I am now officially BP! I won't be cracking open the Champagne though!

Hi All

FINALLY had my appt with the psychiatrist yesterday and it's as I thought.... I'm BPII Hypomania and I've started Rapid Cycling just this past 6 weeks. Funnily enough I've probably had BP for years but it's the rapid cycling that finally started the alarm bells ringing and prompted me to go to the docs!

The Psych Doctor was lovely and very supportive! I couldn't speak more highly of her! It's a shame that she might me moving jobs though!! Agggh!

I've already had my bloods and she has recommeded a low dose of Lithium (400mg) to start with from this Friday.  Any advice about it? 7 days after that I have to get my bloods done to see if the dose is right.  Then I think it's every week for a month I have to get my bloods done??

2 fingers to the regular Dr who said it was just stress (after he saw me for 5 mins!)...stress for the past 15 yrs then Doc???! LOL!

Anyway, I hope you are all doing as well as can be expected!? Thus begins my journey???!!

 

I am glad you finally have a diagnosis, and maybe the meds will help you get to feeling better.  I am also glad you had such a good pdoc experience.

Wow serafena I didn't know we got that!  Does the souvenier store sell extra memory I can install in my brain?? 

No memory -- none of us have that. No, it sells the expensive, unnecessary things we all like to buy and tchotchkes like snow globes, refrigerator magnets and shot glasses with the words "Bipolar Disorder" on them. A tee shirt for spouses that says "My husband/wife has Bipolar Disorder and all I get is this stupid tee shirt." Plus lots and lots of drugs.

That's so disappointing about your partner. I wonder why she's so resistant to your getting diagnosed and then to the diagnosis. Can you talk to her further about it or is she really obstinately against the subject altogether? Can you tell her it hurt you that she isn't willing to accept your diagnosis?

serafena

Mackem,

I am so glad that your Dr. visit was a positive one. It is so important to find a Dr. you "click" with that actually listens! You knew something was out of sorts with you, you just needed someone knowledgeable about these things to confirm it. Now, get started on your meds and keep an open mind about them! I was on Lithium for a while but had to stop it (remember, I am the pharmacutically challaneged one). It took several attempts to find the right med but I have finally started doing very well with Risperdal. I feel more balanced and in control than I have in years, really. I am sad for you that your life partner is not supportive. My husband was not for a long time, I just think he did not want anything to be wrong with me, but, after I went for a full physical and everything came back great, he finally realized that I really did have a emotional/mood disorder and has been very helpful to me ever since. He has taken on alot of household duties, because I do manage to work full time, and anything he can do to keep me out of stresses way! I hope you feel better soon, just knowing and accepting goes along way to you feeling better. My PDoc just retired and I liked him so well. He refilled my meds so I could have a little time before I had to rush right out and find another Dr. I thought that was so thoughtful.

Well, good luck and remember, it is rare to get meds right the first go 'round but you will get there.

BP Gemini

Hi All

Thought I'd drop you all a line as I haven't been around for a while! I was dx with BPII Hypomania about 2 weeks ago and started on 400mg of Lithium. Moved to 600mg on Friday and will probably move to 800mg this Friday with the Doc saying that he'll then move me to 1000mg!

Fingers crossed there have been no side effects so far! I've had a few bad afternoons where I've felt very low and struggled to keep pace with what was going on around me. Like everything was in slow motion and that I was in this world but not part of it....kind of surreal I know!!

I've felt pretty teary at times too as well as irritable and snappy at times. Only had one instance of racing thoughts where my head was swimming and I wanted to pull my brain out! LOL! That was one afternoon when I was feeling low and a bit spaced!

Things still upset me very easily which is rather strange!

Anyway, hope you're all OK!!! Mackem...

Mackem,

Thank you for giving us the update. I was wondering how you were doing. BP Gemini is totally right. Gotta let the med do it's job, but it sucks, doesn't it, that feeling like your head is being messed with? (((Hugs))) Hang in there. We're all still here when you need us.

serafena

It is hard to beleive you are so accepting It took a long time for me to accept the fact that I was bi-polar as well as depressed and had seasonal affected disorderalong with skeezo aaffecitve disorder what ever that means. I must congradulate you . I think i8t is wonderful that your getting on meds right away and lithium is just a salt. I do not know why I havent been subscribed that med. I really would like to try it I have asked and they say it is not without its side effects like everyother med. So Im takeng abilify,The only reason I know I am ZBi-polar is becasuse I go on shoppin sprees that I do not remember and just a few days ago I reliaed I had been doing charging on a credit card which is a no-no my hubby pain off f all the cards and asked me nice not to use them plus he gave me $1000 dollars this month he claims i get 1000 from SSD so there is no way i spent $2000 plus a couple of hundred (maybe) charging on the card) I hve nothing to show for it. I'm getting scared becasue my sister says she thinks I should go back into the hospital for meds. but I can do it I know I can If only I would stay on the darn stuff Abilify has no side effects that bother me as far as I know But I neede help for sure im a sick puppy of 53 years who is a Mom and my 20 yr old son doesnt know how to handle it.. o dear im so lost im gonna go now and do some private crying maybe it wil make the pain in my back and neck and heat go away i hate meing a mentel case and always have been-knitwit

Mackem's right, knitwit, we're all here together. Feel free to vent if you need to. I'm sorry you're having such a rough time right now. You really need to get back on those meds. I'm glad you're seeing your doc tomorrow.

serafena