Bipolar Diagnosis

[jream]

Positive.

I am starting Zyprexa on Monday, he wanted me to stop taking lexapro, I explained how I don't think it does anything at all for me, my mom was there to explain too since I can't explain my moods all too well.

It is a relief to know, and I hope the meds help.
Good news is this is a Christian doctor and they are very nice people, they will even pray with you! Its a very nice place.

Well should I keep a journal on moods once I start?
Is there a simple way to write it down?
Day 1: Up, Middle of day Down but end of day Up

Any suggestions on that?

 

[Alaskamomma]

Jream, I am glad to know this is a relief for you. I guess it is comforting to finally know what exactly is going on inside of you. Personally, I am still learning to accept that, in fact, I have this disorder. Hasn't been easy.

Zyprexa is apart of my meds. I take it only as needed when I am wayyy high. It does help, I will admit.

As for the journal on moods... they do have made up ones (should have some at your doctor's office). But I would note daily whether you are high, low or stable. ALso add if anything happened to you that day that may affect your mood and whether or not you took your meds. This will help (in time) to chart your mood swings and you can take it to your doc to show how you are doing.

I wish you the very best and in the meantime, I hope you stick around here.

 

[jream]

Just wondering why you wouldn't want to be in your high moments. Actually I take that back, I would put myself in a straight jacket during those high moments - I think I was talking about the Hypomania I think where all those creative ideas flow, I wouldn't mind having that a LOT more!!

 

[Jeshu]

Positive.

I am starting Zyprexa on Monday, he wanted me to stop taking lexapro, I explained how I don't think it does anything at all for me, my mom was there to explain too since I can't explain my moods all too well.

It is a relief to know, and I hope the meds help.
Good news is this is a Christian doctor and they are very nice people, they will even pray with you! Its a very nice place.

Well should I keep a journal on moods once I start?
Is there a simple way to write it down?
Day 1: Up, Middle of day Down but end of day Up

Any suggestions on that?

Hi

The best way to keep track of your symptoms is to write them down and to score them daily - or more times if needed.

For example LEVEL is 5. From 5 down to 1 is low mood 5 up to 10 is your high mood. Keep a daily score - you could even divide a day into three if you want.

I kept track of my symptoms for almost three years. It served a great purpose I started to recognise my own symptoms after just a short time.

 

[sinneD]

Positive.

I am starting Zyprexa on Monday, he wanted me to stop taking lexapro, I explained how I don't think it does anything at all for me, my mom was there to explain too since I can't explain my moods all too well.

It is a relief to know, and I hope the meds help.
Good news is this is a Christian doctor and they are very nice people, they will even pray with you! Its a very nice place.

Well should I keep a journal on moods once I start?
Is there a simple way to write it down?
Day 1: Up, Middle of day Down but end of day Up

Any suggestions on that?

Jesse...

You don't know, Brother. how happy I am to hear this.. Not that you are diagnosed positive, but rather that you can put a name on it and start towards healing and recovery.

Those people here have much better thoughts on journaling than I do, but I always tell people to take some quiet time at the end of the day, and just write down how they felt..

Was it a good day, bad day, joyful, sad ? ... write down things that happened, and how you reacted to them..

Then, after an interval of time, go back and re-read those entires... look at the events that set you off, made you happy, made you sad - and ask yourself if you still feel that way about them..

Should you have handled those event differently ? What should you have done, or could you have done..?

It will become a means to track you success and your failures, your ups and downs, and to identify patterns, and maybe learn to avoid those things that are bad...

I've still got you on my prayer list

Dennis

 

[berry2000]

What a great blessing that you have found a place that you feel comfortable in and that shares your faith. I wish i had that connection with my psychiatrist. Don't get me wrong mine is great but to pray with me!! That would be so cool.

Best of luck with the zyprexa. Watch out for weight gain!

 

[jream]

thaks thaks thaks

My doctor said to stop taking lexapro. Ive tried before (thinking i didnt need it, i really dont)
I dropped from 20mg to 10mg about a year ago and never noticed anything.
If I go from 10mg to 0mg I dont wanna get brain zaps and vertigo feeling, i haet that.

