Posted by wendy b. on October 30, 2001, at 8:45:32
In reply to Question for Bipolar 2's, posted by Mr.Scott on October 29, 2001, at 15:01:26
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> In your opinions is it likely that this diagnosis is accurate even if no real sleep problems exist or have ever existed?
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> Scott
Hi Scott,I would say, clinically, that you don't necessarily *have* to have problems sleeping in order to have the BPII dx. Like Susan says, if you have a load of the other symptoms of BPII, you could still be diagnosed as BPII. However, it fits the profile of more BPII people to have the kinds of sleep problems Krazy Kat and Sar are describing.
I also love to wander at night, but right, Kelly, getting married and being a mom changed all that. It also occurs to me from time to time, whenever I CAN go out a-nightwandering, that it's dangerous. I was personally concerned this past summer about little skunkies appearing in the road I was walking on, since they like to come out at night when it's warm. I think I expressed to Willow, who also seems to walk at night, that I would like to have a puppy like hers to take with me. Skunks and racoons can be rabid, and are very prevalent around here. Sar & Kelly, other worries are, like, getting mugged and other bad stuff. Especially if you're, umm, drinking (?)
Scott, what are your sleep patterns like? Sometimes we're having a 'problem' with sleep in the clinical sense (as in: what your doctor would consider a problem), when, to us, it's no concern at all. Like - we stay up til 2 or 3 am, but then sleep til 10 am. We depressives think this pattern is fine, but it's considered somewhat abnormal, according to most doctors. Fear of being alone at night is something else.
I'd say insomnia (inability to fall or remain asleep) or hypersomnia (sleeping a lot during the day and/or night or some combination) are actual "problems," if you know what I mean, where you're not getting enough REM sleep, or your circadian (sp??) rhythms are off.
Does this make any sense? In other words, what the doc would call a "problem with sleep" might not appear to us to be a, quote, "problem." So let us know what's up with you, we're all curious...
best,
Wendy
ps: the dx of BPII is hard to take, I know. If you want to talk about it on PSB, that would be cool.
poster:wendy b.
thread:82582
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011025/msgs/82650.html