Bi-Polar

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-20-2007
Bi-Polar
29
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 7:17pm

Hi,


I'm new to iVillage as of today. On Fri. I saw my new psychiatrist, for the third time. I'm 49 years old and have been diagonosed with p.t.s.d., panic attacks, and depression since I was in my early 20's. Now this new psychiatrist tells me that he highly suppects that I have bi-polar type 2, and resistant depression(?) don't know if I'm saying that one right. Anyway he said that there are four different types of bi-polar. So I went to bi-polar.com when I got home and looked up type two. I don't really understand this new diagonises, I mean I just don't get manic. I do get very irratiable, and am sometimes full of rage for no apperant reason. I thought I was just being short tempered, plus some. He put me on a bi-polar medication that of course my husband has the perscribtion right now so I can't think of the name. It starts with an L and you have to start slowly because of a condition that can cause a harmful skin rash if started on to high of a dose. So I am to take 25mg for 2 wks., than 50mg. for 2wks. till I see him. I am already on Cymbalta 30mg. for depression, Klonopin for panic attacks, and Neurtrotin for mood disorder. Has anyone else been diganosed with depression and than later in years told they are bi-polar type 2. I was very upset by this because to me bi-polar always meant that you had manic and depressive mood swings. I don't get the mania. Just mostly the things I mentioned above. If anyone knows much about this please let me know. I think the new medication is something like (limetical) not sure sorry. He said that it would take 2-3 months to work because of having to bring the dose up slowly, of course that didn't make me very happy, but he said it would be worth it because it is a good medication. Any feedback would be so appriciated.


Warm Regards,


Donna

I know this sounds all so very depressing, so sorry about that. Just having a bad day and am scared to take the new medication. Just want to feel better. Thanks

Donna

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Avatar for msally99
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
In reply to: donnalw3
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 8:57pm

Hi, Donna, and welcome. First let me say that the ladies here are great and I'm sure you will get some helpful responses!


I am also BP2. I have suffered from depression since childhood but was not dx'd as BP until I was 25. My mania manifests as what I refer to as an addiction to shopping, but that is only when it gets really out of control. Little, break-thru episodes of mania are marked by irritabilty and even rage. Of course, I am no doctor, but your situation sounds very much like my own.


I take Effexor, Abilify, and Depakote, and have been pleased (so far) with the cocktail.


I know this new dx must be scary for you, but I think you have to trust your doc right now. I sincerely hope that when the new med gets into your system, you will feel so much better about things!


In the meantime, I/we are always here to listen and support you. Or, if you would feel more comfortable, email me thru my profile, and I'm happy to discuss further with you.


Big hugs,


Carol

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-20-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 9:18pm

Hi, Thanks for the welcome. Also thank you for the info. It's so nice to know that I'm not alone with all of this. Seems like I have found a home here in iVillage. Don't quite know how everything works yet, but give me time. I might just take you up on the offer of e-mailing you. BTW, does iVillage have chat rooms. Or is the message board the way we do things here. I really do need to learn more about how iVillage works. Again thanks for the response, it was comforting to know that people really do care.


Donna

I know this sounds all so very depressing, so sorry about that. Just having a bad day and am scared to take the new medication. Just want to feel better. Thanks

Donna

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-28-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 10:11pm

Sounds like your pdoc put you on lamictal , as you have to watch for Steven's Johnson syndrome with it.

I too have been recently dx with bp 2 and am still struggling with it. The meds are hard core and I'm still nursing a bvery high needs one yr old. So I am holding off onm meds for a bit,

Dee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-14-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 10:16pm

Hi Donna.

