Bipolar support thread

Trialia

dark_angel, the 1st of June is only three days from now, so not that long. Good luck holding out til then.

Sueinbirmingham

Can you give your car keys to someone else so that you're not tempted to drive while you're high?

dark_angel_2002

I have given them to my mum sue she was with me when I pulled out in front of a car and went mad about the crisis team and phoned them to be told she can't be seen until the 1st, I know it's only 3 days away but feels like for ever I just wish they would her what i am saying the crying, sleeping and not eating I can cope with its the highs and irrational I can't

snookey

Dark angel can you not go to a&e and see someone. If you are really feeling this low then that would be the best option.

Sueinbirmingham

Dark Angel - are things any better now?

carolannie

I've just found this place and am looking for a bit of help.
I really do think I have bipolar. My moods are all over the place.
I have just come back from my GP.
I have been ill since I went off the rails at 14.
I am 45 now and over the years, I have been very ill.
Been on and off anti depressants and couldn't leave it any longer, and I need to get a diagnosis.
If it's not bi polar, it is depression/anxiety or something, and at least I will know how to move on and deal with it.

It s so hard to get a referral to a psychiatrist! i had to push him.
I have had 3 other GP's over the years, who never sent me anywhere for a diagnosis. I just kept getting pills.

I told him how I feel and he agree to write to the psychiatric team, to ask if they will see me. But he said they don't have all the answers???

How do you get diagnosed?

Am I stuck with never knowing what is wrong with me?

I feel that, because I live with it and haven't done anything dangerous to myself. (I have put myself in dangerous situations, but luckily got out safe) that I don't get taken seriously.

Have you got to slash your wrists or take an overdose to get help?

Sueinbirmingham

Taking an overdose may get you into casualty but may not get you much further than that.

Whether you get a referral to a psychiatrist will depend on all sorts of factors, including how overstretched the local mental health team is. In many places you're going to have to be pretty poorly to get a referral.

If you need a formal diagnosis, perhaps if you've been off work too long and want to satisfy HR as to what the problem is, consider paying for an assessment privately.

It can take years to get a diagnosis and many people with a bipolar diagnosis either get diagnosed as something else first, or go on to be diagnosed with something else later in life.

Bipolar disorder has symptoms in common with cyclothymia, borderline personality disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia and unipolar depression. It can take a while to disentangle, although if you have no psychotic symptoms (which you haven't mentioned) the diagnosis may be quicker.

Be aware that if you get a formal diagnosis, it may not be the one you are hoping for.

carolannie

Thank you.
I'm hoping they say I am ok and don't have anything.

I am sick of plodding on and getting no where. I need to know what's wrong with me.

Bipolar disorder has symptoms in common with cyclothymia, borderline personality disorder, schizoaffective disorder, schizophrenia and unipolar depression. It can take a while to disentangle, although if you have no psychotic symptoms (which you haven't mentioned) the diagnosis may be quicker

This is why I can't accept what GP's say anymore. I want an expert to tell me what's wrong.

Family history - my mum couldn't control her moods or her spending.
I have an aunt who no one talks about. She used to leave her baby with family and disappear for days. She had lots of other strange behaviour.

My sister and my daughter have problems.

I hope that with my diagnosis, if it is bipolar, it would explain an awful lot - my family has more that it's fair share of mental health problems.

I go to a local Mind group and they have been great. I just feel have more than depression and anxiety, and I can't keep taking pills that might not be doing anything to help me.

System

carolannie wrote: »

Thank you.
I'm hoping they say I am ok and don't have anything.

I am sick of plodding on and getting no where. I need to know what's wrong with me.



This is why I can't accept what GP's say anymore. I want an expert to tell me what's wrong.

Family history - my mum couldn't control her moods or her spending.
I have an aunt who no one talks about. She used to leave her baby with family and disappear for days. She had lots of other strange behaviour.

My sister and my daughter have problems.

I hope that with my diagnosis, if it is bipolar, it would explain an awful lot - my family has more that it's fair share of mental health problems.

I go to a local Mind group and they have been great. I just feel have more than depression and anxiety, and I can't keep taking pills that might not be doing anything to help me.

Can you ask for a referral to the local mental health team (who usually have a psychiatrist amongst them)?

I hope you get some answers and the help you need.

Just checking i myself, still in the depressive phase, god what i wouldn't give to be manic right now. I ended up quitting my college course (that i started when manic) and am feeling really low right now. Seeing my psych on monday and hoping she will change my meds as i've been on these ones for about 5/6 months and honestly don't feel they are helping.

Hope you're all ok

big_Daddy_Dave

this may have no correlation to bipolar (I hope)

does anyone have time awareness issues?

certain times I cant tell if I did something an hour ago, or 5 hours ago, a week back and 6 weeks back could seem the same, eg events, if I went to the cinema 6 weeks ago then went to the bank 3 weeks ago, itll seem like I did both on the same day for some reason, doesnt help that Ive started to have severe short term memory loss (I can forget what Im doing while doing it and get sidetracked easily, so concentration aswell)

took a while to write this aswell, kept clicking different browser tabs

oh and extreme paranoia when in crowded or unfamiliar places, a resting heart rate averaging 115bpm, even when Ive just woken up

and i keep getting ulcers on my tongue, but Im just complaining about everything now, cant remember anything else

just thought Id vent

oo edit, another is structuring sentences, sometimes when I say phrases they dont sound right, I could say "an apple a day keeps the doctor away" and it just would not sound right, have to google everything (vent didnt sound right until I googled it). I have issues reading numbers recently, if reading a phone number I could mix the numbers up, words are fine though

sorry for the essay