My introduction

Hi everyone. My name is DC and I'm 36 year old male with Bipolar Disorder. My disorder first showed up as mania in my mid-teens but I didn't really know what it was and it quickly passed. In 1995 at the age of 25 I was properly diagnosed after a psychotic epispode that resulted in a 1-week hospitalization.

I took lithium for several years along with synthroid to balance out my thyroid. For some reason my thyroid stopped responding to synthroid and I started having serious trouble with thyroid disfunction. At that point my doctor gave me two choices: remove/kill my thyroid or try backing me off my lithium and see how things go.

With oversight of my pdoc I've now been completely off lithium for almost two years. My moods have been generally even to slightly elevated these last two years. I totally avoid caffeiene, I try to eat right and exercise every day, I keep a mood journal, and most importantly of all, I try to get 6 to 7 hours of sleep every night. I'm happy to say my thyroid has made a 100% recovery and is functioning normally.

I'm here because I'd like to encourage others if I can and be encouraged. I still struggle to keep my moods and thought processes in check, and I'm always figthing those "big ideas" about things I'm going to do with my life. :) I hope I can contribute here.

Thanks,
DC

 Hello DC, and welcome. I am glad to hear you are doing well. I have my good and bad days, but I am not as positive as you! Wish I was , but I am not stable and been trying for 2 years , it gets kinda frustrating. Glad you are here and I hope the positive attitude is contagious.