Does anyone have a relative with bipolar disorder?

Eels100

We haven't got a formal diagnosis but we're fairly sure my sister is suffering from this. She's now on really high doses of Prozac but it seems to be making the peaks and troughs worse. We suspect she's telling the doctor about her depressive episodes but hasn't realised that she's also got a problem with 'highs'. She also self harms and everyone's terrified that she's going to hurt herself or someone else. She also stops any treatment/counselling when she has a good day, as she seems to think she's 'better'. At 21 she's trying to complete a degree but is completely out of control and we don't know what to do to help her.

Tam_Lin

Yes, my sister has been bipolar pretty much all her life, and Prozac made it worse. She's now on a tricyclic antidepressant (forget the name but it's one of the older ones) and diazepam; she doesn't like taking the medication, but on it she's capable of working and running a household, caring for her kid; we were discussing it on Friday. Off it, she ends up back on the psychiatric ward; she's learned from bitter experience.

Eels100

This is one of our concerns, though I don't blame the GP because if she doesn't tell them about her highs (I don't think she realises it's not normal to get that wild) then how can they differentiate from depression? Her behaviour's having a massive impact on our family - my parents haven't had the easiest time of it at all and this is so much for them to deal with, nighttime phonecalls from her panicking boyfriend, cutting herself, doing really strange, motiveless things, magnification of personality traits.

To top it off I don't know if and what I can say to her to help - I'm scared to make it worse and she seems to brush me off. I'd rather she leaned on me than my mum and dad but she doesn't care what effects her behaviour has on others. Thanks for your experiences - at least good to know we're not alone.

DjSatansfury

Maybe a change in medication? As with any medication, effects can be long and varied, and finding the right one is an ardous process.

I suffer from clinical depression myself, but its not biopolar, although i do know someone with it. Unfortunately, she is also mad as a hatter!

eryn_kathleen

My mother suffers from bipolar disorder. I'm afraid I can't give you any specific help; her medication and moods are stable now but as she's in America she's on drugs that aren't available here. I haven't seen her much over the past two-three years, but I get the impression from talking on the phone with her that the medications are all just tranquilizers.

She and I have both found that self-hypnosis and meditation help with the depression (which I also suffer with). I was on a trial with my GP for self-hypnosis, which isn't as silly as it sounds and works well when combined with medication for people with moderate or severe depression. It can sometimes be used as a replacement for medication for those with more mild forms of depression.

The biggest problem with bipolar sufferers is finding the right treatment and getting the sufferer to stick to it (which I know can be a problem with depression too!). It took years for my mother to find appropriate treatment, and in the interim I found it to be very difficult to be sympathetic to someone who could be irrational, deeply hurtful, and amazingly insensitive and selfish. Dealing with unacceptable behaviour (even when you understand that it's not that person's fault) is a real challenge within families.

I've found this group helpful for sufferers and those who are close to them (their website is undergoing some changes and seems a bit tempermental at the moment):
http://www.thewindsofchange.org

And here are some others:
http://harbor-of-refuge.org/
http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home

Savvy_Sue

Although your sister's GP cannot discuss her medical history with you, I think that you could write to him and express your concerns - you can say that you realise he may already be aware of all this, but then list some of the 'wild' things your sister has done. I don't know if he could keep it confidential from your sister that it was you who wrote, but that might be worth asking. Another thing might be if she'd agree to take someone with her, maybe her bf.

pink123_2

Hi, sorry to hear about your sister. I have come across this on line: Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person's mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide. But there is good news: bipolar disorder can be treated, and people with this illness can lead full and productive lives.

About 5.7 million American adults or about 2.6 percent of the population age 18 and older in any given year,1 have bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder typically develops in late adolescence or early adulthood. However, some people have their first symptoms during childhood, and some develop them late in life. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person's life
Most people with bipolar disorder—even those with the most severe forms—can achieve substantial stabilization of their mood swings and related symptoms with proper treatment. In addition, keeping a chart of daily mood symptoms, treatments, sleep patterns, and life events may help people with bipolar disorder and their families to better understand the illness. This chart also can help the doctor track and treat the illness most effectively. Medications known as "mood stabilizers" usually are prescribed to help control bipolar disorder i.e Lithium.

Hope this helps

pink123_2

This is the link to the national institute of mental health which I copied the above post from.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/bipolar.cfm

JAHARVEY

Hi

Im bipolar. its not a nice thing to admit as there still seems to be a lot of stigma with it. The medication Im on is Quetiapine (A really high dose) and Carbamazapine.
These are supposed to level me out!
If anyone would like more info please feel free to ask and I will do my best to answer on here or by PM.



Take care

Julie

JAHARVEY

Just a quick follow on from my last post.

It is very difficult to get a firm diagnosis for bipolar.

I have suffered from depression since I was 15 but its only in the past year that my symptoms went through the roof. During that time it was very difficult for those around me especially my husband to cope with the extremes.
When Im manic I will spend spend spend! Talk incessantly like a budgie and consequences dont exist for me.
On the other end of the scale though when I dip ( there is always a dip after an extreme high) Its the end of the world for me, all I can think about is how I can end it all. I have overdosed and self harmed many times when like this unfortunately.

My medication at the moment levels me out to an extent. My Mania and dips still occur but are more controlled.

Im NOT on antidepressants as Im NOT depressed I have bipolar. There is a big difference between the two.

Julie

Emmylou_2

Hi

I'm bipolar and have been diagnosed now for 4 1/2 years. Before that I had a diagnosis of depression for about 6 years.

I noticed that Prozac *really* didn't help, like you describe. It was OK at controlling the depressive episodes but did nothing to help the manic ones (and probably made them worse). I now take quetiapine (a mood stabiliser) and venlafaxine (an antidepressant) as my BP has definite depressive tendencies with occasional manic episodes.

Have you tried contacting the MDF (The bipolar organisation) for help - https://www.mdf.org.uk - there is a message board there with lots of helpful people (and me!) on it. It's a really useful support network.

Would your sister be ok with one of you going to the doctor with her? My best friend sometimes has to come with me because she's the one that is affected by my moods - I've even been violent towards her at times - she now notices changes in my mood before I do.