Tina

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Tue, 11-20-2007 - 10:46pm

(((((((((((((((((




iVillage Member
Registered: 11-20-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Wed, 11-21-2007 - 12:03am

Hi beaches59, Wow thanks for all the info, and the wonderful welcome. I have got a lot of responses from my questions, and am amazed at how helpful everyone has been. I don't know how you made all that stuff at the end of your reply, but I really liked what you said about God, and about us learning to to love imperfect people. I know I don't have that all right, but it is the best my memory will do at this time. I have found out already that a few people are also on Lamical(sp). Do you feel that it is a good med. for bp? Also I was in the phosp. about 5yrs ago, for severe depression, and some pdoc put me on seroqual, it made me ever so tired, to the point that when I would smoke a cig. outside I would fall asleep standing up outside lol. So after a few days I just said no thank you. I didn't even know at the time that seroquel was for bp. Obviously some pdoc, must have thought that I was bp. I have been told 3 times now since I was 31 that I might be bp, I always thought the pdocs where crazy, because I was always just know as Donna with p t s d , depression, and p.a. I find a little relieved at the fact that maybe now after my current pdoc has put me on this med. that maybe finally I will be on my way to being a more healthy person. I have been on so many different anti-depressants since my 20's that when my pdoc was asking me which ones I couldn't even remember them all. He is keeping me on my Cymbalta an SSRI, do you know the difference between SSRI's and Lamitcal, how they work? Pdoc said that studies are showing more and more that women who were sexually abused as children (myself ages 6-19) who are diagnoised as p t s t, are more common to have bp. I just always thought that b/c I didn't get these really big manic epsodes that no way was I bp. Didn't know that my instantanious rage, irratability, and just plain ole being a bitch sometimes could be bp2. One minute I will be laughing and tickling my son or husband, and than bam I get a rage attack as I call it. Anyway thinks for the website to check out. I will do that for sure. Well I'm on Ca. time here and my favorite show is coming on now(House).


Take care,


Donna

I know this sounds all so very depressing, so sorry about that. Just having a bad day and am scared to take the new medication. Just want to feel better. Thanks

Donna

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Wed, 11-21-2007 - 7:41am

Donna,


Goodmorning haven;t got long have a gdoc appt. Yes I was also very relieved to finaly have a dx'after 2 1/2 years lol But remember what i said it can be a bumpy ride lolo.k. SSRI"S (antidepressants)(Selective




iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Wed, 11-21-2007 - 8:33am

hey donna,


lolam waiting for my DH as usual. I really knew something was wrong but didn't know what it was. I also would be in a great mood especially when i was working even at home. Being able tohandle 3 4 things at a time all my house work done in one day.


lol Than poof i would be so terrible upset or mad angry,extreme irritability and rage.known as hypomania. Mostly at mt dh most of the time lol. You will find ways or to




iVillage Member
Registered: 08-03-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Wed, 11-21-2007 - 1:55pm

Hello & Welcome Donna


You have found a woundful place full of caring supportive ladies. I got reading you post and you fall more as I do. I was dx'd BP-nos in June this year. I have more depression than anything and I have had some hypomanic episodes as well. As a teen I was suicidal, drank alot then I was fine for over 10 years, I lapsed in 2000-2001 w/ depression, and was put on wellbutrin & paxil. I was find again until about the end of 2005 and by june of 2006 I was out of work for 8 months due to depression and panic/anxiety attacks(kolonopin was given for that), seemed fairly stable but NOT me. I cam e back to work but was still missing a lot of time my dh was the one who said I could be BP, I did an online test we (meaning my dh went with me, 1st for everything) that is when we changed my dx and added a mood stabilizer Carbatol aka Carbamazpine. It has been about 5 monthes and I feel the best I have in I don't know how long. Now I know I can be an exception to the rule. Sometimes it can take many years to find the correct meds. I will tell you when I was dx'd at first I was very overwhelmed with the whole thing. You can probably search back to older post and see some where I do not sound like I do know and I would never of made it with out the ladies here and support of my family.


I do not know what sites you went to but there are a couple I like that they gave me here. www.nami.org & http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=home


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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-31-2007
In reply to: donnalw3
Wed, 11-21-2007 - 5:31pm
p.s. someday you will learn how to have a siggy (things on the bottom of the pagr) too

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