medication?

Yes have to take my meds! Or I'll have a breakdown not being able to cope and end up back in the Psych ward! deal a lot with suicidal thoughts and even more of them if I'm not on my meds. unfortunately. God Bless

gremlinsluvr said:

i've had so many relationships destroyed because of my "mood swings". guys called me psychotic, and told me that i was crazy, and a whole bunch of other garbage. then i was diagnosed with having bipolar disorder. i refused to take the medication recommended, because i'm distrustful of it... does anyone on here take it?

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Yes I do and I'm a lot better than when I don't take them, for years I didn't trust medication either but after my fourth major psychosis I gave it a try - as requested by my wife - things got a lot better after that.
So give it a try as well things might turn out better for you as well.

God bless.

gremlinsluvr said:

i've had so many relationships destroyed because of my "mood swings". guys called me psychotic, and told me that i was crazy, and a whole bunch of other garbage. then i was diagnosed with having bipolar disorder. i refused to take the medication recommended, because i'm distrustful of it... does anyone on here take it?

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Thats a really tough question b/c I see people who take meds and really need them but at the same time we are getting over medicated as humans. Some of the drugs are just plain nasty and lead to diaster so I would really do all the research you can. The only thing I was curious about is it other than relationshipsis it harming your life or taking too much away from it? I mean at a certain point it has to really come down to quality of life and which way you are better of going. I wouldn't do it for any relationship though and maybe that sounds cold. My g/f just lets me go with it and my mind is always all over the map. If you don't like my mood wait a minute kinda thing. I'm never abusive or mean at all ummmm just kinda nutty to be honest. Serious "Kafka" moods I can them when all is despair to high as a kite with creation. I feel it doesn't harm me and my g/f knows exactly what it is so it rarely effects our lives. Really with her support I can just roll with it and her humour helps eg. she always refers to me as a preteen goth girl. hmmm im 34 and male but i kinda see her point lol
As for should u take meds or not I just can't say or give advice on something like that and moreso not knowing you. But as far as relationships go, i mean it should be based on one long friendship, one journey with total acceptance and understanding. If it's just for reationships...Id wait, find someone more understanding or just play it solo. all just my opinions man and I'm no MD the answer is always within ourselves. And if u do have these different "mood swings' be careful that you don't see that as a fault within yourself. It could be a hindrance and have to be dealt with on that basis but it's no fault. Whos to even say it's a negative experience really b/c my mind goes into some pretty dark places but I find it a great source of knowledge as well. I've just learned to embrace it as part of who I am and love that part as well.
sometimes it's just better to go with it, gibe in, go insane temporarily b/c it restores sanity and gives perspective.
again just my opinions from experience and I in no way think I'm right
u will find the answer and be surprised at how strongs we are as humans(too many are forgetting that)
peace love
Andrew

try them for at least 6 months, then see how you feel. i was very skeptical, and that's the advice given to me.

gremlinsluvr said:

mmm... not sure. it's supposed to be the 'heroine' of perscription drugs...

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Indeed the drugs prescribed are 'heavy' drugs in that they have a severe impact on those who take them. However one has to weigh up the cost of being very sick all the time or unwell once in awhile. My advise remains to try it for some time (at least six months) and see for yourself if it improves your condition or not.

I have been on Lithium for my Rapid cycling BP2 for almost 11 years now and the only thing I noticed besides feeling like normal and not being suicidal all the time is a little weight gain.
Unless I try to stretch my one month supply to around 4 months.
Moving to a new city and not having a Doc was the reason for this one.
Go see a new one Weds. Wish me luck !

Take em for 6 months and see how you feel.

Hi Gremlin.... We have to stop meeting like this.... We have lots in common. I have Bipolar Disorder Type 2. I was just diagnosed a few months ago and was put on Lamactil. It seemes to help when I was taking it. I had to stop taking it when I found out that I am pregnant and so far I am doing okay without it. However, I am also home all the time because I am on limited bedrest from my pregnancy, so I am not dealing with the stress of work. The doctors have also told me that the hormones produced while pregnant are helping me not fall into depression. If I was not pregnant though, I would be taking my meds again as I do think they help!


-Courtney

Honey, take your meds. Stay on them for good. Don't stop taking them when you feel okay; that is a recipe for disaster. You will see a marked improvement in time. See your doctor regularly and go to therapy. Take care of yourself, eat right, exercise, establish a routine, go to bed at the same time every day and get up at the same time. You need to be in treatment.

I have BPD II and was diagnosed 14 years ago. It took me a long time to find the right combination of medications. (It may take you a while too; you may have to try several different drugs.) I am telling you this now: I will NEVER go back to the way I was without my meds. My life was crazy, I was crazy, and I could not manage my life. I have a medical condition, and it sounds like you do, too. So take your medication.