Arent you supposed to go off anti-D's slowly? My dad went off lexapro like he never took it, it was weird. He said he felt a little funny for a week and thats it.

Will doing 5mg a day for a week, then 5 every other day for a week, then 5 like twice in the week than stopping. Be better?
I ask because I dont know if this affects the Mood Stabalizer if I was still taking it - he wanted me to be off Lexapro 3 days before I started the new meds.

I dont wanna gain weight on these meds! I just lost 8lbs from my last visit i dunno how hahaha.
Why do you gain weight? How much? Does it ever stop?

 

[jream]

lol now im all anxious about this haha, well...........
IT MIGHT HURT ME BUT IT AINT GONNA KILL ME.
I wish I could keep that motto in my head but I dont know when Ill decide I feel like I cant. What a weird person i am to me.

 

[angelkiss]

lol now im all anxious about this haha, well...........
IT MIGHT HURT ME BUT IT AINT GONNA KILL ME.
I wish I could keep that motto in my head but I dont know when Ill decide I feel like I cant. What a weird person i am to me.

That sounds like a good title for your journal.
I personally, write down everything I've felt throughout the day. As my therapist wants to know ALL details, I know I won't leave nothing out if I write it all down. There have been times that I've put dots atween the entries representing something else that happened or something that I'm feeling in the same day.

EX: Feeling really low right now....(explain what my day has been up to this point)
........................................................................................
At the moment, I'm feeling better. My mind ain't racing as much, blah-blah-blah.


The more detail I write, I have found that when I go back, I can find things that have triggered an episode that I didn't catch right away. Then, it helps keeps me alert on the situation to avoid the same thing happening in the future.
Now, this ain't 100% possible for me all the time. Sometimes, I can't get my head clear enough to write anything, and the way my mind sometimes spins, I wouldn't make a lick of sense if I tried to write it down. But, for the most part, it works well for me.
God bless,
s and es!!

 

[bipolarbear]

Positive.

I am starting Zyprexa on Monday, he wanted me to stop taking lexapro, I explained how I don't think it does anything at all for me, my mom was there to explain too since I can't explain my moods all too well.

It is a relief to know, and I hope the meds help.
Good news is this is a Christian doctor and they are very nice people, they will even pray with you! Its a very nice place.

Well should I keep a journal on moods once I start?
Is there a simple way to write it down?
Day 1: Up, Middle of day Down but end of day Up

Any suggestions on that?

As far as a mood chart goes, I don't like, nor do I have time to get detailed. I decided to base the whole day on a scale of 1-5, then I realized that The three, could be a problem, so I changed it to a 1-4 scale. != bad day 2= ok day 3= good day all things considered. meaning I handeled myself for the most part pretty good for what i had to go through, or deal with. 4= a Good day! A normal, average, the day went smoothly, I had a plesant day, a good day... I hope that helpes, then I made a spread sheet with colomns, and each day of the month. I also list the totals at the bottom at the end of the month, leave enough room to write one sentance that sums up the day, and compair each month aginst the others... On the same spread sheet, I list my doctor's appointments, so I can find out how many and when at a glance. You may consider noting the meds you are taking at that time, and a breif note about how they make you feel, good or bad... Take the chart with you to your appointments, sso your Doc can physicly see how you are doing. Have a blessed day, and welcome to the bipolor rollercoaster

 

[Meshavrischika]

Positive.

I am starting Zyprexa on Monday, he wanted me to stop taking lexapro, I explained how I don't think it does anything at all for me, my mom was there to explain too since I can't explain my moods all too well.

It is a relief to know, and I hope the meds help.
Good news is this is a Christian doctor and they are very nice people, they will even pray with you! Its a very nice place.

Well should I keep a journal on moods once I start?
Is there a simple way to write it down?
Day 1: Up, Middle of day Down but end of day Up

Any suggestions on that?

I loved my zyprexa (as far as mood) but it made me gain weight, so i am taking seroquel.

You could start a thread and monitor your moods and people could know when you were down to cheer you up!

I think charting is not so important personally as being aware of your moods and the REASON behind them. If you're in a foul mood because you got in a fight with the neighbor that's one thing... but if you can't find a logical reason for your mood, I would make a note of it if that helps you.