Just wanted to say hello...

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2007
Just wanted to say hello...
2
Tue, 03-27-2007 - 11:18pm

Hi, I figured I would introduce myself. I'm Judy, I use to post here a lot for quite sometime under blueyes7772, but I have not been here in about 2-3 years. I tend to lose track of time, my meds play a roll in that but I feel better so it's ok. When I was 1st diagnosed this board was a life saver, I was an ultra-rapid cycler so needless to say things were miserable and it helped so much to have people "know" what I was going though. As the doc gave me meds my cycles became longer, but I started to have mixed episodes. The doctor flat out told me that he didn't think that he would be able to get me stable but he wouldn't stop trying. To the doc's surprise I did reach stability and have remained there for the past year but it took me 5 years after I was dx'd to get there. And although I hate the forgetfulness and brain fog the meds give me, I will NEVER stop taking them, they have given me my life back.

I am taking:
Lithium 1200mg
Lamictal 300mg
Neurontin 2100mg
Klonopin 1mg as needed, although I hardly ever take them anymore.

So there is a little about me.

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-09-2008
Wed, 03-28-2007 - 12:57pm

Hi there, Judy--

I'm a newbie to the board but wanted to say hi. I actually came here looking for information regarding my daughter whom we are 98% sure has Early Onset Bipolar. She is 14. We have her first pdoc appt. tomorrow and I am counting down eagerly! I hope we get some good answers finally.

As I've learned more about this, I'm thinking that I may also have it, but have always thought that I just have really bad depression that hits from time to time. Usually this time of year I come out of a pretty bad bout with it.

My husband deals with a variety of issues, including mood swings. He's never been dxd as bipolar but has felt for awhile that he's on the wrong meds. So we will see.

-sigh-

What would it be like to feel "normal?" Whatever "normal" is? I can't imagine life without the curling up/can't get enough sleep periods of time. Even when I'm feeling "good" I'm hardly ever truly feeling good. It's just easier during those times to maintain a good attitude. I feel pretty crappy most of the time.

I look forward to getting to know you better--

Heidi

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-24-2007
Wed, 03-28-2007 - 7:47pm

Hi Heidi,
I really don't believe there is such a thing as normal, feeling good yes. It is truly wonderful to feel stable and it was worth all the crap I had to go through to make it here too. I know what you mean about feeling "good" but not really feeling good. Once I got stable I was like wow this is what it is like to feel good, happy, it was not something I had felt since my late teens (and I am 34 now), I didn't even remember how it felt. I was so use to the "happy" mania feeling that true happiness was beyond me. It has been a year and I am still getting use to it, loving it, but getting use to the fact that I am ok. As for sleep, I still have my issues there, even stable I vary from 4 to 9 hrs, but mostly average 6 hrs a night.

Chin up, it gets better, it really does. I hope all goes well with your dd's pdoc appointment! That is where I go tomorrow also, still seeing him every 3 weeks, guess he wants to be sure he can keep me stable!

Judy