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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Maxime on June 2, 2005, at 21:47:31
Hi.
I thought once I found out that my asthma medication was making my depression worse and irritability unbearable that perhaps I wasn't even BP2. I thought perhaps the asthma med was causing the mood swings.
I reduced my Trileptal last week by 150 mg and for the past few days I haven't been able to sleep and my thoughts have been racing like crazy. I typed up pages of projects I could work on and business plans etc. I will add the 150 mg back in and hope it helps. In the past 3 nights I have only had 3 hours of sleep.
I don't care if I am BP2 or Major Depression. I was just eager to take one less med. Plus I thought it would help my depression.
Damn.
Maxime
Posted by holymama on June 2, 2005, at 22:28:52
In reply to Sigh. I guess I am BP2 afterall, posted by Maxime on June 2, 2005, at 21:47:31
Oh GOd, that's too funny. I was just thinking of starting a post that would read something like yours did. I too had a strong 'bipolar' experience this weekend that has humbled me yet again and is making rethink this 'illness'. Why do we have such a hard time believing it??? I've read that many bipolars have a hard time accepting that they are bipolar. I know that I certainly do. I'm constantly questioning it, but I think that when I get sick (I don't know what that means...a severe mood shift???) I start seeing it is true. I had one of those severe mood shifts this weekend, from 'suicide watch' on Thursday to up all night, organizing my house' by Sunday. It was because of a medicine change. I had a conversation this weekend with my husband and ended it by saying "If anyone is 'bipolar', then I am, and if that means it's just a part of my personality that's gone wrong, it still means that I am bipolar'. I can see it clearly for the moment.
I still do wonder though, if the medicine f*cks us up even more. I wonder if antidepressants should be used SPARINGLY, because too many people go nuts when they get on them. I'm not just talking no meds, I'm saying maybe mood stabilizers would be safer to try on people suffering from what may be 'just' depression.
Off track. SOrry.
~~Autumn~~
Posted by yesac on June 2, 2005, at 23:51:49
In reply to Re: Sigh. I guess I am BP2 afterall, posted by holymama on June 2, 2005, at 22:28:52
Hi Autumn and Maxime--
That's one theory for treatment-- using mood stabilizers and being very careful with antidepressants, especially in people who might have some mild hypomanic symptoms without a clear-cut bipolar diagnosis, or people who have a postive family history of bipolar disorder.
Anyways, it's interesting that you all are having a hard time accepting your BPII diagnosis, because I feel like I have been struggling with my non-BP diagnosis. First off, I don't like the DSM and diagnoses at all. But with that said, I've become rather obsessed with determining whether or not I'm bipolar. However, I don't think there really is a yes or no answer for some people, including myself.
I have never been out and out manic, but the thing is that I tend to have some bipolar symptoms, not necessarily episodic though. Mostly just agitation, irritability, aggression, sometimes my mind seems to race/spin, sleep problems, and feeling kind of hyper or activated. These symptoms, added to the fact that not a single antidepressant has ever worked for me, and some have made me feel worse, just makes me wonder what in the hell is going on. It's not that I WANT to be bipolar, but I just want to have an accurate diagnosis and find accurate/adequate treatment, without all this ambiguity about everything. I don't know if it'll ever happen though. It's very frustrating.
Posted by Maxime on June 3, 2005, at 15:29:09
In reply to Re: Sigh. I guess I am BP2 afterall, posted by yesac on June 2, 2005, at 23:51:49
Hi. What you describe below sounds like BP Type 2. You don't have full blown manic episode.
I don't have a problem accepting my diagnosis of BP Type 2 at all. I was just disappointed that I couldn't get rid of another med. And since I suffer mainly from depresssion, I was hoping it would help my depression to be off the mood stabiliser. That's all.
All I want is my meds to work and to feel, gulp, "normal". I don't care what my DX is. That's arbitrary.
Maxime
> I have never been out and out manic, but the thing is that I tend to have some bipolar symptoms, not necessarily episodic though. Mostly just agitation, irritability, aggression, sometimes my mind seems to race/spin, sleep problems, and feeling kind of hyper or activated. These symptoms, added to the fact that not a single antidepressant has ever worked for me, and some have made me feel worse, just makes me wonder what in the hell is going on. It's not that I WANT to be bipolar, but I just want to have an accurate diagnosis and find accurate/adequate treatment, without all this ambiguity about everything. I don't know if it'll ever happen though. It's very frustrating.
Posted by holymama on June 3, 2005, at 23:00:38
In reply to Re: Sigh. I guess I am BP2 afterall » yesac, posted by Maxime on June 3, 2005, at 15:29:09
I haven't found it to be arbitrary at all. Lately I've had the experience of 'being bipolar' -- being really low and then really high in a few short days. It's confusing to do that and I am beginning to feel different from everyone else around me. I think it's very different from suffering from depression on its own. It's a bit crazier.
Posted by Maxime on June 4, 2005, at 21:39:51
In reply to Re: Sigh. I guess I am BP2 afterall, posted by holymama on June 3, 2005, at 23:00:38
> I haven't found it to be arbitrary at all. Lately I've had the experience of 'being bipolar' -- being really low and then really high in a few short days. It's confusing to do that and I am beginning to feel different from everyone else around me. I think it's very different from suffering from depression on its own. It's a bit crazier.
Yes, I guess you are right. I have had so much trouble finding something for my depression that that alone is crazy in itself. For me that's the real challenge.
Maxime
This is the end of the thread.
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