Some questions I have...
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Some questions I have...
| Sun, 06-11-2006 - 10:38pm |
Okay guys, there are like a ton of questions going through my head so I just thought I'd get them out there and see if y'all could help me out... sorry if it's a little overwhelming! Thanks in advance...
-What happened to bipolar people before there was medication? I mean if people could get by before there was medication shouldn't we be able to?
-How long do you have to have a tdoc/pdoc?
-Who do you tell? How do people react? what if they dont believe you?
-Do you ever feel completely normal/balanced?
-Can it get worse even if your medicated?
-Do you know anyone else bipolar? like in real life... does that help you? I wish I knew someone, just to talk to them.
-How do you deal with pregnancy? Is it just a longggg 9 months? Is it really fair to have a child if theres a chance it could be bipolar?
-Is it bad to do something stressful? Like go to med school? Is ok to be a therapist or would that cause too many problems for us, like to hear other people's problems, would that be like constant triggers?
-Has anyone been to a support group? Do they help?
-Could I have done something differently in my past to prevent bipolar?
-Is it normal to feel numbed on medication?
-about my tdoc... is it normal to feel extremely connected to her? I mean she's leaving for a month in mid july then I'll be going to collegee so essentially I only have a month left with her. it makes me so sad!! what do i do? This is why i dont open up to people becausue you get attached and then you lose them.
Ok so I asked enough questions for every bipolar person on the planet, but I'm just overflowing with questions! Thanks guys!!
-What happened to bipolar people before there was medication? I mean if people could get by before there was medication shouldn't we be able to?
-How long do you have to have a tdoc/pdoc?
-Who do you tell? How do people react? what if they dont believe you?
-Do you ever feel completely normal/balanced?
-Can it get worse even if your medicated?
-Do you know anyone else bipolar? like in real life... does that help you? I wish I knew someone, just to talk to them.
-How do you deal with pregnancy? Is it just a longggg 9 months? Is it really fair to have a child if theres a chance it could be bipolar?
-Is it bad to do something stressful? Like go to med school? Is ok to be a therapist or would that cause too many problems for us, like to hear other people's problems, would that be like constant triggers?
-Has anyone been to a support group? Do they help?
-Could I have done something differently in my past to prevent bipolar?
-Is it normal to feel numbed on medication?
-about my tdoc... is it normal to feel extremely connected to her? I mean she's leaving for a month in mid july then I'll be going to collegee so essentially I only have a month left with her. it makes me so sad!! what do i do? This is why i dont open up to people becausue you get attached and then you lose them.
Ok so I asked enough questions for every bipolar person on the planet, but I'm just overflowing with questions! Thanks guys!!

You have some excellent questions. I will answer the ones I can the best I can:
Before there were meds for bp, the milder cases probably got by, but A LOT of them were institutionalized (meds beat that, no?) Many that were not institutionalized became addicted to alcohol and street drugs, since those were the only meds they could turn to (heck, that still happens)
It is best to always have a tdoc and a pdoc, but if absolutely necessary, you can get by with a general practitioner to prescribe your medicine. But, according to the textbooks I have read, the best therapy is a combination of drugs and talk.
Be careful who you tell! Tell your family members and others who really need to know, but reserve the rest until you have enough rapport to really trust them. Be especially cautious with employers and coworkers (I learned the latter the hard way).
I have been fairly stable for a few years now, and I now feel "normal" most of the time. But, be patient, it takes awhile to reach this state!
I know that bp gets worse when untreated because each episode further weakens the brain and makes it more susceptible to its own attacks. It would stand to reason that if you are on the wrong meds and still having episodes, or if no meds work for you properly, that it can get worse. The right meds make it much better, though, so take heart and keep experimenting!
Due to some changes in my life right now, I am not close to anyone with bp, but I have known many. I have met them in therapy groups and in support groups. If you would like to meet such people, try these places. Heck, email me privately if you ever want a phone call- I have unlimited long distance! (Many other people on this board will say that, too.)
Can you do stressful things? It depends. People with bp can't handle as much stress as some people, but they don't have to sit around all the time, either. I became a school teacher (music) successfully, and statistically that is one of the more stressful jobs. I have known a few docs that were bp, too. Do you want to go to med school? GO!
I have been in a few support groups, and I must admit, they have not helped me much. But, I know they help some people, so they are worth a try for everyone.
