinate. My most common hallucinations are of seeing bugs and other creepy crawlies all over the walls, the floors and our bed. I also hear a radio or TV playing only news and sports coming from our upstairs loft. Thing is there’s never anyone up there and we don’t have a TV or radio up there either. When I first heard it my mania convinced me that our house was haunted and it was a spirit in the house. I’ve also had a reaction to my clothes hurting me like I was being stung by a million bees. My husband has big speakers in our house because he spins records and I would so often ask him to turn them down or off because I was feeling shocks from them. I even unplugged the speakers and still felt it. 

I was prescribed Zyprexa back in my early 30s but after awhile I decided I didn’t need them anymore so I quit taking them. Then around age 38, I started staying up for days and hallucinating again. It got so bad that I missed my baby sisters wedding (which I will never forgive myself for) and about a week later my parents went behind both my and my husband’s back and put me on a 72 hour hold in a psychotic hospital. 

Once I finally got out of the hospital I decided to start taking my Zyprexa again and got mental health counseling and also started seeing a psychiatrist. The psychiatrist put me on a mood stabilizer called Lamictal and with the combination of Zyprexa and Lamictal my manic episodes have decreased and I only get deeply depressed every now and again. I take Celexa to manage my depression and also Xanax to help with my anxiety. 

Thank you!

🤍Elizabeth🤍

@Cris86 I feel you completely. Taking your meds and getting enough sleep definitely help my bipolar 1 as well. However, I’ve had about 5 or 6 breakthrough manic episodes and 2 deep depressive episodes since the beginning of the year. I’m wondering if my dosage needs to be increased, if possibly another medication (not Abilify  - that did absolutely nothing for me) would work better. I already take Zyprrxa (bipolar), Lamictal (mood stabilizer), Celexa (depression), and Xanax (major anxiety). I’m seeing a psychiatrist along with my GP, so I think I need to make an appointment and discuss my bipolar meds because everything else keeps my mental health episodes at bay. 

@Kenzie22 I would not be successful in life if it weren't for the medications that I take every day for my bipolar illness.  I went 11 years without taking medications and my life was like a rollercoaster, a lot of ups and downs.  I have been taking my bipolar meds for 19 years now and I will never quit taking them.  

@Kenzie22 I disagree. Many mental and emotional disorders are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. These medications help restore the chemical imbalances. However I do think that relying on medications solely is not the answer. Talking with a counselor or psychologist is a huge part of controlling these disorders. 

♥️Elizabeth♥️

@SparkleMotion14 Well, maybe I have different experiences but thank you for your opinion though. Glad it worked for some people.

@Blondie61 Well, what I was saying was I don't want to be reliant on a drug my entire life, cause it isn't healthy. That's just my opinion, but I'm glad it worked for you, and thanks for your honesty.