Confused- about bipolar / depression

Avatar for creisored
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Confused- about bipolar / depression
6
Wed, 02-22-2006 - 11:44am

I was diagnosed w/disthymia a while back and have been prescribed Lexapro. I went from 5 mg to 10 mg, and now yesterday was prescribed Seroquel in addition because the Lexapro did help bring me up but now I'm on the moody (up and down) side and have a continuing difficultly with sleep. Doc did mention bipolar- when talking about the Seroquel, but then said it didn't matter what the word or diagnosis was, the important thing was to make me feel better.

I'm a bit confused re: what bipolar is and if in fact, maybe I'm mildly bipolar. Any thoughts you can share re: Seroquel and also bipolar would be helpful to me. Thanks!

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-06-2005
Wed, 02-22-2006 - 1:57pm

Hi and Welcome


I had to look up disthymia to understand you confusion.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-02-2003
Wed, 02-22-2006 - 8:56pm

All Dx's is just a label, though it helps doctors deal with the symptoms. The symptoms is what needs to be treated. Not all bipolars are the same, therefore, not one med is givin' out to all people with bipolar or any other mental illness. Seroquel is used for sleep a lot of times. Bipolars and shizophrenics who hear voices and have visual hallucinations also take Seroquel, but not everyone on Seroquel is hearing voices or seeing things that aren't there. If sleep is the symptom then Seroquel is being used to promote sleep.


Dysthemia- Is concidered a milder form of depression but it tends to last on and off for a long time, maybe for life but it can be treated. I have been Dx'd everything I can tell you. But what I need is for the docs to help me with the symptoms I am having before Dx'ing me. Having a Dx's labels the issue and yes it brings light to what is happening to you, but the symptoms of your illness needs to be treated on an individual basis.


EX: I am bipolar and you are bipolar.


Your symptoms(just an example)...Racing thoughts, irritablility, feeling edgy, can't sleep, and then feeling up and

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-21-2005
Wed, 02-22-2006 - 10:49pm

Hi and welcome :)
From what I know, dysthymia is a form of mild depression that doesnt come and go, it is always there and sometimes gets worse then better again but never completely goes away. SOme people respond very well to treatment for it and some dont, it is considered a form of bipolar disorder because the of the ups and downs within the depression, but your doctor may know something I dont and he/she is the best one to ask about your particular situation. The advice everyone else gave you is great but I wanted to add my 2 cents and recommend a really great book that I read about being bipolar(and it has dysthymia in it too). I am giving you a link to amazon.com for the book but I found the copy I read from the public library if you dont want to buy it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1572305258/102-8339101-6832932?v=glance&n=283155

I hope this was helpful and keep us posted
Rebekah

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iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Thu, 02-23-2006 - 10:17am

Welcome to the board!

Avatar for creisored
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Thu, 02-23-2006 - 11:29am

Thank you all so much for all the info and links--now it's time to read!

The thing is, I have a feeling that's what's going on with me (bipolar) because as more time goes by, it seems to fit at least mildly. I am on 10 mg of Lexapro and while that helped with the depression, I find myself going up and down a heck of a lot more, only now I don't feel like driving my car off a cliff or anything!

I feel a lot of shame about this...I hate mental illness and hate the fact that this all came to a head. I wish I was normal.

Thanks again, and I'll check into all the links. I like to read!

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-18-2003
Thu, 02-23-2006 - 12:15pm

don't know if this will help, but please try not to feel shame about this. mental illness is no different than a physical illness in so far as an illness that needs to be treated. it doesn't make you any less of a person. it's just important to get the treatment you need to be well. many people, when i first came here, likened it to diabetes and heart disease. they are both illnesses that need continual treatment to be healthy.


as for the "diagnoses" itself, i got hung up on that too. bipolar had such a negative connotation in society for so many years that when i was diagnosed with it i freaked. i had visions of being locked up somewhere with the key thrown away. the wonderful ladies here at the board helped me realize (along with my tdoc) that things just don't work that way anymore. you would be surprised at the number of people who are perceived by society to be "normal" who actually have some form of mental illness. it's more common than many people realize. does it matter to the individual being treated? i think in some cases it does because you can arm yourself with information and become more proactive in your treatment than if you don't know what you are dealing with. yet, on the flip side of that, i can see your pdoc's point of view too.


hang in there and check out those sites. they are very helpful. and post here often. we have a wonderful group of women here and we all help each other out.


hugs,


traci