You will not get high, you will not become a junky, you will not be on the street trying to cop Lithium. You may be drowsy for the first few days, but this will go away after a while. It takes getting used to; you will feel better after a few weeks. These are not street drugs. This is actual medication and you have a serious medical condition.
Everyone who truly has Bipolar Disorder must take real medication for it, or will end up either so manic they jump off a building because they think they can fly or so depressed they kill themselves or others. This is a BAD thing. TAKE YOUR MEDS.

I agree don't stop taking the meds if you feel better...I had a friend who did that and she ended up going deeper than she was in the first place. It's important to keep the dosage level.

I think you have made a wise decision in deciding to take the meds. Dont go off them when you start feeling ok..youll start feeling ok only because your on them! My son was diagnosed a month ago with BipolarI with psychosis and let me tell you..its like night and day with him on these meds. they make a world of difference. He is so much more calm, stable and happy. Yet last night he says "hey mom i think i am gonna have a talk with my doctor and ask him if i can go off the meds pretty soon since i am doing ok now!"...See thats the thing he doesnt understand..he is feeling OK BECAUSE of the meds..i tried explaining..going off them will bring him right back to where he WAS! When you are truly bipolar..you NEED this medication!

Medicine is imperitave! It is also a challenge!

Being diagnosed with any mental disease comes from a doctor -- one man's opinion. There are no machines, blood tests or urin samples that can detect any of this. They can't tell you what causes it or what will cure it. They can only treat mentally diseased people by case study: i.e. "this drug worked good for that guy, so it might work for you."

It is your responsibility to take your meds. I have to share this burden with my wife be cause I have no concept of time. (I may think that I have taken them, but I'm remembering yesterday's dose. If it wasn't for her, I'd be lost!)

It is also your responsibility to track your moods (keep a journal, make a scorecard system on your palm pilot, etc.) in order for you to communicate accurately with your doctor. Sometimes, I told my doctor that everything was great -- not realizing that I was in a state of mania, and other times I told him that everything was horrible -- forgetting that I had 3 great days that week. Each time I voiced how I was feeling, the meds changed to counteract the 'extreme.'

It is also your responsibility to gather information. I was on many different kinds of anti-depressants over the years. These drugs CAUSED me to cycle. When I paid for the pills, I cycled again. I was admitted to the hospital about a year ago. The meds I was taking not only caused me to crash, I went to the emergency room -- twice -- with heart-attack symptoms, cut off the end of a finger, suffered a stroke and had uncontrollably high blood pressure. All of this was attributed to the drugs.

You need to gather all the information you can find on each drug you are taking. Learn the side effects and compare this information to your daily journal. Learn to tell your doctor how you are feeling and reacting to the meds, and pray for the wisdom to know when to change doctors.

Information and communication is the key!

Stephen Tanneberg

hey. I have been where you are before. The reason that I take the medicine is because I don't like to feel out of control. With the medicine it gives me some of the control back. I know that it isn't the perfect answer, because let's be honest...TAKING PILLS SUCKS, but I also know that God gives us this disease for a reason. IF god has given this to you, why not use the resources that he has provided to help it? I hate the medicine and taking it makes me feel like I can't live life on my own, but maybe god's just trying to show me that I can't live life with or without HIM, whether or not I have bipolar.

IF you want to talk drop me a line: shootthemoon29@aol.com
Title your email as: BIPOLAR

BlondieLashes said:

Hi Gremlin.... We have to stop meeting like this.... We have lots in common. I have Bipolar Disorder Type 2. I was just diagnosed a few months ago and was put on Lamactil. It seemes to help when I was taking it. I had to stop taking it when I found out that I am pregnant and so far I am doing okay without it. However, I am also home all the time because I am on limited bedrest from my pregnancy, so I am not dealing with the stress of work. The doctors have also told me that the hormones produced while pregnant are helping me not fall into depression. If I was not pregnant though, I would be taking my meds again as I do think they help!


-Courtney

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when i was pregnant that was my best time ever!! i was not manic, i was not depressed. i was allowed to sleep at least 12 hours a day (10 hours of sleep, & a 2 hour nap) and i felt wonderful! i felt safe, comfortable, well rested, etc...

aaahhhhhhhhhhhh... those were the good ole days.............

I'm brand new here. I had to respond to this post. I have been on Lithium for 20 years now. I still get a little depressed sometimes in the winter, but other than that I'm fine. I know that if I tried to go off it I would be in big trouble. I remember what I was like before I started taking it, and I don't want to go back. I thank God every day that I found a doctor who could diagnose me. It took two years and two hospital stays in a psych ward before I was diagnosed. It was called Manic Depression back then.

So keep taking your meds. I know it's a pain. I get tired of taking it twice a day, but I know that it's better than the alternative.

Bonnie