Bi-polar and how to handle it.

[Dani Hyrosha]

I posted a lot in here today, but it got me thinking. Maybe you guys can help me out with a little problem. Okay, maybe it's not so little anymore.

I was diagnosed with depression by my family doc back in late 2000, the start of my Sr. year in high school. That diagnosis was changed to bi-polar within three years and here I am, still trying to figure this out. We have had to change my meds a lot, I think about five or six times by now.

There is no permanent solution as far as I can see. No medication works for more than 2-3 years. Bi-polar is something that is pretty much terminal. I'm only 25! My poor husband has to deal with this too. We want to start a family, but as long as my bi-polar remains unstable, I can't have kids, it's not fair to them.

The latest episode I had was right during last semester. I had to drop out of school for the term and now I can only go half-time. I don't have time to be sick and have this problem! My husband is so sick he can't work and our parents are breathing down our necks (his more than mine, but that's cause mine have their own problems) on how we need to live our lives.

So, I guess what I am asking is how do I deal with this? I don't have the time to really recover from this last major episode and with everything that's going on, I can't afford to have another one. I am at my wit's end. What do I do now? Most importantly, how can I take care of my husband when I can barely take care of myself?  

[RadicalEd]

I have had many manic depressive people in my life. The woman who is like my second mom is bi-polar, and I believe my dad to be but he refuses to seek any sort of psychiatric help for anything so who knows. Not to mention other friends etc.

From watching these people in my life, and seeing their ups and downs, when they are normal and when they are throwing stuff and doing completely insane things, I have noticed one big difference. Stay on your meds. For heavens sake, if your medication is not working to normal you out talk to your Dr. and try out different things. It's a tough road and you will have a lot of reactions and bad along the way.

But finding a good combination of medications that works for you is completely vital in living out a somewhat normal life.

Every time I have watched my second mom be who I know she is, and seem normal, her balance of medications is good and she is consistently taking them. But then she gets on a kick where she feels like she needs to be "herself" and she doesn't want medications ruling her life or changing who she is.

I have suffered from clinical depression for awhile and I struggled with the same thoughts. In my case (and I'm not saying this is for all cases) my medication does not change who I am. It allows me to get my head above the depression so I can be who I again. It doesn't change me, or make me something different, it allows me to curb the depression and let my true personality out once again.

Don't lose hope, it's possible to live with an illness like this. Just have faith and be persistent. Find what works for you whether it is trying different medications, therapy or whatever and stick to it. But you're going to have a long road of trial and error before you will see results. I've seen people close to me do this, and it is possible. Find a good Dr. who can advise you on what would be best for your situation, and find someone who will be willing to help you experiment with different treatments until you find what is the biggest help for you. Not everyone is the same so not all treatments are the same so it is vital that you find what works for you, and not someone else.

sorry this is long...but like I said I've lived with mental and physical illness my whole life, and I have a lot to say on the matter lol.  

[FireSpark]

I have to agree with RadicalEd, but I would like to add in one other suggestion.

Find someone willing to support you. And I don't mean someone who is there to just pat you on the back and tell you everything will be alright. What you need, what anyone who's condition demands structure and regulation (in this case, medications), you need someone who won't let you go astray. You need someone who will lovingly kick your rear back into place whenever you get into a funk. You need someone who will listen to whatever excuse you have to temporarily get off the wagon, and then tell you that you know that it's just an excuse.

It doesn't have to be one person. In fact, the more the better. Being surrounded by people who love and care for you will make accepting what they have to say and do a little easier. It won't be easy by far, but love always helps.  

[Chimaria]

Everything Radical Ed and Firespark said are right on the money.

I've worked 12+ years with SED children and adolescents and their families also including some personal experience.

Find good solid support (i am sure there are support groups for you in your area, ask your doctor/social services) and convince yourself to know that getting off your meds no matter how good you feel is not a good choice.

don't feel bad/frustrated about your condition, just know that you will have to work harder than the others to maintain "sanity". (& that is not a bad thing)

I pray for you to have patience, tolerance and to feel the love when it is being offered to you. Best Wishes!  

[Wixandrettas]

You have to learn how to take care of yourself FIRST, before you can care for anyone else.

I would highly suggest looking for a support group in your area... You can easily obtain more information by calling your local hospital's Ask-A-Nurse program, or talk with a member from your local health department.

Counseling is HIGHLY suggested not just for you, but also for the family as a unit.

But, first and foremost, you need to take care of yourself first. Talk with your PCP about getting a referral to a specialist/counseling agency.  

