Good Morning All!

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Good Morning All!
13
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 8:52am

Just checking on everyone! Hope you all are okay. I'm doing well this morning. Had a sort of BAD morning yesterday, but bounced back pretty quick...THANK GOD FOR CYMBALTA!!!

Anybody want to talk about anything in particular today?

Love to you all,

Keli

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iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2004
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 8:59am
Good Morning, Keli. Not much going on over here in Texas. My question for people today is do you have anyone else in your family that is bipolar? I know many people here have children with a diagnosis, but I was wondering if there is anyone else in your family affected. Amanda
iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2004
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 9:05am
*****Potential Triggers*****
I guess I should answer my own question. I have an uncle who is bipolar. He didn't have a diagnosis until he was 30. He is a recovering alcoholic. He had many, many DWIs, drunken fights, car wrecks, divorce and lost custody of his then 2 year old son, etc. etc. before he was diagnosed. Afterwards, he got a masters degree, a great job, a new wife and a new life. He is not a very talkative person, he is pretty private, but I feel privileged that he will share his "old" life and his "new" life and experiences with me. I also appreciate that he "forged the trail" in my family so that my diagnosis was not a shock and they were very supportive from day one. I am proud of the man he has become. I am also happy to say that I told him that just this morning.
I'm proud of the women we are all striving to be. We are stronger than people think. We are stronger than we think. We can do this. Thank you for being here for me.
Amanda
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 10:08am

Great Question Amanda...POTENTIAL TRIGGERS!!!!

My family is literally riddled by Bipolar, and on both sides amazingly enough. From my mother's side of the family, I have an aunt and an uncle (brother and sister) who have been officially diagnosed. From my father's side of the family, my dad and my uncle are UNOFFICIALLY, but definitely Bipolar. My brother is also diagnosed, but not medicated.

WOW, huh?

My son was diagnosed at age 3 with severe ADHD, and the older he gets (now 14) the more I know its BP and not simply ADHD. But I don't want him medicated right now, and he isn't having any real problems. I have problems with his anger sometimes, but we can deal with it for now. I know its only a matter of time before he's going to have to get treatment, but I'm not rushing it. Its not fun, and I want him to have as "normal" a life as possible for as long as he can.

Its amazing to me, how genetic this disorder is. I never even knew the others in my family had it, until after my own dx.

The uncle on my mom's side was a lot like you described Amanda. DUI's, alcoholic, women, divorce...but he's now stable, has a new family and is doing well.

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 10:54am

Great question Amanda!

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2003
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 10:54am

I have decided to eat my way through Christmas and New Years! I just had my third cookie this morning (oink, oink!). As for family members with bipolar, my father has depression and has responded well to Wellbutrin. He has had medication induced mania's, but never a "naturally occuring" one, so his diagnosis is officially depression. My maternal Grandmother, who I miss very much, had MDD most of her life. When I was a kid, she was so wacked out of Valium, she never made much sense to me. Then, after my diagnosis at 23, my mom saw what was going on and got her on Paxil. She was a different women and I love her. She had been in the hospital once and ECT once, but as she got older, I guess she got better, along with a good SSRI. I feel, that byfar, I am the worst, almost as if it is progressing through the family. I worry about my two sons all the time. I know it is normal for 4 year olds to start dreaming more vividly at his age, but sometimes the things he describes, reminds me of when I started having vivd visions. I will just wait and see.

Kristin

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-02-2003
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 11:53am

Well....that is a great question. I have no idea on my father's side at all. They wouldn't tell us anyway. I lost my dad 15 years ago.

On my Mom's side, her sister and a few of her children and their children. Other than that nobody has said anything. I know my aunt has been through hell and back and then again.

I have to believe that my twin sister is. She denies it, but when I go to her house she is yelling at her daughter (who by the way is a great kid, and didn't deserve the screams). I've begged my sister to see a pdoc, that her verbal abuse can and will be so hard on that beautiful child.

I've known my entire life that something was wrong. Hopefully now I'm getting the help I need.

Hugs and Love,
Carla

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 12:08pm

Hey Carla...

How ya doing?

Hugs,

Keli

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-04-2003
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 1:33pm

Carla-

Show her some stats. I don't know where I saw this, I am sure it is some where around the web, but first degree relatives who have bp (father, mother) give you a 50% of having the disease, but the highest, and most distirbing was twins. If one has it, there is an 80% chance for identical twins that the other twin would have it. It is only 20% for fraternal, but if you have parents or other family members, the odds get higher.

Kristin

Avatar for schitz
iVillage Member
Registered: 02-06-2004
In reply to: keli003
Mon, 12-20-2004 - 3:48pm

Hey everyone.

I don't know of anyone in my family who has bipolar and only one that I know of that has any mental problems, namely my aunt with panic disorder, oh and my cousin I just learned is having problems causing her to self injure which saddens me. I've been there done that but I still don't know what to say to her. Plus she hasn't told me that she does it, my mom did. Actually from what I've heard about what's going on with her it is eerily similar to me when I was her age so I'm thinkig she may end up with similar diagnosis to me. BPD and bipolar. Sorry to conuse anyone but BPD is borderline personality disorder. Hard to differentiate when you shorten bipolar to BP as well.

I do not have any children so I don't have to wonder about that yet.

Carla brought up the very thing that I was going to and that is about twin. I have a twin brother (obviously, fraternal) who does not seem to have any problems. The thing I'm wondering about twins is whether it is more common in twins when it doesn't show up elsewhere. I seem to find in many areas of my life I have problems that don't show up elsewhere in my family and am wondering about the influence of being a twin. I learned in psych class about female androgenization and really wanted to know more about that but never got to see the prof (lectures were done by video!) I also find that my brother and I are more opposites than the same. It's like taking one perfect and complete person and splitting them in half. Then you have us. The only thing we have in common is our musical talents (and he is by far more talented - one of those "natural talents" while I have to work hard every day to get anywhere with it).

Well that's all for me. Sorry I didn't mean to go on so long.

Amanda/Schitz

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Avatar for sweetcaroline2001
iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-2003
In reply to: keli003
Tue, 12-21-2004 - 4:27am

Hi Keli,

I am doing good. I have spoken with Teri a little on im but I was just wondering-she isn't cl'ing anymore??? I just saw your name up there and was wondering. I hope she is ok-
Let me know if you can, k?

Hugs,
Carrie

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