Bipolar Disorder

[Bishka]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone here had BP? How long, what meds do you take, how does religion affect it, how are you doing? Thanks. ~Becky

 

[Sunstone]

I have two friends with Bipolar disorder. One is an older man who is on medication and seems to handle it pretty well. The other is a younger woman who is untreated for the disorder and keeps making major life mistakes. Both are intelligent people.

 

[standing_alone]

I just got diagnosed with bipolar disorder about two weeks ago. First I was diagnosed with major depression and was on Lexapro, but as that started making my depression worse, my psychiatrist (or whatever is the one able to prescribe drugs - doctor, I suppose) was able to "confirm" I was bipolar, so now I started Lamictal about two weeks ago and have finally gotten off of Lexapro yesterday (since you need to start taking smaller doses again when you go off meds, like how you gradually increase when you go on). Religion has no affect on bipolar disorder for me, since I don't follow a religion.

 

[ALifetimeToWaitFor...]

I have recently been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and paranoid schizophrenia both of which after i told my friends they said could “I could have told you that”. Prior to being diagnosed with these too disorders i was diagnosed with clinical depression and social anxiety disorder both of which are symptoms of my disorders. Im currently on abilify which so far has helped immensely, im also being weaned off of paxil and on a better bipolar anti-depressant called Labutrin. As far as religion goes i’ve jumped around quite a bit but have found a very comfortable seat in the middle.

 

[Bishka]

Wow. I didn't think anyone would respond. Thanks for the responses. I think it affects me in a spiritual sense in being LDS. I know a lot of LDS people who don't understand BP very much and so it's hard to talk about in LDS circles. 'Cept, on Yahoo there is a LDS Bipolar list. Sometimes in my faith, I feel unfeeling or out there and not being able to be a part of that faith. Anywho, sorry about the off-kilter words of mine.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I don't have it, but I know someone who is a bipolar, paranoid schizophrenic, with ADHD. He stoped taking meds, and you can tell.

 

[gnomon]

I was diagnosed as mixed-mania by my psychiatrist after about six months in his care. I received my diagnosis almost four years ago. I was on various meds from the beginning. I don't recall all the names but I know my final regimen included Busparine, Wellbutrin and Lithium. The most I was on at one time was the three previous, some antidepressant I can't recall the name of and one or another antipsychotic given in small doses to "boost". It's not fun ****.

As far as religion I considered myself agnostic at the time of diagnosis and was involved with various twelve-step groups for two years. I was involved in AA a few years before I hospitalized myself as well. For a while, the first six months from the point of hospitalization, I would call myself a very committed twelve stepper.

Now, I am not on any medications. I am a pure aethiest. By that I define for myself as a non-belief in the spiritual realm. I'm doing fine. No, I'm not the incredibly active person I was in my teenage years. I am doing better than I was at any point over the past sixteen years.

I could probably spill forth a thousand comments and opinions on the subject but I feel that would be going in too much information anyone needs to know about me. My views on recovery are bit against the mainstream.

 

[michel]

My doctor doesn't like the term 'bi-polar', which I first knew as 'manic-depressive' - What's in a name ?


As I suffer from Fibromyalgia, I am in no doubt that I suffer from Bi-Polar.
I went to a local pharmacy (not the one from whom I usually collect my medication), and when I went to collect a month's supply, the pharmacist didn't want to give it to me.

To be fair, she was doing her job to the best of her ability, and was concerned that I am prescribed 150% of the maximum allowable dose of Anti-inflamatory. She insisted on speaking to my doctor before handing over the tablets.

She then pointed out that the rest of the medication I was on was likely to make me sleep all day, that I should never drink alcohol, or drive a car; seeing I had the car keys in my hand at the time, I felt kind of silly.

I find the trouble with most medication is that the body becomes acclimatized.

The benefit of having suffered from Chronic depression for the last 40 years is that I am quite an authority on the subject, and very good at telling others what to do to help themselves...............:biglaugh:

 

[Sunstone]

The benefit of having suffered from Chronic depression for the last 40 years is that I am quite an authority on the subject, and very good at telling others what to do to help themselves...............:biglaugh:

I love your ability to see the humor in things. It's a blessing, and makes you stand head and shoulders above the crowd in my book.

 

[Sunstone]

One thing I've noticed in my limited experience of bi-polar people is that some handle the disorder better than others, and that a huge factor in that seems to be whether they can get medication for it or not.

 

[FyreBrigidIce]

I was just diagnosed as bi-polar this past week. Before that I was only diagnosed with Chronic Depression, Post-Tramatic Stress Disorder and Alcoholism.

I am now taking 200 mg of Zoloft every morning, 200 mg of Seroquel and 10 milligrams of Nortriptylin every night to stabilize my moods and help me sleep.

I am focusing more on stabilizing my illnesses but I do recognize that my interpretation of a higher power is helping me help myself.

FBI