![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by vainamoinen on January 13, 2006, at 11:28:16
Anyone have any good tips on how to plan for a manic episode.
I'm newly diagnosed bipolar II so I'm looking for any hints or tricks of the trade so to speak.
I mean I feel sane right now, and my meds (Seroquel and Prozac) work well, but if I were to flip into mania I'm afraid of doing something stupid.
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 13, 2006, at 12:25:53
In reply to Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by vainamoinen on January 13, 2006, at 11:28:16
Hei!
Terve!
Sorry I can't help with your mania. I'm plain unipolar. I guess the seroquel will help as its a mood stabilliser, so should prevent the switch to mania.
Onko suomalainen, as thats a Finnish name you're using?
Moi,
Meri-Tuuli
Posted by vainamoinen on January 13, 2006, at 12:56:38
In reply to Re: Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 13, 2006, at 12:25:53
> Hei!
>
> Terve!
>
> Sorry I can't help with your mania. I'm plain unipolar. I guess the seroquel will help as its a mood stabilliser, so should prevent the switch to mania.
>
> Onko suomalainen, as thats a Finnish name you're using?
>
> Moi,
> Meri-Tuuli
I'm half Finnish but don't speak a word of it unfortunately.I just took the screen name of the hero from the Kalevala on a whim.
Kietos (thats "thank you", I think)
Posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 13, 2006, at 14:27:47
In reply to Re: Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by vainamoinen on January 13, 2006, at 12:56:38
Hei!
Wow, I'm half Finnish too! My mother lives in Finland as well as a (full) finnish brother plus a billon aunts/uncles/cousins. I'm half British too. I've just spent two weeks in finland over Christmas!
My Finnish isn't too hot, but I can get by. I guess your mother is Finnish?Oh and to get back to meds, how is your current regime working? Do you think its helping? I've taken prozac, but not seroquel.
Meri-Tuuli
(which in Finnish means 'sea-wind' and is a common first name for girls)
Posted by B2chica on January 13, 2006, at 15:34:58
In reply to Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by vainamoinen on January 13, 2006, at 11:28:16
i've never been able to 'plan' for an episode but you can be prepared for one. think now of some things that you may do when you get manicky, such as no alchol,drugs etc, have a phone number of friend, pdoc/T, that you trust. plan an activity like when you start to feel up, stay home, wash laundry, paint...etc. or something like stay home and jam out to music, dance or something, maybe even plan to jog or run when it happens. having these things in mind might just slip right out when you get manic mode but if you keep them written down in your purse/wallet/pocket, whatever it may increase your chances of doing something on the paper vs. something too impulsive.
REMEMBER the enemy here is not your manic issues but impulsivity (which usually go hand in hand). remember dont' act impulsivly, be aware of it and ask yourself should i think on this somemore?good luck
b2c.
Posted by vbAgent on January 13, 2006, at 16:08:29
In reply to Re: Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by B2chica on January 13, 2006, at 15:34:58
Posted by vainamoinen on January 13, 2006, at 17:04:20
In reply to Re: Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by Meri-Tuuli on January 13, 2006, at 14:27:47
> Hei!
>
> Wow, I'm half Finnish too! My mother lives in Finland as well as a (full) finnish brother plus a billon aunts/uncles/cousins. I'm half British too. I've just spent two weeks in finland over Christmas!
> My Finnish isn't too hot, but I can get by. I guess your mother is Finnish?
>
> Oh and to get back to meds, how is your current regime working? Do you think its helping? I've taken prozac, but not seroquel.
>
> Meri-Tuuli
> (which in Finnish means 'sea-wind' and is a common first name for girls)
>Last time I was in Finland was 30 years ago when I was a kid. I think it would be fun to go back as an adult but there is the language thing. Nice country as I recall.
And yes my Mom is Finnish as was her Mom. Her maiden name was Ukkonnen. (sp?)
The Seroquel helps a lot thanks for asking. Actually I was just recently diagnosed as bipolar after about 20 years of messing around with various SSRI's and TCA's. When I took the Seroquel it was almost instantly like "ahhhhhhhh".
I might even have to cut back or eliminate the prozac. We'll see.
Posted by blueberry on January 13, 2006, at 18:18:05
In reply to Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by vainamoinen on January 13, 2006, at 11:28:16
Being able to recognize the manic episode is the tricky part. Sometimes they creep up on you and you aren't aware until it's already out of hand. I think being very aware of your behavior at all times can be helpful. Spot things you do that are out of the ordinary or unusual.
I asked a similar question and I was told that I should continue taking a medication to prevent it from happening in the first place. But I didn't like that idea. So I just keep a sharp eye out.
If I see minor things happening in my behavior that I suspect could be mania, I carry xanax with me. That mellows things down real fast. If I find myself in a full blown out of hand mania, I have depakote 500mg extended release onhand, which brings things back down to earth the first day.
Most of my manic episodes have been the good kind, the creative active sociable friendly hypomanic kind...I would really like one of those about now. :-) But for the rare bad ones, xanax or depakote work real fast when drastic action is needed immediately.
Posted by Phillipa on January 13, 2006, at 20:59:05
In reply to Re: Contingency plan for manic episode, posted by blueberry on January 13, 2006, at 18:18:05
Hey blueberry send one my way. And Bchica 2 an awesome reply. And hi Merri I need to E-mail you. Fondly, Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.