Is anyone else Bi-Polar, Tell Me About A Typical Day In Your Life

Question

I was diagnosed in 2000.

Then after 20 years I had to go on disability and leave a career I loved.

I still try to work part time and sometimes when I have a "good day", I feel like I'm "sucking" off the system.

Then their are those times where I have to force myself to even get out of bed and shower.

Then I sit there in an emotional mess for at least part of the day.

I have a DR. (I've had many) and a counselor, but life isn't what it use to be.

Anyone else deal with these kind of issues?

Answer 1

I used to have manic episodes, with no inbetween times.  Never diagnosed BP--to my knowledge (I was on disability for several years, but they refused to release to me their doctor's findings in my case, even though I signed to get them, twice...)  I know it *really* undermines one's social & many other aspects of life!

Some people --especially Ruth Whalen--  who have found that caffeine & theophyline have played a significant, *negative* role in their mental health 'roller'coaster rides', are sharing their experiences.  She now has a book (or 2) out about the issue...

Ruth Whalen's books are shown here...  

http://www. welcometothedancecaffeineallergy. com/

(remove the spaces in the URL)

At least 2 of her articles are online, here:

"How Much Mental Illness is an Allergy to Caffeine?"  

1. "CAFFEINE ALLERGY: Past Disorder or Present Epidemic?",

by Ruth Whalen, Medical Laboratory Technician  

http://www. doctoryourself. com/caffeine_allergy.html  

http://mentalhealth. about.com/library/yourturn/ uc091602.htm  

(remove the spaces in the URLs)

"In allergic persons, each cup of coffee, cola, tea, every piece of chocolate, and any ingested caffeine products, intensifies toxic psychosis. Half-life increases. Subsequent doses, including minute amounts, act as a bolus. Cells are poisoned, including neurons."

"Toxicity is known to cause excitement, agitation, restlessness, shifting states of consciousness, and toxic psychosis, mimicking amphetamine psychosis. Allergic individuals may be erroneously diagnosed, medicated, and lost in a dark disturbed world, until death."

"Caffeine toxicity may also masquerade as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety. In 1925, Powers described nervousness, visual problems, and dizziness, in patients he discovered suffered from caffeine toxicity."  

"It's highly probable, that millions of consumers developed an allergy to caffeine, especially since availability and production increased rapidly mid- twentieth century. In which case, natural insights, and physical and mental health, have been sacrificed to chronic toxicity, resulting in organic brain, silently posing as ADD, ADHD, anxiety, ***BPD***, depression, OCD, panic, and schizophrenia. Physical ailments resemble amphetamine poisoning, and include drug eruptions, masquerading as "rosacea.'"

2. "Dangers of Caffeine Intake...

- Caffeine Induced Anaphylaxis, A Progressive Toxic Dementia"

(with references)  by, Ruth Whalen, MLT, ASCP  

http://www. doctoryourself .com/caffeine2.html

(remove the spaces in the URL)

So much for possible causes...

I find the following articles very understanding & supportive of those experiencing BPD, & helpful for those who are close to those with BPD symptoms:

"Understanding Mood Disorders..." :

- Tormented Minds

- Living With a Mood Disorder

- Hope for Sufferers

- How Others Can Help  

http://watchtower.org/e/20040108/article...  

These are great, too:

You Can Fight Pessimism

- With Positive, Goal-Oriented Thinking  

http://watchtower.org/e/20040422/article...

Where Can You Find Real Hope?

- A Deeper Definition of Hope

- The Basis for True Hope

- What Hope Does God Give Us?

- What Hope Can Do for *You*...  

http://watchtower.org/e/20040422/article...

I eventually went to a Very Good, Researching N.D.  He discovered that I had multiple infections in the brain & nervous system... and also a heavy load of mercury, several parasites, & some fungi (not all --but some-- in my brain.  

(He said that I must have a Very Strong constitution, as some of those things alone can kill---And, yes, my parents are 92/93 yrs old!) After clearing these, & going on a diet free from foods I've become sensitive to, & cleaning up my environment (I have MCSs) I was able to come (slowly) off seizure control medicine after 35 years, (& having been told that I would always have to take it...)  I'm Much Better now than I ever was on the drugs (or before) -- and for awhile I had taken some 'meds' for depression, but they did no good, so I'd already quit those.  In fact, I had a very severe reaction to one of them!