In my opinion, nothing you did or did not do in your life made you become bipolar. It is a genetic bugaboo that seems to turn up no matter what. (I hope you are not feeling personally responsible;}.)
I have felt numbed on many of the meds I have tried, but not the ones I am on now (yay!) Keep experimenting, and only take the numbing ones if nothing else works. Being stoned all the time is not ideal.
If you feel attached to your tdoc, that could be good, as long as professional boundaries are maintained. There are some tdocs that are impossible for some people to get along with. People that find someone that helps them are very lucky. Enjoy it!
Maybe I can go on by giving you my history in a nutshell: I am 33, and was diagnosed bp when I was 20. After I was diagnosed, I was in and out of the hospital and college many times, but finally reached stability and a master's degree when I was 29. I still had some hard times when I was hospitalized after that, but the last time was two years ago. In the last two years, I married my long time bf, and am now happy and stable in the Toronto area. I bet you can find happiness, too. BP is not a death sentence, one can live with it.
Oh, one other thing: in the spirit of bp not being a death sentence, don't let that keep you from having kids. It's not fun, but life is a precious enough gift to anyone to overcome that.
Best of luck to you, and {{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}
Express!
Beth "Petrouchka"
Hello again...I'm avioding going to bed so I thought I'd give a shot at some of your questions. Disclaimer: I am not a doctor, nor do I play one on tv...
-What happened to bipolar people before there was medication? I mean if people could get by before there was medication shouldn't we be able to?
I have no idea- good question. It seems they have had medication since about the 1950's (could be wrong on the year, just read about it last night online). I guess you just got by somehow.
How long do you have to have a tdoc/pdoc?
I think you should have one that you check in with periodically. To me it is good to establish a relationship with someone as a "safety net" in case you need them. Plus, if you are on meds, they should be the go-to person for adjustments (if your PCP is not good with this). I've been with my tdoc for over a year and hopefully will be with her a long time, even if it's just for bimonthly or quarterly check ups. I still don't have a pdoc but if and when I get one, I plan on keeping them on my medical team as long as I am around...
-Who do you tell? How do people react? what if they dont believe you?
I haven't even told my parents...I've told dh and he doesn't see any problem...
-Do you ever feel completely normal/balanced?
I do, I think. Then there are days when I wonder if I was ever normal. Or days when I think this is normal...
-Can it get worse even if your medicated?
I think it is better managed if you are medicated (from what I have read) but the meds don't guarantee that you will not have episodes. I think they may spread them out or lessen them, but I don't have experience here.
-Do you know anyone else bipolar? like in real life... does that help you? I wish I knew someone, just to talk to them.
My adoptive father is bp, my biological mother is bp, my friend's brother is bp, my boss's xdh and daughter are bp...oh, my neighbor's dd was bp (she died of a drug overdose). I don't really talk to any of them about their illness, nor do any of them know I'm bp. So, I'm kind of alone with it except now I found this board. I find posting here helps me to feel like I am not alone and that someone understands.
-How do you deal with pregnancy? Is it just a longggg 9 months? Is it really fair to have a child if theres a chance it could be bipolar?
I LOVED being pregnant. I felt great...like I had a purpose. I took really good care of myself because I was pregnant (something I usually don't do). I didn't have any problems until after ds was born. I had very bad post partum depression. As far as it being fair, I'm not sure. DH and I discussed that before having kids (neither of us admitting I had bp then, just blaming my family tree for potential problems). My ds (8) has some special needs. He has been in therapy since he was 3. I am pretty sure if he is not bp, he will be...we are WAY too much alike...poor kid.
-Is it bad to do something stressful? Like go to med school? Is ok to be a therapist or would that cause too many problems for us, like to hear other people's problems, would that be like constant triggers?
I think a lot of people who are tdocs/pdocs and counselors are there because they have lived mental health first hand or had a close family member with mental health problems. I could be wrong on that, but I'm not afraid to ask tdocs about their personal experience...not all will answer your question, but they get the point when you ask.
-Has anyone been to a support group? Do they help?
No, but I went to group therapy when I was in college. I am going to call our local MH/MR chapter soon to see if there are any local support groups. I need all the help I can get right now.
-Could I have done something differently in my past to prevent bipolar?
I think I read 60% is genetic. So, maybe other than to be born to other parents, I don't think so.
-Is it normal to feel numbed on medication?
