1. < Mental Health

Anyone with Bipolar spectrum disorders?

Posted by hopalongnm3 @hopalongnm3, Jan 14, 2021

Anyone with Bipolar spectrum disorders? 1,2 or 3 or rapid cycling? How are you managing medication SE, continuing meds for years?
I’m worried about my kidneys. I want to go off the meds but the anxiety is fierce. How do others deal with this?
I am 69 and was first diagnosed 2 years ago. I am off all psych meds but Lithium now. The withdrawal from Ativan was really rough.
Anxiety around sleep continues to plague though and sometimes just waking seems to trigger it
What do you all do for the anxiety?.
Don’t tell me about mindfulness meditation- that seems to be the standard reply. Meditation is impossible for me when anxious. Maybe there is just no way out of this. It gets exhausting and I think about dying (no ideation though) being easier than another day of this, then I have a few good days and love life again
What do you do about the social phobias?

Thanks everyone.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Mental Health Support Group.

Mentor
Helen, Volunteer Mentor | @naturegirl5 | Mar 24 9:30am
In reply to @depressedbutnotdead "I was diagnosed bipolar 2 at 59, after years of being treated for general depression. The..." + (show)
@depressedbutnotdead

I was diagnosed bipolar 2 at 59, after years of being treated for general depression. The diagnosis explains many years of my life, frankly, and came after being hospitalized while actively suicidal. I was mess. We're still working on medications, and that's been a journey in itself, but in the meantime I stumbled this tool, which has been very helpful:

https://insights.emoodtracker.com/

The basic version is free, and with it you can log your sleep and your mood swings, as well as keep notes. I've been listing what I eat every day in the notes, because I have a tendency to stop eating altogether when I'm in the depressive cycle. I shared access to this with my counselor and my psychiatrist as I feel comfortable with both, and there's a growing amount of data in there that gives them information to work with. By keeping notes that they're able to read, they're getting details I might have forgotten by the time my next appointment rolls around.

For me it has helped me pay closer attention. I had a recent episode when I first went manic, recognized this was happening (this was a first for me), and then the switch flipped unexpectedly and with no warning, and I felt the depression coming on. The really deep depression I get, which is always accompanied by suicidal ideations these days. I got in the program and just kept notes over a 24 hour period as I fought against waves of depression washing over me. It helped me navigate and ultimately avoid a serious bout this time (again, a first, both that I saw the depression coming and I did more than just tumble into it, I fought it; I had a tool to use).

The result is that both my doctor and therapist have a written record of exactly what was going through my mind as the episode played out. Really helpful. And the calendar feature where you can see the arc of your moods over a time span revealed that even as my mood was rapidly escalating before the cycle switched, I had been logging both good moods and mild anxiety. The anxiousness sprung from some stressful situations in my life that I felt I was handling well, but did that anxiety help push me into the depressive cycle? I don't know yet, but knowing that was happening on the cusp of taking a dive gives me something to work with. Something to watch for.

I have a lot of information stored on this page, and it's helping me pay better attention. It might be worth you setting up an account and simply tracking what's going on. In my case, I'm actually finding it more helpful than any of the meds I've been on since my diagnosis.

Jump to this post

@depressedbutnotdead Thank you for sharing the online tool and your experience with it. It's great that can log your mood and then show it to both your doctor and therapist. I imagine that going over your log helps you individually, just as you noted, because when you experience depression the log reminds you of the past duration of the depression and when your mood has been stable. Whenever I am feeling sad, and depressed I remind myself that this will not last "forever" because I've experienced this emotion many times in the past. Seeing this in a log would be even more helpful.

REPLY
deanb | @deanb | Mar 24 8:02pm
In reply to @erikas "@hopalongnm3 You are looking to connect with members that are on the Bipolar. You will notice..." + (show)
@erikas

@hopalongnm3 You are looking to connect with members that are on the Bipolar.

You will notice that I added this discussion to the Mental Health group as well. I did this so you could connect with members like @marjou @lucky @sarahzx @sadeyes @hotfooted @fiddler91 have discussed bipolar disorder in the past and may wish to weigh in on the conversation.

Below I have linked a few previous discussions related to bipolar disorder. If you haven't already done so, you may wish to scroll through the previous posts and read the comments and suggestions.
- Lithium: Haven't been taking it as I should. Odd side effects https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lithium-1/
- Bipolar and ECT Treatments https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/bipolar-and-ect-treatments/

I'm wondering if you can give me some background? Are you currently in therapy and what is your therapy history?