When I'd asked --as a teen-- "Isn't there something I should be doing with my diet?"  The Dr. said: "No.  Just take your medicine, & eat anything you want!"   ...I really think he believed that! ):  But, am so glad to know better, now! (;  

I earnestly look forward to...

"When Sickness Is No More!" (:

http://watchtower.org/e/200701/article_0...

"...“Look! The tent of God is with mankind...  

And he will wipe every tear from their eyes...

Neither will death , nor mourning, nor outcry, nor pain be anymore.

The former things have passed away." --Revelation 21:3,4  

(compare Isaiah 65:17-19)

http://watchtower.org/bible/index.htm

This was what 'got me through the tough times'! (:

Answer 2

Count yourself fortunate that you are on disability.  As I understand we bipolars don't qualify.  I wasn't able to get SSI because I didn't have enough points because I was working with a city who carries disabiliity insurance. I had an accident and had a bilateral suberal hemotoma surgery and now dealing with the remnants.

As for bipolar, I've been diagonosed for 20 years or more.  It's a tough road and a cross to bear. Not that I have the two issues, I'm more confused.  I finally found a psych who is excellent and have kept me somewhat stable.  

* Excuse me, but I don't remember much after the accident, but I can tell you what is occuring now.

I have terrible bouts with racing thoughts, depression, and fatigue.  I sleep most of day and all night. The sleep clinics didn't show anything.  I think I'm making all this up.  I feel guilty because my life has changed, and so has mine.  Bipolar is one of those diseases that has social stigmas, which doesn't help.  In my case, counseling didn't help and it was more about balancing the meds.  I just go to doctors, a little shopping, and some cooking.  Can't do much else.  If this doesn't make sense it's because I'm confused what is now the TBI or bipolar.  I do remember, that the meds were trial and error and I was bouncing all which way.  There is so much suffering with bipolar, but keep yourself somewhat sane, and pray the Lord help you!  At least I have some peace and just need to go on.  God Bless You!

Answer 3

My son was just diagnosed with bipolar with manic tendencies last September, 2007.  He is presently in a manic episode having been institutionalized for ten days and released exactly one week ago.

Sadly, he is now even more manic than ever and suffering from ringing in the ears and intense head pain necessitating two emergency room visits lasting over ten hours combined.

He went to my brothers house last night and attempted to ride his bike home on the LIE at midnight.  My brother lives over an hour away by car.  I can go on forever with days in his life.

What you, as well as my son, needs is to be on the proper mix of meds.  While biplar is not cureable, it is treatable.  Trial and error to get on that right mix that will let you lead a somewhat normal life.  If at first you dont succeed, try again and again to you find the solution.

Good luck.  I wish you the best.

Answer 4

I'm not bi-polar but I'm really close to someone who is. When he is having a good day he is really funny, very productive and an absolute joy to be around. When he is having a bad day he either sleeps all day, shuts himself off from the rest of the world or goes off on these rants and raves and makes people around him upset. I understand whats going on with him, its like a woman going thru the change but worse. I just have to leave him alone and hope it passes with in a few days. Sometimes it does and sometimes it lingers. He is on medication for it but as you know meds don't always do the trick. I wish you luck dealing with the condition and I hope you have a good support group in your life. Take care.  

Answer 5

The medications affect your life- they sort of "dull" your moods. You're never skippy-happy or tears-sad. Just kinda- grey. I have long bouts of "normalcy" followed by intense depressions and manias. Most of my days are fine, I go to school, am retired medically, take about 9 drugs.

The cycles creep up on me, depressions are usually at least a month long and suicidal. Manias, when mild, are happy times. When severe, they push me into psychosis. I just spent  a week and a half in the severest depression in 10 years, and somehow managed to do school work! (It's the Buddhism).

My moods don' t change in hours or days, more like weeks and months.

Life will never be the way it used to be, get used to that. You have a chronic, serious disease that needs constant treatment- like diabetes. Diabetics live their lives, but never the same.

In 8 years they should have found you the right medications. After 15 years I've found a combination I can live with. I have no s*x drive, but I guess you can't have everything! I've had about 8 doctors, but my therapist goes to bat for me.

Read all you can about meds, bipolar, the different types, which fits you the best, the med you think would help and go to the Dr. armed with your information. They don't much care- they just want you out in 15 minutes.

Best of luck, hope all gets better for you! Email if you want.