Just curious if anyone else here is dealing with Bi-Polar disorder. I have been dealing with it for a long time but was just recently diagnosed. I also have OCD....and am taking zoloft and topomax....i'm curious if anyone else has any suggestions, or experience with medications? Thanks for your input.

My mother is Bi-polar. She is on a lot of medication though. I don't have a lot of advice about medicines.. except to CONTINUE to take them.. even when you feel better. I know there is a vicous cycle of maybe forgetting them, then thinking "Hey I haven't taken it in a few days and feel fine" to spiraling downhill and having to wait weeks to feel good again! Also, stay with your appointments! Don't skip them.. let your dr know EXACTLY what is going on. If you hide things..t hey can't help you.

(((HUGS))) I hope this helps some!

Thanks. Yea i have a hard time remembering to take the meds. The biggest part of my problem is up until now i've been avoiding telling them what's going on...knowing that they'd be able to diagnose me. Silly i know.

(((HUGS))) You will feel better when you take care of yourself! (((HUGS))) Praying for you!

Samantha, I applaud you for being brave enough to talk about this. It is hard to do. Not silly at all!

I don't know anything about bipolar disorder at all, I'm sorry. I have dealt with chronic depression in my life though and I know the stigma attached to this type of stuff. Good for you for getting it diagnosed, getting treatment and seeking support for it.

I hope others will join you here and you guys can support each other.

Val

Thank you
I found one other thread on here..but it was over a year old...so i figured i'd start a new one...hopefully others will join..I know it would really help to hear from some people who aren't new to this.

I've never been diagnosed with bipolar, but I have been treated for depression. Sometimes, I think I'm more than likely bipolar because of how I do seem to have cycles of normalcy with occasional fights with depression.

I really fight it when I feel it sneaking in, because it's easier to ward off than it is to overcome, it you know what I mean?

It has been in my family on both parents' side for many generations, and everyone has dealt with it differently, not always well.

I think low carbing does really affect mood. I can say that in my experience, my moods are much more even and manageable while I'm low carb, but if I deplete myself TOO much, I bottom out. I just cannot go below 15 or 20 g of carbs or I'll crash.

I'm glad you started this thread. I'm in pretty good shape right now. How about you?

Michelle

Well i thought i was in good shape...lol.
I'm really not...denial is an awful thing..i tell ya.
OCD and depression are in my family....i have both...but i think that the depression is moreso the bipolar episodes. I used to cycle maybe like every two months where i'd be a wacko for a few days and then i'd be real sad for a few days then i'd be fine for weeks....but now i cycle almost daily. It's exhausting. Just acknowledging that it's a problem for me has helped...but it's also causing alot of things to come up...but as things tend to get worse...i'm sure they'll get better too!

I've been diagnosed as being bipolar, and had been diagnosed as also having OCD early on in my teen years. Plus I have in the past been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa.
I am on lithium for the bipolar because nothing else worked, so I deal with having the side effects. I was on all sorts of antideppressants, most just skyrocketed me off into LaLa land, so for the time being at least I dont take any.

Glad to find a place to speak with others who are in similar situations.

I suffer from depression and I agree with this! I do the same thing. IT's like fighting a panic attack... UGH!

Ask your Therapist what
Codependency is and if
s/he has any good books
you could read on it.

Lamictal is good for bipolar, or so I am told.

Hi! My daughter is bipolar. She suffers mania more than depression tho. For 20 years she faithfully took her RX's but currently is refusing them, and is in the hospital as I sit here typing. She is refusing meds. and has a right to refuse them, I am told. My hands are tied. As a Mother it is heatbreaking to not be able to help your child, regardless of their age. My advice is truely to pat yourself on the back for taking responsibility for your condition and continue faithfully on your meds no matter how long you have been on them. I'm in your corner! (hugs) Edie

It is heartbreaking to see your kids in pain. You are doing alot by being there and supporting her as best you can.

I have depression. I loved Zoloft, but watch your weight! I gained 40 pounds on it. Then I tried Wellbutrin. Didn't work well for me. Now I'm on Celexa and doing well but the weight gain properties make weight loss harder for me.

I'm bipolar and have been since childhood (which was a hell of a long time ago). My emotional cycles have made it harder to lose the weight. I go though periods when I no longer think straight. It's either feeling like I don't have a problem with my weight or feeling like it's hopeless anyway. Wherever I am mood-wise feels like reality to me and I can't imagine feeling any other way about things.

I'm on Lamictal, Wellbutrin and Cymbalta. It's a little weird to be taking 2 antidepressants at one time but it's not sending me manic yet. My depression that lasted from Nov through Feb almost certainly got started because my psychiatrist of 6 years closed his practice.

Being bipolar adds to the normal ups and downs of life - and then some. The highs are higher and the lows are lower. I haven't noticed that low carb helps it in any way, but that's not why I'm doing it. Losing 55 lbs sent me into anxiety attacks starting about a month ago, but that's settled down as of this week. Now I'm going to lose a little more - until my next...whatever. I'm just going to go with the flow and whenever I can, I know what to do with my eating.

All my drugs are either weight neutral or they actually help me lose. Cymbalta curbs appetite big time.