[Dani Hyrosha]

Went to the doc, get blood work done in a week and we go from there.

I have no mental health coverage on my medical insurance, does anyone know if there is state coverage so I can find a psyc to help out?  

[RadicalEd]

Everything everyone is saying is great advice. And finding someone to support you is a big part of it. Hope things go well.  

[Wixandrettas]

Dani Hyrosha

Went to the doc, get blood work done in a week and we go from there.

I have no mental health coverage on my medical insurance, does anyone know if there is state coverage so I can find a psyc to help out?

I would suggest contacting your local health department to obtain a list of BH (behavioral health) providers that will work based on a sliding-fee scale...

You may have a non-profit facility in your community that will work with you as well.  

[Wixandrettas]

Alexandretta

Dani Hyrosha

Went to the doc, get blood work done in a week and we go from there.

I have no mental health coverage on my medical insurance, does anyone know if there is state coverage so I can find a psyc to help out?

I would suggest contacting your local health department to obtain a list of BH (behavioral health) providers that will work based on a sliding-fee scale...

You may have a non-profit facility in your community that will work with you as well.

I forgot to mention:

Talk with your Insurance company to learn about "Out of Network" benefits. They may have a plan in place that might be more financially sound.  

[Teayo]

For me I honestly have no clue what I have lol other then some form of chemical imbalance .. but my GP prescribed me with Risperidone and it helps a lot I don't have to take it daily but i can if my mood drops to an intolerable range ..

but like everyone has said find out from your DR the best meds for you and get yourself a support system my wife, family and best friends are mine they let me know if they think i need to take them because half of the time i don't realize it ..you have to stay on your meds for them to work .. i make sure i always have an extra batch of them just in case i run out lol because you don't want to run out when you don't have the money or the pharmacy is closed lol  

[Tirsden]

Depending on your income you may be eligible for help through Social Services. That's how I have insurance at all right now, though thankfully I finally landed permanent disability (four years of fighting the government... I already slipped through the cracks once before this attempt). But yeah, I'm not sure what your income level is or what it would have to be to get help there... worth checking out though.

I actually cannot tolerate medication for bipolar and/or depression. Heck, Lunesta almost sent me to the hospital, and a normal dose of Unisom will completely zombie me for two days. Yay being super-sensitive to chemicals. sweatdrop I am surviving though, possibly because my Asperger's Syndrome may be somewhat balancing out the bipolar. In the end though, I think it just masks it, keeps it all inside my head where it drives me nuts instead of other people. Also I'm technically bipolar 2 so I haven't had a true manic episode... I know I'm at risk for that pretty much forever though. But I just keep going one day at a time, and I have a very good support group of online friends and am living in housing for people off their rockers. (And contrary to what a lot of people have said here, sanity is entirely overrated. xp But there is a difference between good crazy and bad crazy... when an untreated or poorly-treated mental health condition causes you to harm others, something needs to be done.)  

[Harbone]

You know what, Tirsden? I like you. I don't hold with medications either and that's because I've seen what happens to people who get too used to their bi-polar meds and then, say, lose a job.

Since they depend on those medications to stay stable, but they don't have any money to buy them, and it often takes a while for them to get any state assistance (I worked for Department of Human Services in El Paso County, CO, which is a horrible place to be if you're sick, by the way.) With these factors, folks with even a minor case of bi-polar disorder find themselves unable to work or maintain shelter for themselves without those damn drugs.

Too many psychiatrists just whip out a drug prescription rather than talk therapy. That bugs me a little.  

[Patron with a Mission]

Harbone

You know what, Tirsden? I like you. I don't hold with medications either and that's because I've seen what happens to people who get too used to their bi-polar meds and then, say, lose a job.

Since they depend on those medications to stay stable, but they don't have any money to buy them, and it often takes a while for them to get any state assistance (I worked for Department of Human Services in El Paso County, CO, which is a horrible place to be if you're sick, by the way.) With these factors, folks with even a minor case of bi-polar disorder find themselves unable to work or maintain shelter for themselves without those damn drugs.

Too many psyciatrists just whip out a drug prescription rather than talk therapy. That bugs me a little.

As a psychology major, I can tell you that's true.

Meds are too often given; the body develops tolerance towards a medication rapidly, dependent upon it's intended effect of the chemical imbalances often present with mental and mood disorders. Personally, I'm all for choice theory, but that's for another post.

In the case of bi-polar patients [my aunt and others here], medication's supposed to be given in combination with talk therapy, because neither alone will do the job.

OP: I agree with all that have posted here; seek help with the state you live in. Good luck! -hugs-