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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by amy smith on November 25, 2004, at 18:38:10
I've just been diagnosed with BPD and I finding a lot of negative things about it on the Internet. Please, does anyone have any success stories or even a tad of encouragement for me?
Posted by midwestgirl on November 25, 2004, at 20:38:23
In reply to Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by amy smith on November 25, 2004, at 18:38:10
Hi Amy,
I have BPD too - its not great, but it could be worse (i try to tell myself this every day). Its a pain sharing the letters with bipolar - but its easier using them.
Don't be too discouraged, at least you have an place to start. For me, being diagnosed with BPD meant that I knew I wasn't an out-of-control emotional freak/spoiled princess/hurtful manipulater/crazy b**ch because of ME - its sickness in my head, even though I dont believe that when sometimes. I still feel all those things in rapid cycles and I still hate me and sometimes hurt me, but I know its something I can get help for and hopefully make it better even if I can't stop it altoghether.It sucks to feel like this and I think no one else in the world can hurt/love/feel//need like me, but people do - I'm not alone and neither are you. All I know is that I have a sickness, its real - even if some people don't believe it - and so I'm not some adult who acts like a bratty kid because I'm immature or something - the sickness does that.
I'm on Trileptal, it seems to help my mood swings, but I'm talking to my pdoc about trying Zyprexa which was recommended on this site. I'm also starting DBT (dialectical behavioral therapy) which is supposed to help you to deal with situations better than you normally would. Just get a good therapist who knows about BPD, keep trying meds until you find one that works for you, and dont give up. I've found this site to be very encouraging and I just found it 2 weeks ago - so keep talking.
Midwestgirl
Posted by smokeymadison on November 25, 2004, at 22:13:53
In reply to Re: Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by midwestgirl on November 25, 2004, at 20:38:23
hi
i was just diagnosed with BPD about a week and a half ago. i am currently reading up on the disorder. i am finding books to be much more helpful than online sites. one book in particular, "I Hate You, Don't Leave Me" is very , very helpful. as it is a personality disorder, i know understand that certain aspects of the "illness" are not going to change. But i am hopeful that my symptoms can be reduced or even eliminated with therapy and medication. i have been in therapy off and on for almost 5 years and on medication for 4, and i still think that i have a much better chance now than ever before to "get better" because i can educate myself about the disorder b/c i was finally diagnosed with it.
i have been on about a dozen different meds, and i find that a mood stabilizer like Trileptal and an antipsychotic like Risperdal, Geodon, or Abilify (i like Abilify best--fewest side effects)work very well for me.
Don't get discouraged b/c of the diagnosis, take advantage of the fact that you can learn more about what is wrong and how to make it right now. Good luck!
Posted by amy smith on November 26, 2004, at 8:01:00
In reply to Re: Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by smokeymadison on November 25, 2004, at 22:13:53
Thank you midwestgirl and smokeymadison.
Currently I'm taking Fluoxetine, Effexor, Xanax, and Risperdal. It's strange but I never notice a difference between the Amy on medication and the Amy off medication.
Posted by alexandra_k on November 26, 2004, at 15:18:28
In reply to Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by amy smith on November 26, 2004, at 8:01:00
Hey there, I was diagnosed with BPD in 1998. I found that often clinicians would go from being warm and friendly enough (before hearing of my dx) to being cold and aloof once they knew.
I was determined to understand just what was supposed to be so darn bad about that dx so I read everything I could get my hands on.
I found a lot of stuff to be needlessly judgemental and hurtful.
The best thing I have read on BPD was Marsha Linehan's book 'Dialectical Behaviour therapy for Borderline Personality Disorder'. Reading that really helped me to make some sense of what I was going through. I also found "I hate you - Don't leave me" to be good.
Hang in there, it is a horrible thing to be diagnosed with. Not just because of the general opinion of it; but because it is the result of such pain.
Posted by Racer on November 26, 2004, at 16:05:33
In reply to Re: Borderline Personality Disorder » amy smith, posted by alexandra_k on November 26, 2004, at 15:18:28
If you read more recent articles, you'll find that the latest research says that all the Personality Disorders tend to abate with time. That by the mid to late 30s, most people who have been dx'd with a PD show far fewer symptoms, even to the point that they couldn't be dx'd at all.
I hope that offers hope to anyone with the dx. I also hope that you've all read the criteria from the DSM and agree that the dx fits you.