Only have experience with 2 psych meds: paxil cr and bupropion (generic wellbutrin). I don't feel numbed on the bupropion...I actually am more emotional on it, which I'm not sure if that is a good thing or not. The paxil cr made me not care about anything. My kids would be killing eachother and I would not even react. I was emotionally numb...the only way to describe it. But, I think everyone reacts to meds differently, so what one person experiences may not be what another one does.
-about my tdoc... is it normal to feel extremely connected to her? I mean she's leaving for a month in mid july then I'll be going to collegee so essentially I only have a month left with her. it makes me so sad!! what do i do? This is why i dont open up to people becausue you get attached and then you lose them.
too funny, I always stress when my tdoc goes on vacation and I know she isn't around. I have told my tdoc things I never have told anyone else. It took me about a year to finally trust her enough to open up.
Try not to think of it as losing her...she will be back...it will be tough by the sounds of it but I'm sure you will be ok. You have us to fall back on, (although I know I'm nothing compared to a tdoc)...
I don't know if any of my rambling is helpful.
Good morning.
Peg
Your other ?s were answer really well. I would just like to add my preg experience. When I became preg with ds, I stopped my meds (zoloft, depakote and wellbutrin. all max doses) Ds' father and grandma felt I didn't need my meds anyway. That was always a fight and that is a dif story.
Hey hon...I'm going to answer your questions before reading any other posts...so...
1. I've wondered that same thing...what did happen to people before meds? They used to use ECT (shock treatment) and not the more gentle kind they use now...they thought us Bipolars were really NUTSO and locked us up many times in institutions...sedated us almost all the time. Thank God for science, doctors, and meds.
2. I've had my pdoc for almost 5 years and will have her (or another) forever.
3. I tell those who need to know. Work knows, cuz I've been hospitalized SO MANY times because of rapid cycling...my close friends know (but they are all gone now for the most part)...my family knows, but they dont get it...you'll figure out in time who needs to know. If they don't believe me, I SO don't care.
4. Yes, it can get worse, on meds. You have to be patient and willing to go the distance with meds. Eventually, you will get stabilized. But it takes TIME and many meds before you will. But YOU WILL.
5. I knew other BPs in the psych ward...we were connected just like THAT! But, the relationships didn't last long.
6. Stress. Stress in itself is a trigger to ANYONE. BP or not. But in some, yes, stress will be an easy trigger. You have to find your own niche and let yourself be moved down that path. I still don't know what mine is, lol. I go to work, at the same job I've been at for 18 years though...guess that's it. Stress must be controlled in order to maintain stability.
7. I don't like support groups, others find them very helpful.
8. You couldn't have prevented Bipolar. Its chemical.
9. Yes, its normal to feel numbed on meds. Sucks. But isn't that the point?
10. And as for your tdoc, YES YES and YES about feeling connected to her.
You're going to be okay. Its just VERY overwhelming and very confusing. I was SOOOOO manic when I was first dx'ed that I didn't even give it a passing thought, until I crashed and thought I was going to die. Its good you are asking questions. Keep asking.
Love and Hugs,
Keli
I am gonna shar my story with you. I might now be as organized as the rest so pardonme. I just got up and am on my first cup of coffee. I am 32 and been dx with BP when I was 26. My family knows and so do my inlaws. They all have been really supportave of me. A few really close friends know. I have made the mistake of trusting my employers on 2 different occasions by letting them know. Then shorly affter that, about a few months or so, I was told my services were no longer needed. An I worked for these ppl for over
Everyone thank you so much!! Your answers and stories have brought a lot of peace to my mind. I really love hearing about people who have bipolar AND a life, it gives me hope. I've had depression for like 10 years at least but the manic part I've only been experiencing for around a month, so it's all really new to me. Having your support is so wonderful! I definitely just don't get it anywhere else.
You all are the best!!
Meg
I'm going to try my best to answer as many of these as I can. Maybe it will occupy my mind a bit.
Sadly, before medications were available some bipolars were institutionalized, some attempted suicide, some succeeded, many developed substance abuse problems,
Note: I feel compelled to point out that while it is illegal for an employer to fire someone on the basis of them being bipolar, employers can and often do fire making up some story about incompetence that didn't exist before they found out about the diagnosis. I have had that happen more than once. While disability discrimination is illegal, it is wickedly hard to prove in court.
And those employers that started giving me trouble after they found out about my diagnosis? I felt sure I could trust them previously. Some people are also wickedly hard to read.
Careful! (moral of the story)
Express!
Beth "Petrouchka"