Bipolar support thread

dreamcatcher_7000

Hi

Depends on the psychiatrist, and how long the hypomania lasts.Some would put you on a mood stabiliser, do you get the down bits as well?How long do episodes last?

Sarah

absolutebounder

sukysue wrote: »

My best friend is bipolar and is doing my head in she is so out of control spending on her credit cards and buying 4 prs of black leather boots she already had five prs .

As a therapist i would not notice anything abnormal about this aspect of the womans behaviour. if it was a bloke however.....

abby1234519

dreamcatcher_7000 wrote: »

Hi

Depends on the psychiatrist, and how long the hypomania lasts.Some would put you on a mood stabiliser, do you get the down bits as well?How long do episodes last?

Sarah

I get majorly bad depressive episodesand generally about 2 weeks of hypomania where I am incredibly hyperactive

System

abby1234519 wrote: »

I get majorly bad depressive episodesand generally about 2 weeks of hypomania where I am incredibly hyperactive

I have had hypomania but only in response to anti-depressents. Officially my diagnosis is still depressed and BPD though i am apparently on the "bi polar spectrum (whatever than means). Currently my psych thinks i need to be on a mood stabiliser and an anti depressants, but treatment varies person to person. The only person i know with bipolar has bipolar I and is on meds.

edit: just to add, do you have to be bipolar for them to put you on certain meds? i only ask as the mood stabiliser i think im being prescribed is licensed for use in epilepsy and bipolar, but no mention of depression. is there such a thing as bipolar III (think its also refered to as cyclomthia>?)? looking it up it seems i fit it-recurrent depressive episodes with hypomanic reaction to AD;s

dreamcatcher_7000

I think it depends on the person.I have both borderline and bipolar II (doubly blessed...) I tend to get catatonic when really depressed, life just sort of stops,and I feel like Im living in a goldfish bowl.The manic bits stop me from sleeping and I cant sit still, talk about nothing and everything and monoplise every conversation with McDonalds talk (absolutely no value whatsoever,full of junk etc)Lamotrigine which is an anti-epileptic works really really well.Cycle is definitely slower and less pronounced.I honestly think that MS work, as for the AD's are they trying different ones for you?Has a psychotic reaction to one, and another one made ;me want to kill myself.Do you have someone who can go in to docs with you and fill in on the bits that you cant sort of thing?My OH always comes in with me, he tells her how my behaviour has been and sometimes it surprises me, cos I dont remember it, or I didnt see it that way at the time.

abby1234519

Thats really interesting AND worrying.
I've read a lot of horror stories about the adverse reactions to anti depressents and things. I'm worried that if I am prescribed them that I'd go off the wall

sundries

make sure you are monitored closely on them. ADs are well known to trigger manic episodes. I took seroxat (banned now but used to be popular), had a psychotic reaction and ended up in hospital for quite a long time.

dreamcatcher_7000

The trick is, to have someone close to you keep an eye on you, any behaviour that seems odd, get an appointment with the psych, or a gp.Everybody is different,venlafaxine works really well for me....ignoring the weight gain!!No side effects.Any good doc will start you on a really small dose and increase really gradually.They can really make a difference though.Are you on an antipsychotic, or a mood stabiliser?

big_Daddy_Dave

abby1234519 wrote: »

Hi,
I read this thread and I know noones posted for a week or so but I thought I'd ask

Is anyone here hypomanic rather than manic? Psychiatrist thinks im bipolar II if anything as I don't get the psychosis part and have never been hospitalised, I just wondered if anyone is hypomanic AND takes meds

im hypomanic, was diagnosed about 6 months ago after about 18 months of them thinking i was just extremely depressed until i started acting weird, it was happening for some time but no one took any notice, even me, i didnt even know what bipolar was

im on mood stabilers atm

Sugar_Coated_Owl

Hi all, thought I would join in this thread. I'm feeling very very low at the moment. I've just been staying in bed and crying all day. Contemplating self-harm as I really need a release. I can't even explain to anyone what's wrong as I don't know myself. I'm currently on an anti-depressant (Escitalopram) and an anti-psychotic/mood stabiliser (Aripiprazole).