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Posted 5/5/2009 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
For those of you who suffer from both these diseases, do you find that a fibro flare starts you on rapid cycling of your bipolar? I had a bad flare in early march, followed by rapid cycling, and it has become a vicious circle of flaring and cycling. None of the flares are as bad as the one in march was...but I haven't gotten back to my pre-march self. I am aware of my cycling, and try to stay in control...talk with my husband, make sure he knows where I am. I'm not having high high's, or really low low's. But any, when it just keeps on coming, is wearing me down.
Just wondered if anyone else has this problem? If so, how do you get it to stop? Do I have to let them fiddle with my meds....I was doing so well on them before march.
Anyway...if you have any thoughts...
Posted 5/6/2009 4:07 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Vickie,

I don't suffer from bipolar disorder, but I have a good friend who does-- and she also has fibro. She has been hospitalized about five different times for bipolar disorder, for periods of a week up to several months. For her, it really was a matter of finding the right medications. I believe the one that helped her the most was depakote, although she also takes clonopin and ativan as a prn, as well as some other medications. It was a very long and difficult process to find what worked for her, but in the end it was worth it. Now she rarely ever suffers any manic episodes, and she is able to notice when one is coming on. I would reccommend that you talk to your doctor about trying different medications. It may take a while to find the right ones, but once you do, you should be able to get your life back in order and stop your suffering. I hope that you can find something that works for you. Please continue to let us know how you're doing.

Take care & Best wishes!!

SaraBeth
Posted 5/6/2009 4:26 PM (GMT 0)
Wow that must be hard! It must be hard to manage given that when a flare is coming, they say we get that day before the flare starts when we get a big boost of energy and we want to clean and do everything we have been putting off...I would imagine it would be hard to tell the difference between a "pre-flare energy surge" and a bipolar cycling.
Wish I knew some answers for you instead of simply sympathizing...but at least you are in the right place!
Good luck with your search!
Posted 5/6/2009 7:27 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks you guys for responding.
Lefty I have actually found meds that are working for me. I was doing really great until that flare. Like your friend, I can tell what is happening, and handle it fairly well. I am just so disappointed that the meds don't hold up ALL THE WAY with a flare. I should know they won't...nothing ever works all the time for either bipolar or fibro. I was just wondering how others dealt with it, and if flaring brought on cycling.

Anyway, thanks to both of you. If things worsen, believe me, I will be at the doctor's office in a hurry. I have experienced doing well...and I do not want to go back to the major cycling and lack of control.
Posted 5/7/2009 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Have you checked on the bipolar forum? I wuold imagine that there are some people on there with chronic pain issues. It must be so hard to have one effect the other like that. I know that with fibromyalgia and depression, they intertwine. One leads to the other. You are depressed because you have the fibro and the fibro wants to flare when you get depressed. I have noticed a lot of people with fibromyalgia have some sort of depression also. They seem to go hand in hand. I am glad that you do have medications that work for you. Keep on trying, things will level out. One day at a time, that is all that we can do.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 5/7/2009 3:27 PM (GMT 0)
Poodles,
Fibromites have low levels of serotonin in their brains and this is one of the reasons for decreased pain tolerance, disturbed sleep cycles and mood swings including am increased tendency toward depression. For some reason, we use up or burn up our serotonin much faster than normals. You might want to talk this over with your doctor so he/she can adjust your med accordingly. My life was enhanced hugely when I started taking SSRI anti-depressants.
Posted 5/7/2009 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, I take my SSRI religiously. I also take 2 mood stabilizers and anti anxiety meds. The SSRI just exacerbated my cycling before I started taking mood stabilizers. The SSRI causes a bipolar person to enter the manic state of bipolar unless there are mood stabilizers to keep the serotonin from going too high. Everything finally clicked early last year, and I have done great until now. I actually have an appointment with my PA today to discuss this. I really think the problem is not my bipolar cycling, or depression setting in. I believe anxiety is not controlled. I do fine while the kids are in school and not much is happening, but when the kids get home, and homework has to get done, and supper, and dishes...etc. ...I just get so irritable. Not at them, just kind of like I can't stand my own skin. I don't know, I am not good at explaining what I feel. I hope I can do better with the PA today!
Thanks everyone for caring!
Posted 5/8/2009 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
Vickie,
Have your doc check your blood sugar! This sounds like me just before dinner for about 10 years before I was dx with diabetes. Then after dinner everything would calm down. Just a thought.
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