Posted by alexandra_k on November 26, 2004, at 18:44:09
In reply to Re: Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by Racer on November 26, 2004, at 16:05:33
Hey there Racer. There is some stuff on how it is supposed to get better with age... But then there is other stuff on how the presentation of BPD may change a little through the generations. Maybe it is that it manifests differently in people who are older now. (I think the studies are comparative rather than longatudinal - but maybe I'm out of touch or too pessimistic or something...)
Posted by ZenTen on November 26, 2004, at 19:24:42
In reply to Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by amy smith on November 25, 2004, at 18:38:10
> I've just been diagnosed with BPD and I finding a lot of negative things about it on the Internet. Please, does anyone have any success stories or even a tad of encouragement for me?
--------------------------------------
I have read that from Dr. Leland Heller, who is supposed to be an expert in Borderline... he always starts his patients on Prozac and 2nd line to that he uses Celexa.He highly advocates these over other SSRI's for some reason or another in Borderline people.
For dysphoric reactions or having an urge to cut or self-harm (the hallmark feature of this disorder) he states that once on one of these SSRI's to use either Haldol or Risperdal, as needed.... they are not to be taken regularly as daily use leads to strong side-effects and dimishes its impact if used in an emergency self-harm episode. So basically, it seems he advocates Prozac and once on it, PRN use of Haldol or Risperdal.... he seems to believe they work faster than other antipsychotics (within hours)
He higly advices against tricyclics and benzo use with this disorder as studies how they have a negative impact on the syptoms.... go figure.
I think clinicians despise the Borderline diagnosis because most people with this disorder require a HIGH degree of medical interaction and tend to have many superficial suicide attempts(I know that sounds horrible--I read it though) and require a lot of the clinicians time , as well as emotional energy (I know that sounds horrible--I read it though) It says Boderline people tend be refractory to medical treatment.
However, everything I read seems to say that the proper medications tend to drasticall helps symptoms...
Posted by alexandra_k on November 26, 2004, at 21:51:56
In reply to Re: Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by ZenTen on November 26, 2004, at 19:24:42
> He higly advices against tricyclics and benzo use with this disorder as studies how they have a negative impact on the syptoms.... go figure.
I know that some people can react to benzo's with increased anxiety and rage. I think thats why some clinicians are reluctant to prescribe them when the client hasn't had them before. Also: addiction and drug abuse features as part of diagnositic criteria for the BPD diagnosis.
> I think clinicians despise the Borderline diagnosis because most people with this disorder require a HIGH degree of medical interaction and tend to have many superficial suicide attempts(I know that sounds horrible--I read it though) and require a lot of the clinicians time , as well as emotional energy (I know that sounds horrible--I read it though) It says Boderline people tend be refractory to medical treatment.I think that borderlines can be frustrating because they don't respond as well to medications as people with other diagnoses tend to do. Don't worry about what you have read - I have read worse... 'manipulative', 'attention seeking' etc etc. Thats why I like Linehan, she actively argues to dispel these countertransference myths.
That being said, medication does help me when I remember to take it...
Posted by eugenia on November 27, 2004, at 7:45:56
In reply to Re: Borderline Personality Disorder » ZenTen, posted by alexandra_k on November 26, 2004, at 21:51:56
I have BPD. Prozac helps a lot but I hate the side effects. Exercise helps a lot. It's amazing what intense cardio can do for rage and dysphoria. And perseverance helps the most. This diagnosis is a bummer. But I think things can get better with honesty and time and perseverance and a little Prozac!
Posted by midwestgirl on November 30, 2004, at 1:13:55
In reply to Borderline Personality Disorder, posted by amy smith on November 25, 2004, at 18:38:10
Amy,
See - you aren't alone. BPD's a weird thing to have - but I've read that we are the most intuitive, feeling, caring people when we're in the right mood. I know I have friends who really like me (for some weird reason) and I can be a good person as I'm sure you are too.People here have mentioned Marcia Linehan (sp?) - I couldn't take her, she was too freaking funny on those tapes. "Now take of all your feelings and put them in boxes and watch them slide down the assembly line" - like a weird info-mercial. But she's the one who invented DBT. Go online to http://www.palace.net/~llama/psych/dbt.html and read it and check out the worksheets. If you want the whole skills training manual, I can copy it and send it to you - but you really should do this with a therapist. But if you want it - write back and we can exchange emails and I'll send you the whole thing.
Midwestgirl
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