Jump to this post

I have recently been diagnosed with Bipolar 2. I am on Lamictal, 100 mg. will be increased again in 2 weeks. I have never heard of Bipolar2. I'd like to hear from others with this disease

REPLY
2 replies
deanb | @deanb | Mar 24 8:09pm

I have never been in an online support group. I was recently diagnosed with bipolar2. I am 77 y.o and suffered from depression for most of my life. I am taking Lamictal, 100mg. I expect to be further increased. I have never heard of bipolar2, I would like to hear from other with the same bipolar2. Thank you

REPLY
seeker4truth | @seeker4truth | Mar 24 8:46pm

I have been diagnosed with Bipolar 1 but have also had severe and debilitating depressive episodes. I have been on Lamictal (and an anti-depressant) for the past decade and the medication works really well to stabilize my moods. After taking a pharmacogenomic test in 2020, I discovered I was deficient in serum folate which can contribute to worsening depression. As a result, I have been prescribed a folate supplement (Deplin - L-methylfolate) and I have noticed a significant reduction in my depression symptoms. There have been no side effects with the supplement. In addition to medication, I try to exercise at least three times a week and make sure that I stay connected with a support group - either online or in person. It is tempting to isolate with a Bipolar diagnosis; however, finding a good support system is crucial to be able to deal with the symptoms of Bipolar.

REPLY
Eric | @westoneorama | Mar 25 12:55pm

I was diagnosed bipolar-2 about 20 years ago. I have had difficulties with medications, most caused worse problems than the disease. This was partly due to being treated for depression prior to my bipolar diagnosis; we figured out I have bipolar when one of my depression meds caused a serious manic episode. I found meds for anxiety worked for me, as it just concentrates on anxiety, the part I have the most difficulty dealing with. I used klonopin for this, but I could not drive while on klonopin, so it was not practical. Seroquel was helpful, but hard to manage. I would take it when I was manic/anxious, and it allowed me to sleep. It makes me super sleepy, so I used it exclusively in the evening. I found I could only take it for a few days running, as it gradually drove my mood down. So it had some value, but it was not ideal. I currently take CBD, which works better than any medication I've every tried. I buy CBD gel capsules (33mg CBD each) and take 1 morning, 1 evening. I find it works best to take it every day, even if I am not feeling anxious.
Stay strong

REPLY
1 reply
SusanEllen66 | @SusanEllen66 | Mar 25 9:51pm
In reply to @deanb "I have recently been diagnosed with Bipolar 2. I am on Lamictal, 100 mg. will be..." + (show)
@deanb

I have recently been diagnosed with Bipolar 2. I am on Lamictal, 100 mg. will be increased again in 2 weeks. I have never heard of Bipolar2. I'd like to hear from others with this disease

Jump to this post

@deanb hi Dean, I also have Bi-Polar 2
BP2, has more depression than manic episodes.
BP1, has more manic episodes and less depression.

I’ve been taking Lamictal 150mg. for years!

Hope that helps.

REPLY
itchyd | @itchyd | Mar 26 9:33am

I'm supposedly bipolar (diagnosed in 2009, I'm 66 now).

I'm getting off the crappy psych meds: Done with them, consequences be damned. Zyprexa, a truly evil drug, was a nightmare that I endured for 14 years: paranoia, massive weight gain, loss of coordination, heart problems, the list goes on and on.

I'm now in the last week of titrating off of Lamictal, another nasty drug (sexual dysfunction, joint/muscle pain, lethargy, etc.).

I'll only offer commiseration and not advice. There are so many different reactions to the witch's brew of pharmacological dumb-bombs deployed to fight this very mysterious and amorphously described "illness" that it's irresponsible to make recommendations, other than to say exercise extreme caution when quitting any of these nightmare concoctions. I can't suggest taking the advice of a psych pro because I think they're all con artists.

Best of luck!

REPLY
1 reply
cherriann | @cherriann | Mar 26 5:16pm
In reply to @depressedbutnotdead "I was diagnosed bipolar 2 at 59, after years of being treated for general depression. The..." + (show)
@depressedbutnotdead

I was diagnosed bipolar 2 at 59, after years of being treated for general depression. The diagnosis explains many years of my life, frankly, and came after being hospitalized while actively suicidal. I was mess. We're still working on medications, and that's been a journey in itself, but in the meantime I stumbled this tool, which has been very helpful:

https://insights.emoodtracker.com/

The basic version is free, and with it you can log your sleep and your mood swings, as well as keep notes. I've been listing what I eat every day in the notes, because I have a tendency to stop eating altogether when I'm in the depressive cycle. I shared access to this with my counselor and my psychiatrist as I feel comfortable with both, and there's a growing amount of data in there that gives them information to work with. By keeping notes that they're able to read, they're getting details I might have forgotten by the time my next appointment rolls around.

For me it has helped me pay closer attention. I had a recent episode when I first went manic, recognized this was happening (this was a first for me), and then the switch flipped unexpectedly and with no warning, and I felt the depression coming on. The really deep depression I get, which is always accompanied by suicidal ideations these days. I got in the program and just kept notes over a 24 hour period as I fought against waves of depression washing over me. It helped me navigate and ultimately avoid a serious bout this time (again, a first, both that I saw the depression coming and I did more than just tumble into it, I fought it; I had a tool to use).

The result is that both my doctor and therapist have a written record of exactly what was going through my mind as the episode played out. Really helpful. And the calendar feature where you can see the arc of your moods over a time span revealed that even as my mood was rapidly escalating before the cycle switched, I had been logging both good moods and mild anxiety. The anxiousness sprung from some stressful situations in my life that I felt I was handling well, but did that anxiety help push me into the depressive cycle? I don't know yet, but knowing that was happening on the cusp of taking a dive gives me something to work with. Something to watch for.

I have a lot of information stored on this page, and it's helping me pay better attention. It might be worth you setting up an account and simply tracking what's going on. In my case, I'm actually finding it more helpful than any of the meds I've been on since my diagnosis.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for sharing. Bipolar is so hard to understand, I wait and pray for the day when research will find out the mysteries of this disorder and exact treatment will be available without the guessing game of trial and error. If you have bipolar and wherever you are with it at this moment, if you aren't currently getting treatment, please get it right away. Please take your medications or seek a change in them if you feel you need to, but above all, don't give up and don't stop taking your medication.

REPLY
2 replies
seeker4truth | @seeker4truth | Mar 26 7:21pm
In reply to @cherriann "Thank you so much for sharing. Bipolar is so hard to understand, I wait and pray..." + (show)
@cherriann

Thank you so much for sharing. Bipolar is so hard to understand, I wait and pray for the day when research will find out the mysteries of this disorder and exact treatment will be available without the guessing game of trial and error. If you have bipolar and wherever you are with it at this moment, if you aren't currently getting treatment, please get it right away. Please take your medications or seek a change in them if you feel you need to, but above all, don't give up and don't stop taking your medication.

Jump to this post

Bipolar is a very frustrating disorder. There are diagnostic tools and treatment protocols for cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other illnesses; however, bipolar disorder is still very hard to assess and treat. It takes a skilled clinician who understands the science of the brain as well as someone who knows what types of behavior to look for and what types of questions to ask. It is sad that so many people go undiagnosed when there are medications and treatments available. Based on my own experience, the best approach for dealing with bipolar is a combination of medication, therapy and support groups. Over the past several years, I have studied current research on possible causes and treatments for bipolar. To date, there is no single defining gene or defect that has been universally attributed to causing bipolar. The University of Michigan’s Heinz Prechter Bipolar Research Program has been doing some excellent work to identify possible causes of bipolar and develop solutions to help people with this disorder. The website is https://medicine.umich.edu/dept/prechter-program. There is a Zoom Webinar on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, from 7:00pm to 8:30pm (EST) titled Mind Matters: Bipolar and Addiction: Insights from Experts and Inspirations from Experience. You can register online. I hope this information helps.

REPLY
depressedbutnotdead | @depressedbutnotdead | Mar 26 7:30pm
In reply to @cherriann "Thank you so much for sharing. Bipolar is so hard to understand, I wait and pray..." + (show)
@cherriann

Thank you so much for sharing. Bipolar is so hard to understand, I wait and pray for the day when research will find out the mysteries of this disorder and exact treatment will be available without the guessing game of trial and error. If you have bipolar and wherever you are with it at this moment, if you aren't currently getting treatment, please get it right away. Please take your medications or seek a change in them if you feel you need to, but above all, don't give up and don't stop taking your medication.

Jump to this post

Thanks for the encouragement. I'm under care of both a psychiatrist and a counselor. We are trying a new medication as the previous prescriptions weren't working. The mood tracking program that I linked has been the biggest help of anything since the diagnosis, however. It gives me a clear sense of where my head is on a day-to-day basis, and since I gave both my counselor and psychiatrist access, they're able to get same info.

So, new meds being introduced (Lamictal, so it has to be eased in), regular counselor and psychiatric appointments, the mood tracking program, and really paying attention have all been put into place since being suicidal and hospitalized last fall. I've gone from feeling hopeless to hopeful, and that's